Good morning!
Today we have a very special treat for the Summer Glow Boot Camp! Leslie will be talking about a VERY important topic that I think many of us struggle with- feeling confident in summer clothes! I know I always feel a bit self-conscious when I whip out the summer wardrobe. Society places so many expectations on women to not only be thin, but perfectly tanned, smooth, and cellulite free. It can make the most sane of us feel a bit crazy at times. Leslie is here to offer her awesome tips on how to get past those summer wardrobe fears and to embrace your awesome GLOWING self!
Hello Oh She Glows readers! My name is Leslie, and I blog over at the whole plate.
When Angela put out her “casting call” for the SGBC, I jumped at the chance. I’ve been an OSG fan for quite some time now, and I adore the positive message that Angela spreads.
On my blog, I often write about balance and self-acceptance. Last year, I found myself working in the high fashion industry, and as you might imagine, the atmosphere made both of those things difficult to attain. Nonetheless, I still harness a deep love for fashion, and like many, I used to dread the skimpy clothing that peppered garment racks as summer approached. The sudden exposure our bodies receive in summer attire can be intimidating, but over the years, I’ve employed a few strategies to relish in showing some skin.
1) Throw out the rule book. Fashion magazines often entice readers with promises of “seventy tops for your figure,” but I’m not here to tell you how to flatter your frame. Only you can do that. In my opinion, there is nothing more fashionable than a woman who pulls off her outfit with pride. Maybe your favorite dress isn’t the one fashion editors recommend for you. It doesn’t matter. If you feel beautiful in it, then you are.
2) Embrace your rights as a woman. I know, it’s easier to say the words, “I am beautiful” than to actually believe them. Summer arrives, and retailers suddenly ask us to reveal more than we do the other nine months of the year. Instead of complaining, I’ve finally begun to respond with enthusiasm. As women, our ancestors fought long and hard for the equality we have today. It is our right and privilege to bare our arms and legs. Put on that halter top, zip up those shorts, and feel your place in the feminine community. Your exposed skin reflects the history of our gender and the freedom we should be proud to enjoy.
3) Treasure the atmosphere. Summer is my favorite time of year. The long days, the heat, the opportunities to be outside – these are available to us for just a short period each year, and personally, I savor them. If I remain indoors with the air-conditioning, warmed by a baggy sweatshirt, I am allowing the season to slip away. Chances are, long sleeves won’t feel comfortable in the sun and hot air, and wearing them will cause you to fixate on your body, rather than the ambiance surrounding you. So shed those layers, and cherish the beautiful sensation of the summer heat embracing your bare arm.
4) Be a bit narcissistic. Your legs carry you up flights of stairs, on countless errands, perhaps on miles of runs. Your arms support every item held in your hands, help you reach high and low, propel you off the floor in a morning push-up. Your stomach digests the food that keeps you strong, and its core strength keeps you balanced. With all that your body can do, why wouldn’t you want to show it off? Take pride in the support it provides you, and wear clothes that let the world see its strength.
5) Dress yourself with your heart, not your head. You’ve been working hard, strengthening your body through the SGBC. Maybe your head is still arguing that you aren’t ready for a swimsuit or a skirt. Don’t listen. We women tend to spend hours overthinking our clothing choices – is this flattering, what is the size, can I pull this off. Fashion is a means of literally wearing our hearts on our sleeves. Quiet the negative thoughts and allow your clothes to reflect the person you are.
The next time you peek into your closet, I hope I’ve inspired you to toss away the layers and take a fashion risk. And if you have a free moment, I’d love to see you at the whole plate!
Thanks Leslie! I absolutely loved this post so much. I think this is such a great topic and I will admit one that I have not really addressed on OSG yet! When Leslie approached me with the idea I was just thrilled. I especially loved this part, “So shed those layers, and cherish the beautiful sensation of the summer heat embracing your bare arm.” Wow, what an amazing visual that gave me..a warm summer day…nice breeze..and feeling the warm sun on my skin. Who wants to constantly be all covered up and self-conscious all the time. Embrace it! :) I couldn’t agree more with ‘If you feel beautiful in it, then you are’…nothing is more attractive on a woman than confidence!!
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I have been a busy bee in the kitchen this morning as you could probably guess from my late post!
Today I was baking up some donated orders. The first one was for the Glo Bars I donated to Natalie’s bake sale for cancer. The second was for the SGBC Sidebar challenge, and the 3rd one I will be announcing below!
Classic and Revive…two lovely choices.
My new packing table! lol
A taste of heaven…
ATTENTION US READERS!
I know you have had it a bit difficult lately seeing all of these Glo Bars and not being able to order any yet! You’ve also had to deal with two Neal Brothers contests that were only open to Canadians. Well, today I want to say a little ‘thanks’ to you all for your dedicated support with Oh She Glows and your enthusiasm with Glo Bakery.
So today I am holding a US-ONLY contest on OSG! I will be sending another test package to the states and YOU could be the lucky recipient! You have a chance of winning one of these variety packs above (Heaven, Class, and Revive bars)!
How to enter:
- Leave a comment below about Leslie’s post on being confident in summer clothes. If you have any tips on being confident tell us what they are!
- Contest is open until TOMORROW, Friday at NOON EST.
- Open to US residents only please.
- GOODLUCK!
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I am off to pack and ship some stuff! Then it is back to calculating Nutrition Facts.
See you later for the winner of The Amazing Grass Contest! You have 1 more hour to get your entries in!!!
