For me, the bittersweet difficulty of being 22 lies in the everchanging essence of my personality. My mood, style, likes, dislikes, etc. all seem to change on a seasonal basis. Of course, much of this change is only felt by me. To the outside viewer, I likely appear ordinary, perhaps mundane in my tastes.
But, in this period of my life, I feel that stability has been hard to come by. I rely on the ounces of familiarity I can find. The soothing sound of my mother’s voice, she calls me almost daily. The scar that blends in on the back of my hand, the sharp smoothness of the skin the only differentiating factor. The taste of my toothpaste or smell of my soap.
And yet, I feel that I am constantly losing my footing, having to adjust and readjust my perspective to better grasp my understanding of it all. In celebration of the ever-changing, and as a digital timeline, I am attempting to chronicle my months with this series: “What I’ve been reading, wearing, and doing.” Essentially the three things I am most passionate about. We begin with March.
Wearing.
My Mum’s Clothes
My sister recently texted me congratulating me on my ability to make my mum’s clothes cool. Pieces that we would’ve eye rolled at when young are now staples in my closet (we were judgmental and not cool). My mum has a cool style, she has the taste where she simply likes what she likes. I don’t think she’s really followed a trend in the last 20 years. The way she approaches fashion, picking out what she likes regardless of anyone’s opinion, has informed my own style more than anything else. I’m also incredibly lucky because she is generous and lets me steal anything. Much love Mum Xx.
Hightop GATs
This one comes with considerable effort to restrain against the growing trend of these sneakers. But, the high tops are swag and I can’t resist.
BIKINIS!!!!
I was just on spring break so this one gets an honorable mention. I get mine from all over, mainly Frankie’s Bikinis (sample sales), Revolve (sale), and a few vintage finds.
Reading.
All the President’s Men, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein
This is a retelling of the events that became notoriously known as Watergate. From the two Washington Post journalists that broke the story, it’s a first hand tell-all about the scandals that plagued the Nixon administration. Nonfiction generally isn’t my genre of choice. This book however is an important part of history, and as the authors reflect, its’ content is modernly more relevant than ever. With corruption inhabiting the White House, I consider it essential to understand the past to better inform opinions of the now.
Loving Frank, Nancy Horan
Horan tells the story of Frank Lloyd Wright’s affair with Mamah Borthwick, a famous and shocking scandal set the 1910s. I am a lover of Lloyd Wright’s architecture, having grown up in a home influenced by his designs. The book is based on actual events, including news clippings and letters but also allows for some imaginative liberty from the author. While the particulars may not be accurate, the telling of the twos love was both maddening and romantic.
At times they were the picture of an irresponsible and destructive relationship, both leaving their families in the Chicago suburbs. And yet, the two seem to have a genuine appreciation for one another’s passions that I found aspirational.
Memoirs of a Geisha, Arthur Golden
I picked up this novel through an attempt at establishing a book club with my hometown friends. After about a month one friend texted that she was “giving up book club for Lent.” Although it took my two months to get around to it, I eventually did start Golden’s novel and was drawn in from the beginning. It’s a beautiful telling of a history that I knew very little about. However, looking online I found that there is controversy surrounding potential inaccuracies and misrepresentation of the geisha the novel is based on.
Doing.
Caring For My Skin
Skincare is a part of my routine I find almost meditative. I relish the process: gua sha, exfoliate, tone, mask, rinse, and repeat. Monthly, I head up to 19th street where Rescue Spa resides. It is a heavenly haven where my skin receives a godly attention to detail. Since my last visit, I’ve been purging my bathroom drawer clearing out the empties and replacing with upgrades.
I’m trying out some new products, a hugely exciting change comes via the introduction of retinol. This one comes from Innisfree, and where other active ingredient-containing serums have irritated my skin, this one is doing its job quietly. The Masque Vivant and D22 Tonic are both holy grails, expensive but worth the price tag.
Centering Scents
Scent has always been a sense I rely heavily upon. Amongst my favorite smells: Tilly (my cat), fresh soil, basil, salty air, sandalwood, high quality leather, most men’s colognes. Lately I’ve been burning Palo Santo, a new addition to my list of favorite scents. I added Burberry Her to my perfume rotation and have been using the Antica Farmacista Orange Blossom, Lilac & Jasmine room fragrance.
Taking Walks
Because I live in New York City, I walk practically everywhere. I average 11,000 steps a day, this is mostly made up of my walk to and from school/work. Due to this, I hardly ever just go on walks. Usually my walks only serve as a mode of transportation. But lately I’ve been enjoying walking without a destination. It may seem a simple thing, but it has really become a simple joy.
THANK YOU FOR READING ILY!!!!!!
ur so swag and cool — looking forward to coming editions