Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.
-1 Peter 3:3-4
Playing dress up begins at age five and never truly ends.
-Kate Spade
You mustn't be afraid to sparkle and a little brighter darling.
-Kirsten Kuehn
Sometimes me think, "What is a friend?" And then me say, "Friend is someone to share me last cookie with."
-Cookie Monster
Elegance is the only beauty that never fades.
-Audrey Hepburn
Today you are You,
that is truer than true.
There is no one alive
who is Youer than you.
-Dr. Seuss
A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.
-Billy Graham
As she guided me through these incredible 18 years,.. I don't know if she ever realized that the that the person I most wanted to be was her.
-Rory from Gilmore Girls
Be Silly
Be Kind
Be Honest
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Your dress should be tight enough to show that you're a woman and loose enough to show that you're a lady.
-Commonly attributed to Edith Head
For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.
-Audrey Hepburn
I would rather be what God chose to make me than the most glorious creature that I could think of; for to have been thought about, born in God's thought, and then made by God is the dearest, grandest, and most precious thing in all thinking.
-C.S. Lewis
Hello everyone! As you may wonder about the occasion for the dress-up, no, I did not just buy a 1920s inspired dress just for fun (but don't put it past me do so so in the future). I wore this dress to my Senior Prom and had a blast, although I must confess that the main reason I went to Prom was because I got to dress up... And I'm not ashamed of that!
Sometime I wrestle with the idea that my beauty does not come from outward looks but from God. The struggle occurs in the fact that I really love dressing up! I love the make-up and hair, the swish of a dress and the uniqueness of my own personal style. Is it bad to enjoy looking nice?
I think it comes down to two things: one, who God made me to be, and two, where my true identity lies. For if I dressed this way because everyone else dressed this way, that would not glorify God. But if I dress this way because God gave me a sense of me in how I dress, than I believe that enjoying who God made me to be actually glorifies God!
Even with this freedom to express creativity in how I dress, I still must know that my real beauty and true identity comes from God. If all of my hair feel out and the world forced me to wear mom jeans and baggy T-shirt for the rest of my life, my true beauty should not shift because it roots itself in what God thinks of me, and God "does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7) I'm not going to lie; this hard! I often fail when it comes to how I think about outward appearances, but this gives me even more reason to remind both myself all all reading this of true beauty. So girls, let's have beautiful hearts and live beautiful lives not dependent upon outward adornment but complemented by how we present ourselves. Let's live beautifully inside and then let it show on the outside. Let's live Beauty Outspoken.
I pray that you have a wonderful weekend and don't forget who God is, who you are, and how you live in your identity in Christ (see my previous post for more on that subject). May a little more laughter come your way today!
Princess Hannah
That dress is SO gorgeous! You and your friend look so beautiful! I loved reading the quotes as well. <3 The first verse you shared is definitely one of my favorites. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! And that's my best friend who also happens to be my sister!
DeleteYes, that verse often makes me wonder how my cutesy life fits in, but I'm discovering more and more its meaning.
This is such an amazing reminder, and you look absolutely gorgeous <3
ReplyDeleteThe quotes are awesome too, I love how they went with the pictures!
Aw, thank you! I can't take the credit, but I can say that our Creator is pretty awesome!
DeleteAnd yes, it took me a while, but I did find quotes that matches. Most of them are actually on my Pinterest account. I have a whole board dedicated to pretty quotes!
You look lovely in the photos! You're right about beauty coming from God. Everything that we have comes from Him, including our looks and our personality, and yet, there are many who think that looks are the only thing going for them. I love the quotes that you have in this post. Also, I should probably go email you (I saw your comment; I didn't realize my contact form wasn't working anymore) right now! :)
ReplyDeletexoxo Morning
Thank you very much! And you hit spot on, because God is the giver of all good things!
DeleteI saw your email and prepare to reply right now!
Hannah, you are STUNNING. And the cool thing is, it's not just outward beauty, but an inner glow for Jesus. Rock that 20's look, gurl!
ReplyDeleteAlso, on this whole topic- PREACH! So, so much of it is centered in our heart motivation, and that can shift so quickly. Thank you for sharing the sprinkling of quotes+pictures+thoughts. Post on point.
This comment just made my day! Thank you so much! And I agree; our hearts are fickle things that love to make things about us which should only be about God. The struggle, as they like to say, is real, but we already know who wins this fight!
DeleteYou look stunning! I love your dress and lip color!
ReplyDeleteReally enjoyed reading this. :)
-Lauren
http://www.musingsofaflowerchild.com/
Thank-you so much! I felt so pretty in this dress. And I love this color too. It's an old Clinique lipstick that is a dark pink with a purple tint. Below is a link to the current color of the same name, although my color looks less purple than the one online.
DeleteA Different Grape
Beautiful photos, and you look radiant! I love the Bible verse you are sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much! And yes, that verse speak so much truth, as all Bible verses do.
DeleteYou are so incredibly G O R G E O U S! Gah...and I adore your dress. So glamorous + sparkly.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much beautiful girl! And yes, I did feel quite glamorous. In fact, the theme of prom was hollywood and I felt like a 20s star walking into a movie premier!
DeleteYou. are. gorgeous. ^.^ I adore your dress!
ReplyDeleteSomething I read recently stated that wanting to be beautiful isn't a bad thing. God placed that desire in our hearts. In fact, like you said, beauty is from God. God is the most beautiful thing there could possibly be. His beauty is overwhelming. And we are made in the image of Him. God placed in women the desire for beauty and the essence of beauty. I thought that was interesting. :)
Thank you very much!
DeleteAnd those thoughts explain my wiring! Where did you read them? They are lovely!
Those words are actually my rewording of what I had read. :) It was from the book "Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldridge. I haven't read the entire book yet, but it definitely has some inspiring chapters so far. :)
DeleteI will have to check that book out! (Maybe quite literally as I might get it from the library)
DeleteOKOKOKOKOK I'MG OGING TO READ THIS LATER BUT I JUST NEEDED TO SAY
ReplyDeleteWHOA
WHAT
GODDESSSSSSSS <3
like hollyyyy buckets