Today I’m going to talk about a topic that I covered in last month’s secret e-mail and it has to do with perspective. Normally I don’t share the content of the secret e-mail anywhere except with my newsletter list because I want it to be sacred. I want it to be something that only my subscribers receive. However, with this particular topic, the response was so overwhelming that I felt that maybe this time it would be okay to break my own rule and share this on a broader forum. For more details check out my Coffee Chat below.
The Secret Email
So what is the secret email? It is something that I send out once a month to my newsletter list subscribers. It’s where I go into some deeper topics, maybe some personal life things, things that come up or things that I’ve learned that I really want to share. If you’re already a subscriber then you know what I’m going to be talking about today. If you haven’t yet subscribed to the newsletter but want to, click here. It’s super easy and you can opt-out at any time.
It’s All About Perspective
In last month’s secret e-mail I was addressing the holiday tidal wave that tends to sweep us all away. It’s something we don’t even realize is there until it completely knocks us over. A few months ago I had the pleasure of hearing Jesse Itzler speak. And if you guys have not heard him speak, then I highly recommend you Google him, go on YouTube and watch him speak. He’s a motivational speaker. He’s a billionaire. He’s also married to Sara Blakely, who is one of my icons, the founder of Spanx! But he said something that has stuck with me every day since and it goes like this:
We think of life in years. In the number of years we hopefully have left. We think we have ten years left with our parents on Earth or we think we have 18 years with our kids at home or we think we have 40 years left of holidays. But when you really look at it, do you have 10 years left with your parents or, especially if they don’t live near you, do you only have 10 visits left with your parents? Or do you have 10 hours left when you look at it that way? It brings everything into perspective because it’s not really 10 years when you think about it in these smaller chunks of time, you realize that you really truly need to make the most of every single one of these visits. And we’re not even guaranteed 10 years or 10 visits. I’m not saying this to be morbid or to make anybody feel sad or guilty or anything like that. But hearing it this way totally changed my perspective.
For me, hearing this was a gift. It helped me to appreciate the calm and the chaos and choose how I spend my time. To enjoy each moment. It may sound cliché but it’s seriously the truth. As we head into the holidays this way of thinking is constantly in the back of my mind. My two older kids are still single and I still have one living at home, so it’s just our little family right now. I know one day they’re going to have spouses and kids and our family will grow and that will be a huge blessing, but for right now, I just want to appreciate the fact that we’re in this season of life and it is just us still and really truly appreciate the time that I spend with them.
Maybe you’re stressed out right now and all you’re thinking about is the stuff you have on your to-do list. With this newfound perspective, whenever I look at my to-do list now, I’m like, “okay, maybe I’ll get thirty-five more times to do this list.” When I put it in perspective like that, it doesn’t seem as overwhelming. If I only get to decorate my house for Christmas 30 some more times, then that is going to make each time I do it that much more special. Right? That is why I wanted to share this with you because I feel like personally, this has been one of the things that has truly shifted my perspective in a huge, huge way. I wanted to share this gift with you because I had that gift shared with me from Jesse. My hope is that this perspective will help you as you navigate your way through the holidays. To help you enjoy both the peace and craziness. And to make the moments count.
Did this resonate with you as much as it did for me? Will this change how you get through the holidays?
I recently sent out a follow-up email to those who decided not to join the latest Style Challenge and asked them why they didn’t participate. Asking for this type of feedback always feels a little bit scary but I should know better by now that Pretties always deliver their responses coated in kindness and with constructive criticism — you ladies really are the best! Imagine my surprise when I repeatedly saw the response that the main reason they didn’t join the Style Challenge was simply because they didn’t know which Style Challenge would be best suited to their daily life! They wanted to update their look and feel confident in their clothes again but just weren’t sure where to begin. If you feel the same way today’s post is here to point you in the right direction, explain the three different Style Challenge options, and answer some of the most common questions about the Style Challenge. Let’s dig in!
The quickest way to figure out where to begin is to take the quiz on the website. It only takes 2 minutes to complete and asks you questions based on your daily life and what you are looking for. We’ll even send you a copy of your results if you pop your email address in on the results page. Click HERE to take the quiz now.
