Creating and Styling a New Me - My Style Evolution

If you remember last year, we started a little series on our blog called "Tell Me More." Basically, these posts revolve around frequently asked questions that we get, either from our blog, Facebook or Instagram... that aren't necessarily connected with anything having to do with Home DIY.

 I keep getting asked tons of questions about beauty, skincare and my overall evolved style this past year, so I thought I'd address them this week; starting with a little back story and this post.

As I've been going on this roller coaster ride of "finding my true self" this past while, I've also realized that I'm going through a bit of an identity crisis. That might sound a little strange, but making changes like losing weight and shifting your ideas of what you think about yourself, can make you feel like you're sort of playing a personal game of lost and found.

 What I CAN wear now, from clothing and hairstyles, all the way down to different kinds of makeup, has totally changed from what I used to be limited to before.

Lots of it is a result of my new size and shape, but most of it has to do with the fact that I've built up a lot more confidence in knowing who I am and working hard on trying to just be Awesomer!

Remember last year when wearing bright lipstick was scary for me and I even considered it a "risk"?

Well I'm happy to report that after a whole year, I don't even think TWICE now about what shade of pink, red, purple, green or blue goes on these kissers! (okay, I don't wear green or blue lipstick, but you get my point.) Overcoming those personal limitations that we set up for ourselves when trying to make big changes in our life, is HARD... and it doesn't just happen over night. 

About a year and a half ago I met a friend who helped me change a LOT about what I "thought" I knew about myself and my personal style. I talked a little on this topic in my "Cute Plus Size Clothing Options" post.  But it wasn't until about 8 months ago, that I finally relinquished control of those "limitations" that I put on myself and ultimately hired Becki to show me how great I could REALLY look and feel.

As a friend, no matter what you do for a living, whether it's being a doctor, hairstylist, lawyer, stay-at-home-mom, decorator, etc... I think we all try hard to not push our "professional opinions" into our relationships with others (even if we definitely have them); unless they ask. And even then, most of us tend to give advice in a  more general, helpful, tender way, so as not to hurt or offend that friend.

Am I right?

Well, Becki was amazing, and did just that. Offered some helpful advice and pointed out a few things that she thought I could improve on... and guess what?
I cried.
Yup. Tears and all.

To this day I joke about it with her, because no matter how much I reassure her (as one of my best friends), I think there's still a little part of her that feels like she hurt my feelings. haha! Although, in ALL honesty, I only cried because I felt SO exposed!

Who knew that mauve lipstick wasn't necessarily the best color for me, or that wearing greens made me look washed out!?!? I SURE DIDN'T! For 27+ years I'd been trying SO hard to LOOK confident when I felt my most insecure and now I actually FELT a lot more confident and secure, but didn't know how to LOOK the part! 

AHHHH!

have I lost you?
identity crisis... remember?

I'd been telling my sister, friends and husband for years that I always felt like a much slimmer, stylish girl locked in a huge, limited, fat-girl body... but then when it really came down to it, I didn't know WHAT I wanted my more slimmer, stylish ME to actually LOOK and dress like!

And that's where Becki from Whippy Cake came in.

During a few one-on-one styling sessions she told me what would look best on me, in her professional opinion and then challenged me to try new things, even if they felt a bit uncomfortable. Pink lipstick shades instead of browns, gold accessories in place of silver and a shorter hairstyle to elongate my neck, in place of my confused mid-length bob.

Once I was pointed in the right direction I was off to explore this new found territory on my own.

I started to get brave... and sometimes things got a little TOO wild, and it was scary...

you just never know until you try, right?

:)

Pretty quickly, and through a LOT of trial and error I realized what worked for me and what didn't.

But guess what? I had to face the reality that I wasn't who I USED to be anymore, body OR spirit, and that meant that the way I was going to carry myself "style-wise" was probably going to have to change too!

Now I find myself in dressing rooms or at stores picking out clothes, saying to myself (sometimes out loud) "Would the OLD Shelley wear this, or the NEW one? Would Becki pick this for me? Am I pushing myself out of my comfort zone enough?"

 Excuse the language, but I have worked my ASS off (literally), trying to achieve a better me, inside and out and finding a new style that I felt fit that new person, although a LOT more fun, has been JUST as challenging and time consuming!

SO, to answer the bulk of your very specific questions on a few 'style' topics, I've broken them down into three posts. This, being the first one (an overview on how I evolved in my style) and then 2 others this week that will address the following:

and 

As I mentioned before, I've already shared my thoughts in a previous post on clothing fashion,

so you can check that one out now.

Don't worry, in no way, shape or form do I think I really know much of anything about giving personal fashion or style advice to others haha! Please know that these posts are just a look at what works for ME personally, how I do things and what products I have come to love, as I strive to be an Awesomer me! You never know, maybe a few techniques or products will work well for YOU too!?

So bear with me you Home DIY junkies, while this week we explore the world of creating your best SELF!

... to be continued.