Hi Vanessa,

Thank you for sharing this inspirational story.

I grew up in a conservative environment where wearing anything "unorthodox" such as a sleeveless top would be considered as an act of attracting the "wrong" kind of attention and would be met with remarks from family and friends such as "what will people think?"

Now the prevailing narrative is that if you want to do something bold or different, you MUST do it immediately; nothing should hold you back, don't give a f*ck about anything or anyone, etc.

I often feel that we are missing a few crucial conversations and have skipped the journey between these two scenarios.

We also seldom have discussions about the rules and regulations that exist in fashion today, such as "Don't pair big earrings with a big necklace," which in my opinion adds to the confusion and inhibits our self-expression.

Thus, I want to thank you for sharing your whole story, starting from who you were, to a realization of who you are, and who you wish to be.

I greatly admire that you are so kind to yourself and are honestly admitting to this change being a process. I found your words to be very refreshing and thought-provoking.

I wish you many good days in the future, where you can wear big-bold earrings and anything else that your heart desires.

Thank you for an excellent read.

Debdutta