When I was 13, I hosted a fashion blog. I’ve always loved stylish outfits. This isn’t surprising considering I have the most fashionable mom on the planet—IYKYK! In middle school, I would spend hours searching for blogs, magazines, and books on the latest trends and most timeless pieces. It wasn’t work, and it wasn’t frivolous—it was pure fun. Fashion was my hobby. Somewhere over the years, this passion withered away as other voices stormed in.

Fashion doesn’t matter.

Fashion is frivolous.

Fashion is self-centered.

Fashion is flashy.

Fashion is worldly.

Fashion is a waste of time. 

I believed the lie that while beautiful, fashion wasn’t necessarily meaningful or a worthwhile use of my energy, focus, or creativity.

Today, I’m here to say—NO MORE! The style-loving, OG-Anna Rose is back, baby. Because I’ve found there’s a lot more beneath the surface of a great outfit than brand names or showing off. How we get dressed each morning sets the tone for our days. What we put on our bodies has an impact on us in some way or another, whether we know it or not. The one thing each of us has in common—we get dressed every morning. Why can’t it be a part of our day that brings us joy and excitement? 

I can tell you for certain that the days I love my outfit when I go into the office, I feel 100x more confident. The days I throw something random on or don’t give it much thought, I typically just feel a little bit off. 

There is real power in dressing for the job we want—both externally and internally. Fashion can be a tool to help pull the best out of us, calling us up and reminding us that life is beautiful and worth living, even on a random Tuesday. It reminds us that we have autonomy, can work hard, and can also have fun in the process. That we don’t have to wait to wear the cheetah coat, the balzer, that one pair of earrings we love, the dress we reserve for special occasions. Today is a new day, and that’s a special occasion enough to actually wear the clothes we love. If we’re never actually going to put those pieces on… may I ask why we even have them? (Asking myself this first and foremost!).

I suspect there is something deeper going on here. I can see, in myself, at least, that there have been clothes I’ve felt like I have to “arrive at” in how they fit me physically or internally before I sport them. For example, this black leather jacket I recently shared about. It fits me like a glove, but for far too long, deep down I believed I couldn’t wear it until I felt… cool. 

Turns out, throwing it on with a casual pair of jeans makes me feel pulled together, sophisticated, and yes, even a little cool. And therein lies my point—sometimes we need to stop waiting until we feel a certain way to start wearing the clothes. The feelings will follow. But we must begin. We must start wearing them or we never will. 

Here’s to the fashionista in all of us and giving her space to play. Life’s too short not to. The creative, joy-filled art of dreaming in our closets can impact us greatly. Hello, joy and abundance—right where we are, with what we have. 

So tell me—what piece in your closet do you currently reserve for special occasions? May this be your encouragement to plan an outfit with it! And if you do, report back. I’d LOVE to hear! xo

P.S. More fun along the lines of fashion: Making My Leather Jacket Casual Again and Lessons From My 13-Year-Old Fashion Blog.