This post is about being a girl. And liking it. So.. If you are not a girl, this is not for you. If you read it anyways, I mention baby goats. So I’m warning you now.

So, Friday night when I got back to my apartment, I was devouring my roommate’s Chinese food and had a wonderfully smart post in my head to write about. Most of it was about how well I was handling my adult life, enlightened, and ready to share my knowledge with the world.

I went to sleep. Woke up with a wet nose and four paws curled up beside me. Ready to take on the day after a half hour of snuggling with the furry fella, I cleaned out my fridge, showered, and I put on mascara. Fortunately the productivity ended shortly after when I was explained by my mechanic, my truck needs a new engine…. Another story.

Ok Claire, why do we want to know about you applying mascara or that you sleep with your dog. (I promise I wash my sheets 2x a week!)

So, I originally wanted to write about how to start collaborating how you want to be viewed by others versus how you really are viewed by others. And, still, I think in most cases the two are usually vastly different. But, that thought is pretty sporadic. So I’m just going to type some Claire stuff.

Just a little insight in the Skybar bathroom last Friday, a girl chats next to me that she feels like a hot mess. Looking over… Well… The tiny crop top, heavily applied eyeliner, and thirsty look probably aren’t helping your case. (Honey, we’ve been there. I’ve been there unfortunately.) But my thought later was this… Of course, I had my initial impression, it wasn’t extremely positive. But I started to wonder, what did this girl, myself, my friends believe they were representing.

My own style has drastically changed, not just because I’ve become smarter about what fits me and what absolutely does not, like tank tops with low neck lines. (I can’t. I tried.) BUT, my personal goals and ambitions have changed and therefore so have the clothes I wear.

 

Probably in the first months of graduating I wanted to be very Birmingham-esque. Probably not a good style choice. I’m way too bold. Recently, though. (Probably too much time on my hands.) Despite having a hundred issues and embarrassing stories and liking a boy who doesn’t show a ton of interest back, I’ve really. really. become appreciating that Christ made me, and that makes me and you terribly amazing. He made my overbite, collar bones, and ability to move my jaw to chat about silly things.

I’m not telling you what to wear nor worry about judgmental spectators. For me at least, I want to go out in my job, social life, and my barn and represent myself in a way that others around me go, “hey, If this hot mess can be comfortable with who she is. Maybe I can be too. I can wear polka dots, or all black, or cry watching videos of baby goats on youtube.”

So rather,than try to fit myself in a stereotype that I’m never going to be I can feel super confident that I’m secure in Christ! It has completely transformed my closet. (We can make your closet a metaphor or your actual closet.) So to the hot-mess at Sky, I love some crop tops, and I have no idea how to correctly apply eyeliner. But, I do hope for your sake that when you look in your closet you’re not distressed about whether you’re hot enough to impress a boy or classy enough to fit in with your upper-tier sorority. If you can be confident that despite the messes and weird things that happen in your life Christ’s got a hold of your soul enough to make you entirely and 100% perfectly made.

It makes me think of that episode of New Girl when Jess stands up for some stereotypical woman moves that she makes daily. It doesn’t make her any less strong or able. Who says you can’t be tender and be affected by things, but not able to do great things?