The Great #Selfie Debate

Word: Selfie

Definition:  A picture that you've taken of yourself that is planned to be uploaded to social media.  You can typically see your arm holding the camera and you're either doing a #duckface or trying to look in a different direction other than the camera.  After minutes of taking several pics and spending more time than necessary editing them, you share them with the world!

 Taking a car selfie.  Don't worry- I was parked.  I think?

I'd like to say that I don't really care about what people think of me.  But when it comes to selfies...I'll admit, I get a little cautious.  It's pretty easy for people to think that when someone shares a selfie numerous times throughout the week and yes, even the day, that they're completely self absorbed and conceited. But is that always true?  What does someone's selfie really say about them?  Below I'm going to be sharing some selfies that I have on my phone and at the end of this post, I will tell you how many of them I have actually uploaded to Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.  :-)

I was waiting at a bus stop and my hubby and I were taking pics.  I sneaked one of myself and yes, I know I'm showing too much cleave...again.  But what can I say?  It's inevitable with breasts of my size.

I feel like there are different types of girls that post selfies:

1. The truly narcissistic and self-centered girls.  

These chicks like to pose while wearing skimpy gym clothes, revealing tops, or hardly anything at all.  They're looking for shock value and want attention from guys, but you know who else?  They want attention from the girls too.  They do this as a slight competitive thing and it's almost like peacocking.  If you don't know what that means, either go to Urban Dictionary or watch 17 Again.

Snapping a selfie while at a dim sum restaurant.  Classy.

2. The girls who need a self esteem boost.  

They're feeling "ugly", "depressed", or "down" and need some ego stroking from others.  They put a pic of themselves out there where they know they look good, but try to display this false modesty in order to fish for compliments.  Or they really just have low self esteem and need reassurance from others of their beauty and good looks.

3.  The girls who just feel good about themselves and want you to know it...and they're kind of inspiring you to feel the same about yourself.

I have to say that I can't really hate on these girls because in a weird way there's a mix of a background of story going on here.  On one hand, they know they look great in the pic and they hope others think so too.  But then on the other hand, they're confident in themselves enough to put a picture of themselves out there in the first place and they really don't care what people will say or think.  They are fully aware that there are gonna be some haters, but there are also gonna be some lovers.  So no matter the outcome, they're just doing their thing.

And again while at a Thai restaurant.  The way I see it, it's usually a 50/50 split between taking pics of myself or the food.

So which girl am I?  Well, as promised, I'm gonna tell you how many of these selfies I've actually posted on social media and shared with friends and people I barely know: none.*  These are all pics that I just have on my phone from days where I felt good and wanted to save the memory.  Now, take that for what you will, but I guess I'm working on my #selfiegame, because I'm officially posting them all here!  So no matter what people throw back at you, you just keep doin' you girl.

Annnnnd one more for the road.

What I look like right now as I'm typing this.

Love.  Peace.  And buttermilk biscuits.

*Disclaimer: On my new Instagram account, beautybynadiamitchell, I go #selfie crazy, but as far as my personal accounts go, I'll give you a nickle for every #selfie you can spot.  ;-)

How to Dress for Your Next Job Interview

As someone who has been on SEVERAL job interviews and has actually even had jobs that involved interviewing applicants, I'd like to think that I've picked up on a few things.  Below are just some suggestions that I have found helpful when it comes to dress and grooming- and this is coming from the perspective of both sides of the desk.

1.  Hygiene.

It is important to properly bathe and wash your hair, so please do not replace a real shower with gallons of perfume or cologne.  Just. Don't.  We don't want to smell your presence after you've been gone for an hour.

2.  Hair.

When I see someone come in with super tightly curled, heavily sprayed hair, my mind immediately starts thinking, "Gurl.  Calm down."  It's always best to err on the side of more natural looking waves or straight hair.  I will say though, that buns are a big turn off.  I have no idea why- they just are.  Pony tails pass.

3.  Clothing.

It's been said that you want to dress for the job that you're applying for.  My husband has mainly worked in construction and he honestly has shown up to his interviews with dirty work boots and jeans and landed the job!  Of course, I have always made him at least comb his hair.

I on the other hand, have always had office jobs, so I like to wear a skirt or dress pants with a flowy top and cardigan (it's kind of my uniform).  Beware of bright colors like red, yellow, or orange- they can be distracting and aren't always super flattering under fluorescent lights.  You can never go wrong with black, grey, navy, or white.  If you choose to have some color, definitely just go with a splash, such as in an accessory, which brings me to my next tip...

4.  Accessories.

Job interviews are not the time to be showing off your new statement necklace or stilettos.  Again, you want to appear put together and classy, and even though these items are trendy and can dress up an outfit, you should just wait until you land the job, get a vibe for how others dress, and then give those sparkly gems a go.  ;-)

5.  Makeup.

Smoky eyes are for da club.  Now, you can certainly do a very neutral version of this look, but leave all of the dramatic stuff for another time.  Go easy on the blush and bronzer and please...no fake lashes!  Be careful to not draw on your eyeliner too thick, but don't be afraid to have fun with a discreet cat eye.

