My blog and YouTube channel started off as Dress Yourself Happy. Because when I was going through a pretty rough time in my life, I found the blogging world that reminded me all the work I was doing on the inside wasn't enough, I had to dress myself happy too. While I've always loved beauty and skincare, I LOVED fashion. Playing with different trends and finding things that worked for my body was always fun. Dealing with some body image issues, I forgot about my love for fashion, but recently I've begun to find the joy in fashion again. It's also helped me find a positive body image of myself. Today's post features five outfit ideas for fall. Hope you enjoy the 2017 Fall Fashion Lookbook video. You can also shop each look directly from this blog post.
2017 FALL FASHION LOOKBOOK
I'M NOT A MODEL, BUT I'M NOT FAT EITHER
A few years ago I posted a lookbook on my YouTube channel. I wasn't feeling my best physically, but I was happy with my outfit and wanted to share it. There was a comment that said because I was short and my thighs were "big" I should never wear shorts or show myself wearing shorts. This hurt. Bad.
I am 5'4" and curvy. Before YouTube, I was an actor. I'd been acting since 14 years old and grew up in the entertainment industry. Being an active kid, I loved working out, however with the ups and downs of a typical acting career with no real control, coupled with depression, I used exercise as a crutch. I've always been relatively thin, but I worked out five days a week back then. A few years before I started YouTube, I worked out 5 to 6 days a week sometimes twice a day and consumed only whole organic foods and probably not enough calories to be honest. I became obsessed with how thin I could get.
LET'S BE REAL, LIFE SUCKS SOMETIMES
After deciding to focus my time on being happy, it was hard to let go of a career I'd known for most of my life even if it was making me miserable. So I ate... a lot. I went from being overly active to obsessing about filming and uploading videos because it was fun and gave me happiness. The junk food felt good too. Looking back, I was also probably not eating often enough and my system was all sorts of messed up. Right around the time I felt like it was time for a change and started to workout again, my mom had her stroke. Life literally fell apart around me and I ate my feelings. The last thing I wanted to do was get to the gym. My mom started to recover and I decided I should start to focus on my health as well. I started exercise classes which always make me happy. A few months into them, my mom passed away.
THE CYCLE
Once again I turned to food for comfort. There is nothing wrong with how I dealt with what I was going through. If you are experiencing this, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. But there is a time to make a change and find a balance or work towards one. Having a schedule and finding time to workout helps keep me balanced mentally, so I am making it an effort again. I also just feel sluggish when I don't take the time to de-stress and focus on me.
LOVING MY BODY NOW
I spent so much time feeling bad about how I look. The clothes I owned didn't fit right. Waiting to shop for when I reach my goal size. Well, I'm done. I'm sick of waiting to feel good till I'm a certain size and weight again. So, I'm dressing myself happy. Shopping for clothes that fit me now and make me feel good about myself now. And I'm sharing it with you. You can judge me for my flaws and because I'm not 5'9" with legs up to my armpits, but that says more about you than me.
LET'S EMPOWER EACH OTHER
We all have ideals and the media places them in our heads, but let's be honest we all have our trouble spots and we all are insecure. As women we should uplift and support each other not tear each other down. Be competitive, strive for being the best, but do not tear down your fellow sister in the process. Jealousy is a monster. Is it getting you? Call it out, admit you are jealous and work through it. Women are capable of so much more than men. We can give birth! Without us humanity would not continue. Our bodies are strong and beautiful in all shapes and sizes. It's time we celebrate ourselves and uplift each other.
FALL LOOKBOOK
So I hope today's lookbook inspires you to dress yourself happy. Try a new style, feel good about what you wear. Not for anyone, but for yourself. I'm still trying to find a way to workout more and eat a balanced diet while still enjoying food. Till then, this is my body and the clothes I found for fall.
