The Voices.

Ha, I realise the title of this post sounds a little paranoid (or you might be thinking I'm about to start swivelling round in a large red chair) but...I promised to talk more about my 'bravery' in a previous post.

'The Voices' are those thoughts in my head which stop me in my tracks. Makes me take off the fun dress I was going to wear, makes me wipe off the red lipstick and makes me shrink away. It's insecurity, obviously, but it's also ingrained. Therefore, it's a really bad fucking habit to get out of.

I have this wonderful locker of negative experiences; the time a bitch at school described my appearance in her photo as 'stumpy' (yeh, thanks - that was the look I was going for), the stranger on the tube screaming 'ugly' at me, a friend's ex sneering at a headband I was wearing, the Cow I used to work with who had a knack of belittling Every. Single. Thing I wore... and so on and so forth. They all sit there, collectively waiting to make me feel like shit whenever I get dressed. I want to let it all go but negativity becomes second nature when you've been practising it since your school days... Is it any wonder that stepping out of my front door in a strong style can scare me off from doing it?!

Let 'em stare Nora, you're fabulous.

I recently read a blog post called 'Let them stare' on Nora Finds. This fabulous looking creature (pictured above) climbed St Paul's in this amazing green dress and cape. She described how she had some negative comments to her outfit and the looks she got from strangers. But she just got on with it. I need to channel some of that gumption - never mind a bit of her on point vintage look. She's a total vampspiration.

What I need to focus on, are the times I. Pulled. It. Off.

Like when:

• A lady kept describing me as a 'pocket Venus' (why, thank you *blushing*),
• or I wore a gorgeous green Monsoon dress to a friend's wedding and actually felt attractive (see above),
• How much fun I had dressing up for my son's Christening in my Lindy Bop dress, my Faux Fur coat and purple dye in my hair,
• And of course how beautiful I actually felt on my wedding day... The positive stuff needs to start drowning out the white noise and those feckin' mean voices!

There was also the below moving and rather timely video on Scary Mommy this morning. It essentially says you need to let your insecurities go because your children won't remember your perceived imperfections - they'll remember you and the time you spent with them. Another reason to just enjoy this Summer with no limitations.




I know this is not something I alone suffer with and I know what I choose to wear is not going to be everyone's cup of tea. But it is something I need to deal with and I hope this blog and my Summer of fashion fun will enable me to just be brave, step out there and just fucking enjoy it!

My mantra needs to be fuck it. Fuck it all.

Til next time.