Self Confidence is the Best Outfit: Barefaced and Dressed Down #iwillwearwhatilike

Pared back, barefaced, dressed down… I wanted to do something a little different for today’s #iwillwearwhatilike outfit post after the shenanigans on social media this weekend.

You may have seen Friday’s post where I talked about how women are still tearing each other down online after I had the joy of a sad little troll (or two, or three) on Friday. I followed it up with a mini blog on Instagram yesterday after receiving an email earlier in the morning about the whole affair, which, I should add, was NOT in agreement with my sentiments about how women should stop treating each other.

I’ll let you catch up on those posts without going into it further here (or dwelling, which I definitely don’t do!) – suffice to say, it prompted me to go barefaced and dressed down today.

Or rather: I thought I’d show you what I look like 80-90% of the time. Me, and how I roughly look most days (rough quite often being the operative word). Why?

Because #iwillwearwhatilike, and I will post what I like on my blog too.

Because seeing as so many of my slightly more “unusual” outfits (and by that I mean wide leg trousers or dungarees, both of which unbelievably were the subject of vitriol last week, and yes I know what you’re thinking… Those two items are hardly the stuff of sartorial nightmares, are they?) seem to bring out the hatred and negativity in some people, I thought I’d tempt them with a mundane, everyday outfit with a slice of “up yours” thrown in for good measure.

 

Self-confidence is the best outfit

I present you with my “Self-confidence is the best outfit” slogan t-shirt, a gift sent to me from the lovely (and very-opposite-of-a-troll) Ann of Kremb de la Kremb a couple of years ago (I helped Ann out, she sent me a gift and a handwritten card. How lovely is that?). The message on this t-shirt couldn’t be any louder or clearer: It really doesn’t matter WHAT you’re wearing, if you’re wearing it with confidence then it’s the best outfit ever.

And that’s something that NO ONE can argue with.

(Or they can try, and then they’ll be sorry they did if they argue with me over it #IWillShoutForTheVulnerableOnes)

So I’m pretty much makeup-free (I’m wearing coloured lip balm and a splodge of cream blush to avoid the vampire look).
I’ve got my “comfies” on to walk the dog.
I didn’t “do” my hair.
My nail varnish is chipped (and completely removed from one of my thumbnails).
There’s a stain down one of my trouser legs.
I didn’t “check my outfit” before we took pictures for t-shirts riding up or anything similar.
I’m still wearing my FitBit which I normally take off for outfit photos.
And Riley is in nearly every shot because he wouldn’t move out the way.

In other words – what you see is what you get. Take it or leave it. It’s a boring outfit, but this is the kind of thing I wear most days because I’m either working on the blog at home, walking the dog or running errands. On the days I dress up a little more we take pictures. But the t-shirt – and its message – is the real star here.

Here’s the point: My outfits are not up for discussion. I don’t need to know whether my readers like it, and I definitely do NOT need to know if they don’t like it. And nor does anyone else, because that sort of discussion is puerile and unproductive. I can guarantee you most women, even the most experienced fashion bloggers, will not appreciate having their picture put up on an external platform somewhere (without their permission) accompanied by invitations to critique what she is wearing, with the added “I think it’s a No” thrown in (which is one of the things that happened to me on Friday).

I asked a few friends what they’d think if I did that to them:

“I’d care because it’s a shitty thing to do, not because people didn’t like my outfit.”

And another:

“I’d be very hurt. Not because you didn’t like the outfit but because you were inviting criticism.”

And lastly:

“It’s unkind. It’s stirring and generally being bitchy and nasty with a desire to bring other women down.”

So when I’m told I should give it a rest because it’s “healthy debate”, it makes my blood boil because it’s anything but healthy. I don’t have time for women who want to busy themselves with what other women are wearing in a vocally critical way, and bring them down in the process.

I want to know what wonderful women think.

Because I wear whatever I like and have the self-confidence to do so, I want to hear that at least one of my readers has been a little inspired to do the same. Maybe she wants to recreate my outfit or take inspiration from it – if so, that’s fantastic. But if she merely thinks, I’m going to wear my dungarees/mini skirt/leather trousers/sleeveless top/leopard coat because this blogger says I can and should, then THAT’S all that matters.

So to all the women that take part in the criticising-other-women platforms and think it’s okay, think again. Our voice (and, quite often, dress sense) is far louder than yours will ever be…!

I’D LOVE IT IF EVERYONE READING THIS WORE ONE THING THAT THEY KEEP WISHING THEY HAD THE CONFIDENCE TO WEAR (OR NOT WEAR, E.G. GOING MAKEUP FREE) OVER THE NEXT WEEK! COMMENT BELOW WITH WHAT YOU’RE CONSIDERING DOING/WEARING!

T-shirt: Gift from Ann Krembs (I think it was H&M)
Cardigan: ASOS
Joggers: Marks & Spencer
Shoes: Finery c/o
Bag: House of Fraser

 

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Thank you for joining the #iwillwearwhatilike link up! This started as a campaign on Instagram in August 2015 where women over 30 wore everything on a journalist’s list of “inappropriate” items for 30+ women (including leopard print, short dresses and oversized sunglasses. Yes, really). It was so popular that I decided to carry it on weekly where women of all ages link up their fabulous style, never mind what anyone tells them not to wear!

The link up goes live every Monday at 3pm UK time and will stay open for a week. Whilst the original article was of course aimed at the 30+, you can be ANY age to link up. The only criteria is that you’re wearing whatever you damn well like!

An InLinkz Link-up

Linking up etiquette…

CLICK HERE to read the rules of linking up (and to grab the #iwillwearwhatilike button). Basically it’s just good manners to link back to here – to leave a comment is even nicer!

Featured favourites

My favourite outfits from last week’s link up:

(L-R) C’s Evolution of Style | The Style Cheapskate | Style Splash

To get yourself featured next week, make sure you’ve included a link back to Not Dressed As Lamb or my button in your post/sidebar!

DO SHARE THE LOVE AND VISIT AS MANY LINKS AS YOU CAN (YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT OTHER LOVELY LIKE-MINDED LADIES YOU MIGHT MEET) – THE ORIGINAL INSTAGRAM CAMPAIGN FORGED SOME WONDERFUL NEW FRIENDSHIPS SO DON’T MISS OUT!