If you’re starting your wardrobe completely from scratch and have very little in the way of basics take a look at our essentials collection of capsule wardrobe options. These Style Challenges will help you pull together your closet staples and get you familiar with the idea of dressing using an outfit formula. The Essentials collection includes the year round Closet Staples Casual Builder, the French Minimalist Capsule, and the Stay at Home Mom Casual Builder. There’s truly something for everyone!
The seasonal Style Challenge happens four times a year coordinating to each season. It builds on a solid foundation of closet staples and incorporates the latest trends, helping you mix and match your pieces to create a stylish look! This is also the only way to access our private Facebook group community — the extra support of the Pretties community is useful to those who might need a little extra inspiration to curate their capsule wardrobe. Participation in the group is optional but we highly encourage you to join, even if you just sit back and watch. There is so much to learn by watching our veteran Style Challengers put their own spin on each and every season of outfits.
The work wear Style Challenge is for Pretties who need some clothing style options more appropriate for the workplace. This capsule also touches on work wear basics as well as how to incorporate trends into the workplace in a fun and sophisticated way. This Style Challenge is also offered four times a year with each of the seasons.
3. FAQs
What if I don’t wear shorts?
The Style Challenge is based on an outfit formula instead of specifically telling you to wear shorts or pants, long sleeves or short. That way you can customize the end result to what you feel comfortable in and for your climate. For instance, the outfit formula below can translate into the following combinations.
Chambray Top + White Bottoms + Metallic Shoes
What if it’s too hot for layers?
One of the great things about the Style Challenge capsules is their flexibility. If it’s too warm out for a graphic sweatshirt, sub a graphic tee. Cool out but not cold enough for a jacket? Sub a vest instead! There are an array of options which is why it works for all different climates. Here’s a winter look outfit formula and how it can be adjusted for your weather.
Since the Style Challenge provides you with outfit formulas and style prompts, but not the actual clothes, this gives you the freedom to shop where you want, buy the size that best fits you best and spend as much or as little money as you like. We do provide shopping options that range from petite to plus size as well as tall fit, but it’s up to you if you want to use the provided recommendations or venture out on your own and see what you find, list in hand! Once you have a good closet staple base you may find that you can shop your closet for many pieces of the Style Challenge, only needing to add in a few new pieces and then learn new ways to mix and match.
4. Support of the Pretties
Lastly, one of the truly amazing parts of the Style Challenges community is the amazing women that are there to support each other. They are some of the most amazing women I’ve ever met! They will help, guide and give honest gentle feedback when asked. I believe it is this group of women that make the Style Challenges so fantastic! Check out some of the Pretties below rocking their OOTD (outfit of the day). Join our public GYPO Facebook community HERE.
Have a question we didn’t cover? Feel free to put your questions in the comments or email us at info@getyourprettyon.com.
The Style Challenges Winter 2019 Capsule Wardrobe opens on Black Friday (November 29th). Get on the waiting list HERE.
This capsule covers every winter look you’ll need from cozy casual to holiday glitz and glam.
Featuring 31 days of outfits (+ 3 bonus outfits) and 23 closet staple items you’ll know exactly what to wear every day this winter! Join the waiting list now!
I wanted to start by talking about gratitude. This is something I try to practice on a daily basis by listing off all the things that I’m grateful for in my journal. Starting the day off on a grateful and positive note can be very powerful and I would encourage you to do the same thing. For instance, today I am very thankful that when I woke up this morning, all three of my kids were in my nest. That makes me insanely happy because we’re in a life stage right now where not everyone is home and not always at the same time. So tell me, what are you grateful for today? Leave me a comment and let me know.
Now on to the second thing and this one is a little harder and a little different than what I’m used to. I have a lot on my heart that I want to unpack so I hope you’ll bear with me. It all sprang from a post I made earlier in the week. For more details, check out my weekly Coffee Chat video below.
