Ballerina Beauty

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As a dancer myself, there is probably little that inspires my sense of style more than the poetic beauty of ballet. Little else can compare to the grace with which a professional ballerina soars through the air while performing a grand jeté or the ease with which she does pirouette after pirouette.

This delicate beauty and grace is often reflected in their costumes: long flowing skirts, voluminous tutus, plunging necklines and jeweled leotards.

And of course, I can say with confidence that nothing brings meaning to the phrase “pain is beauty” more than the iconic staple of any ballerina: the pointe shoes.

Needless to say, this season I’m loving delicate ballet flats, light pink, flowing chiffon and anything else that evokes a type of “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”-meets-“The Red Shoes” type of beauty.

Hats and Hatboxes

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Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong decade. I like to think I was better suited for the 1950s, when men wore suits everywhere, women considered it scandalous to show one’s ankles, and no matter where you went there was someone smoking a cigarette.

My latest ‘50s-inspired obsession is the hatbox. I can just imagine some glamorous woman walking down New York City’s 5th Avenue carrying one of these gorgeous packages; almost more gorgous than what it contains.

No one really wears hats anymore, with the exception of a beanie when it’s cold outside or a baseball hat at a sporting event, but these don’t really count in comparison to the highly fashionable toppers that women used to wear on a daily basis.

My personal favorite is the veiled hat: a small hat with a veil that falls in front of the face, covering the eyes. These are mysterious and beautiful and oh-so-ladylike all at the same time.

So all I have to say is: bring back hats!

New Year's Resolutions

It’s now officially 2011 and for many that means coming up with New Year’s resolutions. Don’t get me wrong; resolutions are a great thing, as they’re most often used to better oneself. However, over the years I’ve found the act of making a resolution to be quite clichéd. Inevitably, the majority of people vow to lose weight or get themselves into shape, an undertaking that is usually all but forgotten by the end of January.

So this year I’ve decided to try something a little different. Instead of setting a specific goal for myself, I’ve simply decided to care less about what people think of me.

All too often I find myself falling in love with a beautiful but strange piece while shopping, only to leave the store without it after wondering what others will think. “What would my friends say if I wore this to school?” I’ll ask myself. Or, “Will other people be wearing this type of thing to the party?”

But recently I’ve realized that the only person you can ever really try to please is yourself. In the long run, does it really matter what others think of my outfits? No, because I wear what I wear to please ME.

So, on that note, here’s to a whole new year full of wild, amazing (and sometimes maybe even a little out-there) outfits!