by Glitter | Nov 11, 2018 | Fashion, Inspiration, OOTD
I haven’t written on this blog in what seems like ages. I suppose its because I’ve been in a bit of rut. Writing A Life Full of Glitter took more out of me than I originally realized. On top of that, life has been hard to the ones I love and I’ve made it a priority to be there for them. That’s the rough spot about being in the position I am, my energy is asked for in so many places and sometimes I just burn out because I’ve spread myself too thin. It’s the people pleaser in me. I just want everyone to be a little bit happier.
One of the things that was 100% holding me back was my silly belief I could actually make everyone happy with what I create. That if I worked really really hard and put all my heart into it that eventually I would unlock some secret formula to the perfect piece of prose and imagery. However, the comments and engagement on my content only got more polarizing, I only became more and more distraught.
My content creation became backed in fear. I would get anxious every time I posted something. What would they hate about me today? How would I fail to deliver? Sometimes it was the fit of my pants. Sometimes it was misunderstandings. Sometimes it was the color of my shirt. Some days it was my make up. Every day there was a new reason for people to be disappointed in me. This was all I could see. The failures.
So i began to take my heart out of the work, and I wasn’t as me as I have been before. I’d never really had anxiety and I didn’t know how to deal with it. I had to learn new skills and evolve my coping mechanisms. It sucked. It’s great to be popular on the internet, but the mental demands it creates on you are intense. I had to recalibrate and learn to live in this new state of affairs. I have over 800,000 followers across channels. I will not and cannot please them all everyday and I would lose my ability to be happy if I keep trying to.
I am still working on it, being ok with where this has all grown to. I am tremendously uncomfortable with quasi-internet fame. However today while shooting I mentioned to my photographer and long time friend Joey I was considering leaving influencer work behind. He looked me in the eyes and said confidently, ” What you create is needed and I know you don’t feel strong enough, but you are. You were meant for this. You get to be the voice for people who aren’t always heard. That’s a gift.” As we walked into the sun to shoot I thought to myself, “here’s to never shutting up.”
Outfit Details: Lane Bryant forest green blazer and pants, Eloquii penguin print blouse,
Sperry grey loafers, Asos plaid beret
( I earn affiliate commissions on some of these links.)
by Glitter | Mar 11, 2018 | Fashion, Inspiration, OOTD
As I left my apartment to shoot this look I thought to myself, “is this pink fur too over the top?” It was very bright and I questioned if I was going just an teeny tiny bit over board. Yes, even the most experimental of fashion goddesses sometimes question how they’ve put things together.
As I rounded the corner to where I intended to shoot, an old Italian woman, dressed impeccably, stopped me. She grabbed my shoulder and whispered softly in my ear, “You. This….This is how a woman should dress. She should be fearless.” She smiled and went on her way.
As I set my camera up, I thought about her words. Fearlessness. It’s something that we all should embrace more. If we could live each day as if nothing scared us, as if nothing made us doubt ourselves, and as if nothing stood in our way, how would our lives be different?
I don’t have the magic answer to that deep question, but I do have a photo of the moment I decided to try just a little bit hard to face life with less fear. Well, I have several.
Today fearlessness is bright red pants with gold buttons and a white blouse twisted and tucked into their waist line. It’s a cotton candy pink faux fur coat (similar), gold lame shoes, and a vintage style jeweled bag. It’s this moment in time where I was reminded to question my inspiration less, and trust my gut more. Today, this is what fearless looks like.
On some of these links I earn affiliate commissions.
by Glitter | Jan 15, 2018 | Fashion, Inspiration, OOTD
Today I am partnering with Modcloth to share how wearing color can change your life. People always comment on how colorful I dress. Take for example, this bold, striped and pleated skirt from Modcloth. Even paired with a more subdued cream blouse, it’s still making a statement when I walk down the the street. I wear bright colors like this because I actually believe bright clothing means bright days. Science agrees. Recent studies have shown that looking at bright warm colors releases dopamine — known as the ‘feel-good hormone.” Increasing dopamine in our system can improve mood, increase our ability to focus and even boost our sex drive. Cool tones, can cause us to release oxytocin, as result making us feel calmer and refreshed.
Wearing Color Allows Me To Be Seen
Personally, I wear color because it feels rebellious. As a plus size woman, for years I’ve been told to hide- to avoid colors. “Dark clothing will slim your hips, darling.” Barf. As a result, the options that were available to me to be bold and bright were limited in my youth. Now as the tides have turned and brands like Modcloth are making colorful options in my size- I can’t help but indulge in all the hues. Colorful clothing helps me make a statement about my worthiness to be visually acknowledged. It says I am not hiding anymore. I want to be seen.
Color Can Be A Motivator
Wearing bright colors does more than give me empowered warm fuzzies. Color psychology is the scientific study of hues as a determinant of human behavior. It is shocking just how much color affects the decisions we make and opinions we form every day. Take the colors in this skirt. Reds can act as stimulants- giving you energy and a sense of power through out the day. Yellows can give you sense of confidence- increasing your likeliness to self-perceive as competent and happy. Blues carry an air of honesty and professionalism. That’s a lot of good vibes packed in one little skirt.
The Basics of Color Theory
Below is a high-level guide to Color Theory or essentially what different colors can evoke in us. Note: Color Theory is a very complex subject and saturations, tones and pairings can change how colors are perceived. I would suggest reading this three part series on color theory for designers for anyone really interested in learning more.
Add a Punch of Color to Your Look
Now that you know color can literally change your outlook each day, here are some ideas of how to add color to your day-to-day wardrobe. Clothing options are size inclusive (available from size xs to 4x) and are from Modcloth. Click the images to shop!
