Sophia Loren said “There is nothing that makes a woman more beautiful than the belief that she is beautiful.” I’ve read that quote before and sometime in my 30’s I think I finally got it. At some point I stopped comparing...at some point I discovered that I love my curves, I love the soft parts of me that are perfect for cuddling...I love my skin, my eyes, my hair, my hands, my feet. Are there parts of me I think I’d like to change? Yeah, but it’s mostly about wanting to be stronger...about wanting to be vibrant for years to come...it is most definitely not because I’m concerned someone else’s butt looks better than mine. That woman at the bar who doesn’t look like a supermodel, but she can keep up with the drinks men want to buy her & the dances that go with them? She gets it too. That woman who’s a little chubby and wears no makeup, but her smile lights up a room? She definitely gets it.
I realize there’s no magical formula that will reveal this information to every woman instantaneously. I realize that sometimes life experience is what it takes reach this level of acceptance of your own flaws....and your own awesomeness. I do, however, have a little advice to get you started and it comes from something my girls and I have started to affectionately call “The Tiara Ministry”.
For my wedding, I bought a beautiful, sparkly, over the top tiara...because I already had a collection of what I called my “casual tiaras”. Someone made the comment the other day while discussing our weddings about how unfortunate it is not to have anywhere to wear that tiara. I told her I wear it everywhere. And she was confused. So I explained. I wear that tiara every chance I get.
Do you know that if you randomly wear a tiara, strangers will call you princess? It’s especially good to wear it with sweats and a t-shirt to the grocery store on a Saturday morning....people assume you’re getting married and they’re SO nice to you. There’s something about putting a crown on that makes you instantly feel better about everything. It’s not shallow, it’s not vanity. That feeling you get when you put on something sparkly, that’s the feeling we should have all the time.
And if you’ve never felt it, how do you know how to recreate it? You don’t have to enter a bunch of pageants to pursue them...just buy one on eBay...heck, buy three...last count I had nine.
-KASHMIR ROCK SPA-
{-Thanks to Project Radiate, for inviting me to guest blog this week. My baby is KASHMIR ROCK SPA, and we’re honored to be one of the Signature Sponsors of this non-profit organization. We share an absolute belief that there is something inherently beautiful in every woman. And we share a desire to help every woman see that beauty in themselves.
-BRANDI BAKER- Owner - KASHMIR ROCK SPA}
Recently, I took a style quiz online, and it made me realize that the things I love aren't the things that represent me, which got me to thinking...
How many times have you gotten up late, or due to a hectic schedule just not taken the time that you would like to do those little extra things for yourself before you walked out the door? I am guilty of all counts, and then I get frustrated because it never fails that I see a person, wearing the things that I wish I had taken the time to put on, or end up feeling just envious of how well put together they look.
As a makeup artist my job is to make the people I work with look and feel beautiful. Yet most days, I myself feel far from pretty and more confident. That can be a difficult thing especially on those days when I'm running late, or where I have a meeting to attend and have just come from a shoot where the set is in the middle of the desert. Start compounding those occasional days into frequent ones and it can be a very hard pattern to overcome.
On a more personal level, as I get ready to leave to work in a different state, I can't help but notice that this same pattern is ringing loud and clear. I have spent all week, getting my kit ready, cleaning all my brushes, printing and organizing release forms, yet I haven't taken a moment to do anything for myself!?!
Are you guilty? I'm learning that changing the way we treat ourselves can be one of the most difficult tasks there is. Especially when you have conditioned yourself to be the last priority (if any) of the day. So I have come to a few conclusions. First, it is OK to take time for yourself...and second it is OK to stand out or to have your own style.
I am going to find a way to incorporate the styles that I love into my everyday life, and of course...
BE THE GIRL IN THE ROOM WITH THE BIGGEST
HAIR!!!
- Atterec Design House-
