Many brides want something old, new, borrowed, and blue for their wedding. Well, one bride’s dress ended up being “borrowed” in the days following her big day. More specifically, it was “something stolen.”
Jessica Blackwell couldn’t believe her luck when she found out that her beautiful wedding dress had been stolen. It seemed to have been nestled safely in the trunk of her husband’s car. However, upon opening the trunk, the dress was nowhere to be seen.
The crime had occurred just outside the couple’s apartment in Indianapolis. The reason the dress was in the trunk was that it had gotten a little muddy during the newlyweds’ big day. Jessica’s husband was planning on taking the dress to the dry cleaners, only to discover that the someone else was happy to “do their dirty laundry.” Astounded by the sheer audacity of the crime, the couple took to social media.
Blackwell ended up posting on Facebook about the unbelievable incident, describing the mermaid-style dress. Her hope was that if the thief in question tried to re-sell the dress, then someone might recognize it online.
“I hope they know that they can just leave it on the porch,” she said. “You’ll feel better about yourself. You’ll feel better about what your decisions are. Just please bring it back, because it’s really important to us.”
Surely enough, Jessica’s plan to advertise the dress online was met with success. Although it’s not clear whether it was simply a good Samaritan or the actual thief, somebody contacted her regarding the dress.
It turns out that the person in question had the dress and after seeing Jessica’s post on Facebook, they were determined to return the dress back to her. Jessica and her husband are thrilled to see the gown back in their closet. “I am just blessed,” she said.
40+ Stories of Women Helping Women That Remind Us Just How Strong Females Are
When women support women, it makes everyone involved a little bit stronger. Whether it’s lending a helping hand, offering some kind words, or going to bat for somebody, it’s powerful when one woman recognizes and helps out another. Of course, this sort of thing starts young, when girls look out for each other and step in if necessary. In fact, when we really think about it, with women taking care of one another, there’s hardly any need for men at all.
Just Take a Breath
It’s difficult to fully describe how impossible it can feel to take care of children, especially in the grocery store. They’re running in opposite directions, they’re grabbing things and putting them in the cart, and they’re making lots of mess the whole time.

The woman in this story was trying to control two kids and ended up almost in tears by the time she got to the cashier. Thankfully, another woman stepped in with five bucks, told her to breathe, and sent her on her way.
Sending Her on Her Way
This very heartwarming story is about a high school teacher helping one of their students pay for college. More than that, this teacher collected clothing donations so their student could properly experience living in a cold climate for the first time.

Support like this is obviously monumental in someone’s life. Because of this teacher’s support, this student now has the opportunity to go to college. Additionally, she knows that other women are there to help her reach her goals.
The Nicest Neighbor Ever
From reading this next story, this woman’s next-door neighbor seems like an actual guardian angel. Both of these women are military wives – women whose husbands are in the military – and at least one of the women’s partners was deployed overseas.

To help her get through this difficult time, this woman’s neighbor brings her homemade food and includes her in plans. If women supporting women means getting homemade cinnamon buns, then sign us up! We’ll take a dozen.
Do You Need a Hug?
This next post comes from a competitive figure skater who was only a young teen at the time of this story. This young skater attended a skate competition with her male coach, and ended up skating rather poorly. Understandably, she felt deflated, and couldn’t express her emotions with her coach.

That’s when one of the girl’s competitors appeared, and directed her to the dressing room. In there, a mom was waiting with tissues and a mom hug. We’re not crying, you are!
Look Outside the Box
Sometimes in life, people need to hear that they’re going to be OK. It can be overwhelming to exist in a world where you’re always told that you need a career, a family, and a certain kind of life. That makes some people feel boxed in and misunderstood.

That’s why it’s so important to have enthusiastic women tell us to do whatever we want. This woman’s medieval music history teacher told her that unusual people change the fabric of society, and that inspired her to follow her own path.
Sisters Before Misters
In a work environment, it can be difficult to stand up for what’s right. This is especially true if your manager is a man, and you don’t think he’ll be responsive to your problem.

