Passion And Fashion by Claire

Passion And Fashion by Claire - May 2023 Scholarship Essay

Growing up homeschooled has really taught me the importance of education and pursuing my passions. I have always valued my education and never took it for granted. School did not come easy for me and I had to work hard for good grades. I was persistent in proving myself and worked hard to achieve my goals. I am confident in saying that that is one of my best qualities and will benefit me not only as a student but in the future as well. I have always needed to help others and bring out the best in anyone I met. I believe taking this mindset into my future career will be beneficial. Being homeschooled all throughout grade school and high school was not something I had planned but I would not have had it any other way because of the doors it opened up for me and my future.
From a young age, I was intrigued with fashion, style, sewing, and creating new designs. I found that I could express myself through fashion and clothes in a way I could never express with words. I was labeled the shy homeschooled kid in grade school and felt like I could never fully show my authentic self to anyone other than my close friends. I used fashion as an outlet to put all of my passion into and I never imagined how far it would take me into a career. As I entered high school, I realized that I would not be the smartest kid in my grade and that I was not a math person. I always pictured myself choosing a field I loved; I could be passionate about it and still make a living. In my junior year of high school, I made the decision to attend The University Of Wisconsin-Stout for fashion and retail with a minor in business. This program was the perfect fit for me; it combines my love of fashion and design with business management and merchandising. This fall will only be the start of my path to achieving my life goals.
As I stated earlier, I have always been a people pleaser by nature, and making everyone around me happy is so much more important than any fancy degree or job. Helping people, especially young girls, to be confident and not compare themselves to the beauty standards of the world is one of the main reasons I have chosen this field of study. I want to change the way this world views women and the clothes that they wear. I know one person can only do so much but I will do my part to help the cause I am fighting for. I grew up very self-conscious and I did not realize until I was older that my body was not the problem but it was the clothes I was wearing. Nobody is the same and I had to take a step back and realize how to pick clothes for my body, not the other way around. If I can help at least one young girl with how she views herself I know I will achieve what I was made to do with this career.
I plan to not only challenge this one body type agenda but to be a member of those who is willing to destroy this way of thinking. People may doubt my abilities and wonder why I chose such an “easy” career but I believe that the best outcomes come from people who follow their passions and use them to turn the world into the beautifully diverse place it is. I am proud of the decisions I have made and I am excited about what the future holds for me and my goals.