Taking Some Time Off

Dear Friends, I will not be posting for a while in order to take care of some new ventures I am working on. Please keep checking back, I will resume writing in the near future. Thank you for your support! Perlouez

Fashion Details

In 1997, I was fortunate enough to spend a substantial part of my time in France. The name of the town was Perpignan. It was near the border of Spain, and to my pleasure, also on the Mediterranean Sea. I had heard how beautiful this region was, but upon seeing it for myself, I was literally blown away. I don't know how else to describe it. I could, of course, deliberate in detail upon its' magnitude, however, that would still do it no justice. I had never seen water so blue, or experienced such an ease of living. My sons were safely tucked away in Oregon and I was safely separated from their father while dating a basketball player whose profession took him all over Europe. This season it was France, how lucky can a girl get? My ballplayer was usually away at a training camp in the Pyrenees Mountains during the week, which left me alone to explore on my own. The town was small and quaint. I would awake at dawn to survey the marketplace where I would purchase my goods for the day. Fresh fruits and vegetables, bread, meat and fish were the standard fare and I delighted in the whole experience. After the market I would return home, pack a lunch and head for the beach, the nude beach to be exact, (when in Rome...). Having birthed three children, I didn't exactly want to put it all out there at first, but then I said to myself, "what the hell", I didn't look any worse than anyone else there. In my abandonment, I had begun to notice that although there was an absence of clothing, there was absolutely no absence of fashion, after all, I was in France. The exquisite umbrellas, beach towels, lunch baskets, sunglasses and head scarves were unequalled, at least to any beach I had ever frequented. These sand dwellers were screaming style. I soon felt a bit under dressed, this was no square dance, this was a full blown red carpet event. In my ignorance I had failed to recognize what had, up to this point, always been my mantra: God is in the details. Details in the design world are of the utmost importance, because without them great design cannot exist. When I scrutinize my outfit, or any outfit, I always make note of even the most minute details. For this reason, I find it hard to date a man who cannot dress. Oh yes, I have been scolded repeatedly by my friends and family for this flaw in my character. Having kicked to the curb many a suitor for committing unforgivable crimes of fashion such as: Herman Munster shoes, less than common button-down shirts, pants with one too many pleats, JC Penney-looking ties, cheap wool sport coats and the mother of all transgressions, the lack of imagination and personal style. When your life has always revolved around fashion, when beautiful clothes and extraordinary design are like fresh air, then a potential partner must be able to not only enjoy the same, but also be able to execute this to some degree. What most of my friends and family fail to understand is that I have my standards just as they do. My sister would not be with a man that cannot go through a "honey do" list without ease. My father would never date a fat woman. My niece would never contemplate a relationship with a man who thought "savings" was a four letter word. Why am I so different? I have my standards just as they do and I will not apologize for them. The journey of discovering a persons level of imagination and personal style is the dance that I do with them. Sure, lately my dance card has been empty. However, to be fair, I could just as easily date a man that could walk into JC Penney and come out looking like he had just emerged from Barneys. Now that would show some real aptitude, since great style has nothing to do with great amounts of money. Imagination is the buzzword here, and that is exactly what I admire. It is tantamount to excitement for me and I would venture to guess, for most people. All of us, sooner or later, must get in where we fit in. For me and others like me, that means a love for imagination and creativity in all its' forms. Details are a part of all our lives and makes up what living is all about. No matter how you perceive them, details separate and define us as individuals. They also unite us by bringing like minds together. So the next trip I make to a nude beach in France I will be sure to remember my mantra, not be so under dressed and have my dance card in tow, because one never knows, does one? After all, with my talent for exposing great details I could surely be noticed by another like mind. copyright 2008 Perlouez