DO ONE THING EVERY DAY THAT SCARES YOU.
Writing this blog scares me. I'm actually no stranger to blogging (I have one all about my anxiety journey) Writing something for my boutique however is a new challenge. But I'm dipping my toes in because a lot of stuff goes on in my head and it needs a place to land. Also, if I were afraid to do things that scared me you wouldn't be reading this blog, because there wouldn't be a website. So here goes!
So regarding that something new that scares you, have you every related this statement to your style? Maybe you've seen something amazing online, or hanging on a rack and want to try it, but it’s a little bit out of your comfort zone. Hey, I’ve been there!
But…here’s why I don’t let those thoughts take up space in my head anymore. First let me say that I have always been an introvert, so calling any kind of attention to myself, on purpose or not, has never been my goal. Which makes no sense considering I am currently the face of my brand. (it ain't easy putting myself out there, ya'll!) But I remember as a 13 year old being very careful about what I put on my body, I would not wear anything but Levis. That was the style in the 80’s, along with those fabulous Reebok Princess Hi-Tops, and a cute sweater. Wear anything else and you were just asking for ridicule! Okay, so I’m dating myself here but if you know, you know. That’s what everyone was wearing so that’s what I wore too, never straying from the norm.
These days, however, I’m always looking for something different. Not crazy different but not necessarily what every woman that I see in Walmart wearing either.
Maybe I shouldn't use Walmart as a gauge...I see a lot of PJs in there!
The desire to break out of the standard mold of “what everyone is wearing” was always in me, I just never had the courage. But I think as I got older (and with a little encouragement from a friend) I realized that I just didn't care. I want to be me. And “me” is not dress pants with high heels or flats at work. Or the super safe cardigan/plain shirt combo on weekends. Nothing wrong with either one of those but I'm always wanting to kick it up a notch. So it's cowboy boots/booties whenever possible, turquoise, and flowy bohemian style layers; lots of jewelry and of course fringe on anything and everything! (Thankfully my job allows me to be a little lenient with what I wear, but even if yours doesn't, there are ways to still add some uniqueness to your style).
And then there's hats...I love my hats! If you follow me, you may have noticed. I remember buying one to wear to a concert a couple years ago and ended up letting my daughter wear it that night instead, because she really wanted to. So I wore it to a family get-together for the first time and yes, there were a few comments but I knew that hat looked good with my outfit. People just weren’t used to it because it was (only slightly) out of the norm. Now I wear a hat whenever and wherever I can and don't worry for a second what others see when they look at me.
I say all of this to bring you to this question. Are you dressing for you, or are you dressing for other people who think they know who you should be? Maybe you think things like:
- I can’t pull that off
- No one else in my circle of people dresses that way
- What if someone judges me?
The answers to those questions are 1) how do you know unless you try? 2) who cares? 3) again, who cares? (and they most likely are just jealous of how fabulous you look)
The key is to wear it with confidence. When you put on something new and know you can rock it simply because you love it, then that confidence will shine through and it will completely change the way you feel.
So if you are wanting to reinvent your style, I say just go for it! One of my main goals with this boutique is to help women achieve that level of confidence that comes from looking their best and growing into their own style. And before you think it, I'll say it....age has no bearing on any of this! My motto is "if you love it wear it!!" I sell the Feathered Darlin' style to women from ages 20-70!
If I haven't completely convinced you and you're wanting to try something but still aren’t sure, let me know! I’ll be glad to help you find something that expresses your uniqueness and maybe helps you feel more comfortable with that “one thing that scares you.”
Have a blessed day darlins!!