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Material Girl

It is easy to say all failuers and stumbles in life should carry a lesson, that “whatever does not kill us, makes us stronger” – but sometimes it is harder done than uttered.

But I did indeed carry out an important lesson out of my previous break up: from among all those things I clinged to and amassed to “feel happy”, most I did not need.

It was not a lesson that fell on a completly barren ground: I’d like to think I was never completly materialistic. But I did, in my unhappy relationship and boring life depend too much on consuming to try and keep myself entertained.

And then, the break up came, with a massive financial hit and even a straightforward decrease in living space; suddently the smartest thing to do was to cut all the spending massively (obviously), but also among what possessions I carried out of my previous life, most of them remained (and still remain) packed in boxes. As such, it was impossible to ignore the logical implications of the fact that I did not need all that stuff – and that realisation made me feel incredibly happy, more than any of my buying sprees ever did.

My personal living space is functionally minimalistic right now, my life uncluttered. My love for beauty still gets plenty of opportunities to manifest because when I do need to bring new items to my life, I make sure they are functional and visually appealing, my finances are secure and my life unburdened: there almost is nothing I possess – save for a ring my Mother gave me – that I can not cut out of my life without a feeling of loss.

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Sustainability

Disposable items – I wonder what other recent invention gave the markets a comparable push? Because the motion of the wheel of consumption they generate is seemingly perpetuate and apart from ease  of use, very rarely (if ever) in favour of the consumer: while cheaper per purchase (or recently: per initial purchase; I am looking at you, ink printers or coffee cup machines), in the long run they always, without exception, cost much more and invariably generate more waste (on top of more energy used for production).

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Style Philosophy

Fabrics. Natural fabrics will wear better, look more elegant, keep you warm in cold, cool and dry in heat and even smell better. As an added bonus, the choice to stay away from synthetics will help keeping your wardrobe from overgrowing by limiting the number of options available and automatically up your style a notch.

Colours. A personal choice, but one can never go wrong with black. A lot of black, in my case. It matches everything and always looks elegant, but on it’s own can be too much of a statement; a statement that worked 20 years ago but is too much nowadays (for me at least). Hence a bit of monochrome mixed in (still always fits, though I avoid gray around my face as it does not suit me) and recently some powder pink and pastel blue, both colours I am not especially a fan of but that seem to work in my advantage.

Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.

– Oscar Wilde

Form. Simplicity – because it is timeless. I experimented with more adventurous designs but with little luck: too much statement for my taste, and with little payoff. One has to be a fashion adept to pull off a statement cut and since I have no interest in fashion nor I want to spend my energy on getting more adept with it, this would not work.

Decoration. I have a soft spot for lace, but it is a toxic love for me: I find it hard to resist it as it is super-feminine, but most often than not it ends up looking tacky. I’ve learned the hard way that lace is good if applied in moderation and even then carefully.

Pattern can also be tricky: in general, I am not a fan of pattern, I prefer texture, but again, a touch of pattern can finish up the look. I had an image-ruining fling with animal motifs but I am glad to report this is a thing of the past. Instead, I break the monotony with geometrical designs like stripes or dots.

A woman who doesn’t use perfume has no future.

– Coco Chanel

Adornment. The area where I allow myself for a statement in both colour and form while staying true to the “quality over quantity” motto. My jewelry collection is limited and somewhat bold: a necklace assembling silver charms, each assigned a significant meaning, its staple piece. Plus pearls: I love pearls and they love me. Artificial, for now, but genuine pearl necklace and earrings are on top of my list now.

I consider fragrance an element of the adornment, an invisible yet always present. I am faithful to my chosen perfume, using it across all seasons and occasions as I consider it a part of me. I have no need to re-invent myself depending on occasion.

Accessories. Functionality first: shoes need to be comfortable, bag handy. I go for ever-fitting black leather as it wears better and wears-down longer. Plus an umbrella in the sun!