Wifey Shirt / Chicwish Skirt / Madewell Shoes / Kelly Bello Necklace c/o / Clutch (old similar here and here and also love this one)
I was a ballerina once. I can't tell you when I started, but I can absolutely remember when I stopped.
In third grade, I had to miss a recital for my grandfather's funeral and while it's entirely possible that my recollection is incorrect, I don't think I ever really went back.
My perfectionism was apparent even back then. I am far from perfect, but my need to do everything perfectly in the eyes of others or not do it at all, seems to have been with me from the gate. Missing the recital made me feel apart from, different from the other girls in my class and so rather than experience that discomfort, I left.
To be fair, ballet was probably never going to be my thing. My mother was a talented ballerina, but I had been introduced to horses the previous year and was rapidly falling in love. There are really only two things I feel I missed out on by discontinuing ballet - the long, lean dancer's legs (mine are more muscular from the years of horseback riding) and the regular wearing of tutus.
There is something so fun and fanciful about yards of tulle bouncing around you as you walk. Luckily for me (and for you) tulle skirts, reminiscent of tutus, are back in a major way. I probably won't be wearing this skirt to the office anytime soon, but on a girls night out or a date night with the husband...why not?
The pricing on the Chicwish skirt is great, but they are not kidding when they say 12 - 18 days for shipping. If you're in any kind of rush, pay for the expedited option. There are also beautiful and custom options available through Bliss Tulle.
Oh, and the perfectionism? 25 years later and I'm still working on it. Progress is slow, but some of my goals this year are to settle for things that are "just" good enough and to learn to sit with the discomfort of doing things imperfectly. The greatest discovery so far? Once you start doing it, the discomfort becomes less - not more.
Want to start being imperfect? I began by leaving dishes in the sink overnight (I know, the horror) and once I became comfortable with that small action (it took way longer than I'd like to admit) I moved on from there. Start with something small, see how it makes you feel and move to the next thing whenever you feel ready. Miracles can happen.
P.S. This Kelly Bello piece is called the Past Present Future Necklace. It has served as a gorgeous reminder of the transition I'm currently working through and the changes I'm making for the future. It can't hurt to mark the milestones in life with diamonds!
