Forever inspirations

Four women that I keep coming back to

Mar 04, 2025

Over the past few days, I’ve been sifting through images that I’ve recently saved, as I do almost every week for this substack. There were four particular visuals - each connected to or brought to life by four different women - that caught my eye and made me stop scrolling. The frizzy, unkempt hair from the FW25 Prada show, a martini dressed with a delicate piece of shattered, floral sugar shard, a selfie in a mirror where the subject looks beautiful, yet distorted and a nostalgic lo-fi image, capturing a look from All-In’s FW25 collection that is reminiscent of a candy necklace from my childhood.

Upon reflection, it suddenly hit me that none of these women were new additions to my saved folder. Over time they’ve become permanent residents in my “inspiration bank”, showing up time and time again to energize me much like an old friend. This led me to ponder on how certain individuals, or images that we save and collect, can become permanent fixtures in how we view the world and shape our own individual identities.

Why do I keep coming back to these four women? Could it be that the answer lies in what each of them represent. In a world that is constantly shifting and saturated with “ideal” versions of beauty and femininity, these women and what they create all feel bold, vulnerable and real. Each of them keep nudging me softly to remind me that there’s no one-size-fits-all definition of beauty, that beauty can lie in the imperfect and in embracing oneself. Perhaps this explains part of the reason why I’m so drawn to them.

Or could it be that I see something in each of them that deeply resonates with myself. Whether it’s their passion, their strength, their creativity, or their kindness. And that over time, they’ve evolved into more than just aesthetic inspiration. They’ve become subtle reminders of the qualities I admire in others and aspire to nurture in myself. They make me feel seen, understood and encourage me to embrace whatever version of myself I’m becoming. After all, isn’t that what we all need? A little dose of inspiration that feels like a warm hug, reassuring us that we don’t have to fit into any one box. That we can in fact be complex and messy, yet still strong.

I wonder if anyone else feels this way too. Who are the people that continuously inspire you? I’d love to hear about your “forever” inspirations!