We sometimes ask our favorite bloggers to weigh in on body positivity, discovering their inner worth and learning to love themselves. Today, meet Morgan Pullin, a sun-loving #ShapermintGal currently living in Southern California. Morgan’s acute sense of fashion and her cheery, body positive outlook drove her to create her blog With Sunlight, and got us curious on how she handles one of our biggest shopping nightmares: the dressing room. We are also huge fans of her instagram feed, so make sure you take a peek!
7 Tips I Learned Conquering My Dressing Room Blues
Shopping – it can be a euphoric experience where all of your troubles dissipate, or it could ruin your entire day and deflate any semblance of self-confidence you had when you woke up that morning.
It’s crazy that such a simple and social act can go both ways so easily. Shopping is meant to be an activity that one partakes in to boost a wardrobe and ultimately confidence when taking on life.
We’ve all been there for a particularly rough jeans hunt, or maybe even bra search that has left you bummed because you couldn’t find the one. Or maybe that style you had envisioned looking great, well just wasn’t your favorite.
By trying to be trendy, it seems you set yourself up for failure. But that’s not the case. Fashion is a way to express yourself – clothes are just pieces to help you accomplish that task. At the end of the day, if one garment didn’t work out the way you wanted, or you had to go up to a size you aren’t comfortable admitting to, it does not lessen your worth or mean you’re destined for a style that isn’t a good representation of you.
All it means is this: those clothes weren’t worth entering your wardrobe, and you just need to keep looking. Clothes should not lessen the way you feel about yourself. They are only meant to help you see your confidence on the outside.
Here are a couple of tips to keep your body positivity up as you’re hitting the mall:
Before leaving…
1. Take note of the styles you gravitate toward and how they accentuate the parts of your body you’d like to highlight.
Your body type, the way you carry weight, or even what you find sexy, will determine what style of clothing you like to wear. If you have killer legs and a mid-section that you’d rather keep attention away from, find dresses that glaze over your torso but show off those legs. There are so many ways to accentuate a certain part of the body – take the time to research and play with styles until you find what works for you.
2. Surround yourself with good friends that are positive shopping buddies.
Constructive criticism – it’s a skill that unfortunately some totally lack. If there are specific people who cringe or say things that totally tear you down, do not shop with them. You may be feeling yourself, but as soon as someone says something negative, the boost is gone. And it’s not worth it. Spend time with those people in different ways – outside of the store.
While at the mall…
3. Take risks and go into stores that aren’t your ‘norm’.
I know this sounds strange, but leaving your comfort zone may lead you to a new brand that just works. As long as it’s in your budget, scope it out and give it a shot. You never know what you may find, and it can give you some excitement if you discover your new favorite pair of jeans that hit just right.
4. Primarily grab pieces of clothes that you recognize to be cuts/styles you’re already comfortable trying on, and then a few risky pieces that push you out of your comfort zone.
If you took the time to acknowledge styles and cuts of clothes that work for you, then you’ll be able to pick through a rack pretty quickly and determine what will most likely look good. But there will be new styles out there that are worth a shot – so grab 70% things that you know will most likely work that aren’t too much of a risk, and 30% things that intrigue you but also make you a little worried. It’s the only way you’ll try new things without risking a total hit in self-confidence if they don’t work out.
5. Grab multiple sizes.
If a piece doesn’t have any stretch, go up a size - if it’s super stretchy, go down. Always try on the bigger size first. It’ll be more satisfying going down a size rather than going up.
In the dressing room…
6. Strategically decide what order to try things on in.
This tip directly follows the one above. First try on something that seems safe and makes you excited to try it on. It’ll help the experience in the dressing room to start off on a positive note. Then, try on a risky piece. If it doesn’t work, you’ll be happy because something already did, so it won’t be much of a blow. If it does work – great! Leave another safe piece for last to avoid any potential mean thoughts as you’re about to leave. The goal is to avoid letting the misses take a toll.
7. Remember, every brand is different; therefore, every size means something different across brands.
This is so important to remember at all times. There are absolutely no regulatory forces when it comes to clothing sizes. A size in one store could be two sizes up somewhere else. It all depends on the models and measurements the designer is using - therefore there’s no consistency. Do not dwell on size if you can: at the end of the day, it doesn’t mean anything since they are so different across the board. Plus, you’re more than just a number.
Also, the fit model I mentioned above? Well odds are the person that designer is designing every piece around doesn’t have your body type. Which is okay! We are all designed differently, and that’s what makes us unique. So sure, one brand has a fit model that isn’t close to you at all – so what? There are so many brands out there. Shop around until you find someone that accounts for you. You deserve to feel confident and feel beautiful, because you are.
When all is said and done, remember that shopping is meant to be fun. Finding clothes to mix into your wardrobe is exciting. And if you ever leave the mall empty handed, don’t let it get you down – those clothes didn’t deserve to be bought, but you deserve to feel as confident as ever.
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