Dear Diary

Love yourself, Love others, Love vintage Challenge

by Retro Chick
July 1, 2010
13 Comments
2 minutes read
127 Views
14 years ago

I first saw this on Va Voom Vintage back on the 1st June and thought it was so lovely.

It’s so easy to look at yourself in the mirror and list the things you hate, but when asked to list 5 things about yourself you love, well, personally my mind immediately draws a blank.

So far the challenge has been taken up by (among others) Welcome to Deluxville, In The Heyday, Kiss Me Kate, and Annie Pancake

No one tagged me (Maybe no one is envious of anything about me!) but exactly a month later (happy July, by the way) I’ve decided to take up that challenge, I’m feeling a little down in the dumps about life, my figure and anything else I can think of today so maybe it’ll cheer me up and drag me out of my doldrums.

The challenge:

Love yourself for who you are and what you really look like under all of those vintage clothes. Pick out 5 things about yourself that you think are beautiful and post them on your blog, facebook, whatever. Then, pick 5 other people in blogland and post one thing about that person that you love (and really envy them for!)

My Figure.

I’ve been 3 stone heavier and 2 stone lighter, but I’ve always been an hourglass (ok, verging on pear) I go in, in the middle and my waist is a lot smaller than my hips, meaning I often don’t look as big as I am. For years I hated that I found it so difficult to buy things like jeans, pencil skirts and fitted dresses on the High Street, but discovering that vintage clothes fit my shape has made me accept it, and even love it.
My Skin.

It has it’s problems, like anyone’s, but I like my pinky English Rose skin tone, and the fact that I don’t burn at the slightest sight of sun is another blessing, though sometimes I’d like to tan less quickly too!
My Eyes.

I like that they’re green, it’s a striking colour and my eyelashes are long (but fair, we can’t have everything!)
My Lips.

They’re full, but not too full, and well shaped.
My Smile.

People have said nice things about my smile, mostly old ladies in nursing homes, and I like that my smile can make other people happy too.

And now, resisting the sudden urge to write a (longer) list of things I hate. Here are the 5 bloggers I love (and envy just a little teeny bit)

Andi B. Goode for her amazing hourglass shape.

Fleur De Guerre for being so elegant and statuesque. I would love to be so tall and shapely. Plus I envy her modelling skills!

Photo by Loulou ❤

Esme and the Laneway for her perfect eyebrows

Fiona from Straight Talking Mama & Notorious Kitsch for her gorgeous thick hair

Alisha from Vintage, My Love for being so dainty and delicate. I’ve always wanted to be delicate, but it’s never going to happen!

There are so many bloggers I admire on my reader that it was pretty difficult to pick just 5. If you’re reading you should take up the challenge yourself. It not only makes you realise there ARE good things about you, but also really brings home how ingrained it is in us to focus on the negative and not be “big headed” by blowing our own trumpets.

Well sod it.

We’re ALL Fabulous!

header by jessica.garro

13 Comments

Lauren July 1, 2010

This is such a lovely post! And you are gorgeous, really you are. x
Style Eyes July 1, 2010

I am guessing there are plenty of things that people envy you for too. Perhaps I should try more vintage clothes as I have trouble with high street clothes that suit me. Thanks for sharing these blogs, I am going to check them out.
- Retro Chick July 1, 2010
  
  I thought I must be a freakish shape and I felt I must be massive as nothing fitted me. Many vintage clothes are made for people with a more defined waist and hip measurement, so it’s worth trying!
Wendy July 1, 2010

Gemma, not only are you stunning but youre also a beautiful person.

I’m going to take up the challenge and find 5 things too. At the moment I’m struggling and I think that is how it would be with many of the women I know.
Denise @ Swelle July 1, 2010

What a nice thought. Like Wendy I’m having a real time with what’s staring back me. I’m bigger than ever and my face is sliding off but this has been a nice affirmation that there are good things to focus on. I’ve tried to cling to those to get me through what I desperately hope is a transitional time despite being in the last year of my 30s. There. I said it. ♥
Fi Phillips July 1, 2010

What a lovely thought. I’m sure we all see more attractive things in others than in ourselves. You do have a great smile, Gemma. I do admire that.
Laura Kim Connell July 2, 2010

Interesting, a designer I work with has “love yourself, love others” as a tagline. It is a great motto. And when you love yourself that makes it easier to extend that love to others. It just flows.
kristin July 2, 2010

lovely post from a lovely person!
Andi B. Goode July 3, 2010

Aw, thank-you so much. YOU are very lovely. I’m sure many people envy you for loads of things. =D
-Andi x
PS I’ve been thinking a lot about this sort of thing lately, ever since the first post, and I realised that (unlike so many girls I know) I consider myself lucky that I love my body exactly how it is (though of course there are bad days…). My self-confidence issues, unfortunately, stem from my lack of faith in myself as a person, I think.
Intrinsically Florrie July 3, 2010

Love this post.
But I just don’t think I could find five things I love about myself- eek! One is fine though- my lips. But this is a hard challenge! So well done you for completing it.

Florrie x
Fiona - Notorious Kitsch July 6, 2010

Thank you how sweet of you! I promised you I will do this and I will though it’s stupidly hard!
WendyB July 8, 2010

Sigh. I need some modeling lessons from these peeps. I hate my single pose. Though my father told me, “Some people don’t even have ONE pose so be thankful.” ha ha.
BobbinsAndBombshells July 12, 2010

What a great post and great idea! You and your five blogger choices are all gorgeous! Why is it so much easier to focus on the negatives? That’s exactly what I’ve been doing lately and it’s no fun.