Do you ever feel like something's just not meant to be? For some reason I drafted and scheduled this particular blog post three separate times and each time my lengthy article on self-care disappeared. So, in the spirit of self care I'm keeping it short and sweet today.

It might be that all of the upheaval and change from the first half of the year is finally catching up to me or the fact that I've come down with what the locals call "kwaj crud" (undoubtedly from hopping out of the ocean and into the my AC blasted home everyday) but I'm definitely in need of a little self care. Since the beach is the best place to partake in a little r&r, I've compiled my top ten ways to power down and turn inward. Will you join me?

Okay, story time: Bad Girls (a cheesy 1990s movie about cowgirls starring Drew Barrymore, Andie McDowel and Madeline Stowe... watch the trailer here) has been one of my favorite guilty pleasure films since I was about five. My mom and I watched it together countless times through the years... so much so that I answered to the nickname 'Cody' (the main character's moniker) and even made it Lorelai's middle name. It became our movie, inspired Halloween costumes and definitely contributed to my own personal kind of feminism.

When I saw an email from Doen, one of my favorite brands, pop into my inbox touting that the movie inspired their Summer 2017 collection I couldn't have clicked any faster.

via Doen: "Our Summer / Pre-Fall ’17 range takes inspiration from the western prairie and frontier Victoriana in easy neutrals inspired by sunsets, moonlight, and painted desert landscapes. Ruffles, lace, and floral embroidery stand out on simple silhouettes perfect for modern homesteading. Shot in Texas hill country, the collection pays tongue-in-cheek homage to our favorite 1990’s western, Bad Girls - a story of sisterhood that reminds us "It was a dangerous time to be a woman. And a good time to have friends.”

It was nice to get this little reminder of my mom today. I can definitely see the Bad Girls inspiration and am in love with every single piece. Give me all the billowing sleeves, natural fabrics and neutral colors please!

SHOP THE STORY

AVIGNON DRESS

SERRE JUMPSUIT

ALBERTINE TOP

ROSEBAY TOP

CAPO TOP

PREM DRESS

Real women have curves... and dimples and bumps and bones and muscles and so on and so forth.

I'm a big proponent of bodies... all kinds of bodies. I'm an equal opportunity supporter of women and their right to own the space that they take up in the world and the bodies they use to occupy that space. I love seeing all kinds of women represented in the media and in the fashion sphere and it's always a breath of fresh air when I discover a brand that so clearly and fully supports that vision.

The Land of Women is a collection of parred down lingerie meant for women of all shapes, sizes and ages. Each piece looks comfy and practical and their ethos speaks for itself. The line's tagline pretty much says it all, "Land of Women is lingerie for the sport of womanhood."

I've been so refreshed to see ads for the brand pop up on my social media feeds in recent months and read articles circulating about their groundbreaking use of a breastfeeding mother in their billboard ads (in my opinion, visible breastfeeding shouldn't be groundbreaking but we're definitely make small steps to 'free the nipple' and de-sexualize women and I'M HERE FOR IT).

I've talked a little about body positivity in recent months and I have definitely felt something in me shift as I settle into the later half of my twenties. I feel freer in my own body now than I have in the past and I think there's a direct correlation to the media I consume and representations of all kinds of women happening right now. The Land of Women is one of those brands creating visibility for women and I'm all for it!

images via land of women & the dreslyn