Thursday, June 26, 2014

Friendship Story


I don't know about you, but I sometimes put pieces together just for fun - I hang them on a tapestry rod in the living room, so I can glance at my "work in progress" from time to time as I read or write. This work sinks in to me, new ideas come, new details are added, something gets removed... all while hanging there on the tapestry rod. Then I transfer the work in progress from the rod on to my body. It's still in progress at this point, because as all of you know, things rarely look the same on the body as they do on hangers. Sometimes, it's so completely wrong (and I loved what I saw on the tapestry rod) that I don't even bother to photograph my ideas. Other times, I proceed to photograph, and then it can be either - "yep, it works" or "nope, it doesn't." 

I am not super analytical. I can't always figure out in advance what will work for me and what won't. When it comes to the creative process, I follow my heart. And when I started my style journey about a year ago, I bought pieces which I though would work, or I wanted them to work. And some of them became favorites, and I wore them a lot, while others mostly spent time in my closet. It's not that I don't like them - most of the time, I think I just haven't found good companions for them. Good friends. We all need good friends. Those who see us for who we are and love us for who we are. Not less, not more. I'm sure you know what I mean. Clothes are really not so different. Each piece can be brilliant if it has a good friend - the one which helps it shine.


So that is what I've done here, in this post. I tried to find a good friend for the stripy blouse and yellow blazer. I knew there should be some in my closet. For whatever reason, this duo (blue stripes + yellow) has happened for the first time just now. Strange, yes? They seem to be made for each other, but were hanging far too far apart I guess. In the closet jammed with clothes like fish in a tin, they almost didn't have a chance to meet, and I didn't think of them as a perfect couple until just now, silly goose! 

 I wanted to find a good friend or two for them in my closet, and found four - so they won't get lonely if a couple of their friends find another engagement. I think four is a good number - like four musketeers (there were four, eventually!).


So here are the four friends for my duo:

1. The white pants
Sleek, crisp and classic. There is really not much to add about them. They are reliable, like all good classics. I funked them up with my crazy shoes just a bit.

2. The boyfriend jeans 
Those are sort of new classics - relaxed, easy, comfortable. I paired them with Converses which decided to stay on my feet till the end of the photo session.  


Then I tried the stripy/yellow duo with another potential friend, but they didn't get along. (I will come back to that "friend" later in the post.) I called out for help...

3. The striped jersey pencil skirt
I just love this - stripes on stripes, what can be better? Well, okay, maybe a few things. But this one is pretty good, admit it. Cool, modern, hip. 
(If there is one thing I adore about contemporary fashion - it is that "casual chic" thing. I am not a big expert on fashion. Come to think about it, I am not even a little expert. But I sense that this "casual chic" thing is here to stay - it's like having the best of both worlds in one outfit.)



4. The denim skirt
The little denim skirt was the fourth musketeer for my duo. I don't know why I don't wear this one. It's soft, comfy and slimming. I better find ways to have fun with it in the future.



And that is the story of finding good friends for my stripy/yellow duo. 
But what about the clothes which tried, but weren't able to become good friends with my duo? Don't they deserve friends too? Of course they do! No more teasing. Secrets are being revealed right this moment. The one which didn't get along with the duo was... a pair of brightly colored skinny jeans, the green ones, remember them? But I had something else in store for them... Something very special indeed. Inspiration!


The inspiration came from the darling Vix's post - unexpectedly, as it happens, I was completely taken by the super stylish look... Thanks, Jon! I, of course, had to have some flowers and sequins and crazy platform wedges... but I stayed true to the spirit by pairing bright and hip skinnies with a conservative vest and "ascot". I have no idea where I would go in this outfit (perhaps no further than this blog :) - but I sure had tons of fun playing with it. :)


Just like with the clothes, I can't always predict whether a friendship will work or not. We don't really have a chance to hang our "potential" friends on a tapestry rod in life. We can't really "try them on". So we dive into friendships with all our heart and soul. Sometimes, to find out that it's a perfect fit. And other times, to find out that it's not. The latter hurts like hell. It's much more difficult to say "no, it doesn't work" about friendship than it is about clothes. But at the end of the day, there is always a hope that somewhere out there, there are true friends looking for us. The friends who will love us for who we are, not less, not more. The friends who will be able to share our joy. The friends who will give us their hand when we fall down. The friends who will never want to stop growing together. The friends who will help us shine. They are looking for us as passionately and impatiently as we are looking for them. Someday, somewhere out there, we'll meet. So we all will be happy, engaged and not lonely anymore. 


