Southern Belle in Training

Fashion, Travel & Lifestyle Blog || Est. 2012 || Virginia Beach, VA

October 19, 2017

Purple Look For Fall + Talking Body Confidence.

     Shades of purple are such underrated fall hues!! I've seen everyone this season obsessing over colors like camel, mustard, and burgundy. While those are definitely great colors to wear in the fall- where is the love for purple, violet, and lavender? Seriously!! This outfit is comprised of varying shades of purple, and I just love the end result! In today's blog post, I'm sharing this feminine and fun take on a fall outfit, and also sharing a few thoughts on body confidence, which is something that I don't think I've ever talked about much on the blog before! Let's dive in: 


Stowe Vermont Downtown

Purple Floral Dress + OTK Boots

Chicwish Outfit Purple Dress

Vermont Fashion Blogger - Visit Stowe Maple Latte








Photography by Melissa Lynn Studios


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      I can't get enough of this beautiful purple dress from Chicwish!! (But actually though...) Y'all know how much I love girly-girl floral dresses in pretty colors, and it can be hard to find ones sometimes that are seasonally appropriate for fall and winter. This one checks all the boxes! I love the flowy sleeves and the gorgeous bow detail that you can tie in the front of the dress. (The whole look kinda reminds me of a dress version of this favorite top of mine from last winter!) And how perfectly did it match with my new purple OTK boots? These boots were under $50... yes please! I'd love for this outfit will be on repeat this season. Just wish as usual that I had more reasons to get dressed up in Vermont- lol! #NoSocialLifeCurrentlyProbs #MyChurchIsntThisFancyProbs


     Now let's switch gears to talking about something that I don't think I've ever dug into on the blog: body image and confidence. What was it that made me think more in depth about this subject and want to try to broach it on the blog? Actually- it was cleaning out my closet recently!! Story time...


     I have a very small closet in my Vermont apartment, (Back in Charlotte I had a walk-in as my main closet, and two additional coat closets in the apartment! THREE closets! Ah- the days.) so I try and clean out my closet since moving about once every six weeks. For years now I've gone through and cleaned out my closet and accessories at the change of the seasons or before I moved to find things to consign and give to Goodwill, but I have to do it a lot more frequently now due to lack of space. I reaaalllyyy hope my next place has a walk-in closet again! Anyways- during my latest closet clean-out, I tried on a pair of designer jeans that I have, that are still a "very tight squeeze." Some of you might remember these jeans from last year, as I enthusiastically wrote about them on the blog after I scored them on a Nordstrom Rack penny deal! So I essentially got them for free. However what I didn't share on the blog, is that I found designer jeans on a Rack penny deal that were two sizes smaller than my normal jean size. I justified buying them because they were "practically free," and I was surprised after getting home when I bought them that if I sucked my stomach in just enough... they fit. I mean- it would have been a shame to get rid of something worth $200+ dollars that I got for a mere penny just because I had to suck in my tummy a little bit to wear it, right? Right. Or at least that's what I convinced myself at the time.


     Anyways, while going through things in my closet recently to see what I could clean out, I noticed that these jeans were a bit of a tighter squeeze than the last time that I tried them on. They still barely fit, but now I really had to suck in my stomach to fit into them. While looking at myself in the mirror in them, I thought to myself If only I worked out more, these could fit, and If only I was skinnier, I could wear these all the time. Immediately I caught myself thinking these destructive thoughts! I took off the jeans, and into the "To Consign" pile they went.


     Body confidence and image has never been something that I struggled with. I guess I'm lucky that way? Sure- there are things about myself that I don't like and wish I could change. Being quite honest, I actually always have secretly wished that I was naturally blond haired with blue eyes, instead of being a brunette with hazel eyes! But I am what I am- why waste time, money, and heartache over trying to change the way God made me? (Minus a few very minimal hair highlight jobs in high school) I've never dyed my hair, tanned my skin, or done anything else drastic to change my appearance. I love styling my hair and experimenting with makeup to make myself feel beautiful in the way that I am, but I don't like outright changing the way that I am, if that makes sense. But anyways, I've never been unhappy with things like my height, weight, or things like my legs or arms. Generally speaking, I'm pretty happy with my body! My height and long hair are my favorite features about myself. (My eyebrows are actually my least favorite feature if you're curious- even if I'm not wearing makeup on a certain day I still have to do my brows with pencil and gel!)


     Of course just like anyone else, I do have a lot of insecurities that I deal with, and many of them used to be much worse during my high school and college years. Most of my insecurities just weren't body confidence related. Everyone has their personal struggles, and mine happened to be about other things. Anyways... having these thoughts come into my head trying on this pair of jeans... I realized how destructive this was and how unlike me it was to be thinking thoughts like this! I thought to myself, this must be how things like eating disorders or negative body image thinking patterns can begin. It can only take one negative thought. And then letting that manifest into something larger and larger. It's kind of like a smoking analogy... why take that first puff of cigarette and become risk becoming addicted to nicotine?


