I went shopping recently and heard something that shocked me. A young woman was complaining that she hated her body because she could not wear a specific dress. It was either too big, or too small without a good fit between the two sizes. This is an all too common occurrence and one that can wreak havoc on a person’s self-esteem, especially as the emphasis on size numbers and specific fashion outfits increases.
When I was young, I had the same experience. I was looking for a summer dress to wear to a semi-formal. This dress needed to be cute. I found this perfect, cute little dress. It had an empire waist and puffy sleeves, which were all the rage back then. The white and yellow dress, decorated by small daisies was exactly what I wanted in a dress. However, this was simply not to be. No matter what size I tried on, the dress did not fit. I was either too heavy up top, too broad in the shoulders or too big in the bottom.
While I was fussing with this dress and my friends were trying to determine what we could do about this, a woman came up behind be and told me not to worry about it. She informed me that I simply did not have the right shape for that dress. It was not designed for me. She said one important thing that I am now going share with you. “Change the dress, not the body. Make the clothing fit you, not you fit the clothing.”
Turned out she knew something about dresses and the perfect fit. I was lucky that day and met the designer of that dress. She was in to discuss a line of clothing that she was looking to design. I cannot remember her name, but she set me on a fashion course that I am proud to say focuses on the person, not the clothing first.
While there are a lot of great hints and fashions on the market right now, it is important to not become frustrated if an outfit does not look good on you or does not fit you. It is important to remember that you are beautiful as you are and that fashion is about how you feel, not what the name brand is. This being said, paying attention to fashion can have its benefits. Fashion blogs like this one can help you to find outfits that look good on people and may help you to find an outfit that is geared specifically to you. Great looking clothing does change the way people perceive a person and this perception can make you feel good or feel bad about yourself.
As to that semi-formal, the designer assisted me and my friends in finding the perfect dresses. They were not in her line, not her products, but that did not seem to matter to her. She was just happy that we looked and felt beautiful. She was a truly wonderful woman who has made a huge impression on my life. I wish I would have remembered her name, but I will never forget her lessons.