The best thing about getting older is the life lessons we learn and the wisdom that we gain from them…
THE STORY
…and I think the most important lesson I’ve learned over the course of my years on this planet can be summed up in this quote: “Be with people who know your worth. You don’t need too many people to be happy; just a few real ones who appreciate you for who you are.” It has been my experience that this applies across the board to friends as well as family. I can count on two hands, with a finger or two left over, the number of real friends that I have. And that is by choice not circumstance. I’m talking about people who are truly friends in the deepest sense of the word. Those who we can count on to have our back no matter what. The people to whom we can bare our soul and there is no judgement; no fear of it going any further than their ears. People who have seen us at our ugliest and love us anyway. When I was a pup what mattered most was the number of friends I had. Life was one big popularity contest. The thing is, more often than not, the more people you have in your social circle, the fewer friends you actually have.
There really isn’t much commonality among the women I count as friends. Most are around my age, but one is just a mere babe in her twenties. My best friend has been in my life for about forty years (no, that wasn’t a typo), and one of my friends is someone I’ve known casually for years, but only in the last year or so realized she’s a keeper. Some have a similar background to me, but others may as well be from another planet. Some work in education, others would take a bullet before being shut up in a room all day with young humans. The one thing that is common to them is that they are all fabulous human beings. I would trust them with my life. They make me laugh. They appreciate me for who I am. And I appreciate them right back. A few good friends beats a huge group of people you can’t really trust any day of the week.
THE OUTFIT
Nothing special or fancy going on here. Just your basic jeans and top outfit. This particular floral top gets a lot of play. It might not appear so, but it’s actually super versatile. I’ve dressed it up with a blazer and skirt and worn it all year ’round although I’ve only blogged it a few times. It’s still not skirts with bare legs weather so while looking for a pair of pants I hadn’t worn in awhile I unearthed these olive cropped jeans that I haven’t worn since I don’t know when. Together they were fine, but I added the long lace vest to give them a little extra somethin’. Another little detail is underneath. The top is a tad low cut for work so I layered a black cage bralette under it. It gave me extra coverage with the added bonus of the strap detail above the neckline.
THE TIP
I know, I know…I often preach the value of layering. But there’s a reason for that. Layers are such an easy way to make a simple outfit just a little more special. As I said, the floral top and jeans were fine on their own, but the lace vest and cage bralette made the two less ordinary and more visually interesting. And doesn’t everyone need a little more visual interest in their lives?
THE LINK UPS
Check out the weekly link ups I participate in for even more fashion and style ideas…
Top: JCPenney (Similar); Jeans: JCPenney (Similar); Pumps: Kohl’s (Similar); Vest: Nordstrom (Similar)
