One of the things I’ve been pondering lately is the idea of staying relevant. Not that I’m feeling at all irrelevant, it’s just one of those things that I think about from time to time…
THE STORY
…What does “staying relevant” mean exactly? One definition that I found says “finding new ways to offer added value, support the team, and contribute”. That definition seems more workplace focused. In regard to celebrities, I think relevance could be use interchangeably with popularity. And that makes sense because in reality, remaining popular, or relevant, is their bread and butter. I’m thinking more along the lines of real life relevance; as in remaining relevant as we get older.
It is true that as a whole, our society has become increasingly youth focused. And I think as a result, sometimes older people tend to feel pushed aside and unneeded. If you think back to when you were a child (and you’re somewhere roundabout my age) our grandparents were necessary. Not that grandparents aren’t necessary now, but what I mean is, they were always teaching us things; they were actively involved in our worlds. I remember my grandmother teaching me how she made chocolate chip cookies. My grandfather taught me how to put a brand new battery in my car all by myself; and that was via long distance phone call. That man was good I tell ya. I also remember when I was around 8 years old, I started taking the trail through the woods to my great-grandparents house. Actually, I discovered the way there by accident one day while playing out in the woods which was my most favorite thing to do as a kid. On a side note, I always made that trek all by myself and no one ever had to worry that some psychopath was going to abduct me and hide me away in a basement somewhere. Annnyyyway, I would head over there often just to hang out and spend time with them. I remember great-grandpa teaching my how to pick the just right blackberries, and then we would take them in the house and great-grandma helped me clean them. See what I mean? They were relevant in that not only did I love them, but they offered me so much by way of knowledge. Our grandparents remained relevant because they knew things that we didn’t.
Today when you need to know how to do something or the answer to a question, what do you do? Google it. I just mentioned the other day that I’m the Google master. So how does one stay relevant in today’s world? I think it all hinges on how willing you are to make an effort at it. Honestly, I do. The easy route is to just fade into the background and blame it all on the way things are now. That’s a cop out. I found a really good article on Time.com that I think makes a lot of sense. The writer said, “You make yourself irrelevant by insulating yourself from change and losing your connections.” That hits the nail on the head. Just like I won’t allow anyone to tell me how to dress, I won’t allow myself to become irrelevant because it’s the path of least resistance or because it’s expected. The cool thing is, I’ve pretty much got all eight suggestions on his list already covered…and guess what? Number 2 on the list is “Google It”. Who knew my reliance on Google was the fountain of youth?
THE OUTFIT
I have just been waiting for somewhere to wear this beautiful obnoxious explosion of color. When I first got the dress back in the winter as part of a collaboration with Bitter Lollipop I had to style it for cold weather. I mean seriously, I’m standing in the snow for the pictures. When I received the invitation for my good friend’s tea party bridal shower (she’s my son’s age…look at me staying all relevant and whatnot) I knew this was the dress for the occasion. This is a tea party dress if there ever was one. I snagged the neon pink clutch at Walmart (yes, Walmart) because not only was it perfect with this dress, but every girl should have a neon pink clutch. I kept the footwear neutral with my beige/nude metallic sandals. I added the pink belt even though the dress has a banded waist because I like the way it breaks up all of the print yet still blends in with it.
THE TIP
Remember, even if a dress screams “summer tea party” it can still be styled for cooler temperatures. Simply layer it over a turtleneck or under a pullover or cardigan sweater, switch out your footwear and you’re good to go. One more thought in regard to all of the bright colors. Since I went with the neon clutch and belt, I went with nude sandals. I do have a pair of pink sandals that match perfectly, but had I wore them I would have gone with a nude or neutral bag.
THE LINK UPS
Check out the weekly link ups I participate in for even more fashion and style ideas…
Dress: Bitter Lollipop (Similar); Clutch: Walmart (Similar); Sandals: JCPenney