In this case, someone’s boss used offensive language to talk about his employees, and this woman wasn’t sure what to do with it. Thankfully, a crew of work sisters stepped in and helped to craft an email to the higher-ups. Ultimately, the man in question lost his job.
I’ll Take Care of That
Many people have stories of a kind stranger that stepped in to help pay for groceries. This is a generous and kind-hearted move, but it also teaches people what a difference a gesture can make. The woman who wrote this post was only seven years old when someone paid for her single mom’s groceries. It meant the family could enjoy a birthday cake with their grandma.

The important takeaway from this story is that this woman learned at seven years old that women helping other women is powerful.
Take Time to Treat Yourself
Having a supportive friend is priceless, but imagine having one that also sends you money. This person’s friend was cheering them up after a breakup, and sent them five dollars to treat themselves to a coffee.

While this is a small amount of cash, it allows the person who feels low to indulge and feel like they’re being looked after. In the end, it’s better to be miserable with a caramel latte than without one.
Making it All Better
Migraines are the absolute worst. They have all the pain of a bad headache, but with additional symptoms like nausea or seeing a sort of aura around everything you look at. Unlike with a headache, when you’re down with a migraine, you can’t even look at your phone.

Usually, you’re just stuck there, in a dark room, trying not to feel everything. In moments like this, what’s better than your mom showing up with a tub of ice-cream? Now, that’s support.
It’s the Little Things
OK, out of all the items on this list, this is a special kind of support. This woman was struggling with depression and was staying in bed all day. Rather than trying to convince her to get up, or dismissing her symptoms, this woman’s friend offered to come over and draw her eyebrows on.

Anyone that keeps their eyebrows maintained knows what a difference a good set of brows has. If this woman didn’t feel like herself, then good brows are definitely a step in the right direction.
Building Each Other Up
When you go on vacation, you can end up feeling a little paranoid about your appearance. It might be that your clothing sticks out in the city you’re visiting, or that you’re much taller than is usual for the country you’re visiting. Of course, this can also happen in terms of race and identity.

This Latina woman was feeling insecure when she visited Sweden — the home of blonde, fair-skinned people. Thanks to a compliment from a Swedish girl, she shook off her insecurity and had a great time.
Stronger in Numbers
Hold onto your hats folks, because this next post is pretty moving. This woman felt supported by a mom’s group on Facebook, and they ended up standing by her side as she went through a traumatic experience. Firstly, this new mom’s online pals visited her in the hospital when her son was ill.

Touchingly, they also gave her a quilt made from all of their babies’ onesies. Tragically, this woman’s son passed away, but her mom’s group was still there to offer support and love.
We’re in This Together
Ridiculously, some people can still be squeamish when it comes to breastfeeding. Despite having fed on breastmilk themselves, these people seemingly can’t get over the fact that parts of women’s bodies can be used to feed children. Shouldn’t we be celebrating that? Isn’t that some sort of miracle?

Thankfully, the woman in this post experienced some solidarity from a fellow breastfeeding mom. When she was getting dirty looks for feeding her child, another mom sat down and joined her.
Just to Let You Know
It seems like the plot from a romcom, but of course, there are plenty of twins out there so it’s inevitable that some get involved in a cheating miscommunication. In this case, someone dating an identical twin received a text message from a girl they didn’t know.

This girl revealed that they had just seen this person’s boyfriend flirting with another girl. Thankfully, this was all just a twin mix-up. However, it’s nice to know that there’s a network of women watching out for each other.
Compassion and Kindness
There are times in life when we need to step up, and that’s what happened when this woman fell ill. This person fell and ended up with a full leg cast and injured shoulders. Clearly, they couldn’t take care of themselves, so they had to rely on their daughter.

