She’s Intentional: The Dainty Jewell’s Blog turned one-year old this month! And among all the happiness and celebration of our birthday, the beautiful spring season, and this beautiful life we are sharing with you, we are excited to announce the addition of a new contributor to our blogging team!
May I present to you Miss Elle Simmons!
Today we are interviewing Elle to get a feel for who she is, and are thrilled that she will be joining us in sharing outfit inspiration for the She’s All Dressed Up category in May.
She’s Intentional: First of all, will you tell us a little bit about yourself? How old you are, where you live, hobbies, interests, passions, goals?
Elle Simmons: My name is Elle Simmons and I’m an eighteen-year-old from Amarillo, Texas; though until I neared my seventeenth birthday, I lived in Lake Charles, Louisiana. My hobbies and interests are numerous and eclectic: I participated in Bible Quizzing for eleven years, I adore hiking (God’s handiwork never ceases to amaze me), shopping (of course!), reading, traveling, listening to classical music, discovering unique boutiques and cafés, all things scientific and nerdy, meeting new people (life stories are my favorite), singing, writing poetry, attempting to play the piano, coffee or green tea (the perfect accessories for the life stories), and the list goes on and on.
This is the year of graduation from high school — Praise the Lord, it’s finally here — and after that momentous occasion, I aim to pursue my childhood dream of becoming a Molecular Oncologist. Becoming a doctor has been a goal of mine from the time I was five years old. I devoured medical books, fantasized about wearing a white coat, and ecstatically imagined being involved with scientific advances EVERY SINGLE DAY. Yet over the years the dream has evolved into a passion, a passion to aid the spiritual, physical, and mental states of those suffering. The medical field is my calling. I pray that I will reflect, with my limited abilities, the unlimited love and power of the only One that can heal every aspect of an individual.
SI: You have such a unique style that is clearly your own and completely eye catching! It’s beautiful, modest, trendy, and classic all at the same time — how did you develop this?
ES: In summation, I would say that my style has been the result of extended and often painful trial-and-error periods. I possess an excessive amount of sob-worthy photos in which I have no earthly idea whether “fashion sense” was a phrase I even possessed in my vocabulary. Yet, somewhere along the way, “Elle’s Style” emerged. I liked vintage, but I also liked modern. I liked classic styles, but I also liked a little bit of edge. So I decided to mix them all to form a modest and somewhat cohesive reflection of me.
SI: When you are putting an outfit together, what are a few techniques that you like to implement, and how do “see” an outfit before it’s actually put together?
ES: I’d be lying if I said I regularly prepare ahead of time for an outfit, but there are a few staples of my outfit constructions. I nearly always tuck in my shirts as I think it provides a cleaner and more flattering silhouette — not to mention it’s so in style right now. Also, I obsessively buy high-waisted, poufy skirts, and tucked-in shirts just work with them. If the outfit needs some pizazz, I throw some leopard or stripes in the mix. Both patterns are basically neutral, in my opinion, and provide just enough interest to the outfit, without being gaudy. Speaking of being gaudy, I adore the concept simplicity with a statement. Neutral pieces are a necessity in any wardrobe, and a touch of wow-factor, such as florals, stripes, or a bright color make the outfit ideal.
SI: Many of our readers, myself included, would probably say that we often experience “off days.” You know, when that cute outfit just isn’t happenin’. Do you experience this? And if so, how do you combat that problem? Do you have a go-to outfit for days like that that just seem to work, or is it a trial and error kind of thing?
ES: When I’m putting an outfit together, I make efforts to fit the occasion, but I have a tendency to overdress; I guess I’ve chosen over-dressing as the lesser evil compared to underdressing. Ultimately the deciding factor, in regards to my outfit decisions, is how it makes me feel. The added confidence of presenting myself well can be that necessary extra boost on the worst of days.
The days in my life when the cute outfit “just doesn’t happen” are sadly more numerous than the ones where the cute outfit materializes. On those off-days, after stomping around my room in aggravation and viewing the disaster of my bed being swamped with distractedly thrown clothes, I normally allow myself a moment to calm down and head straight to my collection of black and white striped shirts (I literally own at least 10 of them). Due to the fact that black and white color schemes virtually fit every occasion and can be paired with anything, my striped shirts are my go-to pieces-pair them with a pop of color and Voila.
SI: Can you share a little bit about how your faith plays into how you dress on a daily basis?
ES: Faith combined with fashion sense has become an almost laughable concept in today’s culture, many automatically assuming that under such conditions self-expression isn’t allowed nor enjoyment. Yet, I would argue that if one lays a foundation of faith and allows all other aspects of their life to stem from that foundation, something beautiful can be created. At the core of who I am is a love for my God, and thus my appearance should convey that love without my saying a word. I dress modestly, not because I have to, but because I choose to. I dress modestly because I’m more than my physicality; I possess a soul. I dress modestly because my clothing does not DEFINE who I am but REFLECTS who I am, and I am a child of the King. Modesty does not hinder my fashion rather, modesty deepens my fashion.
SI: What is the advice that you would give to a young lady who struggles to be herself when dressing not only for the sake of modesty, but to please Jesus as her Savior and to simultaneously be a light to our world?
ES: I know from experience the feeling of immense pressure to conform to society’s definition of beautiful. Surrounded by magazines of seeming perfection, the long stares one receives when walking through the mall, or the shocked looks in response to the reality of someone with long hair can wear on the strongest of us. Yet, if there is anything I have learned, it’s that society is fickle; discarding previously idolized celebrities for the next big thing and deciding on a new fashion norm every day. For all their inconsistencies, I find that they respect an individual that is unchanging. When they ask questions, accept their curiosity as encouragement-they noticed. Point them to God, Whose definition of beauty is as unchanging as He is and remind yourself that the love of God transcends all.
Be on the lookout for Elle’s first blogpost coming in May!
Have a Happy Friday, Lovelies!