As most of you know, last week I partnered with Nicole Elaine Vintage to inspire the next generation! We challenged you to tell us why you love vintage and how you might inspire our young female generation to feel like confident beautiful young women with it. This giveaway was a two-parter – Nikki was offering a $50 GC to tell us their story in the comments section and an additional $100 GC was up for grabs for a reader who was willing to share their story with the masses on Instagram.
This past week, the entries were all tallied and checked for valid entry in accordance with the rules of the giveaway. The winners were both randomly selected and will receive either a $50 or $100 gift card to spend to their heart’s content at Nicole Elaine Vintage. So, with the appropriate level of fanfare and sparkling confetti tossed in the air, the winner of the $50 Nicole Elaine Vintage gift card is….
(drumroll please)
✨🎉WINNER: Caroline 🎉✨
Congratulations Caroline! – you’ve won $50 to spend at Nicole Elaine Vintage! In the blog comments section, Caroline wrote: “I love using vintage as a way to “verbalize” my excitement, emotional state, motivation and inspiration. It allows me to do this visually and express myself in a way I may not have been able to otherwise. I hope when others see my unique style they are inspired to express themselves – be it with fashion, music, art or simply actually verbalizing their feelings!”
I loved Caroline’s entry so much. It reminded me of one of my all time favorite quotes by Miucci Prada, who said, “Fashion is instant language.” I love that vintage helps you speak more clearly, Caroline. Keep on being amazing!
And last, but certainly not least, the winner of our Instagram contest, for the $100 Nicole Elaine Vintage gift card is….
✨🎉WINNER: Rose 🎉✨
Congratulations Rose of @notfallingbutflying – you’ve won $100 to spend at Nicole Elaine Vintage! For her entry, Rose said: “I spend the majority of my days strapping on a pair of boots and putting on a uniform that was designed to fit a man. I’m living my childhood dream job, working as a military aviator when that option wouldn’t have been available to my female predecessors 60 years ago. Most days, I don’t wear make up to work and I keep my hair short. All that to say, while I love what I do it isn’t predisposed to make me feel feminine. I love that in my off time I can channel the elegance of the 1950s and yet have the options of a modern woman. I’d be hard pressed to say whether zipping up my flight suit or zipping up a vintage dress makes me feel more like I’m putting on my version of armor. The best thing about this generation is that you don’t have to pick – you can be both. You can be a feminine badass. We have that option, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything”. #vintagegeneration
I was so inspired by this story – the idea of living in a world where you feel your style is sometimes at odds with your professional culture really resonates with me. But Rose rocks all facets of her personality and finds just as much strength in her flight suit as she does in the perfect vintage Horrockses dress. We are all so multifaceted and can be everything and then some. You’re a total rockstar, Rose!
To me, the best way to inspire the next generation is to celebrate each other for our differences. To fight against conformity. To tell a stranger she looks amazing. Start a conversation with the shy person at the back of the room. To wear what makes you feel the best. Even without realizing it, your confidence is instilling confidence in someone else.
I’m just so full of warm, fuzzy vintage goodness after this. A huge congratulations to Caroline and Rose, for both your confidence and for your vulnerability. It’s not easy to share a piece of yourself with the world, but the people around you are being lifted up, whether you know it or not! You both will be emailed shortly with details on how to claim your prize.
If you didn’t win this time, you can still check out Nicole Elaine Vintage on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and their stunning Etsy shop. Thank you so much to everyone who entered. I was sincerely inspired by all of your stories and move by how powerful our vintage community is. I’d love to do a blog post featuring all of you at some stage – so keep an eye out for an email from me!
Keep on being inspiring…
xoxo
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