Smug. This is the word used most often by message boards, Facebook groups, and comments that criticize me. I look so smug standing there with my hand on my hip. Who the hell do I think I am?
I think I am a fat 40 year old woman. I think I am a mother, a wife, a sister, a daughter, a friend. I think I work too many hours in a week, and I should do a better job of balancing work and my home life. I think I am a kind person who cares too much what others think, but would rather be hurt by comments about my appearance than grow a tough skin or become invisible.
I don't do outfit photos because I think I'm hot stuff. To be honest, I feel like a complete and utter jackass standing there in the street while Karl photographs me. But I put my hand on my hip and raise my chin and give the most confident face I can to represent.
I am the average height and dress size of an American woman yet I am a minority in the blogosphere. I photograph myself to show that women my size can have fun with fashion. To prove you don't have to a certain size to wear certain styles. To inspire others to find their personal style and see how utterly fabulous they are.
I am 40 years old, virtually a dinosaur in blogland yet from all the analytics I see with my blog and with many retailers I partner with I am the average age of a blog reader. I photograph myself to prove that 40+ is pretty darn fabulous. That you can have style at any age and embrace trends without looking like a fashion victim. To show that just because you have kids or have hit a certain age milestone you don't have to stop caring or adopt a specific wardrobe uniform.
I am both petite and cusp sized, making it hard to buy right off the rack. I shop sale racks to stay on budget, and need clothes for the office but also for weekends of kindergarten birthday parties, trips to Target, and the occasional hike in the woods or date night. I photograph myself to show how I learned to make fashion work for me thinking it may help those who relate to my lifestyle and shopping issues.
I believe in quality over quantity, and that personal style can be achieved at any pricepoint. I photograph myself to show how I repeatedly wear the same dress, the same shoes, the same bag. I want to walk the talk and inspire others to shop less often but with more care.
I photograph myself to represent those who are not always recognized. And I raise my chin and put my hand on my hip to show that we shouldn't hide, we should be damn proud of who we are.
I wonder, if I was a size 4 and a decade younger, would I be described as smug?
