Confidence, Cohen
On NYFW and being a nobody. Plus, have influencers ruined the vibe?
This week seven years ago, I got stood up by a guy from Astoria. Back then, my reaction was disbelief. Disbelief at the audacity and lack of respect. A few days ago I felt that same kind of disbelief while I was standing on the escalator in a clothing store. A teenage boy (probably about 18) came up behind me, turned around, and insulted a feature of my face I’ve been insecure about since I was a kid. His friend was like, “yo bro, that’s mean!” And he was like, “yeah but it’s true.” I’ve come a long way from 12-year-old me running home after school in tears from the mean words of bullies, but his words planted a seed of self-doubt.
I was feeling particularly self-conscious going into that night. I had three back-to-back events for NYFW, and I had to wear a dress that was sent to me that I didn’t feel comfortable in. I almost considered not going out at all—why put in all this effort to fit into a crowd I don’t care about impressing? But I wen…