remember what i said about standing out? about being different and not giving a damn what anyone else thinks?

well, an Elle article by the gorgeous, talented Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie nails that moment when people are on the “hate” side of the fence. it may be a little melodramatic, but her words brought me to tears because i was immediately flooded with memories of the consequences of standing out.

“I had learned a lesson about Western culture: Women who wanted to be taken seriously were supposed to substantiate their seriousness with a studied indifference to appearance. For serious women writers in particular, it was better not to dress well at all, and if you did, then it was best to pretend that you had not put much thought into it. If you spoke of fashion, it had to be either with apology or with the slightest of sneers.”

{click on pic for full article}