Strong & Confident

You are beautiful. You are strong. You are smart, driven, kind, and generous. We don’t always recognize how amazing we are.

We’re living through a time now where there is awareness around female empowerment. This gives me hope that we’re beginning to realize just how strong we are… physically, mentally and emotionally. My hope is that this recognition translates into self confidence. A little confidence can go a long way. I know so many women who look in the mirror and are dissatisfied with what they see. What do you focus on when you look in the mirror? Do you see the circles under your eyes? Do you see the grays that drive you crazy? Do you see the pounds that you just can’t seem to shed?

 Here’s what I want you to see. I want you to see the smile that you can’t control when you encounter something hilarious. I want you to see the amazing body that has  carried you this far in life. I want you to see how strong you are. I want you to see your accomplishments. I want you to see all the love and kindness you show the world. How do we make that happen? There’s lots of ways. We can start our day with gratitude. We can smile when we look in the mirror. We can pay someone else a compliment. Show someone a kindness. All these little things can go a long way and bring you an amazing positive energy.

That smile in the mirror might come more naturally if you’re feeling confident when you look in the mirror. Feel comfortable in your skin and your clothes.  Wear an outfit that flatters your style and your body. Think about how great you feel when you’re wearing your favorite outfit. Think about what you’re wearing when you feel your best. Imagine feeling that way every time you dressed. That’s what I wish for you.

Take a little inspiration from the new arrivals at J. Crew and Rebecca Taylor! Happy Fall!

J. Crew Short Sleeve Ruffle Top

J. Crew Juliette Collarless Sweater Blazer

J. Cew Long Sleeve Dress

RT Lynx Silk Burnout Dress

RT Leopard Metallic Top

RT La Vie Celia Check Top

The Importance of Personal Style & a Powerful Message

One of the first questions that I always ask my clients is “how would you describe your personal style?” There is no wrong answer to this question. The answer is and should be entirely dependent on your personal preference. You’ve spent years if not decades building your wardrobe (whether you realize it or not) and in the process deciding what you like and don’t. You find styles that you’re attracted to or items that you fall in love with. Perhaps over time you find that you gravitate towards a more classic/preppy wardrobe. Perhaps you prefer to keep up with a trendy wardrobe. Maybe you like skirts and dresses over pants. Maybe you demand comfort and live in whatever wardrobe provides that. The options are endless, but what matters is that you recognize and identify a style as your own.

My personal style is classic with splashes of trendy and preppy thrown in for fun. I like timeless pieces that will last several seasons. I like a neutral base with pops of color. I feel confident in black and/or white and always heels. It took me a while to figure this all out but now it’s how I define my wardrobe.

As a part of the process in defining your personal style, you may also be deciding what looks best on you and how you want to present yourself. This is where it’s worth putting some thought and consideration to your wardrobe. Be deliberate in your decisions regarding what to wear, what to buy and what to purge. What you ultimately keep in your wardrobe will be a reflection of those decisions.

Staying true to that personal style and living in it, allow you to be comfortable in any situation. Whatever the occasion, you can dress appropriately without having to abandon your style. One example of this that I love is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, recently sworn in as the youngest woman to ever serve in Congress. This strong woman showed up to her swearing in ceremony in red lipstick and hoop earrings. Why is this significant? Ocasio-Cortez tweeted about her lipstick & earrings. Here is what she said:

This young Congresswoman was making a point. She stood not only for her district but for all young women struggling to figure out how to fit in. She showed us all that we can be true to our personal style, be true to ourselves and who we are in any situation. We can pave our own way… make our own path.

I’m impressed by the strength and confidence in this young Congresswoman. But we all have the ability to do the same. Perhaps not on such a large scale, but each of us encounters situations where we might hesitate to be ourselves. Summon that confidence to be exactly who you are by thinking of your own version of lipstick and hoops, whatever that might be.

A Little Confidence Goes A Long Way

For those of you that might be new here, I wanted to take a minute to introduce you to this blog. I give tips on what to buy now, what's trending and what's flattering. I love to introduce you to new brands when I find something great worth sharing. I talk a little bit about the kinds of services I provide for those of you who might be interested. And I do all of these things because I'm passionate about helping women feel confident in their own skin. 

You don't have to be a model to stand tall and look good in clothes. Let's get that out of the way first. And I'm not here to criticize your current wardrobe. I'm here to help you feel great when you get ready in the morning. I'm here to help you feel like the wonder woman that you already are. I'm here to help you see yourself as a strong gorgeous confident woman. 

Let me guess, you don't feel that way. You're not alone. Most of us don't feel that way all the time. And that's ok. But we should feel that way some of the time. That's the key. We need to recognize that the power to feel that way is ours. Others can influence us... that's where I come in. But in the end, you have to be willing to open your heart and mind to the idea that self confidence is in your grasp.

My approach is to help you see this by dressing your body in the most flattering way possible. So that when you look in the a mirror, you smile. And that smile will carry you the whole day. Because I'm willing to bet you're already an amazing, smart, strong, beautiful woman. You just need a little reminding. I'm hoping that seeing that image in the mirror of your best self will help you to stand taller, smile brighter and conquer the day. 

Here's to a little self confidence, ladies!

Picture by Carlee Kettell Photography