Thursday, May 21, 2015

Feeling Pretty

At Everything to Someone, earlier this month, my friend Christie wrote a bit about liking the way you look

I think she looks adorable..all vintage and hipster-y. It's not my look, but some days I wish it was.

Most days though, I love my look. I'm not sure what it is anymore, but I like it. 



I like my skirts heavy, long, and textured..I like black eye-liner and big earrings, I like my body well enough to pick clothes that flatter rather than conceal. And I like to play with my 'look'. 

I want my children to feel confident playing with fashion: I want them to step outside the narrow confines of societies ideals and delight in clothing that fits them. Boys are especially limited in our culture - why is the only acceptable formal-wear for boys and men in our society a suit. Boring! 

I'd like my son to be able to feel confident and masculine in a skirt (some men look awesome in a skirt, really, I've met them! Generally they have a lot of tattoos.); I'd like my daughter to feel confident and feminine in coveralls (she wants to be a mechanic), I'd like them bother to feel confident and beautiful in Indian silks..because really, who doesn't? And I'd like them both to feel confident and beautiful naked. Because they are. 

* * * *    * * * * 

I love make-up. I love dressing up my eyes. Yarrow loves make-up as well..she piles it on. She's good at doing her lips, I'm not. But make-up looks best when it's used to flatter, not conceal or alter. I'm uncomfortable with the excessive contouring that some people do.

Maybe that's just because I like my face. I like it in the early morning, without make-up.





And I like it in the later morning, with make-up.


..and now I want bangs again. I might even want to be a blond again...



Someday.

I dress and do my make-up for myself, my husband, and my children. I want to feel pretty. I want my husband to smile when he sees me, and I want my children to think their mother is beautiful. I want my children to know that motherhood doesn't mean bad hair and lazy dressing; that it can inspire women to love their bodies more than ever, not because they've 'sacrificed their bodies having children' but because they've met their bodies in a deep, rich way, and become someone new. 







5 comments:

  1. YESSSS!!!

    I love your look, Masha, and I love how you inspire me with your choices of wardrobe, hair, and makeup. Good, healthy friendships, I think, change people, for the better. there's the bad way, of course, in which someone you knew becomes someone you no longer know because she took on this personality of someone else; then there's the good way, in which you can see how she's absorbed the positives of her friend and made them her own, and become even more herself in the process. I hope my style inspires you in that way!

    I really want to meet these boys in skirts.

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    1. maybe one day you'll meet one..I haven't seen any of them in a while. But when Seth wears a skirt, I'll get photos ;)

      Your look totally inspires me! I love your style, it's totally enviable. I want some of your clothes...and some days I covet your hair ;) I think you're so right about good friendships!

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  2. oh and your look i would call old world bohemian :)

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  3. I love your look ... you and Christie both! Last time we Skyped I was admiring both of your abilities to look fantastic on webcam ...

    You always make me want to go a little more goth, which would unfortunately convince everybody I know that I've gone off the deep end and left Christianity for devil worship, so I have to restrain myself. :P Fortunately, I'm addicted to jeans, which keeps me just within the boundaries of "nice Mormon lady" ... oh gosh, what a snotty tongue I have in my head today. :P

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