I never thought I was vain. I really didn’t. But I am sad to report that I am among the worst offenders when it comes to being overly concerned about my appearance. It is weird. I have tried to find the perfect haircut over the years that lends itself to always looking right with a minimum amount of fuss.
Let’s do a quick tour of the Looks of Beth Ann.
Baby Beth Ann 
During grade school aka The Very Awkward Years I sported several different styles ranging from long and stringy to pixie cut. Here are a couple samples of what I could find.
Then came high school and trying to figure out who the heck I was.
Clowning around with my brother, Mark!
College came and I got another new look.
Marriage and babies followed and the decade of the perm was in . I hung onto that look just a little too long.
Then there was a brief stint at being a biker babe clad in leather–all to raise money for a church –it was not a good look—I was way too blonde and it was way too short.
At one point, when Chris and I moved to Iowa, we figured that this was a good look for us.
On a trip to the beach I thought I had finally hit upon the right look for me!
A couple of years ago I was whining to Chris that I hated all my pictures that I had on Facebook and especially on my blog. I really wanted a good one where I looked happy, had a nice smile and had a good hair day. He made the magic happen and I finally I had a picture that I loved.
This week my BFF Ann and I are going to go shopping for a dress for me to wear to Micah and Wendy’s wedding in August. I have put it off until now because …well…I wanted to lose some weight. This menopause thing is kicking my butt in the weight department. Unfortunately my lack of will power has not worked in my favor and I have to bite the bullet and realize that I am just going to have to buy a larger size than I really wanted to.
Aaron took a couple of shots of us this weekend while he was here for Mother’s Day. The lighting wasn’t all that great but we look pretty good. Or at least I think so.
Chris says that we have to look good for the wedding because these will be our “death pictures”. You know what he is talking about. Those pictures that they typically show before a Service of Remembrance on the screens in the church. So the pressure is on.
Find the perfect dress.
Get the haircut perfect.
Get the smile perfect.
Bottom line — be vain and go for the perfect image for those pictures.
Wish me luck!
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30 Comments
Leave a commentLong ago I decided to own up – I’m vain. And now I make no apologies for it. Welcome to our club Beth Ann
Thank you so much. I imagine there are more of us in the club than we would imagine, right? At least I am in good company! 🙂
You always look great! I actually like the biker chick look as well. I think we are all by nature, hard on ourselves when it comes to how we look. I always think about how I will look on the pictures they show at my memorial service too. Good luck finding the prefect dress. Can´t wait to see it!
We are naturally hard on ourselves, aren’t we? I guess it is just who we are as women. I just think I have denied it but honestly—why not own it? I am who I am and I want to look my best and I guess that is okay after all. Thanks for the wishes for finding that perfect dress. I am sure it will be an adventure!
Aw, isn’t it amazing to look back at all the “looks from our lives”!
(I can so identify with that menopause/weight thing….) And I’m thinking ahead to next April when we’ll be going to a HUGE entire school class reunion…. do you think I could lose even 5 pounds in the next 11 months???? Nope, probably not!
I look forward to seeing pics from the wedding. Good luck finding just the perfect dress! You will look beautiful, regardless!
It is amazing to look at those “looks”! I had big hair for awhile ! 🙂 Yea–that weight thing–I never ever in a million years thought that would be something I had to worry about but yep—-age changes things. Thanks for the encouragement. With Ann with me I am hopeful we can find the perfect dress!
I like your hair short… in picture #7. I have fine, thin, straight as a stick hair that behaves well IF there is no humidity. I have a pixie kind of cut and I use a small rod curling iron. I had a stylist/hair cutter for about 6 years of my life recently that understood my hair and she gave me a great cut that looked good even with humidity. She moved to Florida. If there is a lot of humidity I call it a day and wear a visor. I know you will find a great dress, your hair will look good, and with your smile you will look lovely!
