Love Yourself

I believe women have great power that is so often underestimated, even by themselves. Society took a step forward when it finally acknowledged there are great women who stand behind great men, but nowadays, we don't need (nor want) great men to give us identity. What we want is to take control of our identity and our place in the world. And yet, before we can do so, we must use the strength of believing in our own potential. My fellow females, we must first love who we are.

Over the past few years, we've had some great music that celebrates, not love for another, but love for oneself -- and specifically, the love a woman should have for herself. So when I'm looking to get pumped up about how powerful and badass women are, I pull up songs like "God is a Woman" by Ariana Grande, "Mother's Daughter" by Miley Cyrus, or "Joke's On You" by Charlotte Lawrence. But the music video for one song in particular, "Nightmare" by Halsey, has stuck with me.

The whole attitude of this music video serves as a formidable battle cry for women who gear up day after day to prove themselves capable in front of those who are doubtful. I'm enamoured by the scene with Halsey, Suki Waterhouse, and Cara Delevingne as brooding presences in their menswear-inspired pantsuits, dishing out blazing confidence with slackened ease. Queen Delevingne, twiddling a toothpick in her scowl, looks so commanding as she tosses her piercing gaze towards the camera pans. Later on, as Halsey dances in the burning junkyard, the full effect of her oversized suit with rolled up sleeves, a crop top and stiletto boots is on display as a testament to how women can look damn good wearing the pants too.

I want to acknowledge and extend thanks to all the people who, when a woman says she can do something, reply with, "I believe you can too." These are the kind of people who realize that if a woman loves herself, her love ultimately comes back to the world twofold -- and that's what makes women great.

Happy Valentine's Day, ladies.