Taking the plunge...

I took my first trip to Italy with my family 10 years ago, I was 12. It was our first big summer trip in a long time and we were going to be away for 2 weeks.  I don't know if it was because I was so young or just a brat, but I do remember being less than thrilled about the news. Seeming as if I was unable to spend another summer at the Jersey Shore, I was certain that this vacation was just going to be another way for my parents to torture me. Fast-forward the 9-hour plane ride, sweltering heat, millions of tourists, lack of air conditioning, and pause. There I was walking the cobble streets of Florence, Italy, delightfully unaware that I was just about to surrender myself to it all. And surrender I did, right in the midst of Prada.

Not only did I fall in love with the concept that art and imagination could be expressed though fashion; I fell in love with all of Italy. Everything about it fascinated me: the culture, the people, the architecture, the arts, the language, and the food. I saw beauty in everything. I left that trip knowing I was leaving a part of myself behind, but I brought back with me more then I had ever expected. 

The beauty in surrender is that once you commit there is no looking back. It becomes a pledge, a promise, a vow, a job, a dedication, a commitment, and a lifestyle. It’s about choosing style over comfort. It's the decision to look your best no matter what life throws at you. It is easy to say, "I was too depressed to get dressed today."  Well, now wonder you are depressed, if I looked like that, I would be depressed too.  If you are going to commit to be stylish, then just do it, and if you're not then don't. Don't make the mistake to commit to it and then try to pull a fast one when you think no one is watching. People are always watching. 

Given my experience as a college student living in San Francisco, their have been a number of things I will never understand, and wearing pajamas to class is definitely one of them. I do not know when this unfortunate phenomenon became acceptable attire to wear out in public, but it is not. I get that you were late or you had a rough night, but please throw on a pair of jeans for everyone else's sake. If the whole class wanted to see you in your pajamas, they would arrange a sleepover. 

It is so important to understand that once you take the plunge, you can't just take a day or two off, or else you will loose your credibility.  Do you know what happens to a person with no integrity? Your dreams of transforming into a fashionista will be long gone for starters. Once a person goes back on their word,  their word will no longer mean anything. You are no longer credible, accountable, or reliable for anything. Credibility in fashion is being about being reliable 365 days a year to yourself, whether you are in jeans and a tee, or Marc Jacobs and Louboutin's.