Tee Shirt and Jeans for Life
So as I was saying, earlier this week I shared a post about a blogger who told me that I was never going to make it if I wasn’t constantly posting new clothes. That I wasn’t going to gain followers or that I was never going to make money and so on and so forth. I call it my tee shirt and jeans post because that’s what I talked about in the first line of it. Maybe you saw it, maybe you didn’t but if you didn’t, I’ll post it below for context purposes. It went like this:
This is me. Tee shirt and jeans for life! Funny thing is when I started out I had a blogger “friend” tell me I was never going to make it. 😲
She said that if I wasn’t constantly posting new clothes and outfits (not just my tee and jeans), I was going to fail, let alone the fact that I would never make any money at it.
Her words didn’t really bother me at the time because I wasn’t trying to make money. But I couldn’t help but wonder if she was right about followers. Would women be interested in a blog where I was rewearing and styling the same clothes over and over?
So I conformed for a little while and started buying new stuff and yes, it made it easier to post more outfits. But after a very short time, it also became soul sucking. I had more “stuff” than I was comfortable with and it just wasn’t a representation of my real shopping or spending habits. Even with all of those clothes, I’d go back to rewearing my tried and true pieces in my real daily life.
I knew early on that I wasn’t going to be “THAT” blogger.
And in a way, she was right. GYPO’s growth has been slower and more organic. I never had that moment where things just caught on fire and took off. When I committed to blogging full-time for a living, things were really tight for a long time.
Staying true to myself absolutely hurt my blog and business.
But then this beautiful thing started to happen. More and more women were finding me because of my philosophy of rewearing my clothes, not in spite of it.
I’m still not a huge influencer. That was never my goal but building community was and the GYPO community has been the best part of all of this. Its made up of like minded women who want to look and feel great in their clothes without having to constantly buy MORE. Who know the power of having great closet staples and how easy it can be to transform them with just a few new fun trends.
That’s the post word for word and the response from the GYPO community and the comments were very eye-opening as well as completely humbling and touching.
More Than Just Clothes
Over the years I’ve realized that GPYO is something different. Yes, it is about style, but it’s also about contentment. It’s about confidence. Honestly, when I started out, confidence was the main driving force behind me getting dressed every day because it made me feel good. It made me feel better and I wanted to share that feeling with other women in the community. And your comments mirroring my hopes, well I couldn’t be more appreciative. When I read how much GYPO has helped others gain confidence, or that it pulled them out of a dark place or taught them to shop with purpose or that they are finally at peace with their closet, that makes me smile and affirms that I’m doing the right kind of blogging. That’s also why I also do the Rediscover Me Challenge once a year because I feel like my mission is about so much more than just clothing.
Shopping With Purpose
It’s okay to not get caught up in the shopping frenzy. I’m not saying to not buy new things. That’s not my philosophy at all. But it’s bigger than that. It’s about shopping with a purpose. It’s about being aware of what you have in your closet before you set out and go into the store. When you walk in and you don’t know what to wear, you just start grabbing this and this and this. And even armed with all this knowledge it’s still easy to get caught up in the frenzy, I know I do sometimes. I heard something a few years ago and it stuck with me, limit your gurus. I severely limit who I follow on social media because I specifically don’t want to get caught up in that frenzy. For example, just last week I was watching some stories that I don’t normally watch and I started seeing all this cute stuff from Amazon. I went online and put a bunch of stuff in my cart. And then I stopped myself and realized that I already have a sweater almost exactly like what I was about to buy. I didn’t really need any of the items that I had selected, but I got caught up in the fun! It’s exhilarating! It’s like a dopamine hit when you’re buying new things. And again, there’s nothing wrong with having new things. But adding them to your closet mindfully, I guess, is the point here.
Rapid Versus Organic Growth
So here’s the truly vulnerable part of what I’m sharing today. I think there’s this paradox that because I don’t want to focus so much on consumerism and spending and always buying new things that it’s caused slow growth. That blogger may have been right on some level, I didn’t grow fast like she did, she skyrocketed and never looked back. My growth has been slow and not many people know about the mission. Doing things differently sometimes means being overlooked, but I truly feel that what I’ve built here has been so much more powerful and it means so much more than I could have imagined. It feels so much more authentic.