Also, just a quick note about emails- I am experiencing a large volume of emails lately for OSG, GMM, and Glo Bakery. Please rest assured that I am receiving all of them and I will get to them as soon as possible! Thanks so much for your patience. :)
I loved this post. I actually just had a similar experience this weekend. A lot of times when I would get dressed I felt like I shouldn’t be wearing whatever outfit it was because I didn’t look perfect in it. But then I would go outside and have a blast and completely forget about my insecurity. It’s so amazing when you can just live and not worry about that. Confidence comes from being happy from the inside out. Great post!
Great contest!
I love Leslie’s advice. I know for me, it’s all about FIT- you may have some beautiful items to wear, but you won’t feel comfortable in them if they’re ill-fitting. I always feel my most confident when I wear clothes that fit MY body well.
mmmm these sound yummy!
This is such a tough topic. It is so personal about comfort and confidence. There are so many styles now that everyone can look great…one thing I have learned, baggy does not cover up, it makes you look bigger!
I’m an American living in super sunny California, the land of bikini bottoms and plastic surgery. Although my frame is petite I’ve put on weight in the last few years and my midsection down to my thighs has become encased in cellulite. I haven’t worn a swimsuit in years. I just go without! Couldn’t resist. The truth is that I have super petite breasts and have never been able to find a swimsuit that makes me feel feminine and attractive, and now with the extra padding I just don’t go swimming anymore. Leslie’s post reminds me of how ridiculous it is allowing myself to buy into other people’s notions of beauty. Every day women inject foreign substances into their bodies in the name of beauty and sex appeal, and I refuse to join that camp. But now I want to take that one step further and refuse to partake in self-deprecation. I am beautiful just as I am. If I can’t find a swimsuit that fits me upstairs, then by jolly I’ll go make one myself.
This is lovely, hope I win this package!
I think Leslie has written some really good thoughts about confidence. I am a firm believer of the fact that you should carry off your own style, you don’t have to emulate others and dress just because it is in trend! Make your statement and carry it with 100% confidence!
Again I hope I win this package!!
Ooooooh yay for US shipping for Glo bars!
I would agree with Lisa – it’s all about confidence. I have the whitest legs known to man (I glow in the dark), but instead of hiding in pants all summer, I wear shorts and pretty dresses and flirty heels – and say screw everyone who makes fun of my legs ;) The older I get, the more comfortable I am in my skin. It’s a nice feeling.
I love the line “Dress Yourself with Your Heart” – it is so true!!
I’ve been waiting for you to be able to send to the US to make my first purchase but winning would be even better!
My confidence tip is to just STOP comparing yourself to the girl next to you or a random girl on the street because you never know they might envy something you have!
What a great post!
Though I must say I vastly prefer summer clothes. Shorts and t-shirts all season!
I hope I win the package! I love the bars I’ve made with your recipes and want to taste the REAL THING!
I have a couple scars that I sometimes hesitate showing but in the summertime, I go ahead and wear my v-neck t-shirts! Thanks for your blog!
What an awesome post! I used to be one of those people who would wear baggy long pants and long sleeved baggy shirts even in the summer. I wasn’t happy with my body and last summer I actually fainted because of the heat & my restricting clothing. My friends forced me to try on dresses, skirts, and short sleeved clothing. They forced me to look at the mirror and really see myself. This post hits home and reiterates the point that its important to be comfortable in your own skin and wear your clothing with pride :)
I’ve been drooling over your glo bars for months! Leslie’s post is so inspirational and she is right – as women we have earned the right to show off our beautiful bodies (in a tasteful manner!). Something that makes me confident is a cotton summer dress – it’s comfortable/stylish and allows you to enjoy summer!
I totally agree about wearing what makes YOU feel beautiful. Also, don’t try to squeeze into a smaller size just to be able to say that you wear a size X. When clothes are too small for you, they actually make you look bigger!
Dress with your heart….I think with women we get bogged down with so much stuff that it is sometimes hard to remember that you deserve to look good and when you look good you feel good!
Hi Angela and Leslie,
Angela, HOOORAY for this giveaway. You seriously rock!
Leslie, great post! I love the part where you said, “Quiet the negative thoughts and allow your clothes to reflect the person you are.”
We really should dress for our personalities and be proud to be the person we are!
Paige
I love summer because I can wear pretty, whimsical summer dresses! I always feel a little more dressed up when I’m wearing a dress, even if it’s a pretty casual one that I’ve tossed on to run errands.
I’ve been waiting for those bars to hit the states forever!
Also, a great guest post – I love the idea of embracing our “rights” as women to really be confident all year long. Another piece of advice is to splurge on some new summer clothes – not only will you feel great wearing something new and exciting, but it will motivate you to keep up with your workouts. And, a cute maxi dress goes a long way on days when you’re feeling a bit less than your best :)
I loved Leslie’s post! Living in Florida these are tips I could use yearround. I need to realize that half the time the only person who pays attention to my outfit (for more than a split second) is me. I need to just muster up some confidence and put on all those great summer clothes sitting in my closet ;)
My favorite part of her post is be narcissistic. She’s completely right in that our bodies do awesome things for us so we should show them off in return. As I have gotten a little older (I’m 27), I find that I care less about what people think. I am more focused being loved and loving those who mean most to me.
Leslie is 100% right, confidence is the key to the outfit. If you feel comfy in your own skin and confident about the way you look, it flows onto others. Know what cuts and colors look the best on you, and on days where you don’t feel quite as confident wear those outfits!
One other thing I’ve found for women is bras. So many of us wear the wrong bra that doesn’t support us. I know I feel better when I’m supported and wearing a bra that truly fits. They might cost a lot more money but can you put a price on that?