Summer Scorcher

Summer certainly is making a grand entrance at the party this week. Walking outside is like stepping into a very warm bath, and if you're like me, you feel like you're just barely keeping your head above water. In the heat, your energy wanes and you feel overwhelmed by all the activity that summer demands. It's hard to keep moving with that sun beating down and the humidity rising. You just want to curl up in front of the AC and take a nap.

What a great time to remember to take good care of our bodies. Drink gallons of water and take advantage of all the fresh, cheap fruits and vegetables that are in season right now. Keep your feet happy with some airy espadrilles or flats. Put on your most breezy maxi dress. Wear sunscreen.  Rock a great hat. I got my first wide-brimmed chapeaux this year, and what a joy it is to have instant shade no matter where I'm wandering.

But summertime traditionally is also a time when our soul health is in peril. Self-hate is just as pernicious as the heat. We hate our arms in sundresses, we hate our thighs in swimsuits, we hate our toes in sandals. We tell ourselves lies about how we compare to the next girl. And no amount of buying and outward fixing can really take away that self-hate. 

I try to encourage all the ladies who come into Poppy to be kind to themselves, body and soul--not because of what they have or don't have, but because they've been beautifully made from the inside out. It's a message I share because I need to hear it too, again and again.

One of my favorite parts of working at Poppy and Stella is meeting all the wonderful people who walk through our doors. Our fabulous customers are beautiful inwardly first, loving themselves and others well. And that inward beauty radiates out into a loveliness that goes beyond their great fashion sense. 

So to all my Poppy ladies--be kind to yourself this summer! Drink your water and take care of your skin, but also teach your soul to forgive your faults. I think you're just beautiful.

-Charlotte, Poppy & Stella ATC