Fashion

The Story Behind Jackie Cruz's Latest Fashion Collaboration Is Incredibly Moving

by Kali Borovic
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

People wear what makes them feel good. It's just human nature. Thanks to Wildfang x I Am That Girl's "You Got This" Collection, you can add a dose of self-love to every single outfit. The two brands teamed up with nine celebrities, from Megan Rapinoe and Rachel Platten, to help design their own empowering pins. Each one sends a powerful message, and the reason behind Orange Is The New Black actress Jackie Cruz's Cactus Pin shows just how amazing the line is. Get your wallet ready, because after reading her story you're going to want every single one of the accessories.

Each of the pins in the Wildfang x I Am The Girl Collection spreads a different, positive message. Cruz's pin is an adorable little bloomed cactus with the words, "It was inside all along." While you might think you know what the design is all about, hearing her speak about her own design will prove just how much thought went into this pin.

Courtesy Wildfang

"When I was younger I was in a car accident and after my car accident I felt sort of broken. I didn't feel like myself anymore," Cruz tells Bustle. "I met this young girl who was quadriplegic and would never walk again. I was crying because my head was shaved and I had scars on my face and this little girl looked at me and said, 'I think you're beautiful.' She reminded me what beauty really was.

"In that moment she changed the way I saw myself and I realized that beauty that was always there inside of me. We are still friends. I learned that being myself was enough no matter what I looked like. I wanted a cactus because cacti are often misunderstood and not always seen as beautiful."

Courtesy Wildfang

If that doesn't make you want to head over to the website and buy the pin, I don't know what will. All of the accessories, including Cruz's, are available right now on the Wildfang website. Each one is $10 and 10 percent of proceeds are donated to I Am That Girl — an organization "helping girls to transform self-doubt in to self-love."

Courtesy Wildfang

The message on Cruz's pin isn't the only powerful slogan in the collection, either. Other pins feature messages like "Love yo'self" and "I'm with you" on them. The OITNB actress believes that women especially can relate to the powerful messages on the pins.

"Plenty of women struggle with their self-confidence and often hear messages about how they are not 'enough.' Not beautiful enough, not skinny enough, not good enough mother or partner," Cruz says. "I would like every woman out there to know that she is enough. And she already has all the answers she needs."

Courtesy Wildfang

Cruz says she hopes the pins empower girls to support other women, and to find the strength within themselves.

"Each of us has a role to play every single day in lifting each other up," Cruz tells Bustle. "Lifting each other up in work, in life, and giving each other support and reassurance when we need it. Young women should never put a time limited on their dreams or what they can become."

Courtesy Wildfang

Although each one of the pins has a lasting message, the You Got This Collection will only be available for a limited time. So what are you waiting for? Go stock up on these incredible pins while you still can.