Once upon a time I would watch the show, What Not to Wear, and criticize it for attempting to transform a woman’s appearance. I would think, “Let the woman wear what she wants to! If that’s who she is, why would you want to try to change her?”
Well, I’ve grown up since then and came to realize how the show has helped women go from being a caterpillar to being a butterfly. I had to admit, that yes, the women looked so much better after Stacy and Clinton worked their magic. You could see the sparkle come back into their eyes and catch a glimpse of the potential they had to truly shine. Stacy and Clinton could take a woman who wore frumpy sweats all day and put a flattering dress on her...and we would witness the transformation in an instant.
I actually used to be one of those women who would wear sweats or baggy jeans everyday to hide my body. On a subconscious level I think I wanted people to look at me for who I was, not what I wore or how my body looked. It was only in the last ten years that I really started to display the more feminine side of me. Nowadays I actually wear more dresses than sweats or baggy jeans.
I’m not saying that you have to wear a dress to be more feminine or to boost your self-esteem. Any clothing that flatters your body and enhances your outer beauty will work. I just happen to like dresses :) One of my favorite styles is the smocked dress like the one pictured above from the Ellos catalogue.
I’d love to hear your story of transformation. Were you once a caterpillar who changed into a butterfly?