This person’s 14-year-old child did the household chores, cared for her brother, and never complained about it. Because of this situation, this mom was able to appreciate the love and support her daughter was able to offer.
Providing a Calming Presence
High school can be a pretty troubled experience, and this is true for some people more than others. The young woman who wrote this post found herself in a group project and ended up feeling stressed about the whole thing.

During a study session, another girl looked at her and told her that she could talk to her whenever she needed. Just reaching out to someone with a simple sentence like this can have a huge overall effect.
It Takes a Village
Isn’t this a heartwarming image? In the days of smartphones and social media, everyone wants to get the perfect picture. For this woman, that meant a well-lit image of her biting into a piece of pizza. Hey, each to their own.

Rather than take a grainy picture of themselves, this woman got a posse of women to stand in front of her with their phone lights on. Better than a Lumee, this circle of light shows women stepping up for each other, even for the little things.
Confidence and Careers
Unfortunately, sometimes people sabotage one another when it comes to jobs. They might write a bad reference, forget to recommend you, or just show no interest at all. Thankfully, this woman encountered a super supportive female colleague who helped kickstart her educational career.

When this colleague found out that their substitute teacher was looking for a full-time job, they nominated them for a post at a great school. Thanks to them, this woman was able to move out, save money, and blossom into a great teacher.
Girls Gotta Stick Together
Alright, if we’re talking about women supporting each other, then we need to talk about creepy guys. Alas, creepy guys are just a part of life for women, but it’s a shame that most of us know this from a very young age.

As you can see in this story, a man was trying to hit on a camp counselor and was shooed off by a 12-year-old girl. This little girl already knew to interrupt a creepy man and talk over him.
She Saved My Life
Abusive relationships are extremely serious, and it can be really difficult to get out of one. Some women are scared for their safety, others don’t have anywhere to go, and some are stuck in a cycle that feels impossible to get out of.

When this woman says that her friend saved her life, she’s not overexaggerating. This supportive friend offered somewhere to stay, fielded off excuses, and offered a listening ear. Thanks to this woman’s support, another woman survived.
Taking Time to Talk
Sometimes when you bump into someone, you can sense that something is wrong. Perhaps they have tears in their eyes, or maybe they’re just not acting like they usually do. In these cases, it’s worth offering a helping hand, or a shoulder to cry on.

In this story, an acquaintance noticed that someone was having a bad day and treated them to a cupcake and a chat. In many situations, a cupcake is exactly what someone needs to feel better.
Thinking of Others
We all know that sometimes it’s the little things that really make a difference. When this woman spotted another woman in their class watching a great series on their laptop, the woman glanced back and saw them.

Rather than being embarrassed about streaming in class, or getting territorial over her show, she kindly switched the subtitles on. While it’s probably best to actually listen in class, we’re glad these two were able to strike up a TV-related bond.
Take Out to the Rescue
There are plenty of situations where it’s impossible to cook. Whether it’s because of illness, due to logistics, or just lack of motivation, we all have reasons to turn to take-out once in a while. This person was dealing with a sick toddler who was suffering from the flu for multiple weeks.

That’s a long time to clear up vomit and sweat-stained sheets. Thankfully, this woman’s friend saw one of her posts on Instagram and sent over a Mcdonald’s order with coffee and apple pie.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
This story recounts a magical encounter involving a Broadway show, an iconic song, and a fairy drag mother. This poster was standing outside a theatre in New York City and decided to sing The Wizard of Oz’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

While they were mid-belt, a drag queen appeared to tell them they were going to be a star one day. This little bit of support encouraged this person to really get into musical theater. And from where we’re standing, that’s always a good thing.
We Love Your Dress
Everyone knows that women are at their friendliest in clubs and bathrooms. In these spaces, women tend to band together, and are more likely to strike up friendships or give out compliments. This woman was enjoying a night out when she complimented another woman’s dress.