The End

All the clothes - remixed from my closet.

Linking up with Visible Monday at Patti's

Update: joined Share-in-Style: Skirt or Pants on September 15, 2014!

20 comments:

  1. Great post! Was easy to read and kept my attention to the end. You put together wonderful outfits! My favorite one is with the striped jersey pencil skirt -- you look so stylish in it! (Вот ведь и покупать ничего не нужно -- достаточно сделать ревизию в своем шкафу :))

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  2. You're very good at this ... I'm guessing you only need to apply your focus to these match-making sessions to make it all come together. You look lovely in your choices, each one. Can't choose which is best; all work very well.
    I have to try things on together ... I can put them together flat on my bed, and they often look great but don't work at all when I put them on combined. I always think I'm thinner than I am! And taller!
    You really get the idea of a proper fit, and manage always to look polished and proportionate. You inspire!

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  3. I have to say the Jon inspired outfit is my favorite! It's playful a lil sassy and totally you! He will be flattered, I wonder what they are doing right now at Glastonbury! I like hearing about your process and then seeing the results. I often pull out several things from my closet and put them in another room so I can play off of those.
    xxoo

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  4. This is great and thoughtful writing. I was just thinking today about some things I loved when I purchased them, or thought I did. Then they ended up never being worn so they went to the donation pile. But, with the right companion pieces they would have worked just great. I once heard on "What Not to Wear" that we should think about outfits when we buy clothes. But, if we can't spend 100's of dollars at a time it's hard to do. When I shop I usually only buy one, maybe two things at a time and it's not to go together. I think my clothing may be lonely. ;) Some of the pieces anyway.

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  5. Have I said this before...You are the queen of color mixing. It is odd how sometimes the obvious looks elude us. Your first couple of looks are classic with a capital "C"
    The nautical look is always fabulous for spring and summer. The Gucci Resort collection for 2014 shows this look masterfully. You wear it well Natalia:)

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  6. Beautiful outfits you've put together!
    I do that too often: hang (new) clothes for a long time visible externally to the wardrobe to reflect and to find partners. Want to keep it in sight ...
    Good comparison with friendship, I would say. Only: reality is often so much more complicated. Sigh!
    I'm an autistic woman and obviously not quite understand many things (all that, what is not says - so please, how do I know that?!?)... And almost always I'm at the end the "old stuff" that matches with nothing and end up in the bag with old clothes, parked on the roadside... Well, thats life - C'est la vie!

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  7. Oh, it is same with me: I have plenty of pieces in my wardrobe that are waiting for "friends". Beautiful combinations you found for the striped blouse and the yellow blazer. My favourites are the look with the white pants and with the denim skirt. Just perfect!

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  8. Love your writing.

    My favourite are those brilliant converse! paired with the yellow and all the stripes. I'd keep that friend around : )

    bisous
    Suzanne

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  9. I love your writing too Natalia and as for putting an outfit together, you are inspired. Love the Jon inspired look, those green trousers are fabulous.I must get myself a pair of Converse sneakers to go with my boyfriend jeans. xx

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  10. I do sometimes hung an unfinished outfit from the curtain rod in our bedroom and think about potential finishing touches and I do approach my outfits as works of everyday art. The four friends you found helped create 4 totally artistic outfits. I would go for these outfits any time. Thanks for putting into words some of my feelings and thoughts about outfits and friendships.

