We express self love via style choices we make daily.
Personal style is dynamic, ever evolving with our moods, life experiences and age.
In yoga, we ask our bodies every practice, “What do you require today? How can I make you happy?” I suggest we do the same with personal style.
When you prepare to dress for the day, ask yourself,
“How can I best communicate how I’m feeling and what I have to offer via my clothing choices? How can I honour myself in the body and life I have today through my personal style?”
Choosing what to wear daily should be a joy and not a chore. If it is a chore you should assess your closet and ask yourself some poignant personal questions, do your clothes suit you? Do your clothes inspire you? Are you unhappy with your body? What in your life is holding you back from loving yourself, the skin and body you’re in and showing it off to the world in the very best packaging you can manage?
What would you choose to wear if you had no fear, no shame and only love for your body?
If you are waiting to be a certain size before you start wearing clothes you love STOP NOW.
Don’t waste another minute thinking you aren’t good enough, skinny enough, young enough to carry off that dress/skirt/shoes you’ve been salivating over. The only person stopping you is yourself. Push past that. Address your fears. What is the worst that could happen? You’ll look great and feel better about yourself and maybe hold your head just a bit higher?
Clothes make us think differently about ourselves which translates into us behaving differently.
This little video demonstrates that beautifully.
If it all feels too inauthentic take a step back and make some bold choices anyway. Choose to be your best self, choose to wear what brings you joy, choose to project confidence and happiness even though you don’t feel it. No one around you will know you’re faking it and nine times out of ten you will start to feel more confident and joyful despite your own personal doubts.
I chose this dress ages ago in this blog post but held off thinking it was made for someone taller, skinnier and most importantly, younger than I. I was scared I was opening up my vulnerable self to ridicule and criticism by making inappropriate clothing choices for someone of “a certain age”.
Even Zoë is giving me the side-eye in this and asking, “Just who does she think she is?”
But I moved past that.
Yes, this dress is short.
Yes, this dress shows that I don’t have the legs of a twenty-year-old. That is normal. I’m fifty, not twenty. I’m not pretending to be twenty by choosing such a short dress, I’m simply choosing to wear something I love in the body I have at this stage in my life. I’ll never be twenty again and guess what? I’m never going to be fifty again either. I plan on squeezing out every bit of style joy that I can.
Wearing some flesh coloured Spanx under this dress ensured I wasn’t going to flash any of my lady bits and provided self-confidence for any extra bumpy bits.
This is going to be amazing with tights and boots for fall/winter.
We were born into the body we have however we can choose the clothes we wear. Don’t miss an opportunity to love yourself through the choices you make.
There are only two days left to get your entry in to win a Karina Dress. Don’t miss out!
Linking up with Visible Monday, I Will Wear What I Like, Shoe and Tell, Turning Heads Tuesdays,
You’re killing it! We only get one shot at life so wear what you want, I say! If you enjoy it and it makes you feel happy, you’re onto a winner.
Dear Suzanne,
First of all, you look absolutely beautiful in that dress! It totally suits you and your personality comes beaming through!
I am sending a huge thank you to you, Mel, and Sheila; you all have taught this almost 57 year old social worker a great deal about style, art, and self concept! Due to my strong left leaning worldview, I have felt conflicted about my interest in style; a frivolous hobby when there are wars to be stopped ( my country is always starting wars :() and planets to be saved? Plus, I try hard to limit my consumption!
Anyway, finding you and your thrifting blog friends ( Mel, Shelia, Patti) has been wonderful; a great fit with how I like to be present in the world. I now feel that fighting injustice, style, and self love are not mutually exclusive!!!!
Again, thanks for your reflections, humor, and great eye! I hope our paths cross sometime in the future.
In solidarity,
Alba
Thanks for sharing and being so open and honest Alba.
I also feel very conflicted about overconsumption. Thrifting has helped me feel better about my clothing addiction. I don’t have to give large conglomerates more money to ruin the earth. I’m trying my best to make positive choices for myself and the world around me.
There are so many problems in the world. You are right, fashion does seem very inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. Half the time I wonder why I even continue blogging.
Then I get comments like yours and I think okay, this is worthwhile.
Thanks for making my day Alba!
Hurrah, Alba!! I’m so glad you are exploring and enjoying style and thrilled that I have played a small role in that. Thanks for letting me know.
Style can certainly spread cheer, and goodness knows we need as much of that as we can get. Look at Suzanne – wow, she just makes us smile, right?
I’ve said before, if world leaders wore palazzo paisley pants maybe the world would be a happier place. Heh.
