The Outfits That Made These Divorcees Feel Desirable Again

"I remember buying this romper and feeling so pretty. Divorce is ugly and makes you feel broken, and you forget you're worthy of feeling beautiful. There's no shame in getting dolled up one night to remind yourself of your self-worth and the self-love you so deserve." -- Shelley Cameron

"Just as weddings are marked with that special dress, I searched for the perfect divorce dress. I ended up choosing a leopard-print miniskirt with faint specks of glitter in the fabric. That skirt was a symbol of change in and of itself. I wasn't the scared little girl who wanted to be invisible anymore. I had professional photographs taken of me holding a handmade, 'Just Divorced,' sign in front of the courthouse, a small divorce party and a divorce shower at work. I wanted to memorialize this day of freedom that signified the strength I now feel after standing through pain and fear." -- Elizbeth Wyman

"Gosh, before my divorce I was an awful dresser. I wore jean shorts, pleated dress pants and freakin' Hush Puppies. That ended soon after I moved out of the house. I went to a vintage store and bought a bunch of cool pearl-snap shirts. I'd always dug them -- just never bought any. I still wear them to this day. A badass pearl snap is key." -- Bill Flanigin

"This outfit was significant because it marked a major milestone for me personally, as I've lost nearly 40 pounds while enduring my divorce. I had always wanted to wear a naughty pair of hot pants out, and damnit I finally felt confident enough to rock 'em." -- Alesha Hardwick-Whyte

"After my divorce, I realized that the biggest thing missing from my life wasn't a partner -- it was me. I focused on finding myself again, and a big part of that was working out. My PiYo clothing became my go-to, and the workouts brought me strength. Much of that came in the form of physical strength, but the mental strength was even more life-changing." -- Aubrey Keefer

"My photographer friend, who is in the pic with me, invited me to a swanky BBQ at a mansion on Miami Beach. The thoughts running through my head were, 'Are you crazy? You're 54 years old and for sure there will be all 20-somethings there in bikinis and you are going to get depressed. You are setting yourself up!' I hadn't been lucky in love and living in Miami makes you feel pretty old, pretty quickly. I had bought this dress because when I tried it on at the store it made me feel princess-like. The fabric just was so wispy and flowed when I walked and the back plunged just enough to be attractive but the front... well, I wasn't so comfortable having such a plunge, but I bought it anyway. I felt like Alice walking through the looking glass. I turned heads. I had a security guard flirt with me, I had women tell me they loved my dress and a photographer ask to take my picture. I passed by another guard on my way out and he whispered, 'beautiful' and thats when I knew I had my groove back! Three years later, still no boyfriend but my groove has never left!" -- Debbie Martinez

"During my divorce, I shed over thirty pounds. I regained a sense of independence and confidence. I began to love fashion again, and wore clothes I never would have when I was married. When I finally stopped worrying about what other people thought, I found my own style. This outfit is something I would have stayed away from in the past, due to my age -- I'm a 40-something mom. I always thought holey jeans were off the table. Now they are a personal favorite, regardless of who might be staring. Let them look!" -- Trish Eklund