Last summer, in August 2019, I had one get-together that had a special meaning for me. In terms of style as well. My university mate and I managed to find time in our busy schedules and see each other. I would love to share my sensation because although she is unique, there are people like her – an endless source of style inspiration that surrounds us in our everyday life. When we let them shine through us and pay attention, we can learn from them more than reading books or seeing a hundred of Instagram posts. Or rather, learned in a different way.
So, there she comes. Her long shiny hair nicely put in a bun and neat makeup is on. Just a day before she had returned from abroad, she still recovers from jetlag and hides her tired eyes beneath huge sunglasses, but the moment she sees me she takes them off, and her face lights up. She smells soap and some gentle perfume, and I inhale the air almost as if I were in a bakery, or flourishing garden – I don’t want this cloud of barely noticeable fragrance to move away and disappear. And she is dressed in her very peculiar manner: leopard print and neon, and silver, and gold are put together in a way that doesn’t look sassy at all. Texture and cut, the type of print and fabric – all of its hades down and subdues the boldness making her look like some exotic flower that is about to blossom, and almost puritan. Almost.
As she talks, I can’t help admiring. Her posture – she holds her back and shoulders straight with natural ease. This elongates her neck and adds grace to the look. And she takes her time. We both are short of it, we both are in a hurry, yet she takes her time when she moves her hands, or when she talks and listens to me. That fluid pace turns the short time of our conversation into pleasure comparable to wine-tasting or this feeling when you hear music and let yourself sway with a flow.
Do you know what I find the most impressive about this friend of mine? Her attitude. She is beautiful. She has always been, everything about her. As the song goes, “Well versed in etiquette, extraordinarily nice”, but she always wears her beauty with dignity and she never makes you feel not beautiful enough, just like birds of paradise would not get shy or haughty of their feathers because you have baggy jeans or sweaty armpits. Extremely inspiring.