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  11. what you wrote about friendship really touched my heart!
    that a friend is someone who help us shine..... YES! thank you!

    your outfits: again we wear the same nail color at the same time - now yellow :-)
    it is fascinating how a change of bottoms can change the look of the same 2 pieces! and all the 4 looks are totally chic for different occasions. good job to bring stripey and yellow together finally.
    with your last outfit you catch the rock´n roll vibe of jon perfect - i can see you at a cool concert in a souterrain club ;-)

    love your "herrenwinker" - the little curl at your cheek!
    hugs&kisses

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  12. You do write so beautifully, the last paragraph especially brought a tear to my eye - I have friends in my wardrobe who haven't found their companion yet, the ones that will make them sparkle! one day though! I adore all of your complimentary, friendly outfits and how serendipitous, I am watching Glastonbury on TV right now (I do it every year!) it would be a real fluke now if I saw Jon (btw I adored your Jon outfit too!) x x x

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  13. Brilliant post! I just kept nodding in agreement as I read it. I do hope I am hanging on the friendship tapestry rod -lol. I love your combinations, though I always do. You are really brilliant at mixing things, a true artist. I am beginning to think I am too lazy to be really artistic with my clothes and perhaps I am cut out to be more like the artist Georgia O'Keefe, who only wore black because she didn't want the distraction from her colourful art work. Well, maybe not quite but that was a lovely opportunity to compare myself to Georgia O'keefe! LOL I have a blog post in the works about that!

    Okay, back to clothes. I do something similar to what you do. I have the first walk in closet ( walk through actually ) that I've ever had in my life and I love to stand in it and rummage around making outfits. I think I like making potential outfits more than I like wearing them so I should be someone else's stylist. What I want is a dress makers dummy so I can dress it up. I hang things like you do, pairing things and then adding accessories and creating new and untried pairings but as you say, they don't always translate well from hanger to my body. I create several at a time and line them up at one end of my closet rod, and then challenge myself to actually wear them in the coming week. Quite often weather gets in the way of that-lol. I am also still struggling a bit with having a wardrobe too fancy for my lifestyle and feeling like if I am just going to sit on the sofa and read and write all day, interspersed with a bit of housework, then all I need are jeans.

    Speaking of jeans, sort of, I love your coloured skinnies, and I know you ave a few different colours. I have yet to find any in my size but have not given up looking. I always admire yours and how you wear them. And speaking of coveting.....those Converse!!! Oh my how I want those!

    Summary: You look awesome and are gifted at styling. It is one of your most artistic expressions for sure!
    xoxoxo

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  14. What a lovely, thoughtful, kind-hearted piece of writing, Natalia. Yes, our clothing needs the right companions, and so do we! I like all the pairings you have shown here for the striped blouse and yellow jacket, although my heart tends to go with the skirts. And your Jon-inspired look is brilliant, cheeky and sassy and fabulous!
    You are so right about friendship; we don't always know how they will work out, but the best ones allow us to be ourselves. Sharing and shining - I like that, and think that is describes so many of the relationships which can be developed through blogging.
    PS. Herrenwinker; what a brilliant word, thank you, Beate! (Although kiss curl is a sweet phrase too.) Xxxx

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  15. Wonderful colour mixing! I particularly like the denim combos. And the green shoes are just great.

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  16. I love all your ensembles, but above all I adore your unique smile.
    Happy Monday, dear Natalia.
    Ps: I love and want your gorgeous sandals, ahhhhhhhhhhhhh
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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  17. What a great post, Natalia - lots of good ideas here to borrow! I too love a knit striped skirt, so versatile. And I love, love that yellow blazer! Thanks for sharing with Visible Monday.

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  18. Oh I am so glad you directed me to this wonderful post, Natalia!
    I love the idea of singles in our wardrobe awaiting their perfect match. I have one n particular who has only enjoyed one outing in two years, although beautiful (metallic with an embossed print, heavily fringed and cropped to just below the bust) she hasn't found a match worthy of her but as a responsible owner I'm determined to find a partner worthy of her time.
    Krista and I have often spoken of how much we enjoy both your stories and your creative outfits and these four are no exception. The Jon inspired waistcoat, skinnies and cravat has to be my favourite - it translates wonderfully on you. I love the addition of "my" shoes, taking tomboy chic to another level. Jon will be thrilled.
    Loads of love! xxxxxxx

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  19. Hello! I am new to your blog. Thank you for commenting on mine. I love the colors you wear. The green pants, colorful top, and one of my fav colors, yellow. Looks great on you. You also have lovely skin and makeup!
    jess
    www.elelgantlydressedandstylsih.com

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  20. The stripes and yellow jacket are such a dynamite combo!

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