Returning To My Roots

There isn’t always a story behind every outfit photo session. Sometimes a good outfit just needs to be shared, but other times, it’s so much more. This day, way back in December, was an attempt to reclaim who I thought I was or who I wanted to be. I don’t know who I was in England, but I know that it wasn’t me. I lived out of the same three suitcases, sprinkled in a few drugstore makeup purchases here & there, and tried my very best to hold onto the core of who I was. It’s difficult to be a happy, smiling content creator (I refuse to use that other word) when that isn’t the way that you’re feeling and when you don’t know when you’ll feel that way again.

To make matters worse, I didn’t have regular access to any of my medications while I was one, so my body careened out of control after I had finally made real progress for the first time ever in my life. My self-esteem was lower than low and the last thing I wanted to do was broadcast it all over the internet for everyone to see. I felt like anyone, everyone reading this had certain expectations of me and I was in no position to live up to them.

I returned home to my roots, both physically and follically. I restarted my Gwynnie Bee subscription (bless them for always being so amazing and supportive) and tried to figure out where I fit in. When I saw this millennial pink sweater at Target, I knew that it had to be mine. Everything in a size 4x was sold out, so imagine my surprise that a 3x fit. It was exactly the boost my confidence needed. It’s currently on sale for $9.88, so if fuzzy pink softness is exactly what your wardrobe is missing, move quick.

But it was the arrival of the warm pink velvet pleated skirt by Alice & You from Gwynnie Bee that truly turned everything around. I’m still deeply uncomfortable with the way my body looks in these pictures and even the way I felt while we were shooting, but there is something about this skirt that can instantly turn your day around. It’s genuinely transformative, or at least it was for me. If you’re not a Gwynnie Bee member or are interested in this style in a lighter color, Target has a version currently on sale for $17.48.

Outfit details

Marble & rose gold earrings: Valencia Key, c/o It Cosmetics