I know some people may judge me, but I am a huge Taylor Swift fan. I think her songs are beautifully written and relatable, I thought what Kanye did was unacceptable, and I think her image as a role model is remarkable.

One of my favorite quotes of Taylor’s is her definition of the word ‘fearless.’ According to Taylor,

“To me, ‘fearless’ is not the absence of fear. It’s not being completely unafraid. To me, fearless is having fears. Fearless is having doubts. Lots of them. To me, fearless is living in spite of those things that scare you to death.”

So what, you may ask, does this have to do with fashion? Well, as in all areas of life, there are fears in the fashion world. There are certain “rules” that people are afraid to break. There are certain trends that you might be afraid to try. But we all need to get over this and realize that fashion is an expression of yourself, so if you like something, do it. Don’t care about what the haters might say. Here’s our list of ways to be fearless with your fashion.

We aren't all born 5'4" like Carrie, but we can all wear Manolo's (if we can afford them).

So you love heels, but you already tower over people

If you’re tall like me, standing at five feet ten inches bare-footed, you’re already taller than most people. Add heels to the mix, and suddenly you’re looking at the tops of everyone’s heads. The looks people give you are intimidating; sorry I’m not sorry that I love heels and I happen to be tall. It’s even harder to have confidence in heels when people are constantly saying that you’re too tall (thanks, Mom). You give in to society’s norm until one day you realize you have a closet full of flats and boots (albeit really nice ones) instead of the closet of Louboutins you dream of. Society beats you down, causing you to wear Tory Burch flats with your LBD instead of  some heels to edge it up. Well, my friends, I’m telling you to get those heels out of the back of the closet, dust them off, and rock them. This summer, I decided that I don’t care what people say. I love high heels, and I’m comfortable in high heels, so why shouldn’t I be able to wear them? People don’t tell short people not to wear flats. Heels are the one item that are universally flattering. They make you walk better, look thinner, and feel more glamorous. And you know what I say? The taller the better. It shows a sexy fearlessness to turn society upside down and do what you want. It’s time to look the 6’4″ men in the eye with confidence!

We know not everyone in your town might look like this, but if you want to dress like you just stepped out of a magazine, do it!

So you love high fashion but everyone around you is wearing jeans and tee’s

Walking around NYC, I’ve noticed two types of people: the ones that look like they just came out of Vogue and everyone else. For us, looking fashionable is something we thrive for, but if you’re not in the city, it’s hard to dress so chic but still look normal. Most people in Newark, DE are not wearing a DVF fur jacket; most wear jeans and a simple peacoat. But why be like everyone else when you can be yourself? If you like bold looks and current trends, why not try it? If people stare, it’s most likely because they love your look or wish that they had the guts to pull it off. The best way to ease trendier pieces into your wardrobe is to pair them with staples so that you still look a little normal for surburban society. As every fearless girl knows, sometimes you’ve just gotta take the leap and be confident in your style.

Every woman is different and has a unique style. Do your clothes reflect who you are?

So your grunge style is different than the preppy looks around you

Every girl has her own unique style and a way of defining it. I call mine “classic with an edge.” I love classic pieces like blazers, riding boots, and dresses, but I like to put a twist on these pieces with accessories like skull scarves or studded belts. Everyone knows who they are and what they like, but sometimes your personal style doesn’t match what’s in style according to the fashion world. For girls who favor the ripped-tights-and-combat-boots grunge that became popular in the 90s, their look has been brought back into fashion this past year so they are no longer outsiders. But there are plenty of other styles that are not so popular. Maybe you live in Massachusetts and everyone around you wears Jack Wills or Ralph Lauren, while you have a girly-vintage look and buy your clothes from Urban Outfitters. Everyone is afraid of being the outsider, but when you’re fashion makes you an outsider, you’re judged before you even open your mouth. The thing is, if you know who you are and what you like, you should wear things you love. You have to be fearless in your fashion and know who you are.

There are so many different fears people have when it comes to fashion. I could go on forever. But the thing is, it doesn’t matter what you’re afraid of. What matters is how you get over your fears, how you realize that you can do whatever you want. We all have reservations when it comes to what we’re wearing, but we have to dress how we want in spite of these fears and in spite of what everyone else tells us to do.