9.03.2008

# beauty # fashion

If It's Not Broke, Don't Fix It



Our society encourages consumer spending- especially in the beauty and fashion industries. Let’s face it. There’s a new fragrance, make up or skin care line launched and touted what seems like every other day! And I am guilty of buying into it just as much as the next woman. But on my path as a daily connoisseur, I am starting to look at the world a little differently.

Have you ever taken FOREVER to get dressed in the morning? Trying on several outfit combinations before coming out with what you’re going to wear? I do this all the time! It inevitably goes like this: I try on an old favorite (black skinny jeans and a black t-shirt from Vince or C&C California, for example), and then take it off thinking that it is boring and I wear it too much. I then proceed to try on a number of different clothing combinations from that dress I bought last season that just doesn’t quite have the right neckline (but I will make it work!) to the more stuffy option of a high-waisted skirt with a blouson top tucked in (Let’s face it, I will never wear this choice). A half hour later and a lot of clothes strewn about my bedroom, I go back to my number one choice. My skinny jeans and t-shirt. I feel comfortable in this. I feel chic in this. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

The same holds true for my favorite nail polish, Essie Mademoiselle. I love this color. It looks amazing on my nails but without fail, when I visit my manicurist twice a month, I always think “How boring to wear the same shade all of the time”, and I pick out a different color that ends up having too much beige or pink in it. And without fail, I wish I had stayed with my Mademoiselle. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.

Now I’m not saying that I'm never going to try anything new. Mais no! But what I am suggesting is that sometimes our egos are not satisfied with what we have (especially mine). We want more. We want better. There is a Kanye West song with the lyrics, “I only like it if it’s brand new”. I think a lot of us, including myself, feel this way. I must remember, before I go out and buy that outrageous fashion item or start to feel restless with a certain beauty regime, if what I already have is working for me- why stray?

Spiritual Practice: Practice gratitude and appreciation for what I have and what works for me.

2 comments:

Divina said...

Oh my, do I? Just ask my ever suffering bf who ends up waiting, irritably jingling his keys as I hastily jump out of one outfit and into the other until the last possible minute. Story of my life. Sometimes trying to figure out the right outfit keeps me awake the night before. In the end, like you, I often fall back to old favorites. But I love experimenting too. There's nothing like that gorgeous feeling you have when taking out a new stunning outfit for a spin ;)

PS: May I just say you look gorgeous?
PS2: You've been linked! Keep writin' :)

The Daily Connoisseur said...

Thanks Divina! I must say I stumbled across your blog last night and LOVE it! You're a great writer and are beautiful to boot! You've been linked as well...