V is for Vintage

Fashion is very important. It is life-enhancing and, like everything that 

gives pleasure, it is worth doing well.

-Vivienne Westwood

 Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, men were men and women were women. Maquillage, decolletage and the elegant curve of a woman's calve were highly regarded and well respected assets. We accentuated our lips with Chanel's 'Rouge Coco' lipstick, our waists with ornate belts and corsets and our legs with Wolford's, wolf whistle inducing, back seam stockings. We were here to titillate, to entice and to thrill. Fashion was a devastatingly beautiful expression of our sex. 

  Porcelain, Victorian skin was something to be treasured and a blessing to those of us lucky enough to be born with it. 'Spray tans', 'fake bake and 'laying out' were terms that were not in our vocabulary. In regards to sexuality, less was more. We covered and veiled most of ourselves in order to leave more to the imagination. We understood that would could cause much more destruction with our eyes than we could ever do with our flesh. 

Elegance, grace, polish, refinement, sophistication, splendor and style were all words used to describe the modern women. 

Unfortunately, we women have taken an ugly turn in regards to fashion. There is no longer an urge to devastate. There is no longer the urge to be overdressed rather than underdressed. Elegance and class have been replaced with either brash sexuality or dull invisibility in the form of gym clothes, tank tops, sweat shirts, short shorts and mom jeans...in short, either "I really don't give a damn because I have horribly low self-esteem." or "Look at me! I'm almost naked and I have horribly low self-esteem!". 

Either way, it's a heinous sin to our sex. 

My dear queens, please, I beg of you, if you dare find yourself in one of the two above situations, do not walk, but run to your nearest vintage store, break out your mad money and shop until you again understand the meaning of the word woman. God did not build us to be dressed down. If you don't believe me, go home and watch every movie containing Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Greta Garbo, Gene Tierney and Sophia Loren. These women knew what they were put on this earth to do. Take good notes girls. We are queens, "There is no passion to be found in playing small" 
(Nelson Mandela). 

Center of the Universe

I recently had my very first trip to New York City. At the age of 30, not having been to New York before is certainly a shame. I have been in major, heart-braking, butterflies in the stomach, sick in the head, love with New York since...well, since I can remember. I have always had an obsession for movies and t.v. shows set in New York. Annie is the first one I can remember. Who doesn't love a good rags to riches story? Breakfast at Tiffany's, Rent, Eyes Wide Shut, Find Me Guilty, Melinda and Melinda...all great New York movies. The city is as much a character as the actors are. It's...for lack of a better word, amazing. The architecture, the food, the fashion, the people. Everything is different in New York. It's like they turned up the volume on life there. The energy alone sets your skin on fire and you are energized to the inth degree. The first time I saw the skyline of New York I felt my eyes well up. Thank God I was wearing sunglasses because I am sure that Steve would have thought I was crazy. We've covered this before, remember? I'm a crier. What better reason than my first view of the Manhattan skyline to get me misty eyed. While I was there, I ate, I shopped, I ran through Central Park, I hailed my first cab, I love every dirty, gritty, grimy second of it.
I've been jonesin bad to get back there.

I'm Not Dead...Just Resting...

Sorry for the break in posts. I have been running non-stop to catch up with my life. Work, school, blog, dance class, gym, kids, husband...something had to give. I define being queen of my own castle as being able to take time and enjoy my life, something I had stopped doing awhile ago. Yes, I am still struggling. I never said it was easy. Being queen is a process, not a checklist. So, my dear friends, I am sorry that I left you for a bit. Stay tuned, I'll be back in full force. I promise.