The Female Factor celebrated its third anniversary in high fashion Wednesday at The Studio in downtown Troy.

Stephanie Carter, whose Judith March fashions are sold in boutiques all across the nation and in Mexico and Australia, spoke to a packed house of “females” of all ages. And, Carter encouraged the women, no matter the age, to dress the way you feel.

“If you look in the mirror and don’t feel comfortable or confident in the way you look, then don’t wear it,” she said. “Dress the way you feel.”

Carter, a native of Tennille, “God’s Country,” admitted that she sometimes changes clothes as many as 20 times before she gets the “right feel.”

Carter told her audience that she is confident that she is doing what is God’s plan for her.

Seemingly, against all odds, a “country girl” has risen to great heights in the world of women’s fashion in a relatively short time.

Carter, laughingly, said she didn’t always have an eye for fashion. In high school at Pike Liberal Arts School, she often dressed the way she felt, “in jeans and sweat shirts.”

Carter’s friend, Christy Carlisle Smith, who is CEO of Carter’s Southern Fashion House design company, quickly whipped her back into fashion. “As she continues to do today.”

“I grew up in the country and I appreciate my country roots,” Carter said. “Christy and I would ride trucks to get a biscuit before going to school in the mornings. We are country girls.”

The country influence can be seen in many of Carter’s designs along with the influences of the beach, football and, of course, her mom, Judy Carter.

Carter’s career as a fashion designer began as a personal shopper and was guided by what she learned “behind the cash register,” from sorority houses and from over-priced women’s blouses.

“I was at the beach and was looking for a top,” she said. “Everything I liked had a $200 price tag.”

A light went off in Carter’s head and, perhaps, a few dollar signs flashed before her eyes.

“I had been selling clothes out of my Mustang,’ she said. “I knew what women wanted and I knew I could sell.”

A short time later, Carter was riding along Rosemary beach and saw a vacant 100-foot spot. I thought I could put up a tent and sell clothing women would like,”

Carter said the real estate agent doubted that she had enough space for make a go of women’s clothing shop.

“I told him that when I sold out, I’d pull my Mustang around the get out more clothes,” she said, laughing.

To continue being successful in the women’s clothing line, Carter said a designer has to give women what they want and what they can afford.

She has a line of Game Day dresses and dresses with longer hem lines.

She has clothing for the Duck Dynasty-kind of gals. She has Bohemian styles and something for the country girls and lot of items for the hippy in all women.

And, when a woman is feeling a little frou-frou, she had that, too.

Carter said, as a working mom in a demanding industry, she sometimes has to struggle to maintain balance in her life.

“But I have an opportunity to make women feel good about themselves,” she said. “I believe that’s God’s plan for me. And, I’m so fortunate to be able to do what I love.”