Uses of summer trends as a way of discovering or reinventing oneself, experimenting new styles, but the deeper emotional journey is about embracing their true identity and gaining confidence.

 

Nina stood in front of the full-length mirror, biting her lip as she surveyed her reflection. The bright, tangerine sundress clung to her body in a way she wasn’t used to, showing curves she had spent years hiding. Bold. Vibrant. This dress was everything she wasn’t—yet everything she wanted to be.

Summer 2024 had brought a wave of new trends: bold colors, oversized sunglasses, and cropped tops that left little to the imagination. As she scrolled through social media, she saw endless pictures of people confidently sporting these styles, embracing the season’s energy without a second thought. Nina wanted to be like them, but every time she tried, something inside her pulled back.

All her life, Nina had played it safe. She grew up in hand-me-downs from her older sisters, clothes that were practical, plain, and unremarkable. When she hit her twenties, she stuck to the comfort of jeans and muted tones, always blending into the background. It was easier that way—no one could judge what they didn’t see.

But this summer, something shifted. At 27, Nina was tired of hiding. Tired of feeling invisible. She watched friends and strangers alike step into their power, flaunting bold patterns and neon colors, exuding a confidence that Nina envied. Summer 2024 was not just about trends; it was about daring to be seen. And Nina, for the first time in her life, was ready to step into the light.

Yet now, standing in her small apartment, she felt paralyzed by doubt.

The tangerine dress seemed too loud, too much. Every flaw she saw in herself—her thighs, the soft curve of her stomach, the width of her hips—screamed at her from the mirror. She tugged at the fabric, trying to convince herself it could be comfortable, that she could own this. But the voice in her head whispered, This isn’t you.

That’s what scared her most. She didn’t know who she was.

She sank onto the bed, staring at her phone. Her feed was filled with friends posting their summer outfits—swimwear, crop tops, floral prints. They looked radiant, carefree. But Nina knew the truth. She knew that beneath the filters and smiles, some of those same friends struggled with their own insecurities, just like she did.

Her phone buzzed. It was from her best friend, Maya.

Maya: “Beach day tomorrow? Everyone’s going! Wear something summery 🌞❤️”

The pit in Nina’s stomach grew. A beach day? That meant swimsuits, revealing everything she had spent years trying to hide. She stared at the text, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. She could make an excuse, say she had other plans, avoid the discomfort. But then she thought of the promise she had made to herself at the start of summer—to stop hiding. To try.

Slowly, she texted back.

Nina: “I’ll be there.”

The next day, Nina arrived at the beach, her heart pounding. She wore a flowing, white cover-up over her swimsuit, her sunglasses perched high on her head like armor. Maya waved her over, grinning, already knee-deep in the ocean. Everyone looked so effortless, their skin glowing under the sun, their laughter echoing across the sand.

“Nina! You look amazing!” Maya called out as Nina approached. She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Do I? she wondered.

For most of the day, Nina stayed on the fringes—smiling, laughing, but never fully present. She couldn’t stop adjusting her cover-up, making sure it concealed everything she was still too afraid to show.

As the afternoon sun began to sink, casting long shadows across the beach, Maya plopped down next to her. “You okay?” she asked gently.

Nina sighed. “I just… I don’t know if I can do this, Maya. I feel like I’m pretending to be someone I’m not.”

Maya’s eyes softened. “I get it. But what if the person you’re trying to be is actually closer to who you really are? Maybe it’s not about pretending. Maybe it’s about giving yourself permission to change.”

Nina looked out at the ocean, her heart heavy. Change. She had always been so afraid of it. But now, sitting there in the sand, she realized she wasn’t afraid of the bold colors or the revealing clothes. She was afraid of being seen for who she really was.

Without thinking, she stood up, shrugging off her cover-up. The cool breeze hit her skin, and for a moment, she felt raw, exposed. But then she looked down at herself, really looked. Her swimsuit was a soft lavender, hugging her body in ways that were unfamiliar but not unkind.

Maya smiled up at her. “You look incredible, Nina.”

And for the first time, she didn’t argue. She didn’t pick herself apart or shrink back into the shadows. She stood there, in the fading sunlight, letting herself be seen. The world didn’t end. No one stared. The sky stretched out before her, wide and endless, and Nina felt something she hadn’t in a long time—freedom.

Maybe Maya was right. Maybe this wasn’t about changing who she was, but finally allowing herself to become who she was meant to be. To embrace the vibrant colors, the bold choices, the trends she admired, not as masks to hide behind, but as tools to express the self she had kept hidden for too long.

As she walked toward the water, each step lighter than the last, Nina smiled. Summer 2024 wasn’t about keeping up with trends. It was about finding herself in them. And for the first time in her life, she felt like she was exactly where she needed to be.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *