Blog Every Day in May Day Three: Things That Make Me Uncomfortable

Hello, my name is Louise, and I'm socially awkward. Everything makes me uncomfortable. Here's a list of some of the things which do.

1. Public speaking- It doesn't matter if it's a formal presentation or a casual get together, I hate speaking to a crowd and having all eyes on me. Even the thought of public speaking to more than about three people can leave me feeling physically sick.

2. Drawing attention to myself- I don't like being the centre of attention. I'm shy, I'm introverted, and I don't have a lot of confidence. I've always preferred to remain unnoticed... Says she who wears a lot of colour and crazy prints, and keeps a style blog!

3. Being asked to talk about myself- I don't feel comfortable talking about myself to people who pry, and I especially hate being asked personal questions out of the blue. I'm just not interesting, so I never know what to say.

4. Making small talk with people I don't know well- Awkward!

5. Awkward silences. Well, they're never comfortable moments, now are they? I always assume the other person doesn't like me, and must find me boring.

6. People who invade my personal space make me uncomfortable. You know, the people who stand too close for comfort, and when you take a step back to regain some space they take another step forward? Yeah, those people make me uncomfortable.

7. Bra under-wiring. I know I'm not the only person who looks forward to taking her bra off at the end of a long day.

8. My physiotherapist. I've only even had a handful of sessions with the woman in eleven months, but she makes me so uncomfortable. She's nasty and condescending, and doesn't believe what I tell her. I always dread those appointments, and have left the hospital in tears a couple of times because of her attitude to me.

9. Figure hugging clothes. Showing my lumps and bumps makes me self-conscious.

10. Baring my legs and upper arms in public. I've come a long way on the road to self-acceptance, but I'm still working on baring my legs and upper arms in public. I'm not quite there yet, and since I'm not used to baring those areas it makes me uncomfortable.

11. Leaving the house not looking my best. I don't have to leave the house with a full face of make up, but I feel uncomfortable if I leave the house with scruffy unwashed hair and unruly brows, even when I'm wearing a great dress. I like to look my best.

12. Loud lairy drunks. Most of them make me extremely nervous. I can't help it; I'm shy.

13. When girls half my size exclaim how fat they are... in my company. Those kind of social situations make me uncomfortable because I begin to think if she thinks she's fat, then what does she think of me?? In reality she's either seeking attention and reassurance, or she genuinely has her own demons with her body, but it's never a pleasant moment.

14. Being too hot. I love the warm summer weather, but I dislike getting too hot without a means of cooling down. It's stifling.

15. Socialising with people I don't know. I'm not uncomfortable around all new people, and I genuinely enjoy meeting new people and having a good gossip if we hit it off... but I'm shy and find it difficult making conversation with people who don't know what to say or can't be arsed to.

What about you?

What makes you uncomfortable?

How to Wear Colour: How to Build Up Your Confidence

This is post number two in my new feature 'How to Wear Colour'. Today I'm going to focus on how to build up your colour confidence. You can view last week's post on where to begin here.

Wearing colour in public can seem like a terrifying ordeal if you're not used to it.

The key to feeling fabulous dressed in colour is confidence.

Much like introducing a new fish in to a fish tank, the necessary confidence can be gained through acclimatization; through easing yourself in gently. We need to learn to crawl before we can learn to walk with our heads held high. ASOS wasn't built in a day.

In my last post I shared some ways in which to begin your journey with colour, which included browsing clothing shops, trying different colours and styles on, and purchasing the garments you've fallen in love with... but you're still nervous about wearing them in public... now what?

Here are a few of the ways I personally used to build up my courage with colour. It took me a few years to find the confidence to wear certain things in public, but I promise you, these techniques eventually helped me gain the confidence I needed to wear colour like I do today. It just takes time.

When I first began getting adventurous with colour, I was nervous about wearing some bright colours in public. I didn't want to miss out on wearing certain garments altogether, so I'd 'wear them in' around the house instead. 

Home is a place where most of us feel comfortable, and where we can usually be ourselves. We can lounge around in our pyjamas with unwashed hair when we're not expecting guests, if we so desire, and we can dress up or down exactly how we like because nobody has to know what goes on behind closed doors. Home is where we can make our own rules and not worry about what others think of us. Home is a haven where we can just be.

So if you're scared of wearing colour in public, start where you feel comfortable first. Wear that tomato red dress or that pair of cobalt blue skinny jeans whilst you're lounging around watching TV, sitting down to dinner, or doing the housework. Not only will you look wonderfully stylish, but your confidence with colour should begin to rise the more you wear it. Dress in something colourful each time you're at home.

