I have been exposed to fashion since I was a child. From watching "America’s Next Top Model" to "Project Runway," I have seen pretty much every season multiple times. That’s not even mentioning my previous subscriptions to "Teen Vogue," "Seventeen," and multiple other fashion magazines.

But what is fashion? Some say fashion is a series of trends that die out after a certain period of time. Others believe it is the expression of oneself. So which is it?

Fashion is ever-changing, and that’s why there are trends. It is also a world of criticism. Some critics may love a certain designer and some might hate them, because fashion is all about an opinion. Yes, in someone’s eyes, some clothes might be ugly or in poor taste (and I’ve fallen victim to calling things ugly), but in reality, fashion is the expression of that individual person. Clothes are just clothes, right? Some people may not care what the latest trends are and others might be obsessed with trying out the latest trends. It’s not fair to judge someone and say they have “bad fashion” when it’s the clothes they enjoy wearing. Who cares if their style is Kardshian-esque or more Tony Hawk? Whatever makes them comfortable should be what they wear.

While watching all the popular fashion shows, I made some opinions of my own. I did not always agree with the judges on what was fashion forward and the judges didn’t even agree with each other. So what does that show? It shows that everyone has a different opinion, and if they didn’t, our world would consist of individuals all dressed the exact same. How boring would that be?

Fashion can also be expensive. Keeping up with all the latest trends costs money, because, as we’ve all seemed to notice, trends don’t last long. Some people like spending their money to keep up on trends and I say more power to you! But others feel like it’s a waste of money to buy something due to a trend when they don’t actually like it, or if they know it’ll be “uncool” in a few months. How can you blame someone for that?

Fashion is a funny thing. As Heidi Klum says, “One day you’re in and the next day you’re out." It is an ever-changing world consisting of trends (good and bad), avant-garde ideals and practical items. It’s hard for even celebrities to stay on top of trends (that’s why there’s a best and worst dressed list, which is always comical to me), so how are regular people supposed to be caught up on all the latest trends?

So, next time you see someone who might look fashionably challenged to you, just remember they are expressing themselves, and that’s okay. Whether it's your sense of fashion or not, it’s still some sort of fashion.