I suppose I have sometimes been an advocate for loving my appearance, even when it's not to my liking. Appreciating my body even when you think your surroundings don't, can be quite a challenge. As much as I want to roll out of bed and head right out the door, I respect my vanity. I embrace it and enjoy making my own image for myself and others to see. But it seems society has flip flopped. Women who now wear dramatic make-up and clothes of luxury are now criticized because we are supposed to love our natural selves. I agree. But what is so wrong about making yourself feel better about how you look?

For so long, women have become infatuated with being a size two and looking like they just left the runway. Girls carrying a little extra weight and a few noticeable flaws, make it first priority to correct their physical mistakes. These imperfect ladies have now gone on the offensive to prove a point to the world. While I agree that women should be their own person and not make such a drastic attempt to keep up with societal trends, there is no shame in making an effort. Of course we have all stared at the rather large posters of thin, gorgeous models sporting the latest lingerie and get a twinge of envy and even jealousy. That is okay to admit, because as much as we can accept our body image, we can't deny we have all felt like this at some point. While I have previously expressed through the written word that your opinion is the only relevant one, I don't aim to be hypocritical. Maybe I stare in the mirror too much, or spend too much time dedicated to my winged eye liner, but when I emerge into the public eye, I feel a rejuvenating confidence.

For years, embracing your own vanity has been frowned upon as being vein and narccissistic. We aren't supposed to care what people think, but let's be honest..we just do. Why else do we get up for work earlier or even own a mirror? Maybe it's not just for others to see, but for ourselves as well. What kind of woman doesn't have a good time listening to their favorite song while trying new hair styles and make-up? Society would say I should feel comfortable in my own skin. But embracing my vanity makes me feel like me. Those insecurities we all have regarding how we look, almost diminish when we put an effort into make ourselves look the way we want. Painting my nails a certain color or putting foils in my hair strands, lets me show my creativity through my appearance. Of course, I wont make myself unrecognizable, but just enough to be me. Just enough to embrace my vanity.