Hi Melanie,
Thanks for your kind response….. Indeed, you and your companera Suzanne frequently crack me up… thinking about your thrifted creative outfits has actually helped me manage my morning bike commute to work…. traffic is so much easier if you are thinking about a vintage gown… 🙂
As for leaders in palazzo paisley pants…. If only…. 🙂
In solidarity,
Alba
Thanks for your kind response; as we say in the movement: Adelante!
Looking forward to hearing more about your style / life adventures 🙂
in solidarity,
Alba
It’s a beautiful dress, and you look beautiful in it. The editor in me has to point out that the short paragraph beginning with “To boost my self confidence and smooth out bumpy bits…” is a repetition of the last part of the previous paragraph.
Thanks for that Shelley! My WP dashboard has a mind of its own and randomly copies and pastes back in sentences that have been deleted for some reason. I have a feeling one of my plugins is causing it but don’t know which one.
Inspiring post full of thought provoking fun! And who cares what others think? This gal thinks that dress is so YOU!!! Gawjus! ?
My entire life I never cared what other people thought about what I chose to wear. The changes in my body as I age are starting to make me feel uneasy like I’m losing a bit of myself and for the first time I’m hesitant about what I wear.
I’m learning how to deal with it. The path to self-acceptance is never ending.
I feel ya there. Trying to dress in a comfortable, expressive way does change from year to year. The encouragement you and other bloggers give is a joy! Seeing what you come up with is a visual treat. Thank you!
Thank you for your words! Such an inspiring post! And that dress is spectacular!! I love those flowers!
Right on! Friend, you are speaking to me as I find myself at 45 and struggling a bit at the moment with ninja inches(menopausal, slow metabolism weight gain) and feeling a bit blah from time to time. I so needed to read this inspiring post! Thank you, thank you! Any other nuggets you may share for me as I feel so off all of a sudden? It just hit me like a few weeks after turning 45! LOL
You look great and this dress is a stunner on you! 50 what? Nah, not even!
Cheers!
45! You’re still a youngin’ ; ) And FYI…you look all of 30 lady!
I do think that mentally as the clock ticks down we start to freak out a bit. We know that the more we age the more we need to workout and adjust our diets to maintain what we have.
Adjusting to our new selves and new realities isn’t easy but it isn’t like we have a choice. Acceptance may need to be your new daily mantra.
No matter our age or our body, we are still the same people inside. We have the same souls, the same hearts. Our packaging may change over time, but the inside remains.
For me, laughter is my go-to coping strategy. I try to get some daily. That and being grateful. Gratitude is a magical tool which provides valuable perspective.
Hugs to you!! Thank you so much! I think I am chopping my hair off on Thursday!! Yes, why not? Been growing it out for 2 years for whom I am not sure? 😉 I am sure the kids might have suggested it and I agreed. No more!!
Here is to a fab week ahead and maybe a new do´!
Meh, it could be shorter. HEE HEE!!
Ha ha! I love you!
I loved this post, dear Suzanne, and it talks exactly about something I posted today. I didn’t know that yoga was like that, asking the body what it needs “today”; you are so right, about fashion too. What would make us happier, to dress today? I cut an overall skirt because I didn’t feel like wearing it at 30 that way… but still wanted to have the idea I was wearing it. I guess I shouldn’t, cause when I bought it I could picture myself wearing it in full… but now it’s done and I regret it 🙂 I loved your dress and I think that a short dress looks great on you. Your legs are beautiful, and your shoes are amazing, I love fuschia. Zoe is sooo cute! Hope you have a great week!
DenisesPlanet.com
That is so weird on your blog that someone else posted! I’m replying here as lately I cannot seem to comment on your blog at all. : (
Once again I adore your shoes.
Beautiful look! And that dog!! Aah, so cute.
Fashion, as creative expression, can embody our unique personality and allow us to explore our minds. You do that here. Mad admiration to you for this.
Wonderful post, Suzanne, and what a glorious dress. You look confident and gorgeous. If we’re not going to dress to be happy now, when are we going to do it?? You’re a star, xo
-Patti
http://notdeadyetstyle.com
Man, those are great photos. You look dazzling in your dress – you own it! I have a dress picked out for today and was thinking, hmm, too short? Okay, I see you here and I think, nah. I’m gonna wear it! But I have to have the tights because it’s too cool to go barelegged. Spanx are great for covering lady bits.
You always provide so much inspiration here, Suzanne. Your tips are applicable to everyone at every stage of their style evolution – like me with my dress pick today. But sorry, Zoe upstages you every time. Hahaha!!
What a stunning dress, ! YOU look incredible! I am in love with that gorgeous floral shift and those delicious pink sandals!. I do practice what you preach, and I am glad you have written in words, one of my mottos that I try to live by.
