To Be Or Not To Be (Stylish)

A friend recently sent me this article about novelist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.  In short, she tells how she always loved to watch her mother dress with style and color and she herself loved fashion until she started to become more recognized for her writing.  She felt she would not be taken seriously if she wore too much color or looked like she cared too much about style and fashion.  At 36 years old she says she finally stopped pretending she doesn't care about her appearance and her love for beautiful prints, textures and expressing herself through her style.    

I loved this article and Chimamanda's style journey for several reasons.  She is someone who is well respected for her work, extremely intelligent and yet she has insecurities and felt the need to cater to others and societies parameters of what an intellectual and "serious" woman is.  Haven't we all been there?  Haven't we all at some point conformed or dimmed our shine in fear that people may be intimidated, judgmental or percieve us in a way we don't perviece ourselves?  The thing I think she realized is you can't control what everyone is going to say or think about you so the best possible option is to just be ourselves and follow the old adage "the ones that matter don't mind and the ones that mind don't matter."  Of course you want to dress appropriately depending on the occasion but that doesn't mean that having style and enjoying the beauty and expression that style and fashion allow is a bad thing.  

To me the latest wave of feminism is just this.  It's that as women we can decide for ourselves exactly what we want to do.  If we want to have kids and stay home to raise them we can! If we want to never have kids thats fine too.  We can be smart AND beautiful.  We can be fun AND serious.  We can be whatever we damn well please and if someone has something to say about it that is their problem not ours because we are deciding what we like not only as women but also simply as humans beings.

Talking to so many of my clients at the store I get to hear various musings from women about themselves, their daughters, their mothers and friends.  So many women are so hard on themselves and so critical of even the slightest flaws.  I think that one of the best things we can do for each other and ourselves and the younger girls coming up is to find our confidence and embrace who we are.  What could be more of a middle finger to all the mysogony we are surrounded by than to love ourselves as women and as people and express that through all that we do including how we dress! It's much more than just the clothes you wear but feeling good can make a big difference.  You know when you put on that dress you just feel so sassy in or see a beautiful colorful scarf that makes you swoon.  The earrings that frame your face perfectly or the pants that make your tush look great.  While I can't tell you exactly how to love yourself and find your confidence I can help in the style department.  We are all on a journey and that includes the store!  Every season we learn more and more about what makes women feel good, colors that flatter and a balance of sensibility and fun so come in and we will help you find an outfit that feels like you!

What do you think?  I know this was a long one but I had a lot of thoughts and would love to hear yours!