Reveal Yourself – Fashion Advice
By Sarah Carlos
I think we have all had that moment when we look in the mirror and just know we look good.
Maybe it’s a form-fitting top that shows off your abs, a new lipstick that is just natural enough to not make it look like you’re trying too hard, or those killer heels that while they may pinch your feet, make your legs look fantastic.
Well, I am here to say, that all those times you had personal moments of hotness, you were being yourself. Something clicked. Have fun with it.
If you are meeting friends out, be daring, but be YOU. Wear a funky black hat that doesn’t necessarily match your outfit. I guarantee you will get some compliments.
Go light on the make-up. There is no need to “put on your face.” Your face is already on, so keep it that way. Lightly apply Jergens self-tanner (yes, you can use the one for your legs on your face) to add a little sparkle to your natural glow, and apply a powder bronzer to the apples of your cheeks and your eyelids. Curl your eyelashes, put on a natural-colored gloss, and you’re good to go.
But even now, this may not be you. In fact, I just described the natural me. Only you know your look, and only you can master it. Stroll around downtown Franklin’s boutiques for one-of-a-kind pieces. Be picky about what you choose and over time, you will have a closet full of things you will always want to wear.
More often than not, we force ourselves, or a parent nags us, to go shop for a look that isn’t us. My mom won’t let go of me having “fluffy” hair and wearing Laura Ashley. And for years, I shopped for her and not for me. It took me almost shaving my head (to make a point, of course), to dying my hair a plethora of colors, until I decided I liked my natural blond hair. I also realized one morning that sleep is more important than spending an hour doing my hair and make-up.
So, think about this when you are out shopping at some of downtown Franklin’s finest stores: Are you buying for the real you, or what society or your mom wants you to be? Don’t get me wrong, society has thrown some pretty groovy looks into the mix, and I enjoy using them to form my own trends and looks.
But fashion is more than Ralph Lauren or Prada. Fashion, style, is a state of mind — a way of being, of expressing yourself. So, take some risks, wear that black hat cocked to one side, or plaid shorts with a bright polo shirt and heels. Be your own art. And as you start to paint your canvas, let parts of it peek through here and there. Leave it in its purest form, no matter what shape the paint takes in all other directions.
If you don’t, you’ll be like every other Bob Ross painting out there, competing for wall space at the mall.
