Modest is Hottest!

For those of you who don't know, I come from a largish family.  I am the oldest (and wisest) of course, yet I am the shortest.  For whatever reason, my gene pool didn't get the memo that I was supposed to have long legs!  I have legs, but they are definitely not as long as they were supposed to be...sigh!  It is OK.  I have come to terms with it and frankly I am alright with me appearing like I am standing in a hole, constantly.

Besides the usual short people problems one might usually incur, I also have "assets" if you know what I mean.  I am keenly aware that I cannot wear V-neck tops, low cut stylish tank tops or anything along the lines of push up.  Because guess what happens?  Anyone taller than me gets a free show!  Not exactly the attention I am going for...but regardless, I have to set a better example for my sisters and now niece about modesty.

Claire Rachel is my 16-year-old curvy beautiful blonde-haired country girl little sister.  She is my big little sister.  I am so thankful that she wears her cowgirl boots proudly and wants her curves to be covered.  She wants to be modest, but she too wants to dress feminine.  I am so proud of her.  She one day came home from youth group and she goes...."Catie, you KNOW modest is hottest!"  We had a good laugh, but she is so right!  Modest IS hottest.

Being in high-school, teenagers are given so many messages.  They are surrounded by celebrities, models, and unrealistic body images galore.  They are told they are supposed to dress one way and act another.  Aren't they supposed to be teenagers?  Why are we forcing these teens to deal with such issues so young?  It is driven and perpetuated by our retail environment then reinforced by Hollywood.  Or maybe in fact it is the other way around...regardless, these poor teenage girls will develop low self-esteem and begin to look for all the wrong attention if the message of modesty is not expressed.

http://www.faithgrubb.com/2013/05/classy-modesty.html

I came across a really cool way a teenage girl by the name of Megan Grassell and her mother are promoting modesty among bras.  Have you ever gone through the bra section at any store for those who are developing?  There are push-up options, sequins and lace, patterns, and over all a lot of inappropriate seeds being planted.  Bras, last time I checked, were there for support not for drawing unnecessary attention at such a youthful age.  Megan and her mother are resisting these designs and immodest attempts to make our young girls sex symbols through the development of their company Yellowberry.

Yellowberry's mission is to create beautiful age appropriate bras for developing teenage girls.  They have beautiful colorful bras that are fun, supportive, and I think are pretty cool.  Please visit their website for more information: http://yellowberrycompany.com/.  You can also find them on Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram.

You owe it to yourself to be modest, stylish and have necessary parts covered.  Self-respect is everything.  If you don't have respect for yourself then how could you possibly expect anyone else to respect you?  Just saying....

Catie Manning

Blues Be Gone, Baby!

This winter my dear friends has seemed never ending.  Classes and schools cancelled for periods of time seem as though it is a norm.  What a winter this has been!  I don't know about you, but I am over this whole "Polar Vortex" thing.  So much so this was even my Facebook Status:

As found on my Facebook Page...yes the comments add to the hilarity of it all too...

Winter blues hit a little harder than usual the past few months.  I was kind of needing a little pick me up, if you will, so I accidentally thought outside the box and it actually worked.  Blues be gone, baby!

Being that I am a social individual, I sought the help from a friend.  My friend Rachel and I take ourselves very seriously...more times than not.  We decided to make a visit to the mall to promote exercise of our legs and mouths.  We walked for a good 2-1/2 hours.  We ate an Auntie Anne's pretzel.  We continued to walk until we stepped into Claire's Boutique.  That my friends is where we got lost in goofiness, headbands, and One Direction memorabilia.

Being that we both were in the market for new headbands (a girl can NEVER have enough especially of the kind that is comfortable).  We were looking on the racks and trying a plethora of items on our heads.  Some looked amazing others not so much.  Then we realized, they are having a buy one get one 1/2 off on earrings!  Another awesome item a girl could always use.  We checked out the clearance rack...deals almost too good to be true.  Some of the pairs made us laugh and others a little confused.  The end result put a slight dent in our pocket as well as increased our style points I must confess.

We ended up with a wide array for ourselves.  Check out these beauties:

http://www.claires.com/store/us/goods/jewelry/cat1260130/drops/p14226/jumbo+donut+drop+earrings/

I couldn't stop laughing.  Rachel couldn't stop laughing.  We literally laughed until we cried.  We decided that her sister definitely couldn't live with out these.  Might as well make her laugh as well!

Upon paying, we sat and chatted for about a 1/2 an hour more until we realized we definitely shut the mall down.  Who would have thought that the mall could be the place for such laughter and lifting us up and out of our winter blues!  It was just what we needed.


Catie's Bucket List:
#25 Be a "Mall Rat"

Checked it off the list...word.  Never underestimate the power of a true friendship.  You can go anywhere and make it fun and exciting.  Sometimes just spending quality time with your friends is enough to make those blues disappear.  Who would have thought?


Catie Manning
Hair Stylist

A Non-Resolution 2014

So it is 2014.  Where did the time go?  It seems like it was only yesterday that we were ringing in the 2013 year with bells and whistles of hope and gleam.  For most it was a tremendously hard year with great ups and downs as the uncertainty of health care and world economics to which directly affected everyone in one shape or another.  There was scandal.  There was heartache.  There was much also to be thankful for like jobs, opportunities, and still hope remained.

