Shaken, and Stirred ...

A sewing blog that I follow had a link to Sea of Shoes. Oh, did I not know what I was getting into when I clicked on Sea of Shoes. This is a fashion-talented teenager with vast resources to buy the priciest brands. She likes shoes. And she has a certain unique point of view to fashion. Click on the link. You'll see. People comment on how a 17-year-old could have such a strong sense of style. I am struck by how she balances aggressive (dominatrix?) shoes with feminine flounce. Sequins with flannel plaid. How could she have developed that so early in life? I was in awe at first. I felt, um, inferior, by comparison. What was disturbing: Who am I, a 41-year-old, even considering a 17-year-old for comparison? I don't do things like that. I'm beyond that stage of life. What is going on here? I was shaken, rattled ...

But then, dig deeper, consider this ... look at the pictures of this girl's shoe closet, and her mom's shoe closet. They're indistinguishable. Her mom also has a unique, very strong style. What mom of a teenager can get away with wearing a white sequined biker jacket? It's more-than-similar to her daughter's style. Or is her daughter's style more-than-similar to her mom's style? I wouldn't go so far as to call the Sea of Shoes writer a mini-me. Rather, remember that she has had a minimum of 5,840 days to study her mom's style. Plenty of time to be influenced.

So if you've felt sorry that you didn't develop such a fashion sense early on, or maybe still haven't developed it, don't feel sorry anymore. Some people have very close inspiration.

So was this time on Sea of Shoes useful at all? Actually, yes.

Here's where I got stirred. When I was rifling through my stash for a SWAP project recently, there were numerous "what was I thinking?" moments. The Sea of Shoes blog made me realize, there's benefit to knowing what you like and what you don't like. Don't get what you don't like. Even if it's on sale, a great deal, great quality, whatever justification, don't get it. It's not you. And if you already have it, get rid of it. Sell it, consign it, donate it. Get it out of the house. Keep a well-edited closet and fabric stash of the pieces that really speak to you and fit in your lifestyle.

This is nothing new. Sometimes it takes viewing the discipline of others to be inspired to adhere to it myself.

So watch for fabric postings on eBay, coming soon ...