Shufa girl walks--no--struts into the airport. She's wearing tight skinny jeans, suede boots and beanies and a giant suitcase is at her wake. She's flying to Macau, Italy, Vegas, Doha-- who cares? She's pretty and that's all that matters. She's every STC girl stereotype you've ever heard--- come to life.

I remember standing nearby--- wearing a faded shirt, baggy shorts and every non-chix article of clothing known to human kind. With glasses. I remember stifling a laugh. It was girls like her who got lines and rows and hordes of boys at her wake. I remember asking: how do you become shufa like her?

As I scanned shufa girl from head to toe, she had all the "qualities" society deems "beautiful": long legs, perfect mestiza skin, tiny waist and a darn swagger most of us can never pull off. 

Well, good luck to us on this one. 

Not all of us can be pretty in that sort of way. The genetic lottery is, well, a lottery. We can't all be tall and modelesque like shufa girl. We can try blaming mom for not giving us enough Cherifer growing up, but if you've been dealt the short girl cards then you gotta be happy with what you got. There must be other endearing physical qualities that genetics has passed on: a great smile, clear skin, wonderful eyes. Or a bubbly personality, if the fates haven't been generous. That could work, too. Use them to your advantage and flaunt them whenever you can.

Growing up, some of us have been lead to believe that make up is for arte girls who spend too much time admiring themselves in the mirror. I spent half of my teenage life with insufferable brows just because I thought it was so arte to groom them and now I have these awful throwback photos that will never see the light of day. I am, however, thankful that Friendster doesn't exist today.

But no more. 

Equal rights for makeup is the new rule now. 

Being smart does not excuse you from not having your eyebrows on fleek. You can be nerdy and have your eyeliner game on point. A little make up never hurt anybody. If anything, it should enhance all of the gifts you have and make you feel good about yourself. So yes, to be shufa, put some makeup on. A little bit goes a long way.

Remember me watching shufa girl strut it out in the airport lobby? Well, you don't have to do that. You don't have to work the hallway like the runway every time. But to carry oneself with inner joy and grace is also something you have to invest on if you wanna be shufa. Up close,  maybe shufa girl wasn't even that pretty. It was the way she carried herself that made people do a double take. She was confident and she knew it. Perhaps it's high time you realized the same.

I'm no fashion person but I do know one thing: wear something that makes you feel good about yourself. Wear nice things. Find something that is both comfy and beautiful. It doesn't even have to be expensive. I've seen many an ukay-ukay item outshine some top brands, if you know how to wear them. 

What is shufa if your wits aren't at par with your street style? Intelligence is sexy and is always on trend. So yes, to be shufa, be smart. Witty. Funny. If you can't pull it off, have a solid common sense and a kind heart. It's literally not rocket science. You don't have to be super-smart. Just don't be stupid. :)

Ah, the advice Disney doles out by the truckload. It rings true though. So many of us think that we can't ever be like them. Well, you don't have to. Never pretend to be someone you're not. You are shufa, and you are enough. :)

Forgive my face. The dog is cute.

Love, 

K x