6.  Nails.

I feel like a lot of women forget this one!  As a DIY-home-manicure type of girl, I would say that I have my nails painted about 3 1/2 weeks out of the month.  When it comes to special events, church, and yes, work, I prefer for my nails to look fresh and fully polished.  When prepping for a sit down interview, go with softer, more neutral colors such as cream, white, or even blush.  AVOID RED.  Yes, it's a pretty shade, but it comes off  super strong and high maintenance when you're interviewing.  

If you're not the nail polish type, then please cut, trim, file, and buff those puppies.  And if you're feeling a little dangerous, brush on a clear polish or nail strengthener for a little something extra.  :-) 

7.  Your handbag.

I personally feel like the purse you carry says a lot about your personality.  It's true that not everyone cares about handbags and is as emotionally invested in them as I am, BUT STILL.  If you're applying to a company that has a high level of professionalism, go for a sleek, structured tote.  If the job is going to be in a more business casual setting, you could go with a satchel or maybe even a cross body bag.  Big note on the cross body though: don't actually wear it across your body.  Just let it hang from one shoulder so that you don't come off as too informal or even worse, make us all wait while you struggle to get the bag off when it's caught on your earring or something.

Now go get 'em tiger.

Love.  Peace.  And buttermilk biscuits.

I'm on YouTube!!

BIG NEWS you guys! I have started a YouTube channel!!  I just made it a week ago and I'm so nervous about it.  But I'm also super stoked!!  You can find me under Nadia Mitchell.  :-)

Ignore my ridiculous face snapshot on my video.  haha

I've also started a new Instagram account under the name: beautybynadiamitchell.

I've decided that I'm gonna go crazy with selfies and duck faces on this IG and I don't have to worry about what my friends and family will think of it.  :-P

I guess my idea for my channel is pretty much the same for this blog, but in a weird way, I feel like talking into a camera by myself is a little easier than writing everything down and uploading photos.  Huh.  I'm definitely trying to get the hang of it and I know it's going to be a little bumpy at first, but I'm really hoping I can stick with it and be successful at it.

One of the reasons why I wanted to do this is because out of the more popular beauty vloggers and the ones that I follow, I really don't see anyone like me.  And isn't that part of what this is about?  When we go onto YouTube and we're looking up beauty hauls or tutorials, isn't it that much better when we look at the screen and kind of see our own reflection?  I know that I feel more inclined to listen and be interested when I can relate. Not just to the products that she's talking about, but also to how she looks, the color foundation that she wears, or the same beauty mistakes and issues that she runs into.  So...instead of scouring around YouTube trying to find someone more like me, I just decided what the heck?!  WHY NOT ME?!

By today's standards, I am considered plus size- I wear anything from a size 14-16 and usually XL to XXL in tops.  But you know what I find weird?  When I look up plus size beauty gurus on the web, I don't find women that are shaped like me- they're usually a good 4 sizes bigger than I am!

Another thing that I run into is that these women either 1) have money, so they can afford the good stuff or 2) write articles or do videos for a living.  When considering these two factors, I just feel such a disconnect.  You've heard me say it many times and I'll do it again- I. AM. POOR.  There are some weeks where I literally have to count the dollars in my bank account or where I have to choose between getting pads or food and you know what?  I'm not gonna lie- sometimes it's completely my own fault. But my main point is that I don't live in a nice house or a super cool city flat and can afford to do beauty hauls every month.  I don't have an amazing job or endorsement with a beauty line and just spend my days gushing over the latest and prettiest products.  When I say I am a normal girl, I mean, I AM a normal girl.  I live paycheck to paycheck, buy fancy things when they're on super sale, and live for the moments where I can splurge $20 bucks on skincare products from the drugstore and if I'm really good, SEPHORA.  So I want to reach those kinds of girls. I want to be a bit of inspiration for those ladies who feel me on this.

The second reason as to why I started a YouTube channel is because I'm tired of working.  Now before you want to cyber-slap me, hear me out.  I'm tired of working to just pay the bills.  I'm tired of working for someone else who obviously has way more money than I do.  I'm tired of not doing something that I'm passionate about.  And most of all, I'm tired of feeling sorry for myself and I want to start feeling proud of myself.

Makeup and all things beauty is my thing and I'm not ashamed of it.  Some may think that I'm shallow and superficial or that I have no substance, but you know what I say?  I don't care.  I love these things and I see that people who started from nothing have been able to make a career out of this.  Some people have even had major opportunities thrown at them- meet and greets, their own beauty and clothing lines, and gracing the covers of magazines!  Now, I'm saying that I'm looking for fame...but if I'm going to work, I finally want to work at something that I love.

Alright, alright.  I'm gonna cut this short because now I feel like I'm just ranting and that is not cute.  So all in all, I hope you guys check out my new YouTube channel and if you like it, please subscribe!  And please follow me on Instagram for all those awkward selfies and weird pics.

Love.  Peace.  And buttermilk biscuits!