The Most Important Thing in Style...

...is what the person in the style brings.

Many posts ago, I wrote about the consultant at Rizik's who told me that it's what the bride brings to the dress, not what the dress does to the bride. She's so right.

And as I sit here on minor rants about not looking like anyone else, or not wearing mass-produced things, well, I'm going against that, aren't I? I can put on the same exact thing as the woman next to me, and we'll look like completely different people, won't we?

Maybe I'm scarred by the time this woman (I usually use a different word when I'm telling this story - go ahead and use your imagination) showed up at a friend's wedding wearing MY DRESS. Yup, the exact same dress I was wearing. Shudder. Every girl's nightmare. Now, granted, there was no contest whatsoever, I worked it waaaaay better than she did, but even writing that now seems a little (OK, a lot) shallow. But, as my 9th & 12th grade (same person) English teacher used to say, feelings aren't good, feelings aren't bad, they're just feelings. And I was pissed she had on my new, what-I-thought-was-amazing-and-unique brilliant pink halter with Indian/Latin beading (BCBG - still wear it as much as I can - I love that dress). But even when I toss aside the "I looked better than she did and everyone agreed with me" thoughts, and dig into my thoughtful self, it's a wonderful example of just what I'm talking about. She and I were wearing the Exact Same Dress, but we wore it completely differently. She and I were totally different - hence the dress was.

Not that I'll strive now to wear the Exact Same Thing As Everyone Else, but I think I'm just going to remind myself on a daily basis that it's me that's important and that it's Who I Am that makes the outfit, not the outfit that makes me.

OK, jumping off the soapbox now.