Making a Statement

{I dedicate this post to my mother whose eclectic style and originality has always inspired me to be true to who I am in all areas of life. I love you, Mom!}

One's wardrobe should help express features of his/her own personality. It should be more about you and less about what the runways are flaunting this season. Now, that is not to say popular fashion is inherently evil and rids people of their individuality. On the contrary, I, like many, enjoy reading about the hottest trends and adding a few pieces to my closet from the suggested list of "must-have's." It's fun and helps keep you looking and feeling fresh. But, I also do not have the cash flow or closet space to keep up with all of the trends.

One of the popular fads right now is statement jewelry. The idea occurred naturally following the recession: people do not have an excess of money to spend on loads of exorbitant jewelry. So, construct your outfit around one piece that has the power to communicate volumes in and of itself. Such obvious pieces can include: cocktail rings, chunky cuff bracelets, layered or bib necklaces, and chandelier earrings. However, it matters little what the piece actually is. Simply, by its incorporation, you effectively enhance and compliment the rest of your outfit without overpowering it.

my brooches

Being one who does not naturally wear a lot of jewelry, I have had some difficulty jumping on this band wagon. My favorite type of statement jewelry is actually brooches for which I must give my mother all of the credit. I received one for my birthday or Christmas a few years ago, and now annually, my mother continues to expand my collection.

It is for this reason (and many others) that I pay homage to my mother with this post. She is awesome and inspiring, a pioneer of originality and uniqueness. Let me explain to you why...

Back when I was in 5th grade, my mother began working at a bus company responsible for shuttling airplane passengers to and from parking lots and terminals. No, not the most glorious job, but my mother has a great work ethic and enjoyed it most of the time. Yet, no matter how good one's attitude, the vocation remains somewhat mundane. So, to liven up the third shift she was working, she began wearing hats. I don't mean baseball caps; I mean HATS. Everything from large brimmed ones with plumes atop to berets to straw ones with plastic zucchinis hanging off the back. I kid you not! Invariably, she became known as "the hat lady" around the airport. Her collection was out of this world. And, it only became more interesting when she started creating them herself according to holidays and seasons (hence, the zucchini). Sadly, in more recent years after she stopped working there, the collection has been down-sized. Occasionally, my mother will break one out of its box and wear it to church. But more so now, she continues to leave her mark on society with statement necklaces. She coupled one with a simple black dress this past Sunday; I marveled at how great she looked.

The picture here gives the necklace almost a brownish hue, but it is actually a glossy black. Coupled with such a simple motif, it gave the outfit pizazz. I like it!

Over the years, she has accumulated a decent number of statement necklaces. I had the honor of wearing one on my wedding day, the aurora borealis. At first, when I was looking through mom's collection to find "something old" to go with my something borrowed and something blue, I was skeptical about it; however, in the back of my mind, I knew it was the one. It turned out to be nearly the last one I tried on, and it fit so beautifully. I could not have been happier (or prouder to be wearing it).

Part of the fun of fashion is taking chances. Sometimes, you think something will look awful on you...until you try it on.  Every once in a while, you discover something that you would never have even considered wearing previously now makes you look glamorous. And presto! Your wardrobe is reborn!

There are so many other things I could share with you about my mother's great sense of style. In the posts ahead, I'm sure I will. Admittedly, people have occasionally raised an eyebrow when they have seen one of my mother's hats or ensembles. But I relish in the fact that my mother wears what she loves and what makes her feel good about herself-whether that is a hat with a plastic zucchini or a stunning necklace-and so should you!