Life comes with a whole lot of ups and downs and around the world changes. And honestly, I am learning those same ups and downs happen with style too.
Last week, I took a trip to the thrift store and somewhere between flipping through used clothes and looking at outdated decor, I passed by a mirror and took a good look at myself. You know how sometimes you randomly stop and self-evaluate your whole life right there in public. Yep, that was me. #truestory
Like Michael Jackson said in his song “Man in the Mirror.” In my case, it was the woman in the mirror.
While I was standing there, I started looking at my outfit and comparing myself against the wind of the world. What’s trending, what’s hot, what people are wearing online, what looks polished enough for Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, real life, work and all the other places women feel like they have to show up looking put together.
Honestly, the amount of outfits a woman needs just for everyday life is enough to make you ask can we all just wear uniforms at this point. It would probably save a whole lot of trips to Burlington, TJ Maxx and random online shopping carts filled with things we really did not need.
The more I scroll social media these days, the more I realize everybody kind of dresses the same. Everybody styles things the same. Everybody poses the same. Everybody is chasing the same aesthetic and somewhere in the middle of all of that, things started feeling a little boring to me.
Not just the internet either. I even started feeling bored with myself.I am being so for real right now. :)
Somewhere along the way, I realized I slowly started dressing an invisible world instead of dressing for me.
Now don’t get me wrong because I love social media too. I love posting and sharing and creating just like everybody else. Although I am definitely not a selfie-taking type of woman. But lately I have been craving more of myself again. More personality. More fun. More dressing without overthinking every little thing.
Sometimes I want to wear funky jewelry, oversized overalls, mix-matched shoes, stacked bracelets and a head wrap all in the same outfit. Sometimes I want to look like a walking thrift store with good energy attached to it and honestly I am cool with that.
I am not really sure what being 50-something is “supposed” to look like anymore.
All I know is I do not fit the polished First Lady look of Michelle Obama. And please don’t get me wrong because I absolutely love Michelle Obama’s style. She is classy, elegant and beautiful. But that style just is not me.
I am a southern country gal who likes lots of jewelry, funky shoes, layered pieces and things that may have come from Goodwill, the Macy’s sales rack or a random thrift store hidden somewhere in town.
Being on trend has never really been my thing. I just like dressing happy even if my style looks a little all over the place sometimes.
Truthfully, I find my most comfort when I stop trying to style up my life and instead dress my life up to fit my style.
At this point in life, I would rather feel expressive, comfortable and alive than perfectly dressed for strangers on the internet.
Summer is slowly rolling in and honestly I want to spend more time at the beach kicking sand around, eating good food with my family and enjoying life instead of worrying about whether my outfit makes sense to somebody else.
So lately I have been cleaning out my closet and getting rid of things that no longer feel like me anymore. And in this next chapter, I fully plan on wearing overalls, mix-matched pieces, chunky jewelry and whatever else makes me happy.
Because the funny thing about style is nobody really has the perfect guide.
As I look around the internet these days girl, we all are just winging it.
The moral of the story is simple. Wear what you want to wear. That’s it. That’s all.
I stand for women wearing whatever makes them feel good no matter what age they are in life.
And as I stood there looking at the woman in that grocery store mirror, I saw a Black woman over 50 with thick thighs, broad shoulders and her own way of doing things. And ya’ll, I am honestly okay with that.
I am okay with being different.
I am okay with dressing all over the place.
I am okay with evolving within my own personal style.
And if I keep that type of mindset, I will age gracefully in my own style one mix-matched outfit at a time. #realtalk
Because at the end of the day, the best part about aging in style is feeling good in your mind, body and soul.
So enjoy your life and style by any means necessary because style comes and goes but happiness in all of it matters.
What will you guys be wearing this summer. Do you have any style goals?
Until Next Time Wear What The FUNK You Want!
xo Tangie Bell
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