Life hack: feeling shitty? Wear something nice.

It instantly lifts your mood, giving you a boost of confidence like nothing else.

My favorite piece of clothing does just that. During junior year, I bought a dark blue dress on sale from Urban Outfitters for $22. And if you’ve ever shopped at UO, you know that that’s an absolute steal. The best part? I didn’t even realize how much I would grow to love it, and how it would follow me along through the highs and lows of my life.

This gorgeous dress has a mesh neckline and some peek-a-boo holes, and the back is see-through. It hugs my body perfectly and hits at the perfect length above the knee, making it ideal for every occasion, because it’s easy enough to dress up or down.

But that ^ is what everyone says about a “great piece of clothing.” They use price, discounts and physical details to showcase the dress, but rarely talk about the experiences they have with the piece of clothing.

Nearly four years ago (holy crap), I wrote about my favorite piece of clothing, which was a t-shirt bearing the Kenyan flag that I received in elementary school for our annual Field Day festivities. I described the origin of the shirt and gave some background and context about how, in elementary school, kids loved to sign the back of each other’s t-shirts, as if people wouldn’t throw them out without a second thought, as if after a few washes, the names would still be comprehensible.

I bet no one expected me to cut it up, turn it into a tank top, and still have it a decade later.

My point is, it takes much more than flattering physical details to call something your “favorite piece of clothing”. Your favorite brings back memories, moments both big and small, and never fails to put a smile on your face.

Last quarter, I was listening to a group presentation for my integrated marketing class. The assignment? Come up with a brand extension for an existing company. This particular group had taken the Rent the Runway concept – an online service that rents out designer clothing to people so they don’t have to drop a bunch of $$ on something they’ll wear maybe once – one step further, with suits.

The group reasoned that having the perfect suit – whether for a job interview or a big presentation – could really help make someone feel like the most confident version of themselves, and really take that presentation by storm.

As I sat in class listening to them speak, it reminded me of the dress, just because it’s been with me through so many adventures, first-times and general shenanigans.

I wore it on my last day of debate camp. I brought it to a journalism conference, I rocked it at my senior debate banquet and I flaunted it at a formal last year.

It’s the piece of clothing that always comes to mind whenever I think, shit, what am I gonna wear tonight?

Not only has it followed me through the high points of my life, it’s helped get me up when I’m at my lowest, with that confidence boosting effect I mentioned earlier.

Clothes are just pieces of fabric, until you define them as otherwise.

This dress in particular, is a statement, and even rifling through my closet and coming across it brings me good vibes.

Lots of good songs: