A Woman's Elegance

Today, I find that putting on a pair of heels, draping a cross around my neck and wearing a ring of peace lifts my spirits as a woman. Fashion creates an uplifted sense of beauty, integrity and elegance. I pull out and put on decorative pieces of my soul.

When I sobered up, I frequently wore comfy pajamas pants, my favorite Nike sweatshirt with holes where the thumbs protruded through the cuffs, and a smoking robe. If I wasn't by my sponsor's side or at a meeting, you could have found me sitting in front of the television for hours on end, talking on the phone and puffing on cigarettes in the garage, buried in a sea of books in bed or scrolling through Myspace. Remember that site? Makes me chuckle! I was lost and in a period of survival mode for a solid eight months, at least. As I was just learning how to feel my feelings and deal with life, I rarely cared about how I showed up in the world. Inside I was struggling to just show up!

I remember going into store after store with my then husband and him being quite embarrassed. "Do you always have to wear sweatpants?", he'd ask. I would defend my frumpy clothing any chance I got and I was not practicing any kind of love, patience or understanding then. Poor guy!

Then one day my sponsor said something like, "Why don't you try putting on a pair of heels and notice how you feel?". She had never steered me wrong, so I slipped on a pair of heels with my pajama pants one afternoon. Well, I definitely felt more confident trotting around the house, regardless of the pajama pants/heels clothing ensemble! Instantly I remembered how years prior I had worn heels only on special occasions and how I had a bit more pep in my step. Hmm...wheels started turning in my 24 year old brain.

Slowly, I started to wear heels more often and especially when my weight would yo-yo further down. Then, when my faith in God grew exponentially, I began to drape large crosses around my neck. To some these necklaces may look like ornaments, though honestly for me they established a deeper sense of security...maybe even protection. A couple years after, I found a peace ring. Peace has always been a part of who I am. As a young child, it's what I always strived for between myself and others. As a teenager, I decorated my bedroom with peace emblems, dangled peace signs around my neck and always desired to own a Mercedes Benz-mostly because its hood ornament resembled peace! So, the peace sign on my finger reminds me to try and strive for peace.

Now, do I still love comfort? Of course! However, as a direct result of rehabilitating my mind and body, I don't feel as lost anymore. I believe that fashion helps boost my aliveness! I've also noticed it encourages other women to embrace their own inner beauty and elegance...something they may have lost for awhile. A woman's elegance can be altogether alluring, inside and out.

Always enjoy hearing your thoughts and stories. Just click on the ButterFlySober link below to view my profile and/or send a personal email.

Thanks and have a fabulous day!