better than a prince

I know they say you have to kiss a few toads before you find your prince but if you ask me... the same rule applies for finding THE dress. You know. THE dress. And if you asked me which was harder to find, I'd probably tell you that the dress is harder to find and between the two, the dress is far more valuable. Everyone needs it, everyone knows it. It's the dress that no matter what, you know you just look good. It's your go-to, your back-up; your dress that calms your nerves when you have an awkward dinner to attend or your dress you wear because you know you'll be a bombshell. You wear it when there's nothing else to wear and it fits nearly occasion. You wear it when you are meeting your worst enemy. You wear it when you feel awesome and want to look that way on the outside. And, the best part, it's always there (whereas the prince may not).

I don't like to talk about self-image or preach about how great you all should feel about yourselves namely because I think those are two things that can only come from within. No one anyone says on a blog is going to make you change your mind about yourself, that's just something everyone individually has to conquer and go through on their own. However, I think in my own struggles and triumphs, hearing people outwardly say that they loved who they were and weren't afraid to say that they were awesome made me feel better about saying it, too. Like, what is wrong with society where feeling positive about who you are makes you feel guilty?! 

Because let's be honest, it isn't the dress that makes us bombshells, but sometimes it is that extra boost a single dress can give that carries on into our everyday life. YES, this is MY dress and how did I not realize I was this awesome before? And for that matter, why can't I feel this awesome in everything I'm wearing (or not wearing!)? I'll tell you a secret. You can. In my experience, it's one item, one shred of something so stupid as a piece of clothing that banishes all the 'i have terrible skin' 'i really need to go to the gym' thoughts from my head. You aren't who you are when you're wearing  dress, you're the person you feel when you're in it. I had my own personal struggles growing up like anyone else and it was the day I realized I didn't have to compare myself to anyone else and also realized simultaneously that there are much, much bigger things in the world than being 5'0" and my feet not being able to touch the ground when I'm sitting at a desk that things changed. There is no one else in the world I'd rather be, no other family I'd rather have, and no other life I wish I was living. Just mine. And being alive no matter how I look enables me to love all of it. 

And I'll tell you a secret: my dress, my secret weapon and confidence coach, was 99 cents at Goodwill.

dress: vintage // belt: ruche // shoes: urban outfitters