Holy cow y’all. I have fallen deeply in love with bright lipstick.
This is such a new thing for me. For 32 years {yes I’m 32-shhhhhh!} I have worn nothing but lipgloss or nude-ish lipstick. No color.
Color was scary. And trashy. And BRIGHT.
For goodness sake it was BRIGHT.
I had this misconception that bright lipstick made you look like a whore. I wasn’t even gonna type out whore in fear that y’all will judge me for judging people with bright lips. But these are my inner thoughts. And one thing I promise on this blog is honesty and realness. That doesn’t always equal perfect human being. So…nasty word or not. It was just what I had believed for so long.
And while that might be true if you are wearing bright red lipstick with no clothes on when you are 16…the truth is that bright lipstick can be classy.
I am finally realizing that. Even though my husband has been telling me that for 5+ years {he’s a huge fan of red lips}.
There’s this thing about getting older….and it’s that you become more comfortable with who you are. Instead of always wishing you were someone else.
And God knows I prayed He’d make me look like Cindy Crawford on more than 5 occasions.
He didn’t pull through on that one.
But, as I approach 33…I’ve realized that I am ME. And I’m embracing the process of knowing that. Knowing that I don’t have to WANT to be someone else.
To have longer hair or thicker lips or less freckles.
And dang it feels good to be comfortable in your own skin?!?!
So if you notice me doing more posts on fashion or makeup…it’s because I am finally loving the woman that I am.
Maybe it’s because I have spent the last 6 years dealing with going from pregnant to not pregnant to pregnant. That’s a lot of weight fluctuation and it’s hard to be comfortable with who you are when you are temporarily using your body to grow a wonderful baby.
I looked at my body so differently when I was going through that. I knew the extra weight was for a good cause, but I never felt good about my body during that time. I didn’t care to workout or to dress cuter. I didn’t make myself a priority at the time.
Mainly because my mommy duties took all the priority I had left to give.
But it’s so fun to finally have ME back.
To focus on what makes me feel good about myself. I’ve realized that just because I am a mom of three young kids doesn’t mean I can’t make myself a priority.
In fact, it’s opposite. I need to show these three boys that making yourself a priority will make all aspects of your life a happier place to be.
So….I’m not perfect. Or gorgeous. Or free of wrinkles.
But I’m ok with that.
I like being me again.
What do you do to stay true to who you are?
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Top – Lilly Crossfront Cardigan from Blue Skies Shop {FABULOUS shop that you MUST check out!!}
Gold Polka Dot Scarf – Target
Lipstick – Wet N Wild Purty Persimmon
Jeans – Target Mossimo Skinny Denim
Boots – Born {similar to THESE}
Watch – Nordstrom Michele
*One of my favorite writers on the planet, Robin O’Bryant, posted yesterday about how I inspired her to go bright with her lips and she talks about “being a grown ass lady” and being more comfortable in your skin. Except she’s way funnier than me so YOU NEED TO READ IT.
Love that scarf! I also know what you mean about bright lips– but you’ve inspired me to give it another try!!
You should totally try it…it took me a few hours after having it on to feel comfortable, but now I’m loving the way I feel in it!
You are such an inspiration & so beautiful! I just recently started the bright lipstick change and am loving it, my husband is very slowly coming around. But I had the same thought process as you did on the topic. But I think it looks polished, classy, and bold now. I love following you!
Awww, thank you Jamie! And baby steps right? 🙂 I don’t wear it every day…but I’m definitely wearing it more often now.
You look great! Love the color. I love that you’re becoming more and more comfortable in the skin you’re in. I’m going through that too while I’m trying to make a habit out of working out. I may have to play around with makeup myself.
Thank you Briana! I think working out is what started making me feel more confident and more like ME again. And just doing stuff that is out of my comfort zone. Thanks for reading!
