Two pieces of major fashion news have hit the newsstands, readers. Of course, in true fashion — see what I did there — it has to come from two of the giant houses: Hermès and Valentino.

Hermès recently was named in a lawsuit claiming that the difficulty in obtaining its Birkin bag  and the unspoken politics of the purchases made beforehand as “loyalty tests” to the brand are manipulating the market through an “illegal tying arrangement.” The public anxiously awaits to see if it will go to trial.

Then, on March 22, the creative director of Valentino, Pierpaolo Piccioli, announced he would be leaving the house. Three days later, Valentino announced it would be canceling its June menswear and Haute Couture show.

The future remains a mystery for two powerhouse brands that seem almost too big to fail, but until we get some clearer answers, at least the murky skies have been traded in for the warm California weather.

Not only does the sunshine make my problems feel infinitely more manageable, but I believe summer outfits are more creative: more jewelry, fun cutouts and — one upside to sweating in humidity — multiple outfit changes in a day.

What I do strongly dislike, though, is the rapid increase of “summer-ready body” workouts on Instagram and TikTok. And, for some reason, it seems that “75 Hard” was trending. The 75 Hard challenge, a physically and mentally demanding obligation to work out twice a day, eat clean and develop better habits, among other requirements, is virtually impossible to do — especially as a student.

But, one twist on the challenge created by TikTok user Ariel Dalia caught my eye. She titled it “75 Hot,” with the rules altered to focus on more reasonable (but still important) tasks, such as getting 8 to 9 hours of sleep a night and spending 20 minutes a day doing something creative or learning something new.

I wondered if partaking in “75 Hot” was just an excuse to not push myself to do the actual “75 Hard” — that I did not lack the skills, time or resources, but rather the discipline to truly push myself in a way that would ultimately benefit me.

However, I realized the discipline and determination required do not translate to the ability to stick to a program, but rather the ability to make a promise to yourself and trust that you will see it through.

It made me wonder when the last time I had pushed myself was despite being in an environment that I loved. I immediately thought of my closet, and the flooding dread I felt when putting on something new that made me feel like I was back in the fitting room.

I want to wear the wooden kitten heels I thrifted in Minnesota, or the dress with a woman sipping a martini from Silver Lake, but instead of excitedly parading my ensemble, they sit in my closet begging for a chance.

I’ve always been an intentional shopper, and I rarely regret purchasing items. But what gets in the way of me wearing these items I handpick and mull over before finally swiping my card is, sadly, my own lack of confidence.

So, in my version of “75 Hot,” I am pushing myself to commit to dressing up at least four times a week in a way that makes me feel beautiful, confident, capable — and slightly uncomfortable.

Whether it’s doing my hair before classes, wearing the kitten heels or finally pulling out the summer dresses that have been hibernating in the oh-so-cold Los Angeles winter, this commitment is an oath to myself and my dedication to physically reconnect to a creative outlet that has, unfortunately, taken a back seat.

This is not just for me, though. In publishing this, I am holding myself accountable. So, please, call me out if you catch me slacking — or worse, making a totally outlandish and unreasonable excuse.

In return for your eagle eyes, I ask that you push yourselves to make a similar promise. Maybe it’s not dressing up or doing anything fashion-related at all, but I encourage you to take this first step and commit to something that challenges us that we are in control of, not just another arbitrary assignment given to us.

What makes you happy that you’ve stopped doing? What makes you nervous in a good way? What is something you’ve always wanted to try to do but stopped yourself from doing?

I read somewhere that if you want to be someone who stands out, you have to be prepared to wear things that are out of the ordinary. If you want to be that girl, then maybe, just for a little, you have to prepare to be that girl on your own.

So, while I take a chance on me, I hope you’ll bet on yourself, too. The house doesn’t always win, you know.

Hadyn Phillips is a junior writing about fashion in the 21st century, spotlighting new trends and popular controversy. Her column, “That’s Fashion, Sweetie,” runs every Wednesday.