My friend Katelyn wanted to share with you her personal thoughts on being yourself...

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To many of my long standing friends and my family, they think I’ve gone off the deep end. They think I am insane. They think I’m weird. But it doesn’t make me feel like I have to conform back to the way I was or that they are even trying to tell me to do so. I think we get stuck sometimes. Caught up in what others will think or say. Caught up in having the newest, best, most expensive.

I love my goodwill and thrift finds and I am not embarrassed to say I shop at there.
Let me shout it from the rooftops. I LOVE GOODWILL. I love cheap, once loved but now unwanted clothing.

I also love unique handmade clothing that was not made in a sweat shop then sold for a poop ton of money.

I mix and match and don’t match at all.

I will wear my bright purple tights with knee high socks, moccasins, a flower dress, braids in my hair and owl necklace, and you know what? I will rock it.

I get asked how to put together outfits like I do and you know...there is no rhyme or reason, no break down of how I get dressed, no rules. I wear what I want. No no, I wear what I FEEL.

I used to think, “it’s just clothing, I shouldn’t worry about what I wear, it’s not important.” But I was wrong. It is important. To me. If I wear what I feel I am more confident. Even when getting funny looks or comments like, “that’s interesting...” I am more confident and I can hold my head high. Look that person right in the eye and not feel like I need to hold my head down and just keep walking. My old M.O.

Clothing is a powerful instrument. It can give you confidence or it can trash it.

I’m not saying at all that we should all look alike.

Please ward off big consumers. Ward off the feeling of having to impress other with our dress that with the price of we could’ve fed a small country.

Dig down deep inside and do what feels right for you. If you don’t feel confident. Keep looking.

There is no manual on how to find your own style. There is no quick fix.

You need to find it. Individually.

Try everything if you have to.

The best piece of advice I can give to you is to not care what others think. I know. It’s easier said than done. But if I have been able to do it, you sure as heck can. It takes time and it takes patience. It takes a thick skin to not let what others, especially those close to you let their opinions of you and your “new found” style affect you.

I’m crazy, hippie Katie to most. And I love that title. Honestly. It means I am not following the norm. I am being me. And that for me, is the best person I can be.