Rock the jumpsuit.

BY MEGHAN REEVE

Meg is a 34 yr old iced coffee drinking California girl living in the PNW. She is a tiny human teacher and a cheerleader for the dreams of not only the tiny humans but every human in her life. She strives to show others who they are by trying to be exactly who she is on the daily.

I'll never forget a moment I had in a coffee shop about 5 or 6 years ago.

I was in between adventures and spending a lot of my time not at work inside a coffee shop I adored in my hometown. One day I was there standing in line to get my coffee, and I felt a tap on my shoulder.

It was a woman maybe a smidge younger than me. She told me her name was Amy and that she had seen me a bunch of times, and she asked me where I got my style inspiration from. Now, this wouldn't have been a word I would have used back then but today I would have described myself simply as "shook.”

Me? Stylish? No.

I remember what I said to her though:

“I wear what I want.”

Back then what I wanted to wear consisted of v-necks and bright colored jeans and big earrings and chunky paper beaded necklaces.

I realized that I spent way too many years only buying earrings that had no personality and that I spent a lot of years hiding my body under clothes that were baggy and at some point - probably during A3 and leaving with fabulously dressed humans of all sizes - that I realized I could dress well too. It was a little harder for me. I had to search and come out of my comfort zone to try new things. But, I did it.

And for the most part, I've kept that mentality.

Then, about a year or so ago jumpsuits came back into style.

At first, every jumpsuit I attempted to wear was too small. They wouldn't be flattering; they would stretch across my stomach and show all my fat and lumps and bumps. I thought that they felt like me. It was like I found this new piece of who I was that I didn't realize existed. BUT they just didn't fit.

But then I found one. It was navy blue and dressy. I was officiating a wedding, and it seemed perfect.

Then it was like a snowball effect.

In the last year, I have acquired five jumpsuits and a romper. I wear one every Friday (because jumpsuit Friday, duh).

A jumpsuit makes me feel powerful. I know that feels weird to say but whenever I wear one I feel as if I am more myself than I used to be. I feel like I'm claiming my identity.

I feel like Meg.

I'm an avid supporter of doing things, wearing things, and choosing things that make you feel more of who you are.

Like a haircut, a paint color change, a clothing style.

Sometimes it's more serious. Like choosing a different job or cutting off a toxic relationship or moving across the country.

I've realized as I've gotten older that the more we choose things and people and situations that are who we are, the stronger we become. The more we build upon the pieces of ourselves and the more we discover our intricacies, the more we discover who we are and who others are.

Bottom line: Do you want to wear giant hoops? Do you want to take a Thai cooking class? Do you want to rock a jumpsuit? Do you want to step away from a friendship or relationship?

Do it.

I'm not saying to be mean. Or break your work dress code. But do the thing you need to do.

I'll never forget that moment in the coffee shop. I'll never forget that moment where Amy reminded me a bit that I knew who I was. When she gave me a piece of confidence that allowed me to begin to own myself.

So what I'm saying is this: please, rock the jumpsuit.