Wearing what makes me happy

Wearing what makes me happy | Blooming Magnolias Blog | Fashion, style, Solid and Stripes tie-dye ballet maxi dress, spring dress, spring style, summer dress, summer style, linen dress

I think it’s clear by now that I’m not a leggings/joggers kind of girl, not even when I’m at home. I know those are the go-to clothing choice for millions of women — hey, if they make your life easier, I say go for it — but they’re not for me.

What you see me wear in the photos on this website is truly what I wear in my daily life; I don’t wear these outfits just for pictures, even though the camera is our companion whenever we’re out, either to document my looks or because we always find something interesting for us to capture.

To me, dressing up is a mental well-being and self-care thing. As shallow as it may sound, I dress up because I like it, and it makes me feel good, especially during these times when we’re all feeling burned out by this pandemic.

Over the years, I’ve found that I don’t like spending a lot of time getting dressed or putting outfits together, though I have those moments too when I keep changing my clothes several times before going out. The bottom line is that I definitely like to dress quickly and look “good”, at which point, I’ve turned to dresses, and have fallen in love with them. There is no easier style than that, in my eyes.

I shared in this post and in this one that I bought this dress for Valentine’s as a gift to myself (two sizes left here), and between the cooler weather and us going places where jeans were more appropriate (think natural parks where wildlife is at home), I’ve only now had the chance to wear it.

Wearing what makes me happy | Blooming Magnolias Blog | Fashion, style, Solid and Stripes tie-dye ballet maxi dress, spring dress, spring style, summer dress, summer style, linen dress, maxi dress

Espadrilles wedges here (they usually get restocked), similar here.

I’ll admit that there’s nothing casual about this dress, and one can argue that it’s too much to wear for a stroll around town; in spite of this, and even though I was a bit self-conscious about being overdressed at first, it didn’t stop me. I put on the darn dress and went out for a walk, dolled up just cause. And it felt good!

I adored feeling the extra fabric in this dress’s skirt, the delicate color, the simple, yet elegant fit, and the comfort of it. Wearing it made me happy! And though I generally dislike tie-dye, I don’t mind it one bit in this dress.

Wearing what makes me happy | Blooming Magnolias Blog | Fashion, style, Solid and Stripes tie-dye ballet maxi dress, spring dress, spring style, summer dress, summer style, linen dress, feminine style

Ladies, if you find a dress that you think will make you feel all those things listed above, get it! And wear it as many times as you like! Don’t wait for a special occasion, because this past year showed us that we can’t afford to wait for those, life can change faster than we know it. Allow yourself the little joys now (though, please be responsible about it).

The point about my rambling here is that, just like me, you should wear what makes you happy, no matter what that is. And if you’ve been wanting to “up” your style, do that! Take it as self-care; self-consciousness and judgment of others be damned, and focus on YOU. And if you need ideas or inspiration for that, well, you’ve come to the right place! Welcome!

Until next time.

xoxo,

Em

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