Thank you to Modcloth for sponsoring this post. I earn affiliate commisions off of some of the links included in this post.
by Glitter | Jan 13, 2018 | Inspiration
Yesterday was, for lack of a better way to describe it, disappointing. I wore an outfit I loved and some people just weren’t into it. That’s ok- I do not expect people to love every outfit I wear. It comes with the territory. What wasn’t ok was the discussion that began about what was or wasn’t flattering for my body and how I should have posed differently to look better in the clothing.
First off, not all clothing I love to wear perfectly accentuates my curves. I don’t always want to be in a bodycon. Somedays I want to be warm or comfortable or just plain lazy. Some things I love to wear don’t make my body look more aesthetically pleasing. Those days and things are just as important and worthy to be seen as the perfect days.
Flattering is a Loaded Word
I’ve always wrestled with the word flattering, because of the context it is usually used in. According to the Cambridge dictionary flattering means to “making someone look or feel better or more attractive than usual.” To say something flatters someone is a shallow compliment, which assumes that the wearer is simply wearing something to look better. Additionally, as attractiveness is highly subjective, one person’s flattering is another person’s “oh hell no.” Plus, flattering often seems to be delivered dripping wet in the stereotypes places on idealized female bodies.
It’s as if flattering is used, in most cases, to deliver the subtext “your body isn’t ideal, but this dress makes it look better than it usually does.” How is that a compliment? And if you do think I look abnormally beautiful- why not just say that? Why use a word so loaded as “flattering’?
In a similar vein of thought, the word “unflattering” delivers the commentary that the individual is wearing something that makes them “less than”. Now there are situations where it’s appropriate to use this word- especially when a person asks you directly. However, most cases it is completely inappropriate to discuss. You’re literally telling a person “you look worse today then you usually do.” Instead just say something isn’t your cup of tea or -even better- say nothing at all. How someone else’s body looks is really none of your business anyways.
Tunic Sweater is from Yours clothing, paired with leggings from Maurices, boots from Evans, a vintage scarf and a hat from Goorin Brothers. On some links I earn affiliate commissions.
by Glitter | Jan 6, 2018 | Fashion, Inspiration
Over the last 6 months I found myself dragged into the politics of blogging. I heard gossip, I repeated gossip and in the end no one was better for it. Before I get into some deep thoughts, here’s the outfit details. The dress and Jacket are from Fashion to Figure. They are worn with Maurice’s leggings, booties and a contemplative expression.
It’s so easy. You hear something- a tidbit, a thought, and opinion and next thing you know you’ve passed it on to someone else without even a second thought. It happens so organically it can be hard to realize you’ve even done it. But eventually the drama spreads and a small comment becomes something that might negatively affects someone’s life.
Over the past month I’ve reached out and apologized to people I’ve felt my gossiping might have hurt. It was overwhelming. I did it because I didn’t like this bad habit and I felt I dramatically needed to correct it. I did it because I was sorry. In most cases, it was much more meaningful to me than the person involved. One person laughed at me, shocked I would apologize for such behavior. It was normal, after all.
I am realizing that gossip is a toxic destructive behavior we pass off as common and acceptable. Its ok to posture. It’s ok to assume. It’s ok to take everything you hear as absolute truth. But it’s not. Gossip is just a manifestation of jealousy, inadequacy, and denial wrapped up a socially acceptable package.
I look back to the incidents where I found my gossiping. Sometimes it was easier to talk about someone else than myself. Sometimes I wanted what other people have. Sometimes even surrounded by people I felt lonely and just wanted to be included. Why didn’t I say these words. Why didn’t I let people react to me? Why did I hide behind the stories of others?
As I have begun to dissect why I gossip and what I am using it to deflect from, I have realized that I have never won by gossiping. I have only lost. Lost opportunities to really connect with people. Lost chances to be vulnerable. Lost chances to change my experience. I am painfully learning bad habits die hard- especially when they are ingrained into our everyday culture. However, as I have learned many times in my life- the hardest things to do are often the most rewarding. I’ll keep trying and as result keep growing in the process.
by Glitter | Jan 4, 2018 | Fashion, Inspiration, OOTD
Today I did my make up, I gussied up my face and donned my finest selection of berry hues. I was ready to tackle this stupid snow bomb Glitter style. Insert clip of Zoolander faces, neon spandex and sassy wham inspired dance moves. In full sequin Merlot colored sequin pants , a berry cold shoulder sweater, a crimson turtle neck, maroon flats and random sassy accessories from my closet- I was fighting the weather with fashion. Slaying the snow with sequins. Destroying this water dust with dapperness. Crushing these crystals with couture.
Sometimes I get these big ideas and when I try execute them, about 50% of the way in I realize they are and absolutely terrible idea. This is a great example of one such idea. Within seconds I had snow mashed into my shoes and pressed against my bare feet, snowflakes was matted to my sweater, my fingers turned a bright rosy pink and I was literally soaked by the time I came in. I was so cold. The photos were, meh. Yes, It was a very dumb idea, but I am not in the least upset I did it. Why? Because roughly 1 out of every 10 ideas we think are dumb are actually game changers.
Game changers are ideas that seem impossible or silly or a waste of time, but actually grow to shape us unexpectedly. Starting my Instagram was once a dumb idea. Who would want to see what I wore every day and listen to whatever mental soundtrack was playing in my brain? What a silly idea. How dumb. But yet here I am 2 and half years later and that one dumb idea I had the guts to take a chance on has completely transformed my life. Now I worry less about the dumb ideas I wasted time on and more about the ones I didn’t have the guts to try. I’ll never get the pleasure of knowing where they might have led me.
