As The Oprah Winfrey Show comes to an end after 25 amazing years, we’ve realized that not only has Oprah kept us abreast of important social issues, she has also gently pushed generations of women to accept their legacy of beauty and style. In tribute to the big “O,” here are a few of her top unspoken lessons.
Love Our Bodies. We were there with Oprah when she first hit the scene in '84 as a curvy woman with a penchant for relationship issues. We were there in ’88 when she rolled out a wagon of 67lbs of fat to illustrate how much weigh she’d lost. She’d slimmed down to size ten then. Over the years, as her waistline fluctuated, her personal stories and encouraging words of acceptance helped every woman struggling with her body image. Oprah encouraged  a generation of women to love themselves regardless of what the scale said.
Be Real. We’ve seen Oprah without makeup, without fancy clothes, in sweatpants and in the raw. We know Oprah: the talk show host, the friend, the humanitarian and the woman. She’s taught us how to be multi-dimensional women who still maintain their hometown spirits.
Embrace Our Manes. Even though some of O’s hairstyles have reached heights higher than her TV show ratings, one thing has remained true about Oprah’s tresses – they’re thick and healthy! Whether it was the feathered poof of the '80s, the coifed asymmetric bob of the '90s or the curly ‘s Q’s of the '00s, it’s obvious that Oprah believes in caring for your hair. So does her stylist of 25 years, Andre Walker.
Put Health First. Between Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil, Oprah has personally gifted her audience with the tools for exercising, thinking and eating right. Covering everything from prevention of life threatening diseases to how choosing the right bra can change your life, O has always had our health – mental and physical -  at the top of her priority list.
We’ll miss you, Oprah!

(Photo: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images)