aka: Chose the Funky Glasses. Sponsored by Lookmatic
When I was finishing high school, I was asked what I planned to do after graduation so they could include it in the ceremony video. Back then I had two clear interests: fashion and home decorating. Fashion made me feel fancy, while decorating made me genuinely happy. Both were creative ways to express personal style.
In the end, home decorating became my path. Fashion was easier and more carefree at eighteen, when I wore a size two and could borrow my mom’s Nordstrom card to look cute every day. My biggest decision then was what to wear — a simple, joyful concern.
With time came more substantial responsibilities: work, taxes, kids, pets, mortgage payments and health insurance. Shoes and outfits slipped lower on the list of daily worries. On many days it was an accomplishment just to find two matching shoes, much less an outfit that coordinated.
I didn’t stop caring, but fashion shifted from fun to function — often a way to camouflage changes in my figure. Where I once thought about what was fashionable or flattering, I began thinking about how to hide flaws. Blogging, I’ve learned, tends to add a few pounds in perception if not reality.
Oddly, even as a size two I sometimes felt chubby. I was self-conscious for no reason — and that frustration stays with me. If only we could reclaim the body we once worried about.
Getting older brings surprising lessons. My most recent revelation is literal: I need glasses. While many younger bloggers buy nerdy frames as a stylish prop, I chose my trendy, nerdy glasses because I actually need them to see while I work.
But it’s not only about better vision. I want to have fun with personal style and build confidence in who I am now. No matter your age or life stage, taking time for yourself and dressing your home and yourself in ways that make you feel alive matters.
Whatever age you are and whatever is happening in life, it’s important to make time for you — to style your home and put together a look that refreshes and uplifts you. Our homes and the way we present ourselves are expressions of who we are. They influence how we feel when we leave the house for a night out, a lunch with friends, or a conference.
Do you have enough confidence to stop obsessing over perceived flaws and focus on connecting with people? Or do insecurities get in the way? If imperfections distract you, perhaps you need more rest, more self-care, or tiny rituals like a haircut or a new outfit that make you feel stronger and more like yourself.
You may not be eighteen anymore — and if you are, enjoy it — but you can embrace being thirty, forty, fifty, or beyond and discover a style that suits who you are today.
I’m not suggesting spending a fortune or becoming consumed with appearance or decor. I am suggesting making yourself and your home more than merely presentable. Try having more fun with your look. Take time for yourself without apology.
You don’t need dramatic changes like a piercing unless you want one, but you can step things up a little. I’m no fashion guru, but a refreshed personal style is within reach for anyone willing to experiment and admit what they love. You don’t have to follow every trend to have a style that’s authentically yours.
Start small: put on a bit of makeup, fix your hair, wear a comfortable dress or a cute top and jeans instead of staying in loungewear all day. Little changes can lift your mood and energy.
Invest in small things that make life more enjoyable and invite creativity. Choose the funky glasses over the sensible pair, buy a bright coat that makes you smile, or mix patterns with abandon. Do things because they delight you. Wear what makes you feel like yourself and what helps you like the person you see in the mirror.
Take time for yourself. Set your to-do list aside for a while and take a walk alone to breathe fresh air. Get a new haircut, organize your purse with pretty zip bags that make you smile, or simply carve out quiet time. Small rituals add up and can change how you face the day.
Little things make a big difference.
Create a look that reflects who you want to be now. Live intentionally, design a home you enjoy even if it isn’t perfect, and let those choices become parts of your personal style.
It’s easy to let insecurities and life’s stress push us into hiding. We might tell ourselves that youthful dreams are impractical and that being sensible is what adulthood demands. But surrendering to that mindset leaves us disconnected from our best selves.
When bills pile up or our bodies change, we can feel tempted to retreat. Instead, make small, deliberate choices that bring beauty and meaning back into your life. True personal style reflects how you make your world beautiful in your own way. Parents, especially young moms, don’t forget: caring for yourself benefits your whole family.
Is there something small you could try this week to love the life you have more? Maybe a tiny change to shake up your routine, revive your style, or spark your creativity?
In my own effort to embrace my style, I chose funky new frames called the Holly in black. Ordering prescription glasses online was painless and actually fun. These modern, quirky frames helped me take a small risk — and I’m glad I did.