This is for all the girly girls and even for the not so girly girls. You don’t ave to be girly girl to want to feel pretty. Feeling pretty can mean different things for different people. Hopefully my ramblings about this subject will help you find what makes you feel pretty and special.

I am a Mom of two daughters and I have ten nieces that are all girls. That’s right! All ten born within seven years. Needless to say boys are a rarity in my family. Lol. It’s not just my family that I have noticed this tendency for girls to navigate toward certain things that make them feel pretty. It is twenty-seven years of nannying other peoples children that I base my opinion off of that little girls are drawn to things that make them feel pretty.

First, I will talk about my youngest daughter. She is now a Cosmetologist and Make-up artist. She is more of a girly girl than my oldest daughter. I knew by the time this child was eight months old that she would be in the beauty and fashion industry as a professional. She had a fascination with shoes for as long as I can remember and it was undeniable. She would sit for hours trying on everyones shoes and pretending to tie them. Then, Oh Lord! She had to walk in them and fall because they were too big, time and time again, but that didn’t bother her.

Make-up was another adventure for my youngest. She wasn’t allowed to wear make-up in public until she was thirteen years old. This made her so mad because as young as eight years old she was watching videos and self teaching herself techniques that were pretty awesome if I say so myself. But her Dad stuck to his rule of no public make-up until thirteen years old. She would spend hours upon hours applying full on make-up, taking it off and trying the next technique. Practice makes perfect right? Even as young as two years old she would say she was getting her “pretty on.” Love this girl so much.

As my youngest daughter grew up into a an older child, my vision of her in the beauty field became even more evident as she became quit talented at doing fancy hair styles, beautiful make-up designs and she started making videos and doing other peoples hair and make-up for events and special occasions. Her talent is way more than she realizes and way more than I envisioned. God has big plans for this girl and I am so excited to see them unfold. Yes, proud Momma here. Looking back as she has evolved, it is true that starting out at such a young age, she was drawn to the pinks, purples, sparkles, shining and glimmer things that little girls seem to love. Oh, lets not forget the pretty, painted fingernails and toe nails. I think at one point, I had over one-hundred bottles of nail polish.

My oldest daughter, who was not as much of a girly girl, preferred books over a lot of the things that I talked about for my youngest daughter. Although my oldest daughter enjoyed girly things, it wasn’t a every day desire. Nancy Drew would always win over sparkles and glitter and a the library was the always the best idea ever. Still, as a little girl there was that same tendency to go for the pink and purple and the glitter and shiny things. Now that she is grown and is a Police Officer, she wears minimal make-up and usually puts her hair up in a pony tail or bun. Let me tell you though, don’t be fooled. The girl can rock the make-up and hair if she had something to dress up for.

Now, referring to the all the children I have had the honor to nanny for, all of them at different ages, different races, different family backgrounds, low income, middle income, high income, you name it, I have probably seen it over the past twenty-seven years. Yet, one thing that is true, all these little girls, no matter what their story is or what background they come from, they all lean toward the girly, sparkly, shiny and shimmering things. Have you ever went to Dollar Tree and bought the cheap tiaras with the sparkles and gems and the colored beaded necklaces? You know they probably won’t last longer than a week but you buy them any way and when you give them to the girls, they are on cloud nine. The smile and sparkle in their eyes are forever ingrained in your head because these things are fun, girly and shine and shimmer. They love it.

Finally, Let talk about how us big girls like to go get pampered! Yes! As teens and adults, we love spa day, mani and pedi days, going to get our hair cut or highlights put in. We routinely get our eye brows waxed and do the girly things that make us feel pretty and special. I don’t feel guilty, do you? Also, it might be something like taking your car to get detailed or washed that makes you feel pretty. It may be getting a new shampoo or body scrub that smells good or buying a new outfit that you look great in. What ever makes you feel pretty you deserve it. Go for it. I should say that I am not encouraging other, more important bills or priorities that you need to pay attention to, but budget to treat yourself once in awhile. Self care is important.

Things you can do to help you “feel pretty.” Get a manicure or a pedi. I love the gel nail polish on my natural nails and the hot stones with the pedi are amazing. Buy a piece of jewelry you love, buy a outfit that you know you will look fabulous in, Get new shoes. Shoes can make or break an outfit. Try a new eye color or lip liner. Go out of your comfort zone. Live a little. Lol. Get a new hair cut or color. You know you will rock it! Put perfume on or take a hot bubble bath. Find what works for you and do self care! You are worth it. Please leave a comment and let me know what you do to “feel pretty.” Hugs!