What Happened When I Wore A Power Tiara For A Week

One of the things I have learned over the years is that we never truly grow up, do we? Let's face it: Although we may wake up one day with adult responsibilities, adult jobs, and an otherwise seemingly "adult" life, we still retain that child-like love deep down inside. When I was just a wee lass, my world was filled with the magical and the fantastical. Every day — after I pulled my nose out of whatever book I was intensely engrossed in — I would continue to live out my daily life in the world of fantasy. I just never wanted to leave it.

Sometimes, I was Catwoman, parading around my backyard in black cowboy boots (hey, it was the closest thing a little girl could get to the latex bondage boots she's famous for) and carrying around my skipping rope whip. Other times, I was Xena, Warrior Princess (I had a thing for female superheroes who kicked ass) running around doing the shrillest, shriekiest version of her "warrior cry" imaginable, whilst tossing around a pool ring, pretending it was my chakram. I even made all my siblings and friends play Sailor Moon with me (I was always Sailor Moon) whenever I was forced to play with others (I was a bossy kid — a symptom of being the eldest sibling). But most of the time, when I wasn't being a strong, sexy, ass-kicking femme fatale, my favorite thing to pretend to be was a princess.

I wasn't exactly what you'd call "popular" when I was young. In fact, I was completely, utterly, and (very happily) every bit a nerd. And boy, did I embrace it with vigor. I loved to read during recess (when I wasn't playing some made-up fantasy game with my best nerd friend); I was obsessed with Star Wars; I was in newspaper club at school; I played chess; and I loved to dress up in medieval clothing, wear crowns, and pretend to be regal. My grandfather used to be the property manager for our church, and during the week, he would sometimes take me with him while he walked around playing Mr. Tinker. The church was completely empty during this time, and I would relish the privacy as I walked around with my gown and crown on, pretending that the old, antique building of the church was, in fact, my castle.

As my focus, attention and energy went to doing well in school, preparing to leave home and pretty much growing up into an adult, I had to put away childish fantasies. My costumes became traded in for the sensible clothing I could wear to class, and my make-believe life became embedded in books, television and film. Some things never change, though — like my love of Star Wars, everything to do with fantasy, and wanting to walk around all day as a princess. But then one day, a miraculous thing happened. The Internet happened. Suddenly, all us nerds could come forth and congregate together in one strong force, and nerd culture started to actually become popular.

With the incredible popularity and fandom for shows like Game of Thrones, fantasy as inspiration is suddenly trending, and it didn't take the fashion industry long to jump on that bandwagon. Suddenly, women everywhere embraced their love for wanting to feel like a princess, and not just for special occasions. Don't we all feel like the rulers of our own lives? Don't we all want to express how strong, beautiful, powerful and special we feel every single day? The answer is, of course we effing do! With fashion always shifting and changing to reflect what we covet and how we feel, it's about time that we all start dressing like the royalty we are. And thus, one of the most trending, popular accessories was born: The power tiara .

The Experiment

The power tiara isn't just an accessory — it's a statement. Wearing a tiara lets the world know that I am a princess. I am confident. I am a girl in charge. I am a boss. After binge-watching Downtown Abbey and seeing all the ladies sport gorgeous 1920s tiaras to dinners and parties as though they were a normal, everyday thing, I decided to take it upon myself to wear a power tiara every single day for a week. Just to, you know, see how it felt, and gauge what others' reactions towards it would be.

Days 1 And 2

For the first couple of days, I didn't have anywhere particularly special to go (it's a hard knock life), so I decided to start off my week by wearing my tiara at home, alone, with my jammies on. And honestly, I was quite surprised, because this turned out to be a profoundly enjoyable experience. It took my rather boring, mundane and unexciting day at home, and turned it into a magical one of daydreaming and complete, utter enjoyment.

I found myself feeling like a lady of leisure: Confident, beautiful and "royal." I smiled all day. Music made me feel more happy and elevated than usual. I danced around my apartment singing to every song that came on the radio. And I was constantly looking in the mirror, seeing the tiara glitter and grinning with satisfaction at my appearance. It took my normal, boring day in PJs and made it something glamorous and special. When my boyfriend came home from work and saw me, his reaction was just as positive:

Boyfriend: Awe, you look adorable!

