Although I try to block it from my memory, I had a few years in Catholic school as a kid. And though it was certainly the best option at the time, flashbacks of those plaid school uniforms still haunt me. The stiff pleated skirt. The starchy white blouses. And despite the fact that we all had to wear identical uniforms, somehow I still always managed to do it wrong (at least according to the girls in my class.) Let’s just say, it took me a very long time to dissociate plaid from those years of bullying. But, I’m officially Taking Back the Plaid.
There is something rather freeing about disenfranchising my plaid adversity. About taking the thing that once represented a feeling of dread – the thought of waking up and having to face another day of verbal torment. The scratch of the wool against your knees as you march towards a place that lacks acceptance. I don’t think any of us would return to middle school if given the opportunity. Adolescence is definitely best left with the young.
But, I am all about reclaiming my power. And I can’t think of any better revenge on those tumultuous years than bursting into the day in a perfect 1950’s Cole of California sundress from Sweet Bee Finds, mad for plaid, without the need for anyone to validate what is right or wrong about me.
Don’t mask your vulnerability
or hide from your fears.
Own it. Wear it.
Wrap it proudly
around everything you do.
And then it will be your greatest weapon
I don’t have words for the catastrophic events of the week and the horror I felt watching it unfold for my southern neighbors. I am forever grateful for science – for meteorologists who are now able to see these natural disasters coming and predict their path. Who can warn people and give them time to evacuate. I hope all of you who have been affected or have had loved ones affected by Irma are all safe and out of harm’s way. Here in NC, we experienced howling winds and rainfall and some power outages, but it was certainly nothing compared to what so many have had to face and the worry of whether they will have homes to go back to.
It makes me realize that we had so little control over so many things in our life. We can’t control or change our childhood, the behavior of other people, the fate of the winds, or the tragedies that may befall us when we least expect it. But I have so much faith in the human spirit and the ways that we can lift ourselves up, come what may.
xoxo
Outfit Details:
Dress: Sweet Bee Finds (similar modern or vintage here, here & here)
Necklace: Swarovski (similar)
Headband: Forever New (similar)
Handbag: c/o Unique Vintage
Shoes: Oh Deer (similar here & here)
Lip Color: Schiap
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