The woman was delighted, and immediately told all of her friends. These pals decided to pay this complimentary woman back by showering her with her own compliments. Gather round gals, it’s the circle of kindness!
She Just Said That
Women are all too familiar with “hepeating” — pronounced like “repeating.” It’s when a woman says something and everyone sort of glosses over it and nods and glances into the distance. Then, when a man says the very same thing, everyone tells him it was a good idea, praises his originality, and proceeds to follow his directions.

Thankfully, when more than one woman is paying attention, they can band together and call this out. Hopefully, over time, women’s ideas will be heard the first time.
Don’t Forget to Eat
When you’re feeling terrible, it can be difficult to do even the basic things. You want to lie in bed all day with the curtains closed, and you only want to move to go to the bathroom. You’re not interested in showering, and you definitely won’t be cooking.

That’s when other women step in. This woman recovering from a breakup was just about getting by. So, her friend made her a sandwich every day so that she’d definitely be eating something.
Pretty in Pink
We’ve already seen that women have a lot to deal with even from a young age. Whether it’s creepy guys or being ignored at work, women need to always be on their toes. That’s why it’s so good when women look out for each other.

It’s tough enough getting by, so why not get together and make things easier? When this person was being followed by a random guy, a woman gave her some pink pepper spray. That’s protective and pretty — how perfect!
Giving an Extra Push
Going through a breakup can be truly devastating, and it can affect your entire outlook on relationships. In these situations, it’s easy to spiral and end up thinking you’re not desirable or interesting enough to be with.

Thankfully, other women can step in and make sure you don’t fall into that trap. This person ended up with a vanity covered in sticky notes after their relationship ended. They weren’t even that close with this person, making it all the more touching.
For Better or for Worse
It’s easy to be there for someone when they’re getting married, but what about when they get divorced? It’s one thing to show up in a pretty dress and eat cake, but will you still be there when the happy couple is arguing over who gets the dog?

Well, the women described in this tweet are definitely standing by their friend. Rather than sitting around being sad, these women have whipped up some matching t-shirts and booked themselves a vacation.
Swords for the Sisters
We have to laugh when we read this next post. This woman was at a gaming convention on her birthday, and another woman found out and gifted her a sword. Naturally, this makes more sense within the context of a gaming convention, but we still love the image of one woman handing another woman a sword.

A sword isn’t the sort of gift you just forget about, especially if you’re the kind of person that gets excited about a sword. What a win!
This Is My Life
It can be tough to stay in touch, even with all of today’s modern technologies. That’s why these two best friends decided to make PowerPoint presentations to fill each other in on their lives. This way, they could go into detail about different areas of their lives, and do it using cute pictures and animations.

This isn’t just adorable — it also shows lots of time and effort. Looking at this just makes us want to call our bestie and get PowerPoint fired up.
Can I Sit Here?
When most people see someone crying on public transport, they walk right by. That might sound cold-hearted, but it’s just the way humans have learned to be, especially in large cities. Thankfully, some people don’t let that stop them, and instinctively go to reassure people.

The woman described here comforted the woman crying beside her on the subway for 20 minutes. By taking this time to listen to a stranger, she significantly improved their mood. She also showed that women are always there for each other.
Let Me Walk With You
You know what we just said about how most people avoid crying people on public transport? Well, how do you think those same people react to sick people on public transport? Spoiler — not well. Usually, when someone is sick on a bus, the other passengers are pretty irritated about it.

In this case, an unknown woman stepped in to help someone who was on their way to their driving permit test. With some water and a pack of tissues, she was ready to face the test.
Hey, Great to See You Again
Here’s yet another story about women supporting each other on public transport. Most women have a story like this, where women they don’t know pretend to know them in order to save them from a creepy guy.

In this situation, the women all pretend to be friends and quickly ice the man out. Usually, the man is scared off by the group of women. In this story, two women offered to get off at someone’s bus stop so that she’d feel safe all the way home.
Lifting Each Other Up
Because of past inequalities between men and women, some industries are more male-dominated than others. This can be because women aren’t traditionally encouraged to do certain jobs, or because they don’t feel welcome in particular workplaces.