You are wise and beautiful, this dress elevates you and makes me smile!
XX, Elleh
ttp://www.theellediaries.com/
First off…who cares how short that dress is when you’re wearing those shoes? Those shoes have magical powers of “look at me”!!
Second–that video is very interesting. Of course you can’t believe everything you read and hear, but I truly believe most of that is correct! Thus the casual dress that society has succumbed to is degrading us, no?
jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
This is a fabulous dress that looks amazing on YOU! Thank you for being bold to put all this out there. A beautifully inspirational post about wearing what you like; such a refreshing read!
XO
Suzanne
http://www.AskSuzanneBell.com
I think it is a lovely dress. That was my thought immediately when I opened your post. The shoes are a really good modern choice. And indeed in fall with tights and boots this dress will also be awesome. I am buying some shorter dresses now too. Just cannot get any longer dresses, but I am still shy of the hemline. So I usually put an eleastic pencil skirt underneath it. But I applaud you for not bothering with that. Very liberating.
Greetje
You always inspire me Suzanne. I was struggling with my packing today, unsure if some of the dresses I was bringing were too short for me on this trip. But I love them, and I’ll never be 49 in Paris again, so I’m happy to report that they’re now in my suitcase! You look absolutely stunning in this look, and your self confidence is shining through!
So beautiful dress! Big kiss
stylentonic.com
Look at how Zoe is looking at you, just brilliant. The approval of a pug beats anything.
that dress is fantastic, i love it and am delighted you’ve got over your initial misgivings and are wearing the sh*t out of it.
You’re dead right, the time to live is now, no saving anything for best, waiting till you’ve lost half a stone or been invited to the right occasion. It’s up to you how you present yourself to the world, if other people don’t approve sod them. xxx
you rock that fabulous dress, and I love your pink sandals (too)!, you look comfident, cool, elegant and genuine! what else?!. Gorgeous!!!
Love how you encourage us to enjoy everyday, dressing up to love ourselves now!.
Great post!
besos
That is a beautiful dress and you look great in it.
I live in my own head and it is nice there – no judgey-judges; nothing but ooh shiny and textile love. Having dressed like a lunatic all my life, I have a thick skin, a hearing deficit and low tolerance for feckwittage. Censure and tut-tutting, honestly goes over my head unless it is extreme.
Self love is cool. I don’t have it in bucket-loads as my bod has been changed by physical injury and a modern mystery illness; I often feel like a stranger in it lol. However I love textiles and colour and just want to immerse myself in it. Perhaps I do it out of self love – but I think I tend to do it because I can’t not do it. It excites me and inspires me.
Thank you for the deep thought and pretty frocks.
Elaine Monkeypaints xx
Can I just say that you are amazingly gorgeous and wise. I love this dress on you with all my heart. Enclothed Cognition, eh??? I have been dressing for comfort but I think I an going to start wearing a tutu and hiking boots and some gorgeous jewelry (like the necklace made by Suzanne Carillo, for example). That ought to remind my body that it needs to get dancing and hiking a spiffing itself up. Hell yeah!
Beautiful dress on you, and your writing is a celebration of life! I love the discussion that your self expression with style and words precipitated. Absolutely fabulous!
Beautiful dress on you. Your writing is a celebration of life. I love the discussion that your style and words precipitated. Absolutely fabulous!
Ok, my cute friend, this has got to be the best written post ever. You need to get this published. Every woman needs to read this!!!
And that dress is fabulous absolutely fabulous! Oh, I did mention the shoes, right? Are they comfy . . . Oh who cares, they’re way to cool to care about comfort.
My friend, this dress was made for you and your fabulous 50 year old legs. Zoe is actually looking at you and thinking, “Dayum girl!!!” Everything that you said is spot on. Every once in a blue moon I get a niggling doubt and then I’m like, screw that. When I get dressed I’m trying to look like me, what I want to look like that day. It’s irrelevant if it’s something a 20 year old would wear; that just proves said 20 year old has fabulous taste for one so young!
Debbie
http://www.fashionfairydust.com
What a wonderful post! You are stunningly beautiful in this outfit (and always are) because you express yourself – not anyone else, yourself, and how you feel. So wonderful that your blog CELEBRATES life and BEING in every moment! xx
That’s an awesome dress! And awesome shoes! You look fabulous!
And you are so right that we should dress in a way that brings us joy. And let go of preconceived notions about what we should and shouldn’t wear. I’ve been thinking a lot about whether the clothes in my closet bring me joy lately. Many do. But some don’t, and it’s time to say good bye.