I have to say, the older I get the more I’m aware of the moments I don't feel comfortable. And it shows up at different times like when I go walking in these Lululemon shorts that I got for $78 but they cut into my belly and make me so self-conscious but I force myself to wear them to get my money’s worth, LOL!
Other times, it’s when we go out to dinner and I’m overdressed and feel a little self conscious . . . Or when I have to go to a networking event and I feel too casual in my boots and flowy pants because everyone’s in structured pant suits - eek!
It also brings me back to last year when I was helping my daughter Olive look for a dress for her Winter formal. She went with a bunch of her friends and was totally stressed about finding a dress. As we shopped and she tried things on, there were a lot of cute dresses, but it just didn’t fit her right. One dress, that I personally loved, needed a slip and double stick tape to keep everything in place . . . cute but way too fussy. And I told her, "this is your first formal event and I want you to soak up every moment, I don’t want you to have to worry if your slip is showing or if the strap is going to slip off your shoulder."
Because a fussy dress or uncomfortable shoes would all she’d end up paying attention to instead of enjoying the night. And I didn’t want that to happen. I wanted her to laugh, dance, eat and have FUN! And to me, the only way you can truly live and be present in the moment, is when you feel your most comfortable. This is what I want for Olive, this is what I want for me, and this is what I want for you.
It’s why the team and I put in the extra time to test every style with an all-day fit test or test our fabric quality. I want to make sure that it feels amazing at the end of the day too. I want to make sure that when you have to kneel down to pick up something or lean over to give someone a hug, you can do it with confidence and comfort.
Those two things - “confidence and comfort” are what I think allows us the opportunity to be fully present. Because in the moments I have to worry, “Am I too dressed up or too casual” - I’m already taking away from being present. And the older I get, the less patience I have with things that steal away my experiences . . . I truly believe that all our pieces need to “take it up a notch” is a little bit of styling, some great accessories and a willingness to live confidently!
Alexander McQueen once said, "Style is not about the clothes, it's about the individual” - so let's live our lives without the worry of how we will be defined in our clothing. Let’s just look for things that make us feel good, feel comfortable, feel like ourselves!