SHOP FALL FASHION LOOKBOOK
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What was your favorite look from the fall lookbook? I really loved look 4, something totally different from what I'm use to wearing, but fun and comfy at the same time.
xoxo
Wow, this post resonates with me like none other. Serein you are an amazing woman and I am so grateful to have you in my life. Over the past couple years you have helped me accept myself more than I ever have. And yes, ups and downs and the $#!T in between. Thank you for sharing your life and world with me/all of us.
Author
Karen, I am so happy that my posts have helped you accept yourself! I think growing up is really about just that. Hope you have a wonderful day!
Yesss I love this post! Your posts are always so honest, relatable, and most of all empowering. Love you girl <3
XO, Jessi
https://www.mywhitet.com/4-easy-diy-baby-shower-treats/
Author
Aw thank you jessi!
Love this! I am completely with you on this! Loving how I look in the moment, not spending my life wishing that I looked differently!
Author
So happy you can relate! I think it’s our nature to pick at ourselves, but we should love and empower who we are now with the openness to grow.
This post was amazing. I too went through a phase where I was working out 5/6 days a week and probably wasn’t eating enough and then had to get to terms with the fact that what I was doing wasn’t healthy for my body. Serein, all these looks are so effortlessly chic. You definitely inspire me to dress myself happy. I am glad you are starting to do more lookbooks. Keeping being amazing and beYOUTiful. Xx
Author
Thank you so much for sharing your journey and also for supporting what I’m doing here. It makes me so happy to find that so many reading feel how I do. Thank you!
Thank you for this post. I LOVE the look #5. You look stunning in all of them.
I honestly would not categorize you as curvy at all – you are petite & gorgeous. Thank you for putting yourself out there, putting this lookbook for the world to see because we need more of real people with different body types (not just supermodel types) showing their confident, beautiful look. I’m a year postpartum and have resisted buying any new clothes because I wasn’t getting into my prepregnancy pants, but recently decided to invest in transition piece that I feel good in TODAY. I think we deserve that. You inspire me to take care of myself and be unapologetic about it, which is hard as a mom 🙂
Author
Thank you so much Ayako! I really appreciate your feedback. So happy to hear that you too decided to buy clothes you feel good in now! Congratulations on your new baby!
That jumpsuit looks INSANE on you. Wow I absolutely love it!!!
“You can judge me for my flaws and because I’m not 5’9″ with legs up to my armpits, but that says more about you than me.” I love how you said this btw. Youre so real and relatable and I can’t even tell you how much I respect that. I hope you feel more confident right now than maybe you did before doing this, because damn you look good!! Im bookmarking this post for my next bleh feeling day. So inspiring. Thank you Serein<3
Author
Aw thank you so much Ashley! I’m so happy the post resonated with you. It took me some time to understand that the comment that person made about my body was more about them than me. Thank you again for always being so supportive!
I’m so glad you are feeling good about dressing your body as it is now…You are so classy and you wear everything so well. You are a stunning young lady and its so great you are loving yourself and enjoying your love for fashion again. I think you are perfect, but I understand we all are our own worst critics, I hope you reach your goal and a weight you are more comfortable with but keep rockin these killer looks along the way!!!
Author
Thank you so much Mona. Yes, we can be our own worst critique for sure.
Author
Thank you so much Mona. Yes, we can be our own worst critique for sure.
Love this post Serein. I was very athletic in my youth, thin and muscular, but because I’m 5’10” I had body image issues because of my height. My idea of beauty was of those petite cheerleaders that all the boys flocked to, not tall gangly me. I created an unrealistic expectation for myself that I would never be able to achieve, pushing myself into an unhealthy relationship with food and exercise. Now that I’m older I have an appreciation and love for my body and try not to torture myself with the insecurities of my youth. Embrace your uniqueness with confidence, to me that is true beauty!
218Joni on Insta
Curlygirljj on YT
Author
Thank you so much Joni! Yes, it’s hard to love ourselves at times, but it’s also so important. Thank you for the support and for sharing your story.