One Year // Daily Outfit

Today is Beautifully Pure's one year blog anniversary. I was looking through some of my old posts for a post I'm planning for later this week and found this post: Bring on all the [contenders]. It was very enlightening to read again - especially since I had completely forgotten about it until just now.

If I fail I will be the little girl with a dumb dream. But if I succeed I'll stay the vain, superficial, shallow young lady.

So am I going to stay the scared little girl who is only ever really herself when all the rest of the house is in bed? Dressing up and dancing around to Taylor Swift thinking of all the things she would love to do if only she weren't so scared? 

It's very rare for me to be completely myself around anyone. All my life I've worried about what others would think of me. The few times I've ever felt like there was someone who understood me have usually ended tragically. But this year has been different. God has used the blogosphere as well as some surprising people in my life to show me that I am not wrong. I'm not a weirdo. I just don't know many people like myself.

For years I've not really been myself - for various reasons. But God is slowly changing that. This past year since I've started this blog I've made lots of new friends - all of which are awesome. Some are just plain amazing. They've excepted me so much - the proper, girly side of me as well as the rash, wild side - without acting like I'm a total weirdo for having such opposite interests. They made me feel special - and they have no idea how much that's meant to me and helped me.

So now I can honestly say that I am going to "become a contender. Because only after I've become a contender can I become a champion. I am going to be the girl I want to be - the one I am sure is the one God wants me to be."

{dress/Red Dress Shoppe :: white skirt/thrifted :: cardigan/ModCloth :: tights/Simply Vera by Vera Wang (Kohl's) :: boots/DSW :: bracelet/Charlotte Russe :: sunglasses/Xhilaration}

So in this post I want to thank all my amazing friends: my big sister, without whom I'd have given up on this blog long before any of you found it. Her regular comments and encouragements kept me going when I saw no point in it. Even now her lovely comments always bring a smile to my face and make my latest crisis seem not so very important after all. ♥

My dear friend, Amber, another person without whom this blog would have ceased to exist. I had just about given up hope of ever making friends on this blog when I got your comment. Having a fellow fashion blogger friend has been so nice, as only fashion bloggers and truly understand fellow fashion bloggers.

To all my other friends who have accepted me and been a friend when I needed it: thank you. You have no idea how much it's meant to me. ♥

And to all my loyal readers. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you! I can't believe 103 of you girls (guys?) care enough about what I'm wearing to subscribe to my little blog. I'm even more surprised when I go into a emotional ramble and you all care enough to comment with your support, encouragement and advice. It means so much to me. Thank you.

Here's to another great year!!