So why am I pouring this out to you other than the fact that I’m honestly feeling extremely vulnerable right now? It always helps to share when you’re struggling with something. And this is something I’ve never shared with the community before. I want you all to know that I have so much appreciation for this community. And this is in no way, shape or form, to say that I’m not proud of what I’ve built because I am. I wake up and I just feel so fueled to serve this community and to be here for you and see your confidence grow by supporting each other.
Share the Secret
With all the said, I have come to the conclusion that I don’t want to be a best-kept secret anymore. I have something important to share and it’s something life-changing and I would love to have your help in this. If you want to help please continue to share in this mission. Continue to be okay with not getting caught up in this frenzy of feeling like you have to go out and buying new things to fill you up or to find contentment. Again, I’m not opposed to having nice things and things that make you feel great and confident, and that’s totally part of my mission but doing it in a way where you’re in control. Please continue to like and share my coffee chats with your friends, share the tee shirt and jeans posts that I did this week. Tag your friends on Instagram, let them know what it means to be content with your wardrobe. Share outfit posts on Facebook using your closet staple pieces and tag me, I love seeing your outfits!
You all fuel me and keep me going so much so that I want you guys to know that I truly, truly appreciate that. And most of all, just thank you for listening to me with an open heart. This was not an easy topic for me to cover. I woke up this morning wondering if I could even do this so thank you for your support! And now if you need me, I’ll be having a vulnerability hangover for the next few days.
I’m so excited for Thanksgiving next week! Despite the massive amount of work that it takes to pull it off, Thanksgiving is still my second favorite holiday. We host every year and it’s the “kick off party” for my favorite season. I can’t wait for our family to gather together and enjoy some comfort food and yummy desserts! And yes, my home will already be decorated for the holidays and the trees will be up. With Thanksgiving being so late this year I couldn’t help but feel like I was missing out on a week of enjoying the twinkling lights so I decided not to wait. Once that’s all done then I’ll turn my attention back to the Thanksgiving menu and planning at hand. This really is one of the busiest times of the year. So how do you celebrate Thanksgiving? Do you go somewhere or does everyone come to you? Is it a formal affair or a super casual, laid back event? No matter how you celebrate, I may be able to help take one thing off your plate and that’s planning what to wear!
I found this beautiful plum purple cardigan at Walmart and used that as my inspiration for the following three looks. From casual to dressy, each outfit uses some closet staples and also some cute new pieces!
Casual
While this look is pretty relaxed it still is very put together and will leave you feeling great whether you are hosting or celebrating somewhere else. I can’t decide what piece is my favorite, the gray top is an embellished take on a graphic tee and the boots look oh so warm and cozy.
So maybe you want to amp up your look just a bit more so I’ve swapped for the button-down plaid which is always perfectly festive this time of year and opted for some winter white corduroy pants. I also added a little sparkle with simple jewelry and the gray ankle boots are a perfect finishing touch! If you’re worried about getting something on your pants while cooking adding an apron to you look while you’re in the kitchen might just do the trick or do a quick change right before dinner.
Now if you want to go for something a little more dressy still, keep the cardigan and swap out the top and bottoms for a dress. This black dress, although simple, has a great silhouette with its defined wrapped waist and the V neckline. Pair it with a cute pair of heeled boots and add in some sparkle with a great necklace and some earrings. Go as simple or as bold as you want!
So the other day I was thinking about my eyebrows and that it’s been almost a year since my microblading experience. If you were around last year then you were with me through the whole saga. All two months of it. Yes. It takes two full months to get the whole way through this process. I thought to be interesting to update you guys on what I thought about the experience, where I’m at with it right now, and if I would actually do it again. For more details, check out my weekly Coffee Chat video below.
First, let me start off by linking up the blog post here that I did about my microblading experience because it really details every single step of the process.
So why did I decided to give microblading a try? As I’m getting older, I noticed that my eyebrows were starting to thin around the ends and I was spending a lot of my “getting ready time” filling in my brows. Then our business manager Lauren did hers and they turned out beautiful! That’s when I decided I was all in and began doing my research.
Research First
Research is something you definitely want to do before you begin this process. Follow whoever you’re considering on Instagram or Facebook, wherever you can see examples of their work. I ended up finding someone local and started studying the pictures of what she had done. When I made the final decision to use her, I was then directed to do more research on Pinterest and find at least three to four different sets of eyebrows that I really, really liked and show her the pictures. Then I needed to describe what I liked most about them, was it the shape? Was it the color? Or was it the thickness and fullness?
