It has taken years but I think I've finally figured it out: my style. It's a little bit traditional, sometimes quirky, and a tad trendy. Reaching this realization wasn't easy. There was no "light bulb" moment, no aha! as I looked in the mirror one day. It was more of a gradual acceptance of myself beyond my outfit decisions.

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about my post-pregnancy struggle with body image and how I've been working to change the way I think about myself. It's truly been a process, one that's involved letting go of ill-fitting, old, no-longer-appropriate clothing and a shift in shopping habits.

I absolutely love a good sale, but for most of my professional life I avoided buying almost anything at full price. If I did buy something that wasn't on sale, it was either something I absolutely had to have at the time or not great quality. Now, I still don't pass up a good sale but instead of buying a lot of cheap, poorly-made pieces that will only last one season, I've been investing in better quality clothes that will stand the test of time. Even so, I find myself drawn to the same silhouettes, colors and patterns over and over again.

I think, though, that one of the key transformations for me was when I stopped looking at other women's outfits and comparing them to mine. Theodore Roosevelt said, "Comparison is the thief of joy," and he's right. As soon as I stopped thinking about how so-and-so could pull off something I was wearing better than me, the more confident I became in my fashion choices. And as that confidence began to grow, people started to notice. And although it's kind of validating to get those compliments, it is much more important that I'm dressing for myself.