The next step I'd recommend is to wear colour when you're on holiday. This is another step I personally used to build up my confidence with colour.

Holiday's are a great time to start getting used to wearing colour in public. 

I don't know about you but I almost always feel care free on holiday, especially when the weather's scorching hot and I'm in a foreign country. The climate is hotter, the culture is a little different. Nobody knows me there. I can be exactly who I want to be. I often feel so content with the sunshine on my skin and the lack of responsibilities, that I stop caring what strangers think of me, and can just be myself.

It's a lot easier to lose your inhibitions away from all the stress and judgemental voices of every day life, away from the opinions of colleagues, old friends, and acquaintances. When all you have to worry about is preventing yourself from getting sun burnt, and choosing which cocktail to order from the bar.

In most cases, unless you happen to be walking around stark naked, nobody even blinks an eye at how you're dressed. Most people are too busy enjoying their own holidays to judge and criticise.

So, next time you're away, dig out those colourful numbers, and add some colour to those holiday snaps! You'll return home liberated from dressing exactly how you wanted to!

When you're ready to rock some colour in public, go in the company of those closest to you, the ones you can be yourself with. Not only will you feel more confident around your nearest and dearest, but you'll feel fabulous from all those genuine compliments and positive remarks they're likely to shower you with. They'll be like a living, breathing security blanket, and also be there to reassure you if you begin to feel self-conscious.

I recommend building up your colour confidence during informal occasions before you even consider wearing colour for a formal event or situation.

When we're self-conscious and uncomfortable in the outfits we wear, it shows, and it can be a real blow to the confidence. Nobody wants to spend all day hiding and tugging at their clothes, nor do we want to feel paranoid that everybody is whispering about us behind our backs. It may sound silly, but being distracted by your discomfort and self-consciousness could potentially jeopardise a positive outcome from that important presentation or job interview.  Save acclimatizing to colour for your spare time, and gradually start wearing it to the places where you regularly hang out and feel most comfortable. Perhaps that's your local pub, shopping with the girls, out for a meal, or just going for a leisurely walk with the dog. Once you've nailed colour in your every day life, you can think about wearing it to those formal places like work and weddings. Just don't rush yourself!

I hope these tips are of some help to some of you reading this.

Have you got any tips for getting used to wearing colour?

Thanks for reading,

May 31 Day Blogger's Challenge: Day 10

Pretty Tights

It's day 10 of the May Blogger's Challenge and today's topic is Pretty Tights.

Well, if you're a regular reader of this blog, you've probably realised I have a complex about my legs. About six months ago, I decided to move out of my comfort zone, and bought my first batch of tights in several years. And, I didn't just start with 100 denier opaque black tights, oh no; I threw myself in at the deep end and chose the coloured tights I was drawn to instead! Perhaps a moment of madness to some, but after years of nervously hiding my legs under jeans, I can now confidently go out in public with my legs only covered with hoisery (and a dress, or skirt, of course!).

This pair of teal tights have to be my favourite. The first time I put them on, I realised that tights were more flattering than the leggings I loved. They lengthen the leg instead of cutting it off at the ankle, and are such an easy way to change or brighten up an outfit. I can't remember where I picked these tights up, but they're one of the best fitting tights I've ever worn. Although they pretty much go up to my waist, they don't fall down!

Sorry for the poor quality of these photos. I'm not feeling so great today so only managed to stand for a minute to document what I'm wearing. I'm having a bad pain day, and actually slept on and off til 5pm today and woke up to rain so the light isn't great

I bought the denim dress last year and wore it to death last summer. It came with me to the beach, to New York, even to a concert in Scotland. It's a very light, soft denim, and soooo comfortable. It's a little big around the bust, but I love it. It has a cute frill detail to the (sleeveless) sleeves and collar, a ruched waist, mother-of-pearl buttons, and a belt that ties at the back. It's a perfect casual dress, and a different way to wear denim. I usually wear it with leggings, and a cropped cardigan- this is the first time I've teamed it with tights.

I know my outfits are a bit simple and repetitive right now, but my back injury means I have to prioritise comfort over anything else as the majority of my time is spent in bed. I find trousers and jewellery a little restrictive while lying down. So, today my only accessory is a star-print scarf which I've had for a couple of years but have barely worn. I love star prints almost as much as polka dots!

