Why Not?

I don't care much about fashion, but I certainly like clothes.   Contradictory?  Not at all.The whims and vagaries of fashion no longer interest me, and I rarely follow what is happening on runways as that has little effect on my life.  But a great pair of shoes or a perfect dress, some inventive spin on a basic or a knock-me-over-with-a-feather coat and I get a little weak in the knees.  My closet is full, yet the siren call of something fabulous and new often calls. 

A friend recently commented that I was lucky because I have a lifestyle which allows me to dress creatively, as opposed to her life which she described as being not worthy of artful dressing.  Baloney!  While it is true that I get to show up at work while she shows up in her studio, I show up like this out of choice.  

 I went to the movies the other night with a friend and decided to toss on my new sassy shoes, just because.  They made me happy, and as my friend can attest, made others smile with delight.  Could I have shown up in flip-flops or sneakers?  Sure, but I didn't, my choice.  Could he have shown up in his fleece vest and dad-jeans?  Yep, but he, too, is trying on some new looks - and looking and feeling good.

My daughter has said it perfectly: "If you have to get dressed, why not make it fabulous?". Why not, indeed!

All great things must begin somewhere

3 years ago I was about to start a business. It had a concept, it had a reason to be, it even had a name (50/50). The concept was clothing (no duh if you know me) for mature women (ie probably over 40, or 50) who may have lost their waistlines but not their sense of style. The idea was to develop a core group of clothes + artistic accents, with the notion that mature women "need" little, but still get a kick out of great style, out of making a statement in the way they dress, out of expressing their sexuality, their individuality, their confidence in being themselves. The rest of the concept had to do with the fact that from the get-go, the business would be equally focused on promoting self-esteem in girls, with a percentage of the profits going to fund programs enabling girls to develop into their fullest potential. It was a great concept; I knew what it would look like and when I told my business plan to others, it was greeted with tremendous support for both the concept and for me - me! - launching it. I had partners ready to work with me and funders ready to fund. But two things happened: 1) I realized I was scared to take on all that responsibility and 2) my husband of 30 years suffered a traumatic brain injury the week I began serious business meetings, an injury which permanently altered him, affected my impending plans to leave the marriage and explore a new business, and totally altered my sense of what was coming next. So I dumped my business plans and dealt with life as it now presented itself.

Fast forward 3 years, and now I am running a business, albeit not one I began, but one which feeds my soul and allows me to interact with hundreds of artists and art-loving people. And I am separated from my husband and dealing - whoa Nelly! - with the whole new world of being single and knowing myself and dating and sex and all that stuff. And I still care a lot about clothing for women my age and get lots requests for advice about fashion and home decor as well as get lots of comments about my style. Many people suggest that my life these days would be a good movie. I say that that movie would have to be called "It's Complicated Up in the Air". I also say that reality is stranger than fiction, and thus the beginning of this blog.

My intention is to explore and share this road I'm traveling, the road of style and art and love and self discovery. I know this road is 50/50: half art/half feeling, half style/half deep exploration of the way girls and women experience love. I hope it's interesting and of value, and welcome your comments.
Lisa