| Growing up in El Paso, I was lucky to live across the street from my best friend. We spent most every day together in action--flying kites, roller skating, playing badminton, exploring the caves near our house. My friend had something special about her--it was in her mannerisms, her energy, her attitude. Even her handwriting had a special flair & grace. I admired her & her style from the start. I think her beauty might have come from how she wore her clothes more than from the clothes themselves--after all, we were mostly just wearing jeans & sandals. Still, unlike me, my friend had the mom who would take her shopping at the nicest stores, so she had access to the latest trends. Her jeans were Sasoon; her sandals were Famolare. My parents didn't take me shopping; I would occasionally pick up something here & there but never at the mall; some of my clothes came from Mexico from the huge supermarket/warehouse stores where we bought groceries. I remember I got a sweater with butterfly sleeves (dolman) from a popular upscale store as a birthday gift, & it was so special to me--I wore it constantly. Clothes seemed to mean everything by 7th grade, & I craved the latest fashions. Fast forward 20 years. My friend became a flight attendant, & I spent many years in school in my native city of Denver. My friend would stop through town on flight layovers, & we'd meet. One year, she told me that she wanted to open a shop that sold just jackets & boots. She herself was dressed that time in riding pants, tall boots, a blazer, & a close-fitting v-neck cream-colored cardigan worn as a top. A thin gold necklace with a tiny charm hung from her neck. She had traveled the world. She looked as always sophisticated, hip, & elegant. On another layover, my friend told me she was obsessed with ugly shoes--the uglier the better. She was wearing at that moment fairly ugly chunky brown booties with a block heel. For the first time, I couldn't decide if I agreed or disagreed with her fashion taste of the day. At that point, I'd taken up the going look of a Denverite: outdoorsy wear--turtlenecks, puffy vests, & cargo pants. Today, my friend is married with two small children. I haven't seen her in a few years. In the last photo I saw of her, she was wearing an animal-print top & black pants, looking sophisticated & beautiful as always. |     |
Here's a photo of my elegant friend & her husband from just last weekend :-)
Have you had a friend whose style you've always admired?
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