Everyday Women: The courage to be you

How do you find the courage to be yourself, to be just the way you are and stop hiding? The courage to wear that favourite jumper in the eye-catching colour, to laugh loudly even in larger crowds, to wear those high heels without any specific occasion, or to match your most comfortable trainers with the lace dress that often hangs untouched at the back of your closet? To do exactly what you want to do the most and what reflects you?

As people – and not least women – in a digital world full of perfect avocado toasts and long legs on sandy beaches, it is essential to have someone to look up to and mirror. For young as well as old, those who are loud and those who are more thoughtful, blondes as well as brunettes, colourful souls and stylish fashionistas, Everyday Women is about creating a space where everyone is welcome, learning from each other and meeting each other with curiosity and mutual respect.

We have met 6 Everyday Women, and they have helped us shed light on all that we have in common as women – all with great curiosity and mutual respect.

A real woman to see yourself in

Brave. Honest. Raw. Real. Filterless. Strong. Emotional. Loving. Personality traits and qualities the six Everyday Women have all shown, and that all of us have somewhere within. Sometimes they clearly have their space, and at other times they are hidden behind a façade or insecurities. But we have them. The insecurities are exactly why we need to stand together, battling all that which dents our self-confidence and fighting to strengthen communities. Because, although we all seem different – one laughs while another holds back, some always wear hats while others swear by sunglasses, some are always the centre of attention while others love dancing at home in front of the mirror – we might just have more in common than we believe.

There is no doubt that it has been a challenge for these six quite normal women to stand in broad daylight on a crowded street to have their picture taken – in the company of a group of strangers. And to draw on a real cliché, it’s through challenges that we become stronger as people, as communities, as individuals, as family members, as mothers, as daughters or as friend groups. Our challenges as women in the world today stretch even further; they are more and more about self-confidence and self-acceptance, about daring and about dreaming. And this is precisely why Everyday Women is an appeal to stick together – with the intention of creating unity, strength and a space for all of us to be completely ourselves – as we look, and as we are.

A lot of people say that I’m brave for sharing intimate pictures on Instagram, but I don’t think it should be considered brave or courageous. If this body type was normalized, it would not be brave anymore. For all the others, like fitness models who pose in a bikini, it’s not seen as courageous. So why is it if I do it?

- Jasmin Mairhofer, 36, Austria

Self-confidence: A life-long process

In the conversations with Everyday Women, one thing is clear: confidence does not happen automatically. The road to self-confidence can be long, and no matter where it begins, it’s a development process throughout life. And fashion can provide an opportunity to express yourself, find strength and show yourself off.

My outfits reflect my state of mind. My outfit brings me power, self-confidence and self-acceptance. That’s how I see it. I love to get dressed, choosing my shoes, getting my hair done and knowing that what I want is part of being confident to me. But I’m still learning. It’s still a process, and I think it’s going to be a process for my entire life.

- Andrea Bunod, 24, France

With Everyday Women we set a frame for everything we have in common to show that we are more alike than we think, that there is more to the Instagram-filtered world we see at first glance and to show that fashion is for everybody – with no exceptions nor regard to what size you wear.

I want to show that it is okay to be young and not be skinny, that you actually can get cool clothes, although you’re not skinny. And that having your picture taken doesn’t have to be annoying. That was kind of what I thought, that it was cool to show this.

- Maja Thusgård Poulsen, 21, Denmark

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