On To Phase One
Once we decided upon the shape I was happy then she tediously drew them on checking and double-checking that everything looked right. That was the longest part of the process but I completely appreciated her taking her time and her attention to detail. The next step was then applying the numbing cream for 30 minutes before getting started on the actual process.
She started with the initial outline of the brows, which for me, was the most painful part. I could feel and hear the scraping. Yikes! But once we got the outline done, then she was able to again go over that with a light skin cream, numbing it a little bit more. Then she started actually drawing in the individual hairs on each of my brows. After she was done, she then applied a color dye and let it set. The whole process took about two hours then it was on to phase two.
Phase Two – Healing
Next up comes the healing process which takes about six weeks. When you first get home, you’ll notice your brows get super, super dark and then they start to scab over. This is totally normal and part of the process. Make sure you follow the aftercare instructions that are given to you. I used grapeseed oil to moisturize my brows which is a really important part of the process. The less dry your scabs get, the better off you are and your end result will be better. So after six weeks of moisturizing my brows three times a day, I was excited to finally enjoy my new, darker, fuller brows!
Final Verdict
Was this whole process worth it? Absolutely yes! Overall, it has been a HUGE time saver for me both at home and when I go to get my brows cleaned up. Plus I don’t ever have to worry about getting my eyebrows screwed up because it doesn’t matter how much they take off because I still have the tattoo micro bladed under there.
However, one of the downsides is that the sun and anti-aging products with retinol or vitamin C, will fade brows faster. I knew this going into it but I still use products that contain these ingredients. Over the months I have noticed that my brows are starting to fade a little, particularly on the ends. I am filling them in with just a little bit of powder but is it a big deal? No. Am I back to doing my brows again? Maybe a little but I can go back and get them touched up. It’s recommended that you go back every two years but I will probably go back sooner. And getting them touched up takes way less time and money than the original process too. So again, yes, I love my brows and I think it was totally worth it!
Your turn! Have you had microblading done? What was your experience? Did you think it was worth it?
Do you struggle to put outfits together? Are you stuck in a yoga pants rut? Not sure if you can make the latest trends work for you? You’re in the right place!
I’m Alison, a mom of three and recovering yoga pants addict on a mission to make getting dressed and feeling pretty the easiest thing you do all day! Learn more about my story HERE.
I am so glad I was part of the Fall 2019 Style Challenge. It gave me confidence and so many great outfitt ideas. The ladies in the group were very supportive and I will defintetly be doing another challenge in the future.
Betty Weyandt December 20, 2019
I’ve been participating in the GYPO Style Challenges for three years now and I’ve loved it. I’ve always loved clothes, but I didn’t know how to put outfits together. My closet is now full of mix-and-match outfits, I have learned how to dress myself, and there is no more stress in figuring out to wear. The private FB group is full of wonderful ladies that build each other up. It’s so fun and is seriously the best group on FB.
Kirstin Rasmussen November 20, 2019
Get Your Pretty On has changed my life, seriously. I have always chased what is trendy but found from season to season, that things go out of style and I was wasting money on items that I would only end up wearing a few times. GYPO has enabled me to simplify my closet, helps me make smarter purchasing decisions, and I feel so put together and confident using the outfit formulas that are provided. This program is a GAME CHANGER. I've been following GYPO for a few years now and my only regret is not jumping on board sooner.
Michelle Kline November 20, 2019
Great community of ladies, helping each other look stylish, without breaking the bank, and using much of what you already own.
Chosen Faith November 19, 2019
GYPO challenges have been one of the best things I have done! It had taught me so much more than just creating a closet of clothes that I love but also to have confidence in myself, how to pick and choose colors that work for me instead of against, and had given a wonderful community of Pretties who are so special.
Maraline Freeman October 16, 2019
I love GYPO!!! I finally feel put together and stylish! The shopping lists and outfit combinations make shopping and getting dressed effortless.
Krista Probst October 16, 2019
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