Alice Catherine

I feel like the older I get, the more confident I’m becoming in my choices – whether it’s listening to my intuition when it comes to my work, or picking out my outfits each week. I have always had quite a strong sense of what my likes and dislikes are – I’ve never really been someone who has found themselves being particularly indecisive. Unless it’s a huge life-altering decision that I have to make – I generally try to trust that I’ll lead myself in the right direction. That doesn’t mean that reaching this point has happened overnight, and I definitely still have days when I ponder over my future and get lost in my own cloud of thoughts – it’s more to do with a new found confidence in the notion that I’ll always find a way to be okay, no matter what that might be…

Like most people, I’ve experienced extremely sad times, but I’ve also managed to break through to happier times and grow into someone that my younger self would be proud of. I haven’t had to compromise on being myself, and I’ve been able to connect with so many wonderful people through along the way. It’s something that pretty much happened by accident, but looking back all the pieces seem to line up perfectly. It’s a cheesy cliche that almost makes me feel a bit sick, but I find myself dwelling on these things a little more now that I’m five years from thirty and finding my feet career wise. It’s interesting to stop and look back sometimes at how things panned out, whether it’s completely different (most probably) to what you envisioned or not.

I’m starting to notice that some of the things I was once fearful of are fading into the background – like situations where I have to meet new people for instance, or taking a long train journey somewhere new by myself. Often these are everyday things that are taken for granted, but to me they have always been struggles that I’ve beaten myself up over. Confidence has definitely been a slow burner with me, and I think it will be something that’s constantly developing throughout my life – I feel like I’ve accepted this now and it’s something I’m grateful for. Lacking in self confidence has also been a blessing in disguise in many ways, it means I can sense it in other people straight away, and it’s often made me more thoughtful and considerate of how I approach others. It’s definitely made me more empathetic, and this is a part of my personality that I have become really proud of – it’s comforting to be able to connect with others, whether it’s through fashion, food, or mental illness…

I’ve also noticed that this new found contentment translates to my wardrobe too – whether it’s a statement check coat that I might have once avoided, or a fluffy bag that’s guaranteed to receive judging looks as I stroll down the street.

I am starting to feel more content with myself and what I want out of life, and the same applies to my attitude towards fashion. Fashion should be fun, and there’s no better time than now to experiment with the clothes around you.

 Items that I might have walked past before for fear of them ‘not suiting me’ or ‘not flattering my body shape’ – I now make the effort to try them on. Even if I end up hating them and being disappointed, it’s fun to play dress up and encourage another side of you to come to the surface, we never know what it might lead to…

Alice x

Photography by Adriana

Coat – Topshop (similar here) | Jumper – Sezane | Jeans – Whistles | Shoes – ASOS | Bag – Bershka

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