Discovering my personal style has been a true growing experience, doubling as a creative outlet. My fiancé recently pointed out that he noticed my journey of discovering my style early in our relationship. 

When we first started dating a few years ago, I wore pieces of clothing that were nice in themselves but didn’t necessarily reflect my heart. He watched my experimentation with different pieces until I finally took the time to really think about why I wear what I wear. Little by little, I found my personal style, reflecting on certain articles of clothing I’m drawn to. I began to intentionally note who and what inspires my style choices, as well as what materials, shades, tones, and patterns excite me. I slowly found myself weaving together a reflection of my character. 

More importantly, I began to draw a connection between my style and how I am called to give glory to God through those choices. It may sound ridiculous, but I invite Christ into my outfit decisions daily. It makes getting ready for the day 10x more fruitful and intentional. I get excited when I find a look in my closet that I had never thought of trying before, and in these moments, I am keenly aware of the Father’s delight in me. 

The beauty of creation reflects the Creator. When we choose to welcome Him into our little creations (such as styling an outfit), we are imitating Him as co-creators and conforming to the Father’s Will. To seek beauty is to truly seek Christ.  

I had many opportunities to seek beauty during my time at Ave Maria University. Aside from the natural beauty, each day on the way to class I would notice a certain person’s style and take mental notes about why it caught my eye and what it told me about their soul. 

Shelby is one of those people, which is why I wanted one last photoshoot with her before she graduated. She understands personal style, so I knew we would have a blast doing a shoot that focused on that. I loved composing the different outfits to express different aspects of my personality. 

Before discovering my personal style, I wrestled with modesty to a degree of great scrupulosity. There was a point that I felt I was being immodest if I wore a swimsuit (I literally wore t-shirts and knee-length skirts over my swimsuits when I was 16). I felt that if I wore shorts or pants I would be denying my femininity. 

This, of course, was a huge lie. 

I realized how intensely I was bound to the scrupulous rules I set for myself when I began college. In the second semester of my freshman year, I made the bold decision to be bound no more. I prayed for freedom and a new perception of modesty. I bought a cute pair of shorts and jeans, inspired by so many holy, feminine women that wore these things with such an elegant style. I realized it wasn’t about the specific article of clothing being immodest or unflattering, but the way in which I wear it. From the size we choose to the design of the piece, it all comes down to how well we know ourselves, and how if we style it in a way that reflects our heart. 

When something truly reflects our personality, we are revealing a piece of the Father’s heart. We are all called to mirror different attributes of the Lord’s character, and as we slowly learn our vocation and role in His plan, we will begin to see our style do just that. With the confidence of St. Paul, I believe that Christ will be magnified in the intentionality of my style, and through welcoming Him into that process.