About a month ago, I attended a backyard dinner with a bunch of women from my church. As I sat down to dig into some salad, the girl sitting next to me remarked that I always looked "trendy" and showed up wearing clothes she saw online on different deal sites. While she didn't mean any harm by it, it was kind of a backhanded compliment: You buy stuff that everyone else is wearing.
Obviously, what she said stuck with me. I was wearing a really simple outfit at the time (a shirt, scarf and jean shorts) and didn't feel particularly trendy. But the last thing I wanted to do was seem like I was trying too hard.
I have always been someone who tries to look nice at all times. One of my biggest pet peeves is women who wear workout clothes or pajamas to the grocery store or — since my office is very casual — to work. I don't wear makeup, but I can control the clothes I wear and the way I present myself. My husband can tell you that I only wear pajamas and lounge-y clothes to bed, mainly because you never know who's going to knock on your door or whether you'll need to run to the store and get milk.
During the past year and a half, I felt very ugly and young-looking when I had to have braces on for a second time, and wearing unique jewelry and clothes helped me cope with that. At least someone will notice that I have cute shoes, I thought, and maybe they will be distracted from the braces on my teeth. It helped. I instantly had more confidence in myself when I knew that I looked nice at work, and I was able to lead meetings and feel more comfortable and authoritative.
However, the last thing I want to be is obsessed with clothes or buying things just to buy them. When I post pictures of my outfits on the blog, I genuinely love the clothes/shoes/jewelry I'm wearing. There are trendy clothes that you'll never see me wear — palazzo pants, lace-up heels, camo prints — because I don't like them or they don't work with my body type.
I am a firm believer in being yourself and looking the best that you can. There's nothing worse than hearing a woman put herself down because she feels ugly or seeing her wear ill-fitting clothes and be ignored (or ridiculed) because of the way she looks.
Have confidence in yourself, find clothes that work for your body, embrace the trends you like and abandon the ones you don't. I hope you find things that make you feel beautiful and happy inside and out — because everyone deserves to have confidence and feel important.
Ha ha. I wear pajamas to the grocery story all the time. Clothes have never been that important to me, but especially after having a baby. None of my jeans fit still, so all that does fit is workout type pants.
ReplyDeleteI actually need to work on this, so thank you for your post. The way I look has never been a big deal to me, and my husband doesn't really care how I look either, but he has told me that he appreciates it when I do dress up. So, I have determined to try and look nice for him more often.
I always thought you looked really cute! Don't worry about being trendy. You're one of those people who sets their own trends!
I think you are TRENDY, Lindsay because the high street shoppers like most of us girls would want to use this term on our own terms. You are trendy because it works for you, because it's unique and because it wouldn't be it without you wearing it.
ReplyDeleteIt's not because you saw HER wearing it (well, sometimes yes she can look good but it doesn't mean I will too) or the store convinced you to it by flirting with your eyes. We make our choices. To be trendy is to be yourself and not regret too many of those choices. People will talk anyway.
Have a great Monday, Lindsay!! xx
Do you like that show "What Not To Wear?" I used to watch it all of the time.
ReplyDeletebeing called trendy is a good thing, trust me. it means you dress well and when your older you keep up with whats going on in fashion. Unlike the ladies still sporting 80's hairdo's and women teasing their hair and using tanning beds. which no one outside of Idaho/Utah does. Its like a time warp there haha.
ReplyDeleteI love you Lindz!
ReplyDeleteI have a couple of friends who are constantly putting themselves down and it makes me so sad, because nothing I say or anyone else says can make them change their mind. I agree with you, there's nothing worse than hearing someone put themselves down constantly. It can really makes other people uncomfortable and can create awkward situations.
ReplyDeleteAlso trendy isn't necessarily a bad thing as long you're wearing what you genuinely like :) you do look put together and polished!