I have often written about how important it is, now more than ever, to make every effort to be kind to others. Whether they be people who we know and/or love or perfect strangers, kindness is necessary…and easy for the most part. Notice that I said “for the most part”…
THE STORY
…Honestly, there should not be a disclaimer attached to kindness, but in some instances there is. When is it exactly that being kind to someone crosses the line into allowing them to take advantage of you and treat you badly? When does our own peace of mind take precedence over treating another with kindness that they simply aren’t interested in receiving? When is enough…enough? Now that’s a conundrum isn’t it?
I believe that there comes a point in time, and that point is different for each of us, when we recognize that there is simply no amount of kindness, empathy or consideration that is going to make a difference with certain individuals. At that juncture, kindness to ourselves becomes imperative.
Is that a selfish point of view? Perhaps, but selfishness isn’t always a bad thing. Is turning your kind vibes inward and doing what you need to do for yourself going to change the other party’s behavior? Nope. Are you going to feel better by letting go of the frustration that comes from your failed attempts? You betcha. Do those “failed attempts” at kindness mean that you’re a failure. Absolutely not. Sadly, there are people in the world who are so caught up in their own ego-driven dramas that they would be unable to recognize or appreciate kindness if there was a giant neon sign advertising it right in front of them.
I am not in any way condoning being cruel…or nasty…or snarky. I am simply saying that sometimes the best thing for your mind, your heart, your spirit, is to walk away…and sprinkle your kindness like confetti on the breeze while you’re doing it…
THE OUTFIT
My first thought when Jonet chose “Green” as our theme for this month’s Ageless Style Link Up was St. Patrick’s Day green. Alas, I do not own anything in the bright or even the pastel range of green…but guess what? Olive green? I’ve got tons of olive green. I’m not sure why that is, but olive is the green of choice in my closet.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the preponderance of my olive green involves some form of camo print. The outfits I linked to below in “The Tip” section are just a small sampling. The camo silk maxi skirt that I’m wearing today is a definite attention-getter. I always get a lot of comments when I wear it because camo isn’t what comes to mind when you think silk maxi skirt. Because it’s lightweight I wear it all year ’round. Since it’s not exactly sweltering outside at the moment, I have it layered over leggings which is what I normally do when wearing a maxi skirt or dress in the Winter.
I have the olive green lace up sweater for years. Typically when I wear this skirt I don’t wear olive on top as well, but since the theme was green… The western style ankle boots are favorites of mine. They are a nice change when I want some western flavor, but don’t necessarily want to wear my higher cut Laredo boots. The final add-on was the brown leather belt to give some shape to the sweater since the high waist of the skirt doesn’t lend itself well to an easy front tuck.
THE TIP
Not all prints or colors are everyone’s cup of tea, and camo is one of those prints that women sometimes shy away from. If you’re interested in trying a print that might be out of your comfort zone, look for it on pieces that you are comfortable wearing. For example, I have a variety of camo pieces like skinny pants, slouchy pants, a frilly ruffled top, a frilly ruffled top and a tunic that I often style as a dress. You can even try a print out on footwear like these fun camo ankle boots.
THE LINK UPS
Check out the weekly link ups I participate in for even more fashion and style ideas… BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN AND LINK UP WITH MYSELF AND MY LOVELY CO-HOSTS FOR THIS MONTHS AGELESS STYLE LINK UP!!
Skirt: Similar: Sweater: Similar: Boots: Carlos Santana (Similar)
Daenel ~ Living Outside The Stacks blog, instagram, pinterest, twitter
Debbie ~ Fashion Fairy Dust bloglovin, blog, instagram, pinterest, facebook, twitter
Jennie ~ A Pocketful of Polka Dots blog, instagram, facebook, pinterest, twitter, bloglovin
Jodie ~ Jodie’s Touch of Style blog, facebook, instagram, pinterest, bloglovin, twitter
Jonet ~ Fabulously Chic Over 50 blog, facebook, , instagram, pinterest, twitter
Kellyann ~ This Blonde’s Shopping Bag blog, instagram, bloglovin, twitter
Lisa ~ Coast to Coast blog, facebook, instagram, twitter, pinterest
Paula ~ Dimples on my What blog, facebook, pinterest, instagram, twitter
Shelly ~ The Queen in Between blog, instagram, bloglovin, pinterest, facebook
This month’s guest co-host for the Ageless Style Link Up is the beautiful Eugenia of The Age Of Grace. Eugenia’s impeccable fashion sense is a true visual treat! She blogs about fashion, health and lifestyle for women in midlife. You can check her out on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube.
