I’m not actually a Park Avenue Princess.
I was born in South Jersey and raised on…Long Island. Yup.
But let’s move on from that because, fortuitously, tomorrow is Halloween. And, while I would never refer to an outfit that I’m wearing as a costume per se, it’s thought-provoking to note that when sauntering around the city in a pair of blanket soft leather trousers and a wool/silk blended Gucci scarf, noticeably flummoxed passerbys seem to sum up who I must be in the same way that they might if I were to affix a pair of glistening green wings to my body and prance through the streets summoning the spirit of Tinkerbelle. And that’s perhaps the greatest and the most unfortunate aspect of fashion — it’s enmeshment with assumptions of personal identity.
A couple of years ago, I was comfortably situated in a plush leather booth at one of my favorite resturants in Boston, eagerly awaiting the arrival of an order of steaming hot spinach & artichoke dip (I know). It was a snow ridden winter evening, and I was happy to be cozily snuggled indoors, enjoying dinner with Casey, one of my closest friends. Midway through our conversation, he abruptly confessed to me that long before we actually met, he had seen me in passing, and that I reminded him of a “certain someone.”
Sitting upright in my chair with a sprightly pop and a quick blush, I enthusiastically began to wonder who he was going to name. I’ve gotten Jamie Lynn Sigler before, I thought; maybe he’s going to say her. Instead, he remarked — unwavering, steadfastly, with the utmost seriousness — “Kathryn.” I mulled over the word for a second, bouncing its syllables off of the walls of my mind, trying fervently to conjure images of who he could possibly be referring to. Kathryn? Kathryn? Kathryn? As we locked eyes, the realization hit me in the way that startling revelations always do – hard.
I reminded one of my nearest and dearest friends of a fictional character. And, not just any fictional character. We’re talking about a narcissistic, sociopathic, Upper East Side horrorshow played by Sarah Michelle Gellar in the movie, “Cruel Intentions.” Casey and I immediately laughed in unison, with the shared understanding of what he was referring to. I couldn’t debate with him on the matter. From the outside looking in, I admittedly recognized why my aesthetic would be reminiscent of, well…Kathryn’s. By then, he knew me well enough to know that nothing could actually be further from the truth. Am I narcisstic? Nope. Shy and a bit uncertain at first, yes. Sociopathic? Well, hopefully not, or we have a greater issue here than style, but you catch my drift. Perception, which is largely based on physical presentation, is often intertwined with personal style. As with most things, this carries with it plenty of advantages and disadvantages.
As I’ve become more confident in who I am, I no longer feel the need to always dress up or even to ensure that I’m regularly wearing makeup. There are plenty of days when I trek around in sweats and a tee, unsweetened iced venti holding me up. Other times, I do enjoy putting myself together, sometimes, indeed, embracing a very Kathryn-esque look. The point is that whether I’m sporting a pair of Uggs and mismatched sweats, or a look like the one I put together here, I’m still me – not a Park Avenue Princess, not Kathryn from Cruel intentions…just a girl who was born in South Jersey, raised on Long Island and trying to find her way in the world.
Who makes those sunglasses? I love them!
Hi! Thank you! They are Tom Ford. I think I got them last year 🙂
Love your blog! What lipgloss is that? thx!
Let’s see when I first met you and Jenny, gorgeous power team that you are… I was a bit intimidated too. I was thinking more along the lines of Katharine Hepburn. I was just discussing this with my friend Eamon..who often get’s that he is gay ( because of his insane style and dance moves). We are not defined by what we wear and more specific to our convo, our resumes. Everyone tries to fit into their degree requirements otherwise thinking they will fail at getting the job of their dreams. My grandfather told me yesterday that it was time to cut my hair because long hair is unprofessional. As insane as it sounds, I believe him to a certain degree. He managed a large firm for 35 years and women quickly got labeled at the work place, or turned down for being a distraction:P RANT
Definitely Ari! That’s why I think we should find some sort of a middle ground, retaining our femininity to an extent, while also demonstrating intellect and professionalism. I know that this is easier said than done, in accordance with long standing social norms, but you have the.best.hair I have literally ever seen, in person or in print. Wouldn’t it be a shame to cut it all off just to show that you are who you already were inside anyway? Then again, there’s no arguing that your Grandfather is absolutely correct in the advice that he’s giving you…we run the risk of getting labelled and not taken seriously…could the compromise be shoulder length perhaps??! Even so, I’d hate to see if go, but if you do decide to go in that direction, would you consider donating it to me so that I could wear it as a wig? Because I would. I so would.
A resemblance to Deb from Dexter.
Love everything about your outfit! Great blog, would you like to follow each other?
http://WWW.ROXTHEFOX.COM
Thank you so much! Yours is amazing! Let’s follow each other! 🙂
Oops also wanted to ask where did you get your scarf? Love it!
Your engagement ring is GORGEOUS! lucky girl!!
Awww, thank you!!! Mt fiancé thinks he should get credit somewhere on the photo because he designed it 🙂 haha! Also, I love your blog! Brrr, it’s getting cold here too — followed you on bloglovin! Keep up the great work!
The outfit is amazing, love it! ♥ You look fabulous. 🙂
xx
These early posts seem truly sincere and are much more of a pleasure to read than ones from this year. I hope you find your niche and things begin to flow like this again