Use Your Prom Dress to Help Other Girls

Are you going to Prom this year? Have you ever imagined what it would be like if you weren’t able to go to Prom because you couldn’t afford a dress? That’s the case for thousands of girls. Guess what? You can help! Whether your Prom’s around the corner or you just kicked off your dancing shoes, consider donating one of your old prom dresses to help another teen girl. Many schools organize dress drives, so ask around to see if you have one at your school or start one of your own!.

Sleep to Look Slim

Busy, busy, busy! My teacher says I am one of those people who is always looking for that “25th hour.” She finally convinced me to give myself a bedtime. It’s more difficult to prioritize my team, but it’s well worth it in the end. I actually stay awake in class, I don’t argue with my boyfriend because I’m not grouchy, and I can go out with my friends instead of napping. I know I’m not the only person who stays up until 2:00 a.m. doing my homework. The easiest way to feel healthier, be more confident, and lose weight is to get on a proper sleeping schedule. I’ve even heard that some people shed pounds after adjusting their sleep patterns to 7 1/2 hours a night.

View this article for more information.

Do You Know Anyone with an Eating Disorder?

Since this is Eating Disorder Awareness Week, it seemed like the right time to share a personal story about eating disorders. It starts small; first it’s just a few pounds, but you gradually begin to think that you’re not thin enough when you look in the mirror. You even start to think that you look fat despite your actual appearance. Everything becomes a calculated decision: no more French fries, sodas, sweets, or any other kind of food. Food becomes your enemy and it becomes a complete obsession. This is my eating disorder began.

I was about 5 feet 8 inches and dropped from 135 to 118 pounds. I wasn’t quite bone thin, but I was bordering on becoming too thin. I didn’t reach out for help. Everything was “fine” although I was still fat and never thin enough in my eyes.

I wish I had gotten help for several reasons. First, I wasted so many years thinking and obsessing about what I looked like. Second, I didn’t realize how unhealthy I really was. Even though I was thin, I was sure I wasn’t eating a healthy or balanced diet. Third, I didn’t truly realize my own worth or beauty. I wish that teen girls knew that there is so much more to think about than our size. Hopefully you’ll find tips from other girls like Thu’s post, Do you like your body? We also have a few videos about self image eating disorders on YouTube.

If you think one of your friends has an eating disorder, follow these steps from the National Eating Disorder Association:

Make time to talk. Set aside a time to talk privately about your concerns with your friend. Be open and honest. Make sure to pick a place without distractions.

Express your concerns. Give your friend specific examples of when you were worried about her eating or exercise behaviors. Explain that you think these instances might mean that she needs professional help.

Ask your friend to open up about how she’s feeling. She could talk to a counselor or doctor who knows about eating issues. If you feel comfortable, offer to help your friend make an appointment or go with her to her appointment.

Avoid conflict. If your friend doesn’t admit to a problem, share your feelings again and the reasons behind them. Be a supportive listener.

Don’t place shame, blame, or guilt on your friend. Do not use accusatory “you” statements such as, “You just need to eat” or “You are acting irresponsibly.” Instead, use “I” statements such as, “I’m concerned about you because you refuse to eat breakfast or lunch” or “It makes me afraid to think about what you must be going through.”

Avoid giving simple solutions. Don’t say things such as, “If you’d just stop, then everything would be fine!”

Offer your unwavering support. Remind your friend that you care and want her to be healthy and happy.

Do You Like Your Body?

February 22-28 is National Eating Disorder Awareness week.

Look at yourself and appreciate the life you’ve been given. There is beauty in everyone, and I hope you see that health is a gift. If you can make the oath to yourself to be healthy, then you will influence yourself and others around you for life.

The most important thing you can do this week is compliment your friends. Set a goal for yourself and see if you can give three compliments a day. Love yourself and your body!

Find a Great Prom Dress On a Budget.

Don’t let your budget stop you from having an awesome Prom dress. If you’re going to Prom this year, you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to look great. Find out how other teens found great bargains! Check out our new video on How To Find a Great Prom Dress on a Budget.

Take a Good Look in the Mirror.

A friend and I were looking at photos of ourselves as teens (now in our 20’s, it doesn’t seem like that long ago) and my friend made a comment about how thin she looked in her photo. She said she didn’t see herself as thin back then. Although she wasn’t super skinny, she was in great shape and looked really healthy and happy. Now, she’d love to look like she did in the photo from only a few years ago.

Right away, I told her that a lot of women probably feel the same way looking back at their photos. I know that I have at times. Why is that? Why can’t we realize how beautiful we are all the time?

For those of you who are still teens, take a good look in the mirror and celebrate your beauty. For those of you beyond your teen years, make sure to appreciate your beauty as well. You don’t want to wish you knew how beautiful you were when you were in your 20’s.

Modest is Hottest

One of the better things I’ve found on Facebook is a group called “Modest Girls Are The Hottest Girls.” After skimming through the blog, I found many girls who take pride in presenting themselves as confident women without revealing too much in an effort to grab a guy’s attention.

