Insta model

I'd be an Insta model but I can't. Ha ha!

Social media has definitely influenced fashion and how we see ourselves. Before all of these trends started, I was already enjoying my fair share of fashion.

I never saw myself as a model (and still do not). I always enjoyed dressing nicely for what I could afford. Motherhood also influenced my fashion sense. Let’s say that for first 8 years, I discovered the wonders of going from exercise clothes to lounge wear most days of the week. We always dressed up on weekends but most of the week, our family enjoys feeling comfortable.

Going to work full-time changed my fashion sense. Dressing up to teach preschool music is different than getting dressed for a church job. When God blessed me with a job in academia, my fashion sense gained a whole new level of freedom.

No matter how many variables I deal with, I find it important to know who I am when it comes to choosing the clothes I wear. Here are a few lessons I've learned along the way:

I need help - one of the best things I did was to ask a friend who is a fashion designer to help me with my clothing choices. She looked at all of my pieces and gave me some great advice I follow until this day. Good advice on style is very helpful and needed. I needed a real person to tell me about the styles that actually would work for me. Her eye to detail helped me realized what I was missing in my closet as well.

I pay attention - I’m not a big trend setter but I do pay attention to trends. If I see something I like, I often get it from a thrift store. I also watch trends for a long time. I learned that everything goes on sale. If I wait long enough, I'll get what I want for a great price. Because I'm not paid to be a model I get to wait a while until I adopt a certain trend.

I know my worth - Confidence is the best accessory I'll ever possess. My worth and value do not come from the clothes I wear. I don't measure my worth by outward things. Knowing my worth makes this entire fashion journey make sense to me. I had an interesting conversation with a co-worker. She is in her 70s and she told me that she feels it is important for children to have a healthy sense of self-worth and confidence. Sure, an adult can pick it up later, but if you learn it as a child, great.

Folks, this is the best fashion post you'll get from me. I could be more specific and write about clothes, trends, prices, etc. I prefer to tell you about the things I treasure the most. My need for help is one of them. The knowledge that confidence is the best accessory is another good lesson. One can fake having confidence during a photoshoot. It is important to live well from the inside out and know that the way God sees you is the most relevant thing you'll ever realize.