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The Skirt MAG

March 8, 2008
By EmilytheAuthor DIAMOND, St. Francisville, Louisiana
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EmilytheAuthor DIAMOND, St. Francisville, Louisiana
55 articles 20 photos 10 comments

Favorite Quote:
Be who you are and say what you feel because those that mind don't matter, and those that matter don't mind. -dr. seuss

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I will be the first to say that I am not materialistic. My friends label me as a goody-goody; my parents say I am conservative and modest when it comes to clothes. I don’t wear bikinis, and none of my skirts or shorts end above my knees. That is my choice.

So why, why did I feel so tempted? My family and I were in Target, and there it was, waiting. A skirt, specifically designed not to cover anything. It was tan and looked like something one of those anime schoolgirls would wear.

I checked my purse. The skirt cost $10. I had the money. I could buy it. I imagined walking into school and my pals’ jaws dropping. Guys would ask me out, and I would be happy. I could buy it – no, I should buy it.

I showed my mother. She was surprised but said it was my decision. My sister looked on enviously.

I went into the dressing room to try it on. So sure was I that this skirt would change me, somehow make me not what I am but what I wished to be. I slid my jeans off and put it on. Now for the decisive moment. I looked in the mirror. There I was – a geeky girl in a Superman T-shirt and sneakers. My glasses fogged up as I started to cry.

The skirt did not change me. Though it fit well and might make me look good in the eyes of ­today’s world, it was not me. I am not a girl who flirts or wears cool clothes to fit in.

I took the thing off and slid back into the ­comfort of modesty. My mom knocked on the door. “Emily, are you okay?”

I wiped away my tears. “I’m fine.” I looked in the ­mirror again and saw a blond skinny girl with dorky ­glasses and a ponytail. I saw myself.

© Marisa S., Alexandria, VA

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This article has 341 comments.

tr3bl3grrl SILVER said...
on Nov. 9 2011 at 4:10 pm
tr3bl3grrl SILVER, Lincoln, Nebraska
8 articles 5 photos 15 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Fascinating. I am being possessed by unspeakable evil.&quot; --Tweek, Avalon #7<br /> OR... &quot;THE HUNKY-DORY THING ZAPPED ME!!&quot; --Trunko, Ugly Doll Show.

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Amazing. I can so relate. You are awesome. This is awesome. Keep writing!
Gracious PLATINUM said...
on Nov. 8 2011 at 3:01 pm
Gracious PLATINUM, Go Away, Kansas
22 articles 0 photos 66 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;life sucks and then you die, yeah, i should be so lucky&quot;<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> -Jacob, Twilight<br /> <br /> I&rsquo;m still that girl who falls when she runs, Getting back up, because falling is fun.

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A very similar thing happened to me, when I startedcwearing make up. I thought I'd suddenly feel beautiful, that seems like a joke now
Bambi67 SILVER said...
on Nov. 5 2011 at 11:20 pm
Bambi67 SILVER, Chicago, Illinois
9 articles 1 photo 58 comments

Favorite Quote:
remember that the future comes one day at a time. <br /> Dean Acheson

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very nice!!
pageturner PLATINUM said...
on Nov. 5 2011 at 10:57 pm
pageturner PLATINUM, Brooklyn, New York
34 articles 0 photos 94 comments

Favorite Quote:
It&#039;s okay to daydream.. just as long as you get to do some of those daydreams.

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I personally don't see that many stereotypes in my school, but I like your article.
SofiaPheonix BRONZE said...
on Nov. 5 2011 at 9:08 pm
SofiaPheonix BRONZE, Blanding, Utah
2 articles 2 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
Everyone wants happiness, No one wants pain, but you cant make a rainbow without a little rain.

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I loved this and really connected to it. Its actually pretty hard to get me to feel the emotions a piece is supposed to portrey, but you did a fantastic job and I really felt it. Great Job keep writing.
dawnof17 said...
on Nov. 5 2011 at 8:50 am
I used to be awkward. I thot if I could only be friends with these certain girls, life would be tops. Suddenly I found myself accepted with those very girls, and it was not what I had been expecting. I felt better, simply because I came out of myself, and simply was me, but I found that "the top" was not with those girls, but in being who I am and loving it. You can't have fun being someone else. You don't feel free that way.
Kayroxy101 GOLD said...
on Oct. 17 2011 at 12:37 pm
Kayroxy101 GOLD, Ringwood, New Jersey
18 articles 85 photos 45 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Two roads diverged in a wood, and I&mdash;<br /> I took the one less traveled by,<br /> And that has made all the difference.&quot; ~ Robert Frost<br /> <br /> &quot;I decided a while ago not to deny myself the simpler pleasures of existence.&quot;~ Augustus Waters, The Fault in Our Stars