You look beautiful Mandy! I am so the same, never do I ever wear color on my lips. I’m too chicken really, but I might give it a try. I use to be the same about my nails. For some reason, color on my nails always made me feel like a little girl just trying to be a woman. I’ve overcome that one though. Baby steps right 😉
Thank you Laura! You should try it…even if you just try it while you are at home by yourself. And totally agree on nails…that one is still hard for me. Maybe I’ll try bright nails next! 🙂
Good for you Mandy! I am 43 (just a tad older than you, but trust me the time flies by), and I do know what you mean. Sadly, Used to be one of those ladies who wore bright lipstick all of the time,a nd loved doing so! But as I grow older, I have these fine line around my upper lip, and I find that I just can’t wear the bright red lipstick like I used to because it starts bleeding. So girl, you wear that bright lipstick while you still can! Ha! As far as feeling comfortable in my own skin, and being true to who I am, I have this other soccer mom who I see frequently through soccer. She is always all decked out and dressed to a T, while I come home from work (after being dressed up all day) and just want to put my sweats on before soccer. One evening I caught myself planning to dress up just because she makes me feel ugly and unkempt. Luckily, I realized what I was doing and stopped myself. I told myself that I know who I am and that is just not me to dress that way to a soccer game. It is important to stay true to who you are and not be influenced by stuff like that. So I keep wearing my sweats, and she will keep decking out. Wonder which one of us feels more comfortable? HA! When I was younger I would have allowed myself to be intimidated by that, but not this 43 year old. I just want to be me!
I love that you shared this story Nicki! I have felt that way a few different times when I would attend different sporting events. I just want to wear my yoga pants…and when I see all these moms dressed all cute I think “Man, I can’t look frumpy.” But, like you, I decided comfort is better than style on some occasions! Thanks for reading!
LOVE this post. As a “retired” hair designer I care deeply about women feeling good in their own skin and embracing their own beauty. Thanks for sharing this. Keep rocking the bright lips!
Thank you Val!! 🙂
You are gorgeous inside and out, Mandy. You should be very proud of who YOU are.
I’m so glad you’re embracing your love for lipstick and breaking out of your comfort zone. My motto on my blog is Keeping the Glamor in Mommyhood and you’re doing it with class and a bold lip!
Love the red, honey!
Thank you Tawny! Love ya girl!
Well I think you are so pretty and I love the bright lips! I’d like to wear red but I always feel like it makes my teeth look yellow–I’ll just stick to pinks & corals! Just wanted to say that I hope you do more fashion posts because those are my favorites from you. I remember one post you did about all the outfits you wore to a conference and I really liked it! How about some of your favorite outfits right now or your top winter must haves?
Thank you Susanne! I’m loving fashion more lately too so hoping to do more posts like this! Top winter must haves is a good one to work on…I’ll see what I can come up with. Thanks for the suggestion!
Thank you so much for this post. I needed it. Still struggling with image a bit, but learning to accept . I have 2 daughters and I always tell them they are beautiful and they need to be confident . I am 36 and feel the best at this age. Love the lipstick , may have to try a color .
You definitely should give the bright lips a try Nicole! You can even do it around the house just to get comfortable with it (at first). That’s what I did! 🙂
LOVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVED this post (and you in lipstick! ;). THANK you for being real Mandy Rose! HUGS!
Thank you Kristen! By the way…I love when people call me Mandy Rose. 🙂
After commenting I went though and read what others commented but can’t help but think…isn’t it interesting how all of us women have these unspoken rules for ourselves? Always thinking “oh I can’t wear that due to my complexion, etc”. We all should strive to branch out and mix it up!
So true Jamie! It’s hard to not have those unspoken rules, but it feels so good when you break them! 🙂
What a great post, it is awesome to see a woman feel secure in who she is. Age teaches us we should love ourselves, we should learn that early on don’t you think?
It would have been nice to learn in my 20’s! 🙂 However, I’m just embracing the fact that I FINALLY am feeling it now. Amen. Haha!
Love your lip color! I too feel more myself then EVER and I just turned 36… Nathan is 7 and Autumn will be 5 this week and we are hoping to add one last bundle of joy to our family. It really is going to be like starting over, but I had a little break in between the baby-baby years so I am excited if it does happen. I miss having a baby. But, yes, it is nice to have my body back… no nursing or extra baby weight. You look great!
How cool Carrie!! I totally have baby fever right now too! But no more for us…except for our adopted child. 🙂 Good luck!
