Unleash Your Inner Party Girl

How do you feel when a special envelope arrives in the mail? Handwritten. Pretty colour. Not a bill.

Do you go “Yay! Party! Wedding! Ball!” or do you shudder, thinking “What am I going to wear?” or “I’m going to be the fattest person there.”

For many women social events are not the fun occasions many assume them to be. They’re filled with dread and more often than not, this anxiety is centred on them feeling not attractive or good enough.

We shouldn’t be surprised that many women feel this way. We live in a society that places an incredible amount of emphasis on what women look like, especially their dress size, body shape and age. The current beauty norm for women is to be tall, thin and full breasted with long glossy hair and porcelain skin. Any deviation from this is sold to us as a flaw that needs a product to ‘fix’ it. Cellulite cream anyone?

I think it’s time that all women resisted such pressure and dusted off their party frocks. These are my best tips for learning how to embrace your inner party girl and enjoying your life at special occasions:

Always remember that if invited somewhere this has happened because someone loves you. Yes – you. That’s something to feel great about. Your company is wanted and desired.

No-one really cares what you’re wearing. Totally true, because they’re too busy thinking about themselves.

Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. A futile exercise as no-one can be as beautiful as you due to your utter uniqueness.

Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you need to buy an expensive outfit. Last month I went to a formal occasion where I complimented a woman on her dress. She told me it cost $5 from an op shop and she had worn it five times. Total class.

Do not go on a crash diet to lose weight for the ‘big event.’ Diets can lead you to feeling so drained that you can’t enjoy more than half a glass of champagne or the goat’s cheese canapés. A waste. They can also lead to serious physical and mental health complications. Please avoid at all costs.

Be yourself. You have been invited somewhere because of the real woman you are. You don’t need to pretend to be anyone other than your real and true self.

You are beautiful before you put on any glitzy dress or red lipstick. Such things can feel appropriate for some women to wear on a special occasion which is fine, but remember that your real beauty lies beneath all those things. You are gorgeous before you step out the door and that should give you all the confidence in the world.

Make it fun and get out their ladies! The Spring Racing Carnival and Christmas party season is upon us. Your life is a gift to the world and you deserve to shine.

Julie Parker is a leading body image, self esteem and eating disorder expert.  She has appeared on The Today Show, Sunrise, Today Tonight, A Current Affair and in Cosmopolitan, Cleo, Who, Shape and Good Health Magazines.  Julie writes regularly at www.beautifulyoubyjulie.com – a blog aimed at helping women be their beautiful best.”