#mayakern

Aurora Skirt by @mayakern

Dear @mayakern,

With the UK store slowly closing it's doors I thought I, like some others already have done, should express my gratitude for all your and your team's work over the years. It probably won't fit in an ask so I opted for a stand-alone post.

When I grew up I had a really weird relationship with myself and what's expected of me. From a certain point during very early puberty I felt... really detachted from myself as a girl. I started to viciously despise being a girl, being perceived as such + being pushed into the future-mother/wife-box (I didn't realize it was optional yet... whoops). No more pink, no more long hair (or as short as the hairdressers would cut it... which was shoulder length max)! The behavior of my classmates and my extended family really didn't help the feeling, they made me feel really ugly and I didn't like looking in the mirror for a looong time.

I actually found your store once already way before my first purchase years later. I always liked your designs but... "girl stuff" was still a sore spot.

I did eventually mellow out. Pink wasn't the endboss anymore, just a color I allowed into my wardrobe in smidges). I was able to cut my hair very short like I wanted. But skirts and dresses? Still definitely off the table for me personally.

It took me rediscovering your store a few years ago. I felt brave and bought two skirts: Waves and Bees. I think. When they arrived and I tried them on? For the first time I felt what I can only assume to be gender euphoria. Yes YES this was good!! I didn't feel like I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole. I didn't look like a child playing dress-up!

Seing others show you the looks they created with your skirts and them looking absolutely beautiful and bangin' also helped a lot. Very inspiring. So thank you for that, for your hard work during the last few years. For the beautiful designs brought to life. For giving me back a bit of bravery.

Belated photos of my visit to reptile expo. Perfect excuse to wear my @mayakern horseshoe crab skirt!! Which I of course got compliments on, and whose pockets my friend shoved several handfuls of candy into later that day. Seriously, those pockets are elite.

My only OOTD photo is a shitty mirror selfie to show a friend, but here's me with absolute focus holding a tiny baby (not technically a baby*) snake 🥰🥺 and a very sweet leopard gecko.

new sweater from @morningwitchy goes absolutely perfectly with this skirt from @mayakern