Days 3 And 4

Fueled by the strong, magical energy and confidence the tiara provided, I decided to push on with the everyday, mundane activities: Grocery shopping and laundry. When I set out to the grocery store, I felt an extra bounce to my step — almost as though the power of the tiara was ensuring that my walk into the store was, in fact, a strut down a runway. That's right, I was strutting. Into the grocery store. I kid you not. I blame it all on the tiara. I didn't notice any weird stares or glares while I was doing my shopping, and everyone was pretty much involved in their own business. But the woman at the register did comment on my tiara when I went to check out:

Cashier: I like your tiara! Are you going out somewhere?

Me: Awe thank you! And no, just doing the shopping today.

Cashier: Oh, well it's pretty!

A similar thing happened when I went to do my laundry the next day. I had on my trusty PJs once again, with a sweater-cardigan thrown on top (it's fashion!) and my tiara glittering on my head. When I walked into the laundry room, an old woman was just coming out as I was going in. She saw me, stopped me, and said:

Old woman: You look so nice today! Are you going somewhere later?

Me: (Laughs) thank you and no! I'm just doing laundry today.

Old woman: Really? You look like a princess! I wish I could dress up like that everyday.

Me: You should! No one is stopping you!

Old woman: I don't think I could pull it off in the same way.

This was a really refreshing interaction for me, because it showed me that it doesn't matter what age you are — whether young or old — all women want to feel like princesses. And even an old woman can see and appreciate the power of the tiara. I really hope that after our short conversation, she went out and bought one to wear herself (if even only to wear in the privacy of her own home, which, as I've mentioned already, is really fun). The reactions of most other people were similar: They seemed to assume that I was "dressed up" to go out somewhere special. But I'm here to show the world that tiaras are not just for special occasions anymore. Tiara's are a way of life.

Days 5 And 6

For the remainder of the week, I had plans to go out for lunch at my favorite shawarma place with my boyfriend one day, and to spend an afternoon at the National Art Gallery with my mom. Shawarma lunch was delicious and business as usual, but I did notice the cashier's eyes dart up to my tiara while I was paying for my lunch and glitter with appreciation. She totally smized at me afterwards. It's the power of the tiara, I tell you.

Day 7

With my week wearing a power tiara coming to a close, I had one more opportunity to wear it left, and that was to the National Art Gallery. I put on black tights (comfort, y'all), my favorite fuzzy sweater, and finished the look off with my trusted tiara. When my mom saw me, she didn't even mention the tiara at all. In all honestly, though, I was too distracted by the awesomeness of her own outfit to stop and think about my own. I went on to send a vast amount of compliments her way (because really, the woman looked fierce). I attribute her attitude (or lack thereof) to my tiara to the fact that she's pretty up-to-date with the latest fashion trends, and to her, me wearing a tiara was nothing new or out of the ordinary. I still consider that a very positive response — immediate acceptance and understanding. Rad, this women already gets it.

I spent the rest of the day walking around the gallery, marveling at all of the art on the walls, growing more and more exhausted by the moment. There were a few times where I felt that I couldn't go on. The excitement and novelty of the art was wearing off, the yawning had begun, and I was convinced that there was just too much art to see and I had already been there for hours and hours. But I really wanted to see the entire gallery, and so I called upon the power of the tiara, told myself that I was a strong, powerful (not to mention stubborn) woman who could press on, even when the going got tough. And so I adjusted the glittering gem on my head, and carried on. And yeah, I got to see everything as I'd wanted.

Conclusions

If there is anything that I learned from my week of wearing a power tiara, it's that everyone wants to feel confident, special, powerful, and beautiful — no matter what age they may be. And why not dress the part? We all keep a little bit (or a large bit) of our childhood personalities within us, and it's okay (and sometimes even celebrated) to freely express that.

Love the things you love, guys, even if they may seem "weird" or "nerdy" to you. And why not celebrate those things through fashion? That's what is so amazing about the industry: It's constantly influenced by the things we all adore and want to share and express. If I take anything away from this experience, it's to live everyday as though you're in the spotlight. Always be confident, always feel special, always remember you are beautiful and strong. The street is your runway, your home is your castle, and the public are your fans. Reign on.

Images: Instagram/khaleesidelrey; Giphy; Author