WORLDLY WEDNESDAY

I want to start a weekly post every Wednesday. In every post you will see snippets of things I saw that week that made an impact on me. I plan on it being everything from moving lyrics to heartbreaking news stories. From killer fashion to blog posts that move me. 

To begin the very first Worldly Wednesday post, here's Jess speaking about the HISTORY behind the current beauty standards: Why Do We Hate Ourselves?

ASOS Curve has released part of its new line and I LOVE IT! This new line is currently on sale! I mean really, look at that T-shirt dress. I need it in my life!

P.S. This company makes really yummy clothes and accessories. They offer everything from petite to maternity and of course this fabulous curve line. I haven't bought anything yet because of my wallet but I have dreams of these dresses.

I saw this collage of Jessica Simpson on the internet today and I couldn't believe my eyes. There are so many things wrong with this ONE photo that I don't know where to begin. 

*These photos are taken YEARS apart. A lot of women keep growing and filling out in their 20s. GET OVER IT!

*The first and second photos are both beautiful. In fact, the only difference I see is age. I definitely don't see a "weight problem".

*The bottom left photo is very awkward. As if to portray that when she gained a little weight, she was magically not attractive. Personally, I loved this look for Jessica. She seemed very happy with where she was despite the media panic. 

*In the bottom right photo she is pregnant! Not to minimize the fact that Jessica Simpson is incredibly beautiful at all of these weights, but to insinuate that her weight gain was only caused by food is idiotic. 

*I am still amazed that not only do people find things like this acceptable, but they also enjoy it. I hear things like "She deserves to get fat" because of their celebrity status or "Haha now she's like a regular person". Even worse are the comments that suggest her weight gain is some sort of national tragedy. As if this woman (and all women) exist purely to be visually appealing. Ideas like "What good is she now that she's not hot?" fill my heart with rage. 

The latest "development" in the Steubenville case has me seething. The entire case has been an absolute horror and honestly this new so called "plan" is turning the entire thing into a JOKE! When will the rape culture be put to an end? 

Now that I work in a more conservative office, I keep playing around with ideas to stay true to me. My number one idea is my hair! Recently I have been keeping it pretty red and managed in a short bob. While I haven't decided on another short to medium length haircut just yet, I think I have settled on a color scheme. I love the platinum blonde highlights at the crown!! The way hers are set make me think a tighter more cropped haircut, similar to a pixie. 

THIS project is so near and dear to my heart. I like to visit the website periodically for a daily dose of inspiration. One young man reached out and so many other good souls are participating.


Lately I have noticed a lot of people feeling like the World is out to get them. They have turned inward to avoid being hurt but all of those on the outside. I think this is such a bad message to be spreading. We shouldn't learn to be best friends with ourselves out of spite. A relationship built on negativity will be poisoned. We need to be in love with ourselves before we let other people in. We need to see all of the best in ourselves so that when things go sour, we know better. We need to believe in ourselves 100% whether someone else is there to cheer us on or not. We should be friends with ourselves because it enriches our souls. 

I read on a favorite facebook page that instead of backing the idea that all bodies are beautiful, we are slowly turning to asking "Who the fuck gets to define beautiful?" I agree with this sentiment completely. For so long people have used the phrase 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' but it doesn't seem like many subscribe to that idea any longer. "Society" has so deeply instilled an idea of beauty and to a degree, most people follow along blindly. When I was first entering adolescence, I was way behind on the eyebrow plucking agenda. I had always thought my eyebrow and eyelash hair was too light. I preferred a stronger look but I never had the guts to play up those features because it wasn't 'beautiful'. Imagine the joy I felt when models started getting darker, bolder, longer eyebrows. The same joy came over me when ladies in the media were aiming for this all-natural sort of look ala Lady Gaga's photoshoot. The reason I like these trends so much is because I feel like for the first time, I am able to melt into the general idea of beauty. Probably my hardest habit to break is wondering if anyone else will find me pretty when I get ready in the morning. I have stopped worrying about the fit and style of my clothes. I have embraced every curve, roll, and wrinkle in my body. I struggle a lot more with accepting my face. The movement is about personal beauty and acceptance, but the focus seems to be on bodies. I want someone to show me how to achieve the perfect nude look, just like in this photo. I want to learn how to use the tools I have to share what I see with the rest of the World. No one gets to define 'beautiful'. You need to sit there each morning and compliment yourself while you style your hair, apply your make-up, and dress. You need to see and believe in all of the beauty that is you. You are a beautiful soul and the best part of your physical beauty is that no one else in the World has it like you do. No one has that same strong brow bone. The one that probably comes from the same gene that gave you your broad shoulders and strong thighs. No one in the World has those same cheek bones. The ones that speak of your native heritage, your old blood, and your love of the Earth. No one's eyes can speak the way yours do. You can look at yourself piece by piece, inch by inch, or pound by pound, but you must have the strength and love to see yourself for the beautiful person you are.