There’s a moment I always come back to.
I was at 10,000 ft elevation. Kneeling in the dirt, windburned and sun-tired, tying a new fly onto my line with chipped toenail polish showing through my Teva’s and dirt under my fingernails. My hat was pulled low against the wind. And I caught a glimpse of myself reflected in the alpine lake: strong, wild, unmistakably woman.
And it hit me — I didn’t have to choose.
I didn’t have to decide between mascara or muck boots, between delicate and determined, between “pretty” and powerful. I could be both – I am both.
The Outdoors Doesn’t Care What You Look Like — But People Do
The wild doesn’t ask if you’ve shaved your legs or if your pack matches your outfit. It cares if you’re prepared, if you respect the land, if you know your way out. But still, being a woman in outdoor spaces means dealing with assumptions — and sometimes those assumptions come from other women, too.
“You don’t look like someone who hunts.”
“You wear makeup camping?”
“You’re too soft for that trail.”
“You’re too into skincare to get dirty.”
“You wore that fishing?”
It’s exhausting. Not because it hurts — but because it’s so small-minded. The world hasn’t quite caught up to the idea that femininity isn’t fragile. That being soft doesn’t mean you’re not also sturdy. And that “outdoorsy” doesn’t come with a dress code.
Redefining What “Outdoorsy” Looks Like
Outdoorsy can mean long braids and dirt-smeared cheeks. It can mean painted nails gripping a fly rod. It can mean pink gear — or no gear at all. It can mean tough hikes, tender moments, messy hair, clean lines, floral scents mingled with campfire smoke.
Femininity doesn’t cancel out capability.
I hunt with makeup on sometimes. I pack a bathroom bag. I care about skincare. I cry when I’m frustrated and can’t cast where I want to. I also carry a heavy pack with the best of them, stay calm in storms, and split firewood. That contrast? It’s not a contradiction. It’s my reality.
Why This Matters
This isn’t about vanity. It’s about visibility.
When young girls scroll or search and only see one kind of “outdoorswoman” — one look, one vibe, one way to be — they start to believe that’s the only way to belong. And it’s not.
I want every woman to know: you don’t have to dim your light, dull your edges, or dress the part to take up space in wild places. The trail doesn’t require a personality test. The river won’t judge your style.
There’s more than one way to be wild.
In Case No One’s Told You Lately…
You are allowed to be feminine and fierce.
You are allowed to hike in a dress.
You are allowed to wear makeup to the trailhead.
You are allowed to cry after a long hunt.
You are allowed to be tender and tough and deeply, unapologetically you.
The outdoors is big enough to hold all of us — exactly as we are.
Don’t be afraid to be wild!
💬 Let’s Keep the Conversation Going:
Have you ever felt judged or underestimated for how you show up in outdoor spaces? How do you express your femininity in the wild?
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