Here’s a challenge that I’m throwing out to everyone: Dress modestly. Wear clothes that you’re comfortable in, are not see-through, and cover your bra straps. The truly beautiful girls are the ones who are comfortable in their skin, and can be beautiful without showing off every inch of their body. Don’t get me wrong, It’s fine to wear shorts or a skirt during summer. Just know your limits and choose to dress appropriately. In the end, men will appreciate you for the best part of your body: your mind.

Quick tips:

Don’t cake on make-up. Stick to a little eyeliner, and a little lip gloss.
Balance what you show. Wear a skirt with a quarter-sleeve t-shirt, or a strapless top with jeans.
Test your clothes in the light. Wear a tank top underneath light shirts to make sure your bra stays hidden.

Can You Stop the Fat Talk?

I just found about this incredible campaign launched by Tri Delt to Stop the Fat Talk! Watch this amazing video to find out more, and click here to sign the pledge to stop Fat Talk in your life.

Thank You Tri Delt for reminding all of us women of this powerful message. I haven’t met one women or young person who isn’t happy with some part of her body. If we could all learn to love our bodies and focus on our amazing talents and beauty, imagine how far we could all go together!

Do You Beat Up On Your Beauty?

My friends and I had a really interesting experience in our loft the other night. Six young and gorgeous women joined us for a party. Each of them could have been on the cover of a magazine. They all had great haircuts, cute figures, and beautiful skin. We were excited because it was like dressing human Barbie dolls. Guess what happened next.

Donna and I were waiting for one of the girls to need our help, and they started tearing themselves apart. One girl said she wanted to wait until she lost weight to try anything on. She had to have been about a size 6 or 8. Another girl tried on a dress and said she didn’t want to show her lumps and bumps. No matter what Donna and I said, they just wouldn’t stop putting themselves down. It was a real eye-opener.

We mostly work with women in their 30’s and 40’s. We always tell these women they’re gorgeous and point out their beautiful features. I have yet to see a woman lacking in the attractive attributes department. We usually succeed in showing women who shop with us that they are beautiful and helping them realize they are the only ones who notice their so-called flaws. Unfortunately, we didn’t influence these particular girls at all.

It started to make me think. Has the younger generation grown up with so many airbrushed images that promote the unrealistic idea of perfection that they can no longer recognize true beauty? Have they lived such a short time that they can’t remember an imperfect media image? Are we responsible for making these young women feel like they’ll never be beautiful enough? What can we do to change the way these girls feel about themselves? I hope they will learn that they are all stunning.

We can stop this trend now. We have the opportunity to help the next generation of young women love themselves.

I have a girlfriend who has two little girls. Even she is not immune to putting herself down. Listening to her call herself fat broke my heart. Not just for her, but for the pressure she is placing on her beautiful little girls. She usually wear a small or medium, has beautiful dark hair, great eyes, and a killer smile. She is also funny, interesting, and smart. She is teaching her girls that these qualities aren’t enough. Every time she calls herself fat, she defines what “fat” looks like to her girls. This mindset has to stop now!

We are an amazing gender. We care for our families. We are creative. We are smart. We love our friends and we care for those around us. When did that become insufficient? I challenge you, especially you mothers, to stop putting yourselves down. Figure out what it is that you like about yourself and focus on that quality. Tell your children that you love the way they look. Tell your children that you love the way you look. Let them grow up to believe that they are beautiful!
“Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn’t have said.” – Anonymous

Written by Gini Linnabery Swancy, CEO of AnatomyofStyle.com

www.anatomyofstyle.com

Quick Fashion Tips for All Sizes

I was reading Seventeen Magazine, and I found some helpful style tips for teens to dress all body types that I thought I should share.

For petite girls, a minidress is a must-have. Get a short dress in a solid color. Whatever you do, stay away from cropped pants. You’ll have luck shopping at stores such as American Eagle. To add a little flare, get dangly earrings because they frame your neck by making it look longer and more graceful.

For a full bust body, sport a v-neck t-shirt. Avoid ruffled tops because they’ll make you look top-heavy. You’ll have luck shopping at department stores such as JCPenny’s. Test out what you’re buying by trying it on and sticking out your arms. Twist to make sure the fit isn’t not too snug. Wear a detailed belt under your bust to make the look pop.

For curvy hips, an a-line skirt will highlight your waist. Avoid short shorts and make sure your pants don’t pull across your hips and cause horizontal ridges. Stop by stores such as Express when you shop, and add bold necklaces to bring the focus up to your lovely face.

A wardrobe essential for plus sizes is a cinched top. Add a sash to bring in your waist and create an hourglass figure. Avoid long dresses because they’ll break up your bottom half and make you look stumpy. You’ll score some great finds at stores such as Torrid, and check out www.bandlu.com and www.fashionoverdose.com as well.

Tall girls can rock colored jeans because they’ll draw attention to your long legs. Stop by shops such as The Buckle for some great finds, but avoid drop waist tops because they’ll shorten your legs and make your torso look lanky. Take a long pair of heels when you shop for pants because it’s the only way to see if the pants will work with your shoes. Add bright flats to the look to draw attention to your legs without making yo look taller.

« Previous Page — Next Page »