We’ve seen Chacos, we’ve seen Birkenstocks, and we’ve definitely seen a plethora of t-shirts with Greek letters. But are you ready for the newest fashion trend of Grove City?
Tessa Falcetta is stepping into the apparel land of GCC in a fresh and bold way with #imokay. Falcetta makes a clear statement against the idea that flaws are to be hidden by inviting people to “wear their insecurities.”
Everyone has them. And nearly everyone tries to hide them. Some of them are physical, some mental, and nearly all are emotional. Insecurities affect all of us, and too often they are smuggled under peoples’ beliefs that we are to put on the best image of ourselves and be ashamed of anything less than perfect.
For Falcetta, it’s anxiety. She’s not alone in this fight – one quarter of young adults have struggled with an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives (Elements Behavioral Health). Despite its prevalence, anxiety remains unaddressed among many people. It’s not exactly ideal table talk. In her first presentation of #imokay, Falcetta stated that many people don’t discuss their insecurities because they are ashamed. Having insecurities is okay, she explained, but letting them define you is not. Here is her solution.
#imokay is a t-shirt brand that allows people to wear their insecurities. Each simple shirt is blank except for an insecurity spelled out across the chest. “ANXIETY.” “TEETH.” “APPEARANCE.” She offers shirts with common insecurities such as these. She also offers a customization option, where customers can choose what words they’d like to feature. The logo is on the back of each shirt.
The vision of #imokay came to life when, during her presentation, Falcetta let two students create their own #imokay t-shirts. Each student wrote a word or two that encompassed something they were insecure about, then they shared their reasons with the class. The demonstration didn’t take much time, but it offered a real glimpse into what makes these people who they are, and how they find confidence in the light of their insecurities. Labeling your insecurity doesn’t make you weak, as we saw: it makes you strong.
Here we see an example of innovation combined with passion to create a brand that empowers people. Falcetta’s company reminds us that we are each created by God to be different, and that is something to be celebrated. I may have insecurities, but I’m not ashamed by them. I’m not unacceptable, and I’m not alone. #imokay.
Find them on Instagram @imokay2017. T-shirts to be sold at GCC soon!