Seeing Stripes and Seasons from a NEW Hemisphere...

So I'm sitting here reading Elle over my morning coffee and thinking that I've seen way too many horizontal stripes than I need to before it's hit noontime...then I begin to wonder wait what season are we in?

AND...why the hell am worrying about this? Here I am looking through a magazine that showcases Louis Vitton and YSL purses worth 3 or 5 times the amount of my monthly stipend. Haha...omg, I am in Peace Corps.

I think it's really hard to figure out my head, or maybe not. Why am I someone with a heart that leads me to into these low paying nonprofit development jobs and I have as Miss Cass calls, "nice taste." A taste for the finer things in life, or what I think has evolved to a good eye for nice "economical" things. Blame it on the monthly Vogue subscription my mom allowed me to get starting at age 12. However, I do think that this recession has made us all reassess the amount of bill$ we throw down on clothes or a fun night out in the City. And, I will tell you that after living in Manhattan on the equivalent of a poorly paid social worker's salary, I have learned so many ways to cut costs on buying groceries and how to scrounge the sales racks at TJ Maxx and Forever21 from diamonds in the rough. Most importantly how to make a $5 summer dress find into a reasonable look by just added a belt. It's all about "accessorization." One key piece can change it all.

I now relish the moments when people complement me on something I wear and then I can through back at them "$10 baby...Target.". It's like a little mental "booo-yah! In your face!" I'm such a passively aggressive One-upper. Oops.

But...back to the main question: What season am I in here in South Africa? Are we in Spring/Summer 2011 or 2012 since Fashion Week in NYC (as those who follow fashion very well know) kicked off the London, Paris, and Milan fashion weeks for the spring and summer lines for the coming year just this past month. So, we here on the opposite hemisphere must be behind, no? Since that would explain why I feel like I'm seeing a over redundancy of stripes, nude beiges, and platforms (which I'm really not into - though given my height I should be wearing daily). BUT let me pause there as I watch a herd of cattle waddle down the unpaved sandy road in front of my home...where am I again?? RURAL SOUTH AFRICA. And to top it off, I'm in Peace Corps so why even worry about these things?!

Ugh...it's just who I'm am. Until I can find a career which blends my love for the finer things in the fashion world and my love for international development, I'll just sit here and know that for the moment for I have made the RIGHT choice FOR ME. The more meaningful choice.

As a friend used to say to me as I'd become finicky over decisions and life... "Just do you, Suz." Yup, and that I DO.

Sent via my BlackBerry from Vodacom - let your email find you!