Hey sweet friends. As you all know, I have been very vocal about my journey to a positive mindset towards my body and embracing it the way it is at every stage. Especially in my last two blog posts, Why Weight? and Weight a Sec, I voiced some of the struggles that we face and how I have had to change my attitude about myself. Well, the two blog posts got the attention of just the right person and I was asked if I would be interested in being a stylist for the opening of a brand new Plus size section at the Rue 21 store (in the McCain Mall in North Little Rock). Although, I am not quite a plus size myself (I am right in between actually), I gladly accepted. I was definitely on board with offering cute, affordable clothing for every size. And, I love to help women realize their fashion potential. You know I can't pass up the opportunity to talk about a passion. So of course I didn't. Plus, there would be a dj and snacks. Ha.
The event welcomed sizes 1X-3X and it included tops, bottoms, dresses and rompers, swim wear and even intimates. It was such a joy to witness the excitement of the women when they realized that they too could find something to accommodate their curves that was not only affordable but also in style. I would say, most importantly, the in style part. I have seen it all too often how difficult it can be to find stores that don't make larger sizes of the cute stuff. My dream is that someday there will be no separation of the departments but that is another topic for another day. So today, we celebrate Rue 21 for the progression towards my dream. It is a great start.
I feel like I have to talk about something I noticed while I was at the event. Every time I helped a woman, I made it a point to ask if they were okay with being photographed for this blog post. (I didn't want to get into any trouble or upset someone.) I would say that ninety percent turned me down. They felt too self conscious and embarrassed of themselves. Very few had the courage and confidence to allow me to take pictures. The most common response was, "I'm not pretty enough" and "I don't like the way I look". I even got a "I don't want people to know I shop this section" I was heartbroken. They didn't mind being helped with outfits, but the didn't want to be photographed.
"Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." (Proverbs 31:30) Why all of these women are believing such lies about themselves? There is an epidemic going on woman who believe that they aren't and will never be good enough the way they are. It has got to stop. I never realized that it was such a problem, but it is. I wish I could show them all how amazing they truly are. Beauty isn't about being pretty enough or perfect, because there is no such thing. Beauty is confidence in yourself. Beauty is within and it comes in ALL shapes and sizes. The beauty comes from your heart. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."
Only He is the truest form of beauty, and personally I can't wait to witness that! But guess what, we are made in his image (Genesis 1:27) therefore we too are beautiful. I know he didn't say only the pretty people are made in my image or only thin people are made in my image. No, he said he created man{kind} in his image and I a pretty sure that we all fit into that category. So ladies, embrace that. Love the the way you look, and be proud of it. You ARE the prettiest! We all are!
Here are some shots from the event. It was such an honor and a blessing to be a part of. I hope you enjoy. If you are interested in re-creating this look, I have it all linked at the bottom of the post. You can click the images to shop the pieces.
