Words. How do you use them?

Words.  What are they really?  Just a jumbled bunch of random letters that when placed in some sort of order or pattern, they take shape and make perfect sense.  Words alone really have no impact.  Though occasionally, when certain words are chained together they can turn something meaningless into something beautiful, articulate, impassioned, or even thought-provoking.  More commonly, however, words can be thrown out quickly, without thought.  Those words are sharper than a knife and move faster than a gun, injuring the receiver and at times the sender as well. 

Style, like one's body type, is unique to each and every individual; it should be embraced and owned.  You may not agree with another persons choices but that doesn't mean they are wrong for making them.  Leopard shoes not your thing?  So what, they have been around forever and aren't going away anytime soon. Kitten heels aren't my personal style choice but they look fabulous and fantastic on tons of ladies.  What works for one, definitely does not work for all.  Negativity and critical words should be held in check by the sender because the receiver is more than likely very happy with their style and doesn't require, desire, or need your insulting input. 

Learn to embrace your own inner beauty, style and self worth.  Once you do, words will find a way out that are meaningful, warranted, and appreciated by all receivers and most importantly by you, the sender.

  
Photo and dictionary found here.

Where Do You Shop - Local, National, International?

When I was much younger, my tastes and interests were pretty limited.  Unless something was familiar, I didn't venture too far out from my comfort zones.  However, with age, my horizons and tastes have expanded.  Cheeseburgers no longer hold the same appeal to the newer version of me, they don't nearly capture my attention like a freshly made sushi roll.  Soda will never make me stop in my tracks the way the smell of freshly ground and brewed espresso will every time.  Or how I can pass aisle after aisle of shoes without a passing glance but will immediately stop for a moment of heel reverence in the designer shoe section at Nordstrom.   

Remaining only "local" no longer entices me or holds my interest as it did before either.  Seeing and discovering what is available, maybe only a few cities over, a state or more away, even in other countries is so much more intriguing. Learning how different and unique something is in the UK, Italy, or New York in comparison to what is available to me locally is not only an experience it is a true education. Seeing firsthand how unique and different an item is from Italy as compared to something locally is just a  magical gift.  Everything is not always perfect though, sometimes local is better in comparison to the foreign version. Unfortunately, if you don't have the free spirit and open mind to take the step to make that determination you will never know either way.  Enjoy the journey; wherever the path might take you, don't hesitate to follow.

 

 
Photo can be found here  

How many halves do you have?

Ever notice how so many items come together as a pair, or how things will be marketed and sold as a pair?  You would never buy just one heel, there are always two involved.  A perfectly matched pair meant to be sold and worn together.  Anything else would be less than perfection. Or how a single item can actually be considered a pair by how it was created?  Jeans are always referred to as a "pair" of jeans probably because there are always two legs involved when they are manufactured.  

Thankfully, this is not true of everything. For instance, purses aren't sold in pairs. A single purse can be quite lovely and perfect in its own right, without anything additional to make it so. 

Why in life do we always gravitate to the idea that in order to obtain true happiness we must be a part of a pair?  Granted being half of a pair can be truly wonderful but not necessary for one's life to continue.  A life shouldn't be spent seeking "my other half," it should be spent appreciating one's whole existence and those around them. Anything else would definitely not be perfection.

Picture of Burberry items can be found here

Adieu Vieil Ami

Is there anything harder or more tragic to do in life than to bid farewell to something or someone that you love?  As I sit here writing this, the knowledge doesn't make the passing any less painful.  The box, so simple, yet full of what I love and hold dear, cherished really, stares back at me almost mockingly.  So happy have I been with the contents that saying goodbye is almost unbearable.  How could something so wonderful no longer find a place in my life?  It all seems a bit surreal.

Opening the box, it reveals what I already know by heart.  Something practical yet beautiful all the same, that was always able to go with anything I so desired.  However, now as I hold the box and stare within, I see that nothing is quite the same anymore.  Nothing seems to work with its contents, its almost as if the contents have changed, morphed into something unfamiliar and unwelcome.

As I think of closing the lid, I pause again.  I think maybe I have overlooked something.  Surely I am mistaken, there must be at least one thing left in my closet, in my life, that the contents can magically still work with beautifully.  Do I dare grasp for a bit of hope?  Do I hold onto this precious bit of past in the vain belief that "one day" will come again?   Alas, no.  For I know, that no matter how beautiful the contents may have once been for me they will never ring true quite the same ever again.  So I bid farewell mon ami, you were loved and cherished, even if you were not aware; you will not be forgotten as you pass on to your new phase of life without me. I know that I will mourn this passing, for a bit of time, as I now finally close the lid forever. Adieu. 

 Picture can be found here.
 
 

New vs Old

Does fashion really have an age limit?  At what age do you decide to stop wearing a particular style? Who makes these choices anyway, you, the fashion industry?

Personally, I don't believe that fashion has an age limit.  If something looks wonderful on you, who cares if it is something made for a younger person, or shudder, for someone of a "certain age."  What matters most is how you look and, more importantly, how you feel when you wear the item. On the flip side, if something ages you or makes you uncomfortable, it isn't worth your time.  No matter your age, fashion is what you make of it, make it great or leave it at the store!

Image found at ninavintage.wordpress.com

Are you really that thirsty?

Occasionally the desire to go on a wild shopping spree will hit me.  During that fanatic shopping excursion I might spend several hours going through store after store, carefully selecting and trying on many varieties of shoes.  At the end of my trip, my splurge might result in three or possibly even four pairs of new shoes to enjoy throughout the season.   Can you imagine, however, purchasing as many as ten or twelve pairs instead in just a few hours?  Even if I had the funds to warrant the expense of that many pairs of new shoes, would I have the opportunity to enjoy all of them properly?  More importantly, would I have made wise selections in that short period of a time?

The more time that you spend carefully selecting a pair of new shoes, trying them on, looking at them from different angles, walking around to sense their feel, the better you will know if you and the shoes are a perfect match.  Is a first date any different?  Why would you during this time of getting to know someone for the first time, to judge if you are compatible or if you have the right things in common, consume more than a dozen drinks in under three hours? Are you so nervous that you need to consume large amounts of alcohol just to conceal it or are you so confident in yourself that you believe that amount of consumption is somehow okay or even acceptable?  Can your thirst be so great that it outweighs the realization that any chance of moving forward with your possible first encounter has been crushed?  Dating etiquette can be very similar to shoe shopping.  If you stick to less than one purchase per hour, you are probably making very wise choices indeed. 

Photos found here

Feeling Fruity?

Life can be quirky and amazing at times.  Other times it can be a kick in the face reminding you of the things you take for granted and the things you should just walk on past.  Recently I met someone that definitely fell into the category of what I should have walked away from instead of stopping by to meet. 

After a few weeks of dating, the running joke among my friends became that two of us were fruit, he was Orange and I was Kiwi. Separately these two fruits are quite delicious.  However, we all know that oranges can sometimes be tart if they aren't ripe yet and rotten when over ripe.  On the flip side, kiwi is a rather sweet and tender fruit that doesn't always pair so well with a citrus based fruit. The two of us together at first glance to outsiders seemed a perfect pairing, like a beautiful pair of heels.  However, after one bite I knew I had gotten an unripened orange that just wasn't mature enough to be even taken out of the orange grove.   It was almost like running around with two different colored heels on, they may be the same heel but the feel and look is just all wrong.  

Photos of heels found here.