A lot of my personal friends took great risks!  They started new business ventures.  They got engaged and got married.  They started having children and those are all wonderful.  That doesn't mean that it doesn't go without pain and hardships nor does it exist without a certain fear of the unknown.  And yet, my friends still took those risks and by their great faith continued to press on through their hopes, dreams and desires to make 2013 the best year yet!

It seems too with each new year their comes a desire for reenergized and refocus on our forever goals of getting in shape, eating properly and finishing up those unleveled projects simply stated.  I was one of those persons as well.  My resolutions come with great intentions; however the motivation to follow through for the betterment of myself was somewhat lacking.  This year seems a little different than those of the past.  Americans seem to be slightly more appreciative of what we have.  It is as though the greater majority of people are getting up and doing more to assist those in their communities.  They are stepping up to the plate of problems such as hunger, homelessness, and abandonment.  That truly is an amazing sort especially in reflecting just how lucky we are!

This year will be different for me too.  Instead of resolving to a plan that is set up to fail, I am resolving to NON-Resolution 2014.  I have a list that I would like to do just because!  I want to learn to cook healthier.  I want to find my love for working out again.  I want to be a better person.  I want to seek balance better in the day to day chaos.  I want to be a better example of a positive attitude and maintain my encouraging spirit with great hope.  I don't want to be complacent or take anyone/anything for granted this year.  I want to learn to love others and life.

I have a few action based plans, four to be exact!) created to accomplish the aforementioned goals.  I also have a few ideas of how to break it up so I can stick with it.  What it all comes down to is patience and awareness down to every little action.  So here goes nothing!

So what are your new year's resolutions?  Are you trying to be healthier?  Are you trying to be more mindful?  Are you just trying to exist?  We would love to hear what your plans for the new year are!  Share with us on Facebook or Twitter!

No matter what 2014 has in store, I have a feeling that it will be a great year...don't you?

Start smiling...dare you to make someone's day!
Catie Manning

No Shave November: What's the Purpose? (a female's perspective)

This week, I have devoted to 'Movember' or as some might refer to it as 'No Shave November'.  Some individuals do it for the sport of growing a beard where as others may do it for awareness.  Either way, beards grow in numbers during the month of November!

I questioned the purpose of this endeavor….

Was it because men wanted to compete and take pride in their growing accomplishment?  'MY beard is fuller than your beard!'

Was it because they wanted to feel cool and fit in? 'Well everyone else is growing one…I guess that is the IN thing to do…'

Was it just to get back at girlfriends and wives that just don't have enough hours in the day to shave their legs? '….Now you know how I feel hunny…it's gross isn't it!'

Next, what the heck are the rules of No Shave November besides the obvious?  Aren't men at least given a chance to trim or groom at all?  The answer is "negative ghost rider" (Top Gun reference)  No trimming.  No shaving.  No touching the beard until December 1 hits!  30 days of growing, itching, and showing off that manly facial hair…supposedly...

So what does any good researcher do?  They Google the request of course.  Google gave me a lot of information to sift through.  It was pretty comical and informative actually.  This whole No Shave November thing is actually taken pretty seriously!  Here I just thought it was the man's excuse to annoy their significant others and obnoxiously show off…here is what I found!

http://www.heavy.com/social/2013/11/no-shave-november-beards-movember-photos-memes-moustaches-women-girls/6/

This website is all inclusive with video, diagrams, and reasons to participate.  It definitely has some compelling arguments as such to join the bandwagon.  They are promoting the growth a burley beard.  Are these men trying to look like Lumberjacks?  Not bad for the first round Google but, I think you can do better.  http://www.no-shave-november.com .

Ahh….here.  Now we are talking!  An actual Facebook Page…https://www.facebook.com/NSNCharity/info.

I mean, even the Huff Post Style Dept is writing about it!  This article had "best of" photos from Instagram.  SO….#NSN has to be legit right?  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/14/no-shave-november_n_4274893.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003

On a less shallow note, the American Cancer Society also is mentioning this November phenomena. Their approach is very different than the other thoughts or information I found online.  Their purpose is to raise money.  That is pretty cool.  You can get T-shirts for your donations, create No Shave Teams and really give it a new purpose.  It didn't appear to promote awareness toward any one specific cancer as noted on their website just to raise awareness of cancer as a whole.

http://www.no-shavenovember.com/#!apparel-and-donations/cee5

The concept is a solid one.  "The goal of No-Shave November is to grow awareness by embracing our hair, which many cancer patients lose, and letting it grow wild and free.  Donate the money you usually spend on shaving and grooming for a month to educate about cancer prevention, save lives, and aid those fighting the battle." (http://www.no-shavenovember.com/#!what/cjg9)

One other site that I came a crossed in my search is Adhere Creative's fundraising site for "Fighting Prostate Cancer" through No Shave November.  They are a Creative Marketing Agency out of Texas.  I really don't know anything about them aside from finding their fundraising page.  If you are interested in checking their cause out though, please feel free to do so!  They have a fun and interesting way of presenting this fundraiser: http://fundly.com/adhere-noshember.

All in all, it seems as though males across the board have different reasons to participate in No Shave November.  Some for personal reasons, others for raising awareness, and many I am sure just simply to grow a solid beard.  Whatever the reasoning may be, November seems to grow in attention and beards seem to almost plague the universe for the month.  That is a simple fact.  I don't see this changing anytime soon either.

So from a female's perspective, if you can't beat them--join them?

http://www.heavy.com/social/2013/11/no-shave-november-beards-movember-photos-memes-moustaches-women-girls/4/

Totally just kidding…good luck for the remainder of No Shave November!

Catie Manning