I already told you this but, you look beautiful. You can see your confidence radiating and nothing is more beautiful than a confident woman. I read somewhere, lots of places actually, that women feel their best in their 30s and as a woman in her first year of 30, I believe it!
Thank you so much Shannon! XOXO
Great post!! Be true to yourself, always- it’s so easy to lose your own identity as a mother! I’m glad you’re getting yourself back- and heeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyy 32! Me too, almost 🙂 I’m LOVING that sweater btw- drool.
Woo hoo for 32!!! 🙂
First off, I love that scarf! I think you look great. Second, this was a great post. Last year I became a single mom and in the process of learning how to do it on my own I rediscovered who I was as a person as well! It is such a great feeling to know yourself, to feel confident and comfortable in your own skin-not worrying about judgement from others!
I love your blog!
Thank you Angie! It feels amazing to finally realize who you are, right? It’s so easy to forget! Thanks for the comment!
Girl, you look stunning and that lipstick looks so great on you! You rock it 🙂
Thank you Mia!
Love this post, I can so totally agree with what you’re saying about loving your body now and being comfortable with yourself the older you get. You’re right, you learn, you grow and figure out who you are.
Love the bright lips! And the gold scarf…need!
Thank you Andrea!! And I haven’t forgot about your 5 questions…REMIND ME next week!! I’ll do it!
I totally feel that way about red lipstick on me! I love it on others but I always feel “whore”ish. It might have something to do with the fact that God gave me Reba McEntire’s lips. Thin top lip + red lipstick = not a good idea. You look fabulous though! Love the entire outfit and you!
Haha!! Hey I have thin lips too! But I’m still trying to work it. LOL! You can do IT!
Pregnant to not pregnant to pregnant to not pregnant…I hear ya there. Now that I’m NOT pregnant again, I can’t wait to get back into the shape I was before. Somewhere along the way, I lost my butt. It just disappeared. Time to do squats and lunges again and feel “strong” again…instead of just squishy.
Hey…losing your butt is probably better than gaining 5 extra ones. 🙂 Squats do always make me feel better though.
I am the same way with the colored lipstick! I am 31 and venturing into bold colored lip-gloss – yep, gettin’ real crazy up in here. But I am going to give it a shot. My problem is that I feel like a little kid playing dress-up when I have it on. That, or getting ready for a dance recital… 😉
Dance recital… Oh how I remember my dance teacher begging me to wear bright lipstick and I would cry. Haha!
Been feeling the EXACT SAME way for awhile and am planning to try new lip stick shades ASAP!
DO IT!!
good for you mandy! who is not actually insecure of oneself? but to realize that you are beautiful and embrace that.. is an accomplishment in itself! like you, i got pregnant then not and then pregnant again and then our body changes and it can never be the same again…but for me, i now respect my body and my whole being more that i ever did before…
my children made me realize that…!
i’m glad you like red lipstick now too, if you’ve seen me before you liked red lipstick you must have thought i use too much red lipstick a lot?
Haha! If I say you I was probably just jealous that you could pull it off and I couldn’t. 🙂
Love this post. That is one of the things I look forward to about getting older and further away from my college days. I admire the girls who are a bit older than me that carry themselves with such confidence and I look forward to the day when I will do the same. 🙂
You will be there! I remember college and even though I wasn’t as confident in ME as I am now…there were things I had to go through to get to where I am now.
I like you being you, too! You are stunning, my friend! And those bright lips– gorg!! I’ve always stayed away from lipstick since my lips are huge and don’t need any help drawing attention to themselves, but after seeing how good it looks on you, I may need to give it a try! Hope you’re having a wonderful week, Miss Mandy!
~Abby =)
One of the first things I noticed about you Miss Abby was your amazing lips! Seriously jealous!!! You are gorgeous friend!
What an inspiring post! I recently had my first child and I completely understand you when you say you don’t feel like yourself. Its great that your at a point in your life where you have yourself back. I’m just getting started, so I know I won’t have “myself” back for a while, but its totally worth it!
It definitely takes time!! You will get there. Thanks for the comment!
