Sometimes all you need is a day with the girls to lift your spirits (and perhaps some other areas that may also need, ahem, a lift). I spent the day at the Terribly Girly studios yesterday with my friend, Nicole. This was her first time experiencing the hard work and production that goes into each of these sessions.

After a few hours in wardrobe, hair, and makeup, she asked if I could remember my first shoot and how I got started in the first place. Turns out, I was feeling a little low and decided to treat myself to something fun. It was around Christmas, I was living alone, feeling lonely, and coming out of a bad relationship that had left me with more than a few self-esteem issues. The minute I stepped into the TG studio, all that stuff was pushed out of my mind. The girls were friendly, confident, and encouraging – and SO talented!

Nine shoots later, I’m glad these women are keen on making a point about beauty and self-image. I may not be a cookie-cutter beauty, but they don’t seem to mind – and neither do I.

Here are a few behind-the-scenes shots from another wonderful day of playing dress-up: