Nothing But A T-Shirt On (Well, not exactly.)

I love comfy tees; I remember wearing oversize Hanes T-Shirts with cutoff shorts and flip flops in the 7th & 8th grade, when I wasn't as interested in high heels and mini skirts (as I was in my high school days.) I remember one of my cousins telling me "There's no way you will ever be a fashion designer or get into any kind of fashion school looking that way. You look like a slob. You don't even look middle class. You are straight street."

I laugh at him now, because he isn't even middle class. In fact, if this were a caste system, he would not be fit to scrub the feet of peasants.

Truth be told, I wore them because my body was changing and developing in my junior high days; I was struggling to accept the fact that I now had to wear a bra and that I had curves I didn't know what to do with. Some of my friends still had boyish bodies with no butts and no breasts; this was prior to Jennifer Lopez hitting the big screen and making my life wayyy easier. (This is why she will be one of my role models until the day I die.)

The cost factor was miniscule. My Mother loved it. She would buy me t-shirts at Target that cost less than my lunch money for a day of school, and I would try and glam them up with a cute necklace, throw on the same tattered pair of shorts that always seemed to fit and feel comfortable, and a pair of flip flops. Sometimes I'd wear Adidas with ankle socks (and at that time, that wasn't really in style. I wore them, anyway. They made my legs look longer.)

I still believe in wearing what makes you feel good. Eventually I became comfortable and secure in my body. I learned that having an ass and thick thighs isn't always such a bad thing (and ask the gentlemen, ladies, they do not object to looking at strong, thick, svelte legs-especially when they are bronzed, with a skirt brushing against them. I still believe some fashion staples can cost the same as a Happy Meal, and can carry you from runway to work to a night out on the town. I still believe that to look good, you have to feel good about yourself--and if it means only wearing a Hanes t-shirt and sandals, then so be it.

Hilary Duff is spot-on as usual, having jazzed up her shirt with a very ethnic looking necklace that is just gorgeous, and even though she herself is quite young, she is not any less fashionable. In fact, I would venture to say she is the most chic of the week, at least in my book. Go Hilary. It's your birthday. What is it? 19? 20? Whatever it may be, do your thing girl. Even if the top only costs $3.99.

For tops like Hilary's, at a fraction of the cost, hit up Forever 21, H&M, www.topshop.com, or Nordstrom, where I found comfy tees on sale, 2 for $20.