I am a voracious reader. Since childhood I have been an avid devourer of books, fiction or nonfiction, it makes no difference. If a book grabs my imagination I will lose myself in its pages…
THE STORY
…For me, books have always provided a means of escape as well as a path to learning; about myself, the world and my place in it. I remember when I was little being obsessed with the Little House On The Prairie series. Charlotte’s Web, Little Women and pretty much anything by Judy Blume…Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, Deenie and Blubber to name a few.
The first book I read that could be considered part of the self-help genre was Motherless Daughters by Hope Edelman. It changed my entire understanding of myself and gave me a better understanding of the profound effect losing my mom at a young age had on me. To this day, I remember details from the book that really had an impact on me. This is why I feel like it is so very important to tell our stories…our personal stories provide a road map for those who are coming after us.
Untamed by Glennon Doyle is another such book. It is truly a map to help women find their way back to themselves. It’s one part beautiful memoir and one part kick in the ass. In my opinion it’s a definite must-read to add to your summer reading list. From the book flap:
“There is a voice of longing inside of each of us. We strive so mighily to be good: good partners, daughters, mothers, employees and friends. We hope all this striving will make us feel alive. Instead, it leaves us feeling wearing, stuck, overwhelmed, and underwhelmed. We look at our lives and wonder: Wasn’t it all supposed to be more beautiful than this? We quickly silence that question, telling ourselves to be grateful, hiding our discontent~even from ourselves.”
The book is structured more like a series of interconnected essays rather than chapters. On a podcast that I listened to, Glennon said that she wanted the book itself, from the structure to the cover to be untamed as well. This particular format makes for an easy and enjoyable read.
The prologue entitled “Cheetah” sets the stage for what’s to come. Through the story of Tabitha the cheetah and the dirty pink bunny that she chases day after day in her caged enclosure, you come to realize that we are not so dissimilar to her and her caged existence. The cheetah in the photo above now sits prominently displayed on my desk to remind me every single day that “I am a goddamn cheetah.”
My fiction books I tend to buy on my Kindle, but when it’s something that I know I will learn from I purchase the actual book. I’m a huge fan of underlining/highlighting so that I can easily refer back to passages that really resonate with me. Untamed is underlined to within an inch of it’s life! And in addition to the underlining I also have little pink sticky notes sticking out all over the place. It’s a book that really gets you thinking and questioning the societal constructs that cage us all in from a very early age. It makes you take a long hard look at what is the truest and most beautiful story that you can imagine for your life.
Untamed is not a structured set of directives on how to live a better, happier more meaningful life; it is not formulaic in any way. It is simply deeply insightful anecdotes shot through with nuggets of wisdom to help guide us on the path to knowing ourselves better and making the truest most beautiful and authentic lives possible for ourselves. It helps us answer the question:
“How can we begin to live from our imagination instead of our indoctrination?” ~Glennon Doyle
Tell me, have you read Untamed? What book have you read that had a real impact on your life?
THE OUTFIT
Another day, another gorgeous piece from Caite & Kyla. This little beauty is the Palmer Dress. It’s a lightweight polysilk blend that makes it both comfortable and floaty…and you know I love me a floaty dress! I was immediately drawn to the beautiful turquoise/aqua color with hints of pink, blue and cream in the print. And let’s not forget Caite & Kyla’s signature gorgeous embroidery…it’s not only on the front, but the back as well.
I layered my pink silk kimono over top to give it some shape and add a fun play of textures. This dress would also look fab belted with a thick braided leather belt. I chose not to go the belt route though because it was crazy hot the day I wore it and a belt would have made me crazy.
I’m barefoot in all of the pictures, but I was actually wearing my pink Birks which tied in with the pink in the print of the dress and kept things casual for a day of running errands. The nice thing about the Palmer Dress is it would also be gorgeous dressed up and paired with a pair of pink heeled sandals or pumps. Add the heels and a cute clutch bag and it would be perfectly suitable for a summer wedding…that is if we still did those kinds of things!
**Check out more of this season’s Caite & Kyla goodness…the super cool camo Shay Hoodie and the drool-worthy Filippa Kimono.
**And because you guys are the best, Caite & Kyla is offering 20% off your purchase! Use code “FAIRYDUST” at checkout.
THE TIP
I realize that me suggesting that a kimono is a must-have item in your closet is incredibly redundant. However, you really might want to consider adding a few kimonos to your wardrobe if you haven’t already. They make a great lightweight topper during the summer and are a super easy way to dress up anything from denim to dresses. Lace is particularly nice because it’s so delicate and pretty which makes it perfect for warmer weather.
THE LINK UPS
Check out the weekly link ups I participate in for even more fashion and style ideas…
Dress: c/o Caite & Kyla; Kimono: Similar;
**Dress provided c/o Caite & Kyla. All opinions, as always, are my own.
