I
      asked
      myself,
      "What
      does
      appearance
      say
      about
     
     
      us?"
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Observation:
      Your
      hair
      is
      tightly
      controlled,
      a
      pulled-
     
     
      back
      ponytail,
      sides
      constrained
      by
      black
      clips,
      wire.
     
     
      One
      wisp
      escapes.
      And
      down
      your
      neck,
      two
      curls.
     
     
      Dark
      clothes.
      White
      sneakers.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Analysis:
      A
      personality
      made
      severe
      by
      need
     
     
      (scholastic?).
      A
      part
      of
      you
      desires
      still
      to
      be
      care-
     
     
      free;
      a
      natural
      person.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      And
      so,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Style
      Advice
      to
      a
      Single
      Woman
      in
      Cold
      Dark
      Blue:
     
     
      By
      Andrew
      MacPhee
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Cease
      wearing
      solely
      dark
      colours.
      Bright
      red
      hood-
     
     
      ies
      will
      be
      for
      you.
      Steer
      away
      from
      sneakers
      —
      wear
     
     
      low-cut
      boots
      or
      hiking
      boots
      instead.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Make
      your
      clothing
      more
      radical.
      Wear
      flowers.
     
     
      Wear
      earth.
      Wear
      trees.
      Your
      clothing
      is
      cold.
      Warm
     
     
      yourself.
      Radiate
      warmth.
      Smile
      that
      nervous
      smile,
     
     
      and
      soon
      it
      will
      be
      soothed.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Wear
      cords.
      Light
      brown.
      And
      a
      sheer
      beige
      shirt,
     
     
      like
      a
      tunic,
      with
      a
      powerful
      colour
      underneath.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Wear
      a
      bright
      scarf,
      then
      slowly
      unwrap
      it,
      like
     
     
      you're
      presenting
      everyone
      in
      the
      room
      with
      a
      gift.
     
     
      Reveal
      your
      neck.
      People
      everywhere
      love
      your
      neck
     
     
      (they
      do,
      don't
      laugh!),
      but
      it
      can
      be
      ice
      or
      flesh,
      and
     
     
      the
      curve
      of
      your
      lips
      is
      the
      gauge
      that
      tells.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Release
      your
      hair,
      confined
      so
      tightly
      over
      your
     
     
      head.
      Let
      it
      curl
      upwards,
      tendrils,
      alive
      and
      vibrant,
     
     
      kissing
      the
      air,
      pulling
      down
      the
      sun
      and
      storing
      in
     
     
      your
      eyes.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      “Laugh
      naturally,
      uninhibited.
      Walk
      confident.
      Flow.
     
     
      Move.
      Dance
      like
      you're
      James
      Brown.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Don't
      strive
      for
      sexy.
      Striving
      is
      uncool.
      Sexy
      will
     
     
      grow,
      organic,
      out
      of
      the
      Style.