New office… not new looks

Early in the morning…
I put on my new abaya and khimar and packed my bag with excitement and fear at the same time.
All the way there, I kept saying to myself, “Today is a new beginning… God willing, it will all be well!”

I entered the office…
The office was very chic, full of girls and women with shiny hair and trendy clothes.
The moment I walked in, I felt stares from top to bottom.
One of my colleagues approached me and said with a faint smile, “Is this your first day here? It’s nice… but won’t you feel the heat of the world like this? We like a practical style!”

I laughed and said calmly, “I’m comfortable like this… and the style certainly won’t affect work.”

The others started asking, “Do you have the freedom to wear whatever you like?
Or is it because of family?
Why do all girls change after work?”

I was in a conflict:
Should I answer and explain myself every day?
Or should I focus on my work and let it all go? Do their words carry weight?

At lunch, I found a quiet girl approaching me:
— “I respect your courage… I wish I could be as strong as you and wear what makes me comfortable without worrying about what people would say.”

At that moment, I realized that even a small pause makes a big difference, even if the atmosphere is filled with stress and uncertainty.

I returned home tired but proud…
“Every day, in a new place… I will prove myself through my work and my ethics before anything else I wear.”

If your first day at work was a challenge because of your identity or clothing…
Have you succumbed to peer pressure? Or were you unable to assert yourself amidst the judgmental eyes?
Share your experience or a word of support for a nervous newcomer…
Maybe your words can give her a boost of hope to continue.