Ooh la la!! Do you know what made me actually laugh out loud here? (I mean, seriously laugh out loud. Not the kind of LOL that everyone says they’re doing, when they’re not actually laughing at all. I was genuinely laughing.) It was when you shared your hesitancy to type the word… (ahem!)… whore. Because listen. I can’t type bad words either. A couple of weeks ago, I was trying to play a word in a game of Words With Friends on my iPhone with someone, and I could spell out the word WHORE for big points, but I. could. not. do. it. Apparently, you and I really are destined to be friends, which makes me wonder why you and your bright, fancy, oh-so-sexy lipstick aren’t on a plane already? I’d fly to you, but listen: MOTION SICKNESS! Like, the kind of motion sickness that makes you want to lie down on your bed and just die already. So clearly it’s going to have to be you that flies to visit me, which WIN-WIN-WIN! Because I still have all those decorating projects for you to work on. And by “decorating projects,” I pretty much mean that my house is a messed up canvas that you can just repaint from scratch. Anyway… the bright lipstick looks fantastic, and MAYBE you’ve encouraged me to give it a try. I’ve always been the light lip gloss / Chapstick / barely-there lipstick kind of girl. Plus? With a fraternity of boys, one of whom is the busiest toddler in the Wild West, I’m lucky to even get a shower in on most days. You’ve encouraged me to just put the scarf on and paint my lips all up. I liked this post; well done.
Move to IL NOW. I’ll decorate your whole house. Pinky promise.
Thank you for posting this Mandy! I’ve been reading for a while and have found you wickedly awesome from day 1, but this post really spoke to me. Love the blog. Love you and your oh so adorable family!
Awwww, thank you Karah!!
Yes! I can’t get enough make up and fun girly things right now! I bought work appropriate black skinny pants, a fancy ruffly blouse, and booties at Target this week! As for lipstick, inspired by all the pretty lips on twitter, I grabbed a dark pinky fucshia color of Wet n’ Wild (yep you read that correctly) on a whim at Walgreens one night. Ah-mazing! BTW – I love the punchy tone of this post. Seriously sassy in good way 🙂 Always write like you!
Isn’t Wet n Wild have awesome lipstick? And so cheap!!
I LOVE the bright lipstick – it’s actually the first thing I noticed before I clicked through to read the entire post. I actually have carry my lipstick collection in a small clutch in my purse because I never know what shade I’ll be needed that day. I got addicted to a bright coral over the summer, and recently got the same bright tone, but in red. It’s my secret boost of confidence when I have a big meeting at work. 🙂
LOVE bright coral!! And it totally is a confidence booster!
You are not gorgeous? AAh… Yeah You are… The fact that You are comfortable in your own skin, just shines through from inside of You, You have nice hair, a cute face, a pretty smile, and You are in great shape as I can tell from the photos!
I am 32 as well, no kids yet, but I am going through the same thing now, meaning I finally got to a place, where I am happy with who I am. I wouldn’t go back to my twenties, I feel like right now is the best I have ever felt, and I can thank no one else, but myself. 🙂
Thank you so much Viki! So glad you are feeling the same way!
I love this post! It’s inspiring and I’m glad I’m not the only one out there. My son is only 13 months now, and he’s my first. I feel I have a LONG way to go before I feel comfortable being me, considering I’m sure we’ll have more kids. I still having trouble finding out how to be me AND a mom, how to balance my life and not let mama guilt drag me down (plus the extra pounds I still have yet to shed!). I was in a better mood after reading this and it gave me a little hope that I too could one day feel like myself (even IF I’m not skinny-minnie model gorg like you ;o). Thanks for the honest post!
Hi Mandy! I just found your blog TODAY, well, actually this morning, while I was scrolling through my Pinterest feed and came across your blog and I must say, you have already inspired me in so many different ways. From your house, to your boys, to your adoption, to your marriage. After so many different types of blogs for so many years, I have always wanted to create my own but thought I didn’t have the time nor the energy to put in to it, but after reading practically your entire blog today while at work, I have been so inspired by you to start. You seem like such an amazing woman, mom and wife and I hope to be like you, in my own unique way of course :), to my husband and children. Thank you for being YOU!!