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This is lovely. It made me happy knowing that out there there are still people who be who they want to be and don't care about what other people think or what the Norm is :)
Naomi518 GOLD said...
on Oct. 14 2011 at 1:56 pm
Naomi518 GOLD, Windsor, Connecticut
11 articles 15 photos 59 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light&quot; ~Albus Dumbledore

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I totally agree! I'm much more attracted to nerds :P
Eshshah PLATINUM said...
on Oct. 14 2011 at 8:24 am
Eshshah PLATINUM, Galloway, New Jersey
32 articles 31 photos 239 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.&quot; -Robert Frost

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I love this, really similar to what I'm like
clumsyteardropper SILVER said...
on Sep. 26 2011 at 3:39 pm
clumsyteardropper SILVER, Roslyn, Pennsylvania
8 articles 0 photos 87 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;You can&#039;t help others, if you yourself need help&quot; -my sister ;) love it!

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i'm sorry to all you "i think i'm so hot" peeps and really popular jocks who are in the IN crowd...... but just saying my personal opinion... dorks, geeks, nerds and such are just SO hot ;)  DONT BE ANYONE BUT YOU!!! becuz no one does it better
selenafan1 BRONZE said...
on Sep. 22 2011 at 4:34 pm
selenafan1 BRONZE, Freeport, Texas
2 articles 0 photos 27 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot; Friendship is like peeing your pants, everyone can see it but only you can feel it&#039;s warmth&quot;<br /> &quot;Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it is better to be absolutley ridiculous than absolutley boring&quot;-Marilyn Monroe

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omg this is so awesome wow so inspirational
Tcoolgirl BRONZE said...
on Sep. 22 2011 at 4:31 pm
Tcoolgirl BRONZE, San Tan Valley, Arizona
3 articles 0 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Watch your thoughts, they become words. Watch you words, they become actions. Watch your actions, they become you. Watch yourself, you affect others.&quot;

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I must say that I'm wearing a super girl T-shirt and sneakers right now, but i am AWESOME. Lol, but I like your article. It makes a very good point, someone shouldnt wear something that is not them just to impress other people.
lzcelloplayer BRONZE said...
on Sep. 22 2011 at 2:57 pm
lzcelloplayer BRONZE, Wayland, Massachusetts
2 articles 0 photos 31 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;It seems that we all look at Nature too much, and live with her too little.&quot; ~ Oscar Wilde

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I enjoyed reading this, and it sends a good message out there, that you should be who you want to be and not be pressured by anything to be someone else just to fit in with the crowd. 
PeachyKeen2 BRONZE said...
on Sep. 22 2011 at 12:30 pm
PeachyKeen2 BRONZE, Greensboro, North Carolina
3 articles 0 photos 9 comments
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I agree. Completely. I do not like how the world seems to always need/want to shape and make people into something we are not. I love this peice. So good. So true.
mc112 said...
on Sep. 22 2011 at 11:08 am
that was really awsome
IAmWhoIWantToBe PLATINUM said...
on Sep. 20 2011 at 6:39 am
IAmWhoIWantToBe PLATINUM, Manila, Other
41 articles 0 photos 650 comments

Favorite Quote:
&lrm;&quot;I&rsquo;m learning how to drown out the constant noise that is such an inseparable part of my life. I don&rsquo;t have to prove anything to anyone. I only have to follow my heart and concentrate on what I want to say to the world: I run my world.&quot; - Beyonc&eacute;

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I'd be myself. I like this article. So simple but inspiring.
ElleBell223421 said...
on Aug. 31 2011 at 9:29 am
You are an inspiration! If only more teenage girls thought that way.
K.M.S.Shear BRONZE said...
on Aug. 17 2011 at 8:52 am
K.M.S.Shear BRONZE, Cherokee, Iowa
2 articles 0 photos 57 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Some people think writing is a waist of their time. For me it&rsquo;s a way to draw an image of myself through the painting of words.&quot;

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Great job just being yourself.
Laura_Oliver GOLD said...
on Aug. 9 2011 at 6:23 pm
Laura_Oliver GOLD, Manchester, Connecticut
12 articles 2 photos 122 comments
View profile
Yes bar notation
Laura_Oliver GOLD said...
on Aug. 9 2011 at 6:22 pm
Laura_Oliver GOLD, Manchester, Connecticut
12 articles 2 photos 122 comments
View profile
This is a terrific piece! I dress the same way, with shorts and t-shirts all the time (once I was mistaken for a boy, and I just showed them my braid), and while I have never felt the need to buy any of those short skirts or shorts, I agree that you should just dress the way you want to and not feel pressured to follow others in their fashion statements. Be happy about it, too!