Transformation {clothes Create Confidence}

Today, I’m going to tell you a story. The story of a woman that I met two weeks ago at a store opening and fashion blogger event. It’s not unlike the story of the ugly ducking, let’s just say that when you look glamorous on the outside it is easier to feel glamorous on the inside.

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The Reason She Dressed

A while back I had met one of Modena’s top fashion bloggers Angela Pavese who blogs at Imperfecti. I ran into her on the street and recognized her from her blog! She’s a mom, so I obviously took a few street style photos of her which you may remember here! We’ve kept in touch and a few weeks ago she invited me to a really exciting and interesting new initiative she’s a part of – 381Boutique.

381Boutique, is a new women’s clothing store in Modena located at 381 Via Giardini, this is their facebook page! This store is dedicated to Italian up and coming designers, artisinally made accessories, bespoke collections and unique, non-commercial clothes that are absolutely WEARABLE. Let’s say that the clothes are a much more international style that what the other stores in Modena are carrying and the focus is on small Italian brands and quality.

At first, I was a little reluctant to accept the invitation because the event was in the early evening, during the work week. I have no one to leave my son with and was worried about bringing a two year old to a posh fashion event!! But Angela was so gracious and said “just bring him along, they’ll be other moms there”.

The vibe was really friendly and open, and I met some INCREDIBLE fashion bloggers from around Italy – feel free to check out these blogs – Angela Pavese from Imperfecti, Alessandra Oliva from Stylosophia di A, Lucy Diegoli from the Pink Carpet, Maggie Dallospedale and her sister Elisabetta Dallospedale from Rebirth.

My little guy seems to have no problem having his picture taken and hanging out with fashion types, who knows if he’ll follow in his fathers footsteps and make alligator belts!?

Transformation {clothes create confidence}

Not sure if this officially makes me a fashion blogger, certainly I was the only one who took more photos than I had taken! In any event, I was invited to try on the clothes in the store and meet the designers in person who explained their collections, who they were and the details of every piece in the store.

It was really nice to be able to connect directly with local designers and meet in person Emilia Fontana, the woman behind the brand Be*Why Accessories. I’ll be introducing you to this brand tomorrow but if you follow me on Instagram you’ve seen the gold bag I’ve been wearing everywhere or a stunning blue suede bag designed by Angela Pavese and handmade by Be*Why.

The evening was going along nicely and then SHE walked in:

Real Mom Street Style – Meet Anna

You know those women who are just STUNNING. Those woman that make you turn your head and think…. “wow she is beautiful”. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m a pretty nice looking lady, so I just want to make one thing clear…. thinking another woman is BEAUTIFUL doesn’t make you any less beautiful. It is not self-depriciating behavior to give a compliment!

I was fixated by how beautiful she was! I asked her “are you a fashion blogger?”. Her response was “NO! Me? No! Why?, did you think I was one?, really? ….me?”

Um. Ok so you mean to tell me you are drop dead gorgeous AND modest….GET OUT!

I studied her! She didn’t want me to take her picture (at first!), she crouched down, hunched over, tried to cover herself. Body language is 90% of communication.

She is an accountant from the Molise part of Italy and works together with Angela from Imperfecti at an accounting firm in Modena. We started chatting and she proudly told me she was a MOM of two beautiful boys, then proceeded to pull out her phone and show me their pictures! She is sporty but LOVES dancing and is currently taking a belly dancing course and invited me to her final performance.

She went to the event to support her friend and get “advice” from the bloggers there. Others commented on her “old” look… she obviously needed to be updated. Even though I really liked what she originally had on. Nice leather, high heeled boots, a boxy plaid knit sweater (totally in for this season), a fun hat and a great shift skirt. She just lacked confidence.

Made to feel a little bit like an outsider she was ready to be “helped” and try on some new clothes.

She tried on a dress, but instead of feeling fabulous she felt silly and it showed because she acted silly (which I totally thought was cute!). Then, she turned to me and said “I want her to dress me!”

Really? I’ve never dressed anyone in my life aside from myself and my son, and that one time I tried to pick out clothes for my younger sister and she ended up looking like a 65 year old retired school teacher from the 50s. But I said “ok. What colour is your bra and are you ok with showing a little skin?”

Transformation

Earlier in the night I had noticed this INCREDIBLY sexy, black sheer body with a high collar. It was elaborately embroidered with beadwork on each side. It was stunning, sultry and PERFECT for her. I also really liked a pair of red and black patterned pants and I told her to put them on.

When someone tells you that you are beautiful you become beautiful, which is why we should all tell ourselves we are beautiful more often. As she changed she transformed. Who was this vixen sticking out her incredibly sculpted legs out of the change room? Was it the same girl who was trying to hide her face before?

She looked great but something was missing.

She felt exposed and couldn’t relax so I handed her a beautiful black, hand-made, felt hat and voilà – transformation complete.

Excuse me? Are we still in the small 381Boutique in Modena or have you just transported to me to some luxury cocktail bar in Paris?

ALL EYES WERE ON HER. She was centre stage, she was so incredibly sexy that she radiated energy and excitement. These photos cannot capture the mood of this moment. It was like a Vogue fashion shoot. She modeled, she posed …. she knew she was beautiful.

Clothes Create Confidence

Have you ever tried on a pair of killer heels and felt instantly incredible? Have you ever noticed that people only post pictures of themselves on facebook when they are at a wedding and are all dolled up and dressed to the nines?

We WANT to be seen when we look our best. I honestly think that there is too negative a connotation attached to the word “vain”. There is nothing wrong with looking great and wanting to be seen.

Anna walked into that store a wallflower and came out a supermodel. Needless to say she bought the hat, which was so perfect for her face and frame. It made her FEEL good and it showed.

And that is today’s story and real mom street style, happy Tuesday and now its time for the linkup!

REASONSTODRESS LINKUP!

I am SO HAPPY to say that I have my very first co-host this week, meet Jill from Doused in Pink.

As a co-host I want to feature some of her recent looks from her blog, which is an everyday life and style blog. She creates some nice combinations that can be easily achieved with items most women already own and I love her sense of community in the blogging world and her really positive attitude.

Please feel free to visit Jill this week and if you would like to co-host please let me know. This is a free opportunity to introduce the bloggers I love to my readers!