Malaysian Women Share That One Thing They Wear That Makes Them Feel Invincible
Sometimes what's on the outside makes us feel good on the inside.
Published for DARLIE, 03 Aug 2016, 02:27 PM
"This necklace may look like it's just some really weird random shapes but..."
"...it's actually the DNA structure of the happiness chemical, serotonin. I wear it every day as a daily reminder that happiness always comes from within."
- Vivian, 32.
"This watch is something that I never thought I'd own"
This particular watch brand is actually quite difficult to find in Malaysia. So it means a lot to me that my mother actually went to the trouble to get it as a gift for me; it's something that's really close to my heart. Every time I look down at it on my wrist, it automatically makes me feel better no matter what I'm going through at the time. How's that for empowerment?"
- Paula, 28.
"Call me superstitious if you want but this is seriously my lucky interview dress!"
"I've worn it to almost all my interviews and I usually end up getting the job, hehe. The past three companies I've worked at (including the one I currently work at) all hired me after the first interview. Something about this dress just gives me the confidence to be myself and perform well. It even worked for my younger sister when she borrowed it for her first post-graduation job interview!"
- Tammy, 27.
"I love these heels because they literally lift me up to feel like no one can stand in my way"
"What better way to feel like a boss than by feeling like you're on top of the world? ('cause these heels make me 5 inches taller lol :P)."
- Anna, 36.
"This hoodie was the first expensive thing I ever bought with my own money"
"The wings on the back are especially inspirational for me, they make me feel like nothing can hold me back from achieving any goal I set for myself."
- Haley, 25.
"Okay first of all, it's such a pretty scarf that just looking at it makes me happy. But more than that, it actually used to belong to my mother back in the day."
"She's my role model in life and my biggest supporter in everything I do. When the world (okay lah more like the rest of my family je) is against me, she's always got my back. She's the strongest, most amazing person I know so what could be more empowering than wearing something of hers to inspire me to be just like her?"
- Anis, 19.
"DON'T LAUGH OKAY but I bought these earrings 'cause they remind me of the scales on a Magikarp (that's a Pokémon BTW for those of you who don't know)"
They're my little symbol of hope and a reminder not to underestimate myself or anyone else. If something as seemingly useless as a Magikarp can evolve into something as cool, ferocious and highly sought after as a Gyarados, why can't I do the same? Wearing them helps me remember to never stop trying to improve myself and become the very best version of myself that I can possibly be.
- Nadirah, 35.
"Wearing statement pieces like this kimono top leave no room to worry about the rest of my outfit"
"All I have to do is throw on something basic underneath and I'm good to go. Looking effortlessly fab always puts me in great mood."
- Michelle, 24.
"Having bright lips (especially fuchsia) empower me because they've become a big part of who I am"
"I love how they make me look and feel; it's hard to not be confident when you're rocking such a bold colour!"
- Tina, 30.
"I bought this arm cuff because it reminds me of something out of Game of Thrones"
She's such a BAMF so of course I feel completely empowered when I wear it. It helps me channel my inner Khaleesi!"
- Sarah, 22.
"I hiked through the Grand Canyon in these and man was that tough!"
"So I figure that if I can do that, I can pretty much do anything."
- Natalie, 31.
"I used to be quite chubby during my teenage years, borderline overweight in fact, which made me super insecure about my body image"
"I never really felt comfortable wearing clothes that showed off my body, it was long pants and long sleeves 24/7 for me. I was always jealous seeing other girls flaunting their gorgeous legs in shorts and I especially envied how cooling wearing shorts must be on those super panas days.
So after I eventually managed to reach my goal weight, I got myself this particular pair of shorts to wear with pride. The bright pink colour really helps to boost my confidence too. Oh and my butt looks great in these." ;)
- Gwen, 25.
"This bag was my promise to myself to change for the better"
"I was never one of those students that always get straight As for everything. My SPM results were barely good enough to get me into college. It wasn't that I wasn't smart or anything, I was just really lazy and never bothered to study. I don't know why exactly, but I decided that I would work hard to change myself in college.
I bought myself this bag as a mark of that promise and carried it around with me everywhere, especially to class and study sessions. Guess what? I graduated with straight As. :)"
- Carrie, 23.
"I'm super short so I often have to wear heels when I go out so that I don't look like a hobbit next to everyone else"
"One huge problem though: I can't walk properly in heels thanks to my terrible sense of balance :( So these platforms are my savior, not only can I walk without a problem in them, they're super comfortable too!"
- Emily, 30.
"It pretty much speaks for itself doesn't it?"
A simple but powerful reminder to have faith in myself and to keep working towards achieving my dreams. Anything is possible if I just believe."
- Mary, 21.
Do you have something that makes you feel like you can take on the world too? We'd love to hear all about them so share with us in the comments below. :)
Who cares about what others might say about how you look or what you wear? As long as it makes you feel good about yourself, we say go ahead!
For those that truly dare to be different, you could even win some really cool prizes that will up your fashion game even further courtesy of Darlie. RM700 worth of Pandora vouchers anyone? :D Head over here to find out more and all the best!