Outfit Details

♥ Dress: Dorothy Perkins

♥ Cardigan: New Look

♥ Scarf: Accessorize

♥ Tights: I don't know

Hope you all have a good night!

May 31 Day Blogger's Challenge: Day 6

Day 6: Something out of my comfort zone but I love...

This took some serious thinking. I feel comfortable and confident leaving the house in pretty much everything in my wardrobe. Anything I don't wear gets sold on ebay in my regular spring cleans, and recently I've really been spending wisely- buying things I love and wear.

Then it came to me. Skirts. Skirts are out of my comfort zone. I'm still working on baring my legs in public. I have a real complex about them. I'm happy to cover them with just leggings or tights (under a dress, of course), but showing off my skin is enough to leave me shaking in my sandals.

So, please know sharing today's photo with you took a lot of courage.

I've had this cobalt blue Broderie Anglaise skirt for a few years and have never, ever worn it out of the house. Perhaps it's a little short for my size, but I still love it and haven't got the heart to give it away. I love the colour, and am a real sucker for a Broderie Anglaise trim. I dressed it with a couple of simple tops you've seen before, as I had barely the strength to stand up today to take the photos, let alone make a fuss about the details.

Outfit Details

♥ Top and Skirt: Dorothy Perkins

♥ Cardigan: New Look.

What do you think? What's out of your comfort zone?

A Change of Pace

Happy Thursday lovely fashionistas!

Just for a change, today I'm not wearing a dress! Shocking, right?

I was browsing through Matalan's website a couple of days ago when I came across this beautiful scarf-print skirt. Now I have a fear of baring my pasty, chubby legs to the world, and haven't worn a skirt outside in a few years. I wouldn't even wear leggings or skinny jeans until a few years ago! I always fear people will look at my legs with disgust. I'm trying so hard to get over this fear, and to feel comfortable in my own skin. So, when I saw this skirt, I had to snap it up.

Would you believe this fully-lined skirt was only £12? Me neither. I'm used to seeing similar looking garments at least double or treble that price. I quickly added it to my on line basket, along with the same skirt in royal blue. (I do have a habit of buying the same item in different colours if I really love the style). I was so surprised that the delivery only took two days!

The skirt is made from a heavy, good quality fabric, and feels more expensive than the £12 it cost. It's a very full skirt, too, and yes it adds a couple of inches to my hips, but it's oh so pretty! It has a zip to the side, and a matching belt to cinch it in. It falls just below the knee on me (I'm about 5'6"), which is perfect for my shape and size. I realised I haven't really got any tops to pair with it, so I did the mis-matched print thing and slipped on my daisy print Dorothy Perkins blouse. I actually kind of like them together! I added the cardigan to break down the pattern and to hide my arms.

Outfit Details

Skirt- Matalan

Blouse- Dorothy Perkins

Cardigan- New Look

Pasty Legs- Model's own

What do you guys think? Is it a hit or a miss? How would you wear it?

My Battle With Self-Confidence

The main purpose of this blog, besides having something to focus on during my injury, is to help myself gain more confidence with my body.

I've always been self-conscious of certain parts of my body, and dress to flatter my figure as much as possible. That means staying clear of certain styles of clothing, and not baring certain body parts. I know us girls all have insecurities about our bodies, and we all have parts we don't like and aren't very confident about showing off. For me, that's my legs, and my upper arms.

My upper arms are always covered when I leave the house. I haven't gone out of the house baring my legs in several years. I spent a week baring them in New York last August as it was just too hot to cover them, and it felt so liberating, but I haven't found that confidence at home in England. I wish I could walk around in the sunshine with a floaty skirt on and no leggings underneath, but I haven't found that confidence yet.

So, posting these photos of today's outfit is a big step for me. They're the kind of shots I wouldn't share with my nearest and dearest. Nobody will have ever seen my upper arms or legs uncovered, apart from my family.

Today was a bad pain day, so i didn't make it out of my bedroom at all, but it didn't stop me from getting dressed and playing around with an outfit for five minutes.

Skirt- Next

T-shirt- Dorothy Perkins

Denim gilet- New Look

Saddle Bag- Accessorize

Necklace- Camden Lock Market (see yesterday's post)

The toucan t-shirt was delivered yesterday. It's a very pale peach/ flesh colour, not the pink in the picture on the website, but i love the motif and the fit of the t-shirt. I'm really pleased with the bag, too. I know i will get a lot of use out of it over the summer, as it works with so many of my dresses.

Does anyone else have a complex with a certain part of their body? Do you care how strangers see you, or do you just go out with your head held high?