     So I decided to kick out my negative body thoughts. There's no place for them here! 😊 I'm saying goodbye to the jeans, and I hope someone else will be blessed by finding them at a consignment shop, like I was to find them last year at Nordstrom Rack. I have no interest in purchasing or wearing things that make me feel anything less than beautiful or confident in the body that I have... even if that means passing up an insane deal.

     

     So that's a few of my thoughts on body confidence! I'd love to hear your thoughts below in the comments!!



     The outfit that I'm wear in today's post is the perfect example of something that makes me feel beautiful and confident! All items are linked below:





     God Bless,




     xoxo Annaliese

   


   
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21 comments

  1. Head to toe I love this look. Your plum boots are absolutely stunning! I think we all struggle with insecurities now and then. I know there have been pieces in my wardrobe that highlighted my insecurities instead of making me feel my best. You have the right attitude, it's better to part with a piece of clothing than make yourself miserable thinking about why you aren't "perfect".

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  2. 1. I ADORE this look! I was never one to love the color purple but, GIRL this is stunning. You wear it so well.
    2. YGG! I love your attitude towards the whole situation, so relatable and in a way nice to know we all struggle with the way we look sometimes. Many of us get into the "if only I was skinnier, taller, prettier..." trap and forget to step back and look at what we have and realize we are already beautiful just the way we are. Loved reading this post and a great reminder to love yourself with what you were given! <3

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  3. Omg this look is super cute! I LOVE the dress and all the ruffles on your neckline! I love how you added the deep purple accents with the floral print, the pom pom, and your OTK boots. They were such a great combo! :) I want a pair of OTK boots in this color, you've definitely inspired me to get a pair!

    xo, Chloe // https://funinthecloset.com/measurable-difference-makeup/

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  4. Your boots are fire!!! I definitely struggle with body image, but whenever something doesn't fit me, I don't stress over it and let it go. More space in my closet! I do have to admit this is not always smooth sailing, but I've gotten better at it over the years.
    Love,

    Ane || Basque Prep

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  5. I love this dress on you! Happy you found a way to kick out the negative thoughts <3

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  6. I really adore your positive attitude about your body and confidence. We definitely all have our days where we don't feel very confident or sure of ourselves, but those happen to the best of us. The dress looks lovely on you, lavender is such a great color!

    Sending light & love your way,

    My Lovelier Days

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  7. Wow! What a stunning look!. Purple is definitely your color. Gorg!

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  8. I love this dress, it's perfect for so many seasons. I've struggled with body issues throughout my life, but have recently come to terms with just about everything. I'm the healthiest and most in-shape that I've ever been, and God made delicious food for me to enjoy so I'm 100% not going to deny it! There are definitely things I wish I could fix (like growing 2-3 inches would be great) but I can't, so why spend time worrying about them? Great post!

    Tori
    www.mooretori.com

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  9. I love this outfit and I totally relate. I used to hang onto a gorgeous Lilly dress that was a size smaller than my usual and the style ran small as well. I would always get so worked up about not fitting into it that I actually gave it to a friend!

    xoxo,
    Katie
    chicincarolina.blogspot.com 

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  10. Doesn't Target have some AMAZING boots this season! Love the way you styled those!

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  11. Loving your whole look! That dress looks so pretty on you. I totally feel you on the body image thing - I feel like my body changes with the seasons but I've become accepting of it and I try to just focus on enjoying life. It's too short not to, right?! :)

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  12. Love this message so much, in fact you've inspired me to start a closet clean-out this afternoon! Also, I'm with you on the purples for Fall-I think they're stunning shades and we should wear them more often ;)

    xoxo, SS


    Southern and Style

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  13. Love this message! I completely love this color for fall! You're so right we need to love it more! :)

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  14. I'm obsessed with your boots! I wish I was tall enough to pull of over the knee boots. At five foot 3, I always feel like they make me look shorter than I actually am.

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  15. You look fabulous in this outfit, so I am so glad you are able to see that and get rid of any of those negative thoughts! You're gorgeous girl!!

    xo, Taylor || The Millennial Sprinkle (thesprinkle.tayloramead.com)

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  16. Purple is GORGEOUS on you and such an underrated color. I've been feeling emerald a lot for fall, and I'm kind of bummed that it isn't more popular. Haha.

    It's so easy to look in a mirror and be consumed with negative thoughts. Whenever that happens to me, I remind myself of everything my body has been through and how it carries me through every day. Puts things into perspective a little bit :)

    XO, SS || Seersucker Sass

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  17. These boots looks so great with your long legs! I also recently donated a pair of jeans that will never ever fit me again- pretty great feeling to no longer have to think about squeezing into them!
    -Nicholle
    www.nichollesophia.com

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  18. Girl you always look great!! But I love how you brought up this topic on the blog! It's something that most people, and especially bloggers since we're so out in the open with everything, have to deal with on a daily basis. Whenever I catch myself thinking negative thoughts I try to replace them with better, more positive thoughts!

    xo
    Sami
    The Classic Brunette

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