Pretty is “looking more like you”

This is a shorter post than usual, but sometimes I think we all just need a little moral boost and reminder.

Pretty = looking more like you.

I read this somewhere the other day, and it stopped me in my tracks (I wish I could remember where it was)

It was exactly what I needed to hear at the time.

Recently, I did a Joydrop about the “uncanny valley”, that strange phenomenon where so many celebrity faces are starting to look the same. There’s this real trend for a sharp, contoured, sculpted look that’s become the standard of “pretty.”

You might have also seen my post on Instagram last week, where I admitted feeling a bit self-conscious about posting alongside all the other fashion influencers. I said it was about the clothes — but if I’m being really honest (gulp, here goes) it’s also sometimes about how I look. There are so many pretty, young(ish) faces with their sleek poker-straight hair, and sometimes I don’t feel like I look the part.

And to be clear, this isn’t a sympathy post.
It’s just a reminder. For me, and for you.

Pretty is looking more like you.
Beautiful is being more yourself.

The things that set us apart are the things that make us unforgettable, the little quirks, shapes, and features that are entirely ours. My curly hair. My slightly big ears. Yours might be something else entirely.

But the more you embrace those things, the more you learn to love and appreciate yourself exactly as you are.

And I’m sure you see it too, when you look at the people you love, the way their hair curls just so, the shape of their mouths, the colour of their eyes. The details that make them them.

So next time you’re doubting yourself in the mirror, remember you don’t need to be prettier, trendier, or younger. You just need to be you. Because that’s what getting Joyfully Dressed is all about, finding the version of you that already feels beautiful.