how style can go hand in hand with self-care
Some might say I dress a little odd or overdo my outfit a little. Which is fair—I’ve categorized my fashion on the strange spectrum of: emo, fairy, witch, wrong decade, a little punk, librarian, dash of whimsy, Victorian gentleman, and “I just don’t care right now” (that one tends to be a weekend exclusive).
Why?
It probably seems like an “outcry for attention” to some minds, but the truth is that it makes me feel happy. Â
Life is crazy and stressful. Honestly, any dash of excitement can do wonders. Getting together a nice outfit in the evening can be so fun.
Deciding: Hmm… do I want to wear a fun skirt? Do I want to look like I’m going to frolic around in the forest? Do I want to look like I walked out of a bygone era? Do I want to wear all black and blend into the shadows? Do I want to look like an adventurer on their way to a quest? Do I want to wear a band tee and whip out the leather jacket? What did my cool witchy friend say the lucky color for the day was again? Â
White? Okay, poet shirt, or maybe silly cat shirt? Or plain white top and denim jacket?  Let’s see…this whole lucky color thing has recently been very helpful in directing what to wear when I can’t decide. Not sure how legit it is, but it is helpful.
Anyways, dressing nice just feels amazing sometimes. There’s this thing I do once in a while during evenings when I have time, am not exhausted, and when I need a little morale boost. I call it a really silly name: “pretty time.”
See, I’ve always been a bit of a tomboy in demeanor. I grew up with guys as best friends. But those nights I let myself have “pretty time,” I test my various outfits, see what looks nice and fits together, sometimes I even test eyeshadows I got my hands on.
I don’t usually wear makeup; I only had some from Halloween, but the colors on the palette are so pretty, and exploring with it is delightful. There is just something about seeing yourself in the mirror and looking nice that lifts the spirits.Â
It doesn’t matter if it’s what’s considered popular now or not; it’s what makes you feel good. Though don’t focus on it so much to the point of vanity.Â
We deserve a chance to feel beautiful or cool once in a while. It’s kind of like treating yourself to a nice drink or fun snack. Be yourself, wear clothes that make you happy!  It really can help.