I literally went bananas when I found out I was working with Banana Republic. Get it? Bananas for Banana? Hahaha

I'm feeling extremely grateful for the opportunity. Like, super honored. Their personal stylist gifted me with this pretty pink top (how'd they know that was my favorite color?) and this leather/suede army-green structured bag, which I fell in love with on sight. I had no idea how I was going to make the items work (in terms of being true to my personal style) and then I found this skirt in my closet and I literally gasped with excitement. It was perfect.

I'll be honest. Prior to my saving-grace of a skirt, I was freaking out maybe just a tad bit. I typically wear pink with white or black, not brown. Now you may not think of this as a big deal and on surface-level, it isn't. But it goes deeper than that. I had a mini mental tug-of-war of trying to figure out how to keep the brand happy and still remain authentic to you beautiful people. I didn't want to go out to buy anything to style with the items, primarily because I don't have money to just be splurging on clothes solely for a look. When I go shopping, I always think, "Is this a necessity?" And buying a bottom honestly wasn't.

I scrounged through my closet to find something that was privy to my personal style. I could not find a thing and I thought I was pretty beat until I found that skirt. I literally lifted my head and gave my thanks! Like yay, I don't have to buy anything and even bigger yay, the look is reflective of my personal aesthetic!

So here's a major key: use what you have and don't feel pressured to shop for additional items you can't really afford, because you feel that's the only way to best present yourself. Girl, if you don't have it, you don't have it!

Banana Republic chose me for me. What I have and who I am was enough.

You can look and be your best simply by using the very attributes that make you...well, you. When an opportunity comes your way and you have no idea how you'll take advantage of it to the best of your ability, remember that they saw your value first, pun intended.

*Banana Republic provided free product in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are my own.