Dreams, Schemes & Countless Fabulous Things..

"I'd rather have friends who care than friends who agree with me."  Arlo Guthrie

If mannequins could speak to passersby who peep by the light of the window display..
they would tell the stories of shopgirls & the chatter filled noise that brought them to life on that day.

Something about laughter & talks about happily ever after & all the ways the world could be brought together
IF we all really wanted it that way...  

A little talk about politics a lot of talk about concert tix
& the latest people in their lives who take their collective breaths away.

Dreams
Schemes
Countless fabulous things

 If mannequins could tell about the fierce loyalty that is held between shopgirls who style them up without end?
  It would surely be stories of infinite glitter dance parties & how nothing shimmers brighter than the love of a friend. 

Happy New Year

2012 is Yours

Hepburn Hugs & Ric Ocasek Dreams

Birdee Bow

Santa So Stylin' & Blue Bic Wishes

I keep Santa on speed dial because a girl never knows when she's gonna need to call upon a snappy fabulous friend dressed in red with a beard as white as the driven snow who loves to give gifts & is rumored to be made of pure magic.  As much as the world would like to tell me that such magical endeavors are merely fantasy?  I'm still a fan of The Claus. I'm still a believer, even though I realize this crazy world makes it tough to be a believer at times..

Today I decided to do something I haven't done since I was a little girl.  I decided to write my very own letter to Santa.  The last time I touched base with Santa in writing I'm pretty sure the correspondence consisted of a teddy bear, roller skates & pink cowboy boots request.  For the record he came through on all accounts.  Ahhh good old Santa!  Anyway, I thought it might be fun to write The Claus as an adult, just to see where my thoughts would take me.  I was curious to know what wishes I might conjure up on a moment's notice.  The plan was to blog about it later & share the silliness of my materialistic nature (because I definitely have one). I fully planned to put a stamp on it & mail it away to The North Pole immediately after writing.  Why not?? 

My letter journey started out simple enough:   "Dear Santa",  I sketched out, in my best print handwriting " I wish for.." At that exact moment a blank stare parked itself upon my face. As my hand froze, something beyond my comprehension began to happen.  I did NOT know what to ask for, I did not know what to write.  ME? Come on!  I want LOTS of things. Endless things!  How could I be at a loss for words? Things Things Things. This is my specialty. THIS is what I DO.  I'm a wisher!  I'm a crush it til I get it kinda girl. What on Earth was happening here? Suddenly, just as quickly as my pen hit the table,  I jerked it back up again & the words "makes me happy " began to form.  Only this time the letters were in cursive with large meaningful strokes, swirls of letters across an empty white page coming to life with a blue Bic.  Happy, fun, energetic words on & on flowing so easily, effortlessly, as if by magic.  Hyper cursive words appearing with accompanying smiles on my face for every listing of a beautiful person in my life:  People who care about me in this world & ask for nothing in return except for exactly who I am.  People who make me feel alive with the spirit of a holiday season every day of the year. My Holiday Wish?  To spend more time with them.
 Santa's So Stylin!  Hope he writes me back:)

Believe
Hepburn Hugs & Claus Wishes

xoxo
Birdee Bow

SMILE Lines Like You Mean It..

I once met a gentleman who had been a NYC fashion photographer in the mid 1960's.  A very dapper older man with a great sense of style & impeccable manners.  He was a client of a friend of mine & on several occasions we met, by chance, in the waiting room of our mutual acquaintance.  I've always been enthralled by the romantic idea of  New York City in the 60's & on these few occasions I  enjoyed speaking with him.  He was rich with stories of famous models & actresses whom he had photographed during the height of a Manhattan mesmerized by Andy Warhol & Edie Sedgwick. His stories usually ended up with some serious dish about which ones were untouched natural beauties & which ones were "retouch nightmares" as he jokingly referred to them.  He knew I was always eager to be his captive audience of one & like any vintage fashion junkie, I listened with pure intent & always had a list of questions & inquiries which I think he found quite entertaining.   I will never forget one particular discussion when I asked him about the best beauty secrets of that era & what he thought of modern beauty treatments.  "Darling, if you never want to age a day in your life you must never allow your emotions to be seen upon your face."
 "What?", I asked "Wait, what do you mean?" "I Mean ( he continued) that if one never wants to see lines upon their face they should never allow the world to know how they really feel & that includes intense happiness as well as dismay"  I pondered that idea for a moment & I'm sure the look of amazement & confusion upon my face was indeed NOT hidden.  He went on, "I once knew a fabulous model from the 60's who lived by that rule & she practiced it immensely to the point where it became second nature. Oh she never showed emotion upon her face & do you want to know something?"    "What What?!"  I prodded,  hanging on to his every syllable.   "I happened to bump into her some 25 years or so later while having lunch in Greenwich Village & her face was still seamless with zero wrinkles. Just as it had been when she was 24!"   "NOWAY!", I gasped, "that's incredible!"  "Oh yes indeed" he said "but of course she was also alone, lonely, miserable, had no companion, no friends & NO SMILE."   As he began to roar with laughter I knew I had been taken.  "SMILE, LIVE & ENJOY every moment of LIFE my dear & you'll always be beautiful!!"   I can still feel the warmth of his wrinkled smile.

Wishing you a gorgeous day filled with smile lines full of laughter.
Hepburn Hugs & Ric Ocasek Dreams

xo
Birdee Bow