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Finding a Gown that’s YOU

evening-dresses-and-formal-gowns-prom-homecoming-53634Proms and Weddings: Two big events that are important to the feminine heart. Young girls dreams of them; grown women reminisce of them even in old age. A big part of these dreams and the memories are greatly governed by the girl’s attire. This is why picking a gown is seldom a quick and easy process (unless, of course, that girl understands her Personal Image Identity guidelines).

By the time a bride makes a commitment to marriage she has a good idea of who she is and what she likes­­–or at least she should if she expects to live happily ever after.  Most prom girls, on the other hand, are still trying to find themselves during their junior or senior year of high school so they may be more apt to choose a dress that would look great on their girlfriend, but doesn’t flatter them at all. A young girl with a dream tends to have tenacity though, so given enough time–identity-crisis or not–and she will eventually find a dress that commands the statement, “that’s so you!”

Every girl should experience the thrill of knowing she looks good.  Women like to hear, “your dress is beautiful” or “I like your shoes” but you can be confident that you picked the right outfit when you hear, “you look beautiful in that!”  Some compliments represent the opinion and style of the one giving them, which can be empowering. But it can also be confusing. Prom girls tend to be in pursuit of validation and when they feel pressured by their peers to dress differently than their personal style (Img.ID) should they may not even know why they feeling awkward, out of place and phony. Unfortunately, girls that are not confident about their beauty tend to focus inwardly. Brides can get away with a selfish attitude (though her guest may consider her a “Bridezilla”) because her wedding is supposed to be all about her. But put a group of prom girls together who are feeling insecure, with all the focus on how they look, and the memories they make may not be ones they want to reminisce about.

If you are preparing for a big event in your life, be sure to choose attire that represents your character well. If you don’t know your Img.ID be sure to take my complimentary image assessment test so that you can have the freedom to BE and LET BE.

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Catrina Welch is an image- and life-coach whose message is not as much “what not to wear” as it is, “Know Who You Are,” which is the title of her book of guidelines for your personal image identity. Catrina has also written a Bible study to help women overcome their confidence conflicts; it is titled Supreme MakeOver: a Rich and Refreshing Devotional Experience. Her other books include Footprints Through the Sand: a Consolidation of Life-altering stories about Loving and Losing our Trisomy-18 Baby and Confident Beauty: Reflecting the One Who Made You with the Images in Your Mirror and Your Soul, which will be available in book stores this spring. All of these books are available now at www.CatrinaWelch.com