Fashion has always been a form of art and the way we dress is a form of self-expression; whether you put a lot of thought into every outfit or simply throw on anything, the way you dress is a big part of your individual identity.
Therefore, it’s important to make sure there are no clothing boundaries within your romantic relationships. Ultimately, your partner should not restrict what you wear. You should be wearing whatever makes you feel the most 'you' and whatever you are most comfortable in,
To find out what people think about this topic, I went to my Instagram stories for answers, posing the question ‘Would you let your partner have a say in what you wear?’
There were 100 votes for yes (39%) and 155 votes for no (61%). However, a lot of the people that voted yes, said that they would take fashion advice from their partner but would not let them dictate what they wear.
For example, some responses included “I more just look to my partner for style advice, like a “which shoes with this outfit?” kind of thing. I would never allow my partner to control what I wear!” and “Yes as he likes my fashion sense and I sometimes like a second opinion.”
All of this is of course okay, it’s great to get a confidence boost from your partner and to know that they think you look good in an outfit, as long as they aren’t restricting what you wear or making you feel bad about your clothing choices as this is when the relationship starts to become unhealthy.
The majority of people voted that no, they would not let their partner have a say in what they wear and some of their responses included “I’m my own person and in my experience, it can get toxic” and “It’s definitely my choice, I don’t need them to tell me if I look good, that’s for me to decide.”
Some responses included people saying that they would not wear something if it made their partner uncomfortable or insecure. While I understand not wanting to upset your partner, it's important to be reminded that women don't only dress for the attention and approval of men. Your partner probably just wants to look good for themselves, or for you! Restricting what they wear will only make them feel less confident in themselves.
Healthy relationships are most often described as interdependent. This means you rely on each other for support but still maintain your identity as a unique individual. If being with someone means compromising who you are and what you wear, chances are they are not the right person for you.
One of my favourite responses was “Just because you are together it doesn’t stop your individuality.” I think this sums it up nicely. You can simultaneously be in a respectful relationship whilst maintaining who you are as a person and your fashion identity. Wear whatever makes you feel amazing and don’t change for anyone.