The Winter Body
It’s December 2nd which means I can officially say Happy Holidays! I can’t believe its already the end of 2019 but I am happy to be celebrating with all of you on The Internet! The holiday season can also bring up a lot of emotions and to be honest I am feeling all of them. A time of reflection is always complicated and I am trying to be compassionate with myself, even though it can sometimes be easier said than done. This time of year means cold weather, staying inside, the sun disappearing by 3pm and of course eating all of the foods. And for me, all of this creates the perfect environment to struggle with body issues…
I have always struggled with my body and I wish it didn’t have as much power over me as it does. I love to eat but my relationship with food is complicated. I love it but I hate it. It can make me feel great, but it also can make me feel bad and wishing I didn’t need two bite brownies all of them time, especially frozen ones and never room temperature. But I do. And often.
It’s a daily struggle, but thankfully I have amazing friends, AND a great therapist, who continue to help me battle that terrible inner dialogue that says I’m not good enough. It’s slow and arduous work but I am way better than I was a few years ago. I know this is true because I presently wear wide leg cropped jeans on a weekly basis even though the camel toe struggle is very real...
In an attempt to overcome my Winter Body Struggles I am making daily efforts to make myself feel good. November to March can be a real body spiral sweet spot so I thought I would share some Feel Good tips and tricks.
QUICK DISCLAIMER: this is what I do to feel better and it may not be your way to feel good. So please take what you need and leave what you don’t.
To break my Winter Rut: I like to blast music and sing it as loudly and as confident as possible. Usually at a decibel that keeps my neighbours entertained but not annoyed. And then I slowly do my makeup & hair. I don’t rush, I take my time, I pull out my hot curlers from the 1980’s and I ENJOY THE PROCESS. This differs from my usual routine of being 20 minutes late, rushing out the door with a toothbrush in my mouth, looking like more sweater than woman, while my Uber keeps texting “I HAVE ARRIVED WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!”. The slow get ready is truly my favourite thing to do but it’s hard to find the time, especially when your ass is madly in love with your sweatpants. But every time I do it, I think WHY DON’T YOU DO THIS MORE?! WHY DON’T YOU TAKE THE TIME TO MAKE YOURSELF FEEL PRETTY?!
My current Feel Good inspiration has come courtesy of makeup artist and style guru Katie Jane Hughes. Every time I scroll through Instagram her makeup looks, and style makes me wanna shake up my own routine. I tried her Pink and Red makeup challenge on a day where I felt ANYTHING but glamorous and let me tell you I finished doing my makeup and never felt better. This was the look.
Her rules were simple, try to achieve this look using only what you have. I ripped off my sweatpants, I blasted Pop Music, grabbed my fav budget makeup, put on a cute blouse I stole from my best friend Danielle and allowed myself to just play around. What resulted was a 33 year old feeling HERSELF. Winter blues were not around that day even though my camel toe refused to leave the party.
This is what I used:
And this is how it made me feel.
This might seem small and silly but I felt amazing that day and wasn’t worried about what I wasn’t, instead I was celebrating what I was. Which was much needed.
Speaking of Winter Glamour…
This week I am so excited to introduce you to your next Internet Friend. Everyone meet Ann Pornel (@Glampornel).
You can catch Ann writing & performing on every damn TV show like Baroness Von Sketch Show, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Private Eyes and The Beaverton. And don’t miss Ann Feb 4-9th performing in the incredible Second City Revue “She The People” at the CAA Theatre. Tickets HERE
Ann is truly one of the most glamorous people I know and I can’t tell you how much I am inspired by her. She was so lovely and generous to offer her wisdom to the RG Newsletter and we are not worthy…
Winter. Is there anything better? Yes. Lots of things, including but not limited to: spring, summer, fall, and getting your period hard and fast on a day you’re not prepared for your menstrual cycle to come screaming out into the world. But just because your part of the world is eclipsed in a soul-crushing darkness for 5 months of the year doesn’t mean you can’t look like the bright shining star that you are. Here are 3 quick tips to help you put the “glam” in “winter.” WinGLAMter? Sure. We’ll go with it.
Moisturizer - Snakeskin patterns are tres chic but only on purses and shoes, not your skin. Squirt on some lotion and hydrate your desperately dry skin. You know you’ve put on enough moisturizer if your clothing is stained with embarrassing white goo. You'll leave people wondering, "Is that...? That's probably lotion, right? It can't be... Should we tell her...?" INTRIGUE! MYSTERY! GLAMOUR! Remember: Thirst is for traps, not your dermis.
“Me exfoliating in the winter”
Faux Fur anything - The best coat I’ve ever bought was a pink faux fur number from Forever 21. It has 2 buttons, doesn’t even close properly, but the compliments I get from it every time I wear it out is more than enough to keep me warm. The only downside is people will constantly want to touch you, but if you’re single like me, you’ll take all the human touch you can get.
“Squad heading to the club”
Waterproof Boots - There’s nothing more glamorous than warm, dry feet so the top winter accessory are sturdy, warm, waterproof boots. You’re not a hero for wearing heels, you’re a menace to society with a death wish.
“Not even Bambi can pull off this lewk"
This week’s post might seem corny but maybe you need the permission to try something new, or to feel pretty, OR to laugh at a 30 something woman feeling herself. Either way, I regret nothing. The winter can be tough but not as tough as we can be on ourselves. So be kind, treat yourself, and know that small changes make big differences!
See you all next week!
-Stacey