Dressing for the Woman You Are Becoming

There is a season in every woman’s life when she’s caught between who she is today and who she’s working so hard to become.

I remember that season well.

When I went back to college to finish my teaching degree, my daughter was only three years old. I worked full-time in a nursing home, spending my days in scrubs before picking her up from daycare and heading to evening classes. Most nights I didn’t get home until nearly 11:00.

I was exhausted.

Comfort became my uniform. Sweatpants. Oversized T-shirts. The occasional pair of jeans. Back in the early ’90s, yoga pants weren’t a thing, but I certainly would have owned several pairs if they had been. Some nights I was so tired that I simply fell asleep in the clothes I’d worn all day.

The struggle was real.

Then something began to change.

As graduation approached and student teaching became reality, I realized my wardrobe needed to change with it. Teachers were expected to dress professionally. Slacks were pressed. Blouses were intentional. Dresses meant pantyhose. Appearance mattered because it reflected the professionalism of the role.

I didn’t have money for designer labels.

I wasn’t trying to impress anyone.

But I was beginning to dress for the life I was creating instead of the life I was leaving behind.

I found my style.

Khaki pants with a crisp white shirt. Black slacks with a simple black top. A belt. Polished shoes. A watch. Jewelry that made me feel put together.

Nothing extravagant.

Just intentional.

Years later, as I completed my master’s degree and prepared for school leadership, one of my mentors gave me advice I’ve never forgotten.

“Dress for the part you want.”

So I started paying attention.

I watched other administrators, not to copy them, but to understand how they carried themselves. Then I adapted what fit my personality and made it my own.

By the time I walked into my first principal position, I wasn’t pretending to be a leader.

I had already started becoming one.

That experience shaped a belief I’ve carried with me ever since:

When you look good, you feel good. And when you feel good, you do good.

It was never about expensive clothes.

It wasn’t about wearing heels or buying luxury brands.

It was about showing respect for the responsibility I had been given.

I was a young principal. I was leading in a community that looked very different from the one where I had grown up. I understood that first impressions mattered. I wanted people to see someone who cared deeply, not only about herself, but about her students, her staff, and the work ahead.

Because people often decide whether they trust us before they truly know us.

As the years passed, my style evolved.

The heels became lower.

Comfortable shoes occasionally replaced dress shoes.

Today’s version might include a clean pair of Adidas instead of pumps.

But one thing never changed.

I still get dressed with intention.

Because every morning I make a choice about how I want to show up in the world.

This week during a professional development session, we were discussing the importance of raising strong, educated young women. One of the men in our group shared something that caught my attention.

He smiled and said, “Honestly, my dad was the one I feared growing up…but it was my mom who shaped me.”

I’ve heard versions of that story many times.

Women have tremendous influence.

We shape families.

We build organizations.

We mentor future generations.

We often carry more weight than we realize.

So why wouldn’t we prepare ourselves to step into that influence with confidence?

Confidence doesn’t come from clothes.

It doesn’t come from jewelry.

It comes from knowing who you are.

But sometimes what we choose to wear serves as a daily reminder of the woman we’re becoming.

That’s one of the reasons I created Uncommon Jewelry.

Every bracelet is designed to be more than an accessory.

It’s a reminder.

A quiet promise.

A reflection of your story.

Because when you intentionally choose what you wear, you’re also intentionally choosing how you’ll show up.

Maybe that’s the meeting where you’ll finally speak up.

The interview where you’ll earn the promotion.

The business you’re building.

Or simply another ordinary Tuesday when you decide that you are worthy of showing up as your very best.

Dress for that woman.

She already exists.

You’re simply giving the world permission to see her.

Cheri