The Day I Stopped Apologizing to My Mirror
Share
Thirty.
That’s how many pieces I used to buy from Zara every month.
I thought wearing something new every day made me stylish—maybe even successful.
But at 45, I stood in front of my mirror holding a silk dress I once loved… and realized none of it ever really felt like mine.
The weight hadn’t come all at once.
It crept up—two or three pounds a year. Just enough to ignore, until one day, my favorite jeans didn’t zip.
The dress I wore to every important meeting now made me feel like I was pretending to be someone I wasn’t.
I looked in the mirror and thought:
**“Why am I dressing like this?”**
As a fashion designer, that question hit hard.
I’d always dressed to impress, to project, to perform.
But suddenly, those clothes—those rules—felt like they belonged to someone else.
So I stopped buying.
Stopped chasing.
And for the first time, I started designing clothes for *me*—
not for someone else, not for what was trendy,
but for my changed body and my own comfort.
My first piece? A pair of leggings.
Simple. Basic.
But in my changed body, even that felt uncomfortable—like nothing was made for me anymore.
They didn’t make me look smaller, taller, or trendier.
They just made me feel… like myself again.
And for the first time, that was enough.
“Flattering” used to mean shrinking, smoothing, hiding.
Now, it means honoring. Embracing.
Belonging—to the body I live in today.
Maybe one day, when I’ve learned to love myself just a little more,
I’ll post a photo of me wearing the clothes I make.
But today is not that day.
And that’s okay, too.
---
**If you’ve ever felt the same way, I created Junie Life for you.**
Discover clothing designed to fit real women—with softness, kindness, and intention.
👖 Our very first piece was a pair of leggings.
Handmade, customizable in length and fit, and thoughtfully made to honor your shape—not squeeze it.
They’re not just basic. They’re yours.