My hair is fine but i have a lot of it apparently. My hair just goes totally flat in humidity and I like a little volume to it. I might be from Texas since sometimes I like big hair! I know it will all be fine. No one will be looking at me anyway! :-0
I actually LOVE the biker look!
It was a really fun day so I think I radiated the fun and the hair even though it was way too blonde for my liking must have done well that day!
Beth Ann, just relax. You always look happy, which always makes you look great! Always. You’ve got this, my friend. Remember, “It’s Just Life”…and you wear it well.
You are so sweet and you are absolutely right—just relax and enjoy! I love your positivity!
You are always beautiful and always will be! And, I agree with Marci…I like the short biker looker! Hugs to you!
that makes me think I need to go get my hair cut short again but I honestly don’t like it really short. I had it cut three months ago and I think Scott got distracted and when it was time to get it cut again it did not even need it! So I delayed the appt by 3 weeks and told him it was now the perfect length so don’t do much. He listened this time. Whew.
How you feel is most important, but really..we all love you for who you are inside! 😉
I love Baby Beth Ann’s look, so cute and didn’t we all have hair like that at one stage or another. My favourite of all the photos is the one of you on the beach your hair is lovely as is your smile. It looks as though you’ve found the perfect ‘do’ so maybe have it like that for the wedding? It certainly suited you, although I like the last picture too.
Oh dear I don’t know why I’m trying to give advice. I hate having my photo taken and am never happy with my hair so please don’t listen to me. Just have a good time and pose happily for those death photos! 🙂
Thanks, Barbara! I plan to have a great time regardless of the hair situation. I think just about every woman can understand the pain of trying to get the right cut and color, though. I will try to not stress about it!
After all of these years we finally find out the truth… It was not Mick Jagger that Carly Simon was singing about in the song “You’re So Vain” it was Beth Ann Chiles.. Who’d a thunk it?
Seriously—now I Have to fess up . It was me. Totally!
I really like the biker chick hair style…
I hope the wedding dress shopping goes well. It’s a challenge because you don’t want that matronly look. But then you don’t want to look ridiculous wearing a style that should be worn only by someone decades younger. I’m sure you will find the perfect dress. As far as the weight, you look pretty darned good to me. And, besides, everyone will be looking at the bride more than the mothers.
Enjoy this time. It’s so exciting to think that you will soon have a daughter.
I am NOT going to be matronly–trust me. My biggest concern is to get something cool. It will be hot hot hot and I just want something that is light and not too clingy. It will be fun to find the right one! I am sure there will be much laughter involved. 🙂
Laughter will make the task easier. I don’t like clothes shopping, so for me the task was daunting.
I like the biker chick hair too. Maybe I should try it. 😉
I have more hairstyle pics than I care to admit. The problem is that I was never very good at hair styling!
I think that is part of my issue as well. I think I need an expert in the bathroom with me every time I go to do my hair! But that does not seem practical, does it?
I like the way you have your hair in the shot your husband took recently. But I like the biker chick haircut too.
Thanks, Dawn! I am surprised what others like and how it differs from what “I” think!
OMG Chris, death pictures? That is wickedly funny and horrible all at the same time.
You know, I think most of us are the same. I still haven’t found a hairstyle that I really like and that I think looks good on me and I’m considerably older than you. I guess we’re just never satisfied with our looks. Anyway, hope you find the perfect dress. You’ll look wonderful! When my three got married — all in the same year! — I thought I was going to lose weight too. Well….didn’t happen. Maybe the stress of three weddings contributed to that, but I ended up getting dresses in a larger size than I wanted. And as crazy fate would have it, those dresses are now all too big for me! Go figure. 😉
You look lovely! You look like YOU. <3
I know you'll find the perfect dress for you – I can practically see your outfit in my head – and I know it will fit perfectly and you'll look exactly like you want to look.
But what's most important is that the love that surrounds you all on that day is felt and held closely. And remembered always.
I did find THE dress and it is lovely. And you are so right–the day will be filled with love and more love.