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Oof, my heart low key stopped for a second when I first saw these pants at the thrift. I had set out to find some cute, cargo-esque pants back in the fall and really was not finding anything I liked or fit me despite my months long search.

However, the Universe and all her beautiful glory smiled upon me yesterday when my son and I took an impromptu trip to one of the local thrift stores. We thought we were tapping out after scoring pretty big in the scarf and children’s section, but then these little gems popped into my line of sight.

They are absolutely perfect! I love the cord ties at the waist and ankles as well as the color. I had been looking for army green, but nothing stands out like a pop of red. I also appreciate that the pants are 100% cotton as I have been actively swapping out all the polyester in my wardrobe for natural fiber clothing options. Lastly, my inner child and teenager fucking love these pants! I swear I could hear them both scream ‘YES’ as I picked the pants off the rack. I used to have this Barbie doll that had a similar aesthetic; wide leg cargo pants, cropped top, hat, and tennis shoes. I thought she had the coolest look and wanted to emulate that sooo fucking badly when I was yonger but never did because I had too many voices in my head that I allowed to dictate who I was or how I presented myself to the world.

That’s the beauty of thirty-five though, there isn’t a single opinion around that matters more than mine when it comes to who I am or how I present myself to the world. Healing isn’t linear, we all know that, but it is surprising. Never in my life would I have considered my wardrobe to be a tool that helps me heal wounds I forgot I had. Embodying the woman I dreamed I would be when I was younger has changed my life forever, nothing else has ever made me feel so good about myself because I know that these versions of me, that still hold space in my soul, feel seen finally. That’s huge! It’s one thing for me to glow when my son tells me he’s proud of me, there’s just something different about the way I glow when I know I have satisfied my inner child and teenager. Knowing that they feel like this outfit was a win makes me feel like I’m winning and reaffirms my faith in showing up for myself in the ways needed.

One last note to make on today’s ootd, the classic Coach monogram crossbody purse… isn’t she just lovely?! She was gifted to me about a week ago from a dear friend of mine who knows of my love for Coach and Etienne Aigner purses. I don’t typically opt for a monogram (I’m not a big logo girly), but the Coach two toned brown monogram hits me deep in the feels. I used to be mildly ashamed of my love for Coach as it was viewed as a premier designer brand as opposed to a luxury designer brand (at the time this boxed you in as ‘poor’ somehow), but nowadays I just don’t give a fuck. I like what I like and I look damn good wearing what I like. It’s refreshing to step out of the box with my style recently. My creativity has expanded where it once struggled and my gratitude for the journey I walk continues to deepen each time I leave to venture the world around me.