It all started with a tan and black animal print scarf. 

It was part of a bag of jewelry and scarf samples that my friend, Jacki, had dropped off at my home.  She had recently become a Stella and Dot Stylist (https://www.facebook.com/JackiAndreIndependentStylist?ref=hl) and although I wasn’t able to do a traditional party in my home at this time, I wanted to help her get her business established and I thought I could probably pull off an online party.  There were many pretty things in that bag – sparkly earrings, bold necklaces, delicate bracelets – and the above mentioned scarf.  I didn’t give it a second look.  I don’t wear scarves.  I sure don’t wear animal prints.  I am not that feminine.  I am not that trendy.  I am not that pretty.  I am too practical.

Jacki knows me well.  She knows how rigid I can be when it comes to how I view my body, so she asked me if I would try on something new from the sample bag every day, take my picture with it on, and post that picture to my facebook page.  This is a way we can make the online party fun  and more engaging for your friends, she explained.  She later admitted that she was excited to see how I would deal with being pushed out of my comfort zone.  It was a challenge.  I felt uncomfortable, weird, and narcissistic, but I did it because I promised Jacki I would.  I put on something new every day; I even wore some makeup for the pictures.  On the last day of our party, I asked my seven-year-old daughter to choose anything from the bag, and I would put it on, take my picture, and post it to my facebook page.  I was secretly glad this little project was over, and I looked forward to this being my last post. 

She chose the scarf!  That ridiculous tan and black animal print scarf!  Not only that, she found a Stella and Dot video on Youtube on “10 ways to wear your scarf” (http://shop.stelladot.com/style/b2c_en_ca/accessories/designer-scarves.html) and insisted on experimenting with all the ways to tie on me.    How did she get so style-and-Internet-savvy?!  And then the most surprising thing happened:  I actually liked how I looked in it.  I liked it so much, I even bought one!  I had found something beautiful in the place I least expected!

My body image issues come largely from having a physical disability for most of my life, but whatever our reasons are I think a lot of us, maybe even most of us, can be like that too.  We can have pretty strict ideas about who we are and what we look like.  I could speak to this all day, but instead I want to end by encouraging you to find your own animal print scarf today.  You might just find something that surprises you.

wishing you beauty,

hk