Feeling uncomfortable in pretty clothes is not okay

So my school is getting ready for Spring Cotillion coming up this Saturday. My friends and I have planned this for weeks, making plans to get all pretty and primp ourselves to the max. I found my dress a while ago, but not with the intention of wearing it to Cotillion. I'd gotten it partly because it was pretty and sparkly and fit me better than I expected and partly because I was halfway pressured into getting it (not that I minded. At all).

But as the day draws closer, I started to have second thoughts about what dress I was going to wear. I mean, sure, I can easily wear the gorgeous sparkly number that hasn't had a chance to shine in public yet, but by no means did I have to. I'd gotten a different dress last year for Cotillion but didn't get a chance to wear it for more than thirty minutes on account of having to accompany my friend to a strange town to pick up a boy. I wanted to wear that this year. I mean, hairwise it would give me more options (in my opinion). But when I brought up the possibility of me switching up dresses to my roommate, she acted like that was a horrible decision.

She'd gotten a bright coral dress recently. It's beautiful and I can't say that I'm not at least a little bit jealous. The reason she didn't want me to switch to the dress from last year is because she wanted to match with me. I didn't care about matching or not. If I matched, great. If not, no big deal. But apparently it was a big deal to her. She essentially begged and whined about me not wearing the dress I'd originally planning as if I was making a wrong choice and that I was being selfish for not matching dress looks with her.

Let me get one thing straight. I adore the original dress. I do. But it also makes me feel just a little self conscious because it points out that I have a tummy. It also shows off my arm completely, and my arm's not exactly what I would call my best feature. So I feel a little self-conscious in that dress. And knowing that there will be photos taken in abundance, I don't want to pose for pictures worrying that I look fat or bulgy or whatever. I want to feel comfortable and pretty. I have a right to want that. Every human being does.

I might decide what I'm wearing and what my hair will be like on the day of. Who knows? But whichever dress I choose, it will be my choice. After all, it's my body and I should feel comfortable in it, since no one else will ever know what it will feel like to actually be in my shoes.