That’s why it’s so important when women in male-dominated industries stick together. Without that, women will continue to feel uncomfortable in certain fields. The female engineers mentioned here make a point of helping and lifting each other up. We love it!
Do You Want to Sleep Over?
Sometimes after a breakup, you need a change of scenery. Being somewhere new can jumpstart your mind, and give you inspiration for a new kind of life. When this woman broke up with her boyfriend, her high school best friend invited her on a trip to the UK for the entire summer.

This woman supported another woman through an emotional time, and gave her the space and confidence to recover. Is it just us, or are women the best?
Date Nights With No Date
While hopping off to another country is one way to deal with a breakup, sitting on the couch and eating ice-cream is another great way. This woman was used to spending Friday nights with her fiancé, so her best friend stepped in to take his place.

This meant that this heartbroken woman could maintain her routine and not freak out over the end of her relationship. As well as this, by spending Friday nights together, the women became even better friends.
Gangs of Girls
While some stories on this list are pretty serious, this one is sure to put a smile on your face. Sometimes, in order to feel supported, you just want a gang of teenage girls to tell you that your highlight is poppin.’

Getting a genuine compliment out of such a group is a surefire way to feel supported and fabulous. Remember, if you ever see a woman and her highlight is poppin,’ make sure to tell her. It’s girl code.
Getting That Dollar
There are ways you can make women feel more confident or supported, and there are ways you can tangibly improve their lives. When women in positions of power help other women, it just makes all of us stronger. This person’s female boss managed to get her a raise after six months at their job.

This boss recognized that women are often looked over in the workplace, and usually don’t ask for a raise. Instead of giving advice, she sorted out the problem. Queen!
We Got Your Back
Incredibly, we’ve gotten quite far through this list and haven’t even mentioned sanitary products yet. As we’ve said, women’s bathrooms tend to be rather supportive places. This is especially true if you find yourself without the necessary products at that certain time of the month.

Though most women’s bathrooms have vending machines for such emergencies, other women are more than happy to help out. As this story shows, lots of women come prepared and ready to share. Hey, it’s ovaries before brovaries — right?
When in Doubt, Chocolate
Here we have a small group of women that work in a male-dominated workspace. In these situations, it’s important that women stick together, even if it’s just for ranting reasons. These women head out for a chocolate binge when they’re in need of a venting session.

After all, they need to talk about the fact that men keep talking over them, or asking them to make cups of coffee. Plus, chocolate cures all things, so women may as well keep some handy.
Let Me Show You
Would you prefer a vanity covered in encouraging sticky notes, a PowerPoint session with your bestie, or a photo collage complimenting you on your friendship? Whichever you pick, you’re sure to walk away feeling loved, supported, and truly seen.

This best friend surprised her bestie with a thoughtful and super-sweet selection of pictures. We totally understand why this person has been brought to tears by their bestie’s gift. If someone presented us with this, we’d be bawling our eyes out.
Lights, Camera, Action
OK, here’s another question for you. Would you rather your friends all shine their phone lights on you to get the perfect selfie, that your pal transfers you five dollars for your favorite coffee, or that your bestie takes you out for a photoshoot? This lucky gal got taken for ice-cream and for a stunning photo session.

It’s a true and supportive woman that spends their time helping you get awesome pictures. A worse friend would hog all that good sunlight for themselves.
Here, Take One
And finally, we close our list with a woman that simply hands over her stuff when someone compliments it. This is also a fairly common phenomenon when it comes to women. Once in a while, if you compliment someone’s lipstick or necklace, they’ll take it off and offer it right to you.

We’re not kidding, this is a real thing. The person who wrote this tweet told a woman that they liked their flower patches, so the woman gave one to them. Simple, sweet, and supportive.