Graduate to Baddie Level
“You feel “Blah”. You need a change and you want to do something about it.
Sounds like it’s time to graduate… to Baddie Level.”
Who are we now?
You’ve probably noticed you’re not feeling very young anymore, and honestly, that’s because you’re not. But the term “old” seems to refer to someone who is feeble, needs a lot of help, or is not 100% mobile. You’re not even close to “old”. You’ve ended up here in the middle with the rest of us. Women over 40. We’re in the void where we don’t have a real, suitable title, until now.
People have tried to name us:
-
- “Middle aged” sounds like something from the Renaissance Faire.
- “Cougar” is awful and insulting as if our only value has to do with sex.
- “Mature” doesn’t precisely describe us young-at-heart ones who never really mentally passed 22.
- “Crone” is pretty darn cool but sounds like someone who lives in a run-down cottage, brewing up spells. What if we still really care about feeling pretty and wearing nice things?
We’re in a place in our lives where we don’t want to go clubbing but want to do something fun. We’ve given the past 10 or 20 years to our families or careers and now we want to spend time on growing ourselves. We don’t even care to be young and stupid anymore, we just want to have a fulfilling, creative life and get to bed by 9:30pm (and there’s zero shame in that!) You might have let yourself, your hair, and/or your style get very utilitarian and boring (hello yoga pants!) because it’s all you needed to go to the store, but you hate it.
You feel “Blah”. You need a change. You feel like you’ve lost yourself along the way and you want to do something about it. It’s time to UnBlah Yourself.
Sounds like it’s time to graduate… to Baddie Level.
A Baddie takes care to present herself to the world as if to say “I am here whether you like or not, but I like it.” She is fierce. She is free.
Who or What’s a Baddie?
We’re putting the stamp on it and claiming this name for ourselves. A Baddie is a grown woman who has a very clear vision of what she does and doesn’t like.
A Baddie isn’t afraid to wear interesting or unique things and doesn’t care what anyone has to say about that (unless you’re going to tell her you love it, and in that case go ahead).
A Baddie can say no to what doesn’t serve her, and says yes to many things that will surprise and delight her.
A Baddie walks with a confidence that confuses men and inspires other ladies. A Baddie is the boss of her own life and doesn’t need anyone else’s permission to be satisfied with herself as a person.
A Baddie has developed her knowledge and interests to a point that she can speak passionately about a subject, or a few, and be absolutely fascinating.
A Baddie moves with intent and purpose. A Baddie dresses up because life is too short for boring clothes. Everything she does is a creative expression of who she is and what she loves.
A Baddie doesn’t care that her face has changed over the years because she’s got so many other things going on.
A Baddie takes care to present herself to the world as if to say “I am here whether you like or not, but I do like it.” A Baddie knows her self worth isn’t tied to the male gaze anymore. She is fierce. She is free.
Some Notable Baddies
Iris Apfel, Annie Lennox, Tracee Ellis Ross, Melanie, …oh so many. If you don’t know about these kinds of ladies, please see my Pinterest feed of some cool ass Baddies:
How do I start?
Once you decide to, you just go for it. Only you get to determine your status. Ever see the term IDGAF? Well, that’s basically it, but let’s just say: when it comes to how you style yourself, the only opinion that matters is yours. If you love it, wear it. I like to call it #WWYW, Wear What You Want. Life is too short to not WWYW. Some Baddies will dress really wild, some will dress very sharp and classic, some will only add small, unique elements to a standard outfit. Sometimes it’s just in the shoe choice. The point is to do something different and do it with confidence.
What will people say?
The truth is, if you’re asking yourself this, it’s time to move on from caring what other people think. Most of the time when we are wondering what others think, they are actually not even thinking of us at all. And if they are, have you ever heard the Eleanor Roosevelt quote, “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people”? (Eleanor Roosevelt was a #1 Baddie)
Ok, but really, What will People Say?
Most of the time you will find that every time you go out in your artistic creations, the compliments from strangers will flow. It’s a bit addicting and fun. You’ll just have to experience this for yourself to believe me.
It will be rare, but some people will make a snide comment (usually a “friend”), and you’ll soon find out that they are the same people who are afraid of change, afraid of being different. They want you to stay boring and invisible so they can feel better about themselves. They are not Baddies. Hmmm, If I can say it… no I can’t say it… YES I CAN SAY IT: They are Saddies, and you can how them how it’s done.
Where do I Find Interesting Clothes?
Thrift stores are #1 for finding unique items. If you find thrift stores overwhelming and don’t know where to start, please check out my guide: A How to Look Expensive While Thrift Shopping on the Cheap You can also shop at regular stores or online but personally, I don’t find that to be as exciting. You can always find colorful items and good design, even at a basic store such as Target if you really want to. It’s all about how you style your outfits. It must be done with confidence. Pattern mixing isn’t hard, you just go for it. Wear it, mean it, and others believe it’s all on purpose and frankly, pretty cool. My rule of thumb for finding unique clothes is: If you see an item and think to yourself, “That’s so weird!”, that’s your sign to try it on.
That’s it. In order to graduate, all you have to do is want it and go get it.
Welcome to Baddie Level. You only get one you. How do you want to celebrate your uniqueness?