We all have our style comfort zones. Although I like to experiment now and again, I tend to gravitate towards the things that work for me. My body type really suits the fit and flare silhouette – I have a proportionally tiny waist in comparison to my larger bust and then those blessed flared skirts cover all kinds of business (especially the squishy areas we all tend to be most insecure about). So most of the time I stick with that which is comfortable.
Ohhhh, but what fun would that be?
One of my favorite bloggers Miss Amy May challenged herself to wear a figure-hugging dress twice per month – building on the idea that we should embrace every aspect of ourselves, including (actually, especially) those areas we feel most self-conscious about (you can read her latest post about body positivity here. Seriously. She is amazing).
My Mountain: The Wiggle Dress. She really leaves nowhere to hide. And although I am a confident person, I can oftentimes shrink away when I don’t have my trusty smoke and mirrors that draw the eye away from my perceived “problem areas.” But, while forcing yourself out of hiding can be terrifying, it can also be incredibly liberating. Imbued with a sense of purpose (and a bit of putting my money where my mouth is after this recent post), I accepted the Wiggle Challenge and went digging for a few of my favorite wiggle dresses that really need to be taken out for a spin far more often than they are!
Despite the warm fuzzies I get from my vintage Dior New Look-inspired dresses, every so often I like to challenge myself a bit to step outside of that place where I feel safe and secure… Because really, if we’re hiding something due to insecurity, over time it’ll work itself into our brain that there are areas of our bodies that ALWAYS need to be covered up. That should never be shown. Because they’re not worthy of celebration. And no matter how many people tell you about your amazing curves or beautiful décolletage, the only person who you’ll really listen to in the end…is, well, you.
And I have to say – I loved myself in this dress! I loved my curves and the way the collar accentuated my clavicles. I loved the look on my husband’s face when I came downstairs and how sassy I felt when I skipped out the door. Even in my outfit photos, I couldn’t keep myself from smirking. And I’m pretty sure that sassy face stayed planted firmly in place the rest of the day.
So, once in awhile, simply decide to try something new. Simply decide that the bit of yourself you’re most insecure about is the part you’re going to celebrate today. You just never know.
How have you challenged yourself lately?
xoxo
Outfit Details:
Dress: Bettie Page via San Diego boutique (similar here, here & here)
Cape: Butch Wax Vintage (similar here & here)
Handbag: Gift (similar)
Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell via Modcloth (similar here & here)
Brooch: Luxulite
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