Why The Blog?
Many people have asked me, “Why did you start Goodbye Crop Top?” I’ve thought a lot about my “why,” and here it is, plain and simple.
I love fashion. Love. Although I had a successful career in advertising, for which I will always be very grateful, I have cursed myself over and over for not going down another path. But I’m here now and I’m fascinated by personal style. I started Goodbye Crop Top because I constantly found myself looking online for inspiration in fashion, beauty, health. I was searching for depth, not quick fixes and gimmicks, and certainly not ways to hide myself or my age. I found myself on thirty-somethings’ social media or blogs, deciphering what was right for me in my late forties and what was no longer suitable. Ultimately, I was in search of a place to go where I could find ideas not only for what to wear, but how and why to wear it. I know what I like, but at the same time, growing into the middle years has changed the way I think about clothes, the way I think about life in general. Personally, I want to embrace my age, want to look my age. I don’t know necessarily if I want to feel my age, but I have learned it is indeed all about that; a feeling, not a look. If you feel good, if you’re taking care of yourself, eating well, nourishing yourself from the inside out, making good choices, and surrounding yourself with people who love and accept you . . . and you love and accept back . . . inevitably you will radiate. And only then are we capable of tapping into our own personal style with confidence.
And what type of woman has captured this personal style that I love so much? A mature woman with guts, who has the courage to wear what she feels most comfortable in versus what society says she should wear. A woman who really expresses herself through color—through meaning—in the items she wears; a woman who dresses intentionally and comfortably. This woman has always captivated me, given me ideas, inspiration, and the determination to do the same.
Why me? I can’t tell you how many times I have been asked by friends, co-workers, friends of friends, what to wear or how to wear it. How many women have asked me to re-do their closets, help them repurpose their clothing, help them pack for trips? The answer? A lot. That’s when I realized that maybe I have what it takes—I dress with intention, I do have my own style—and I can make this my career. This gave me courage . . . the courage to pursue my dream.
In addition to my love of fashion, I love to write. I do not claim to be a writing genius, but I enjoy it, and I’ve scribbled many ideas for books, screenplays, poems . . . but nothing’s stuck. And when nothing is sticking, I’ve learned it’s because the passion just isn’t in that project.
One morning it hit me. I mean it really hit me. Really early. I sat up in my bed at 5 a.m. and I decided it would be pretty damn powerful to combine my two passions and write about fashion. I cut all ties to my respective hobbies, and I put them into action in one place. Immediately, I knew I wanted this to be deeper than just “clothes,” more meaningful than just pretty pictures of “things.” Although the focus is on style, I want to talk about all of it, from the inside out. I want to address the fact that women look good, perfect, just as they should as they age. I want to scream from the mountaintops that THE MIDDLE YEARS ARE AMAZING! But . . . and this is a big one—you have to take care of yourself. You have to nurture your soul and your mind, and with that comes your own individual style. Your own beautiful YOU.
I’m so excited about Goodbye Crop Top and the opportunity to speak to women about what makes them tick. I’m going to talk to accomplished artists, writers, yoga gurus, skin care professionals, and more . . . all who have style. I’ll ask them how they incorporate what they do into their wardrobes. What inspires them. The lineup is pretty fantastic!
Thank you so much for coming on this journey with me. Let’s start a movement, ladies! We will laugh, we will go deep on issues we all think about but don’t discuss, and we will tackle the issues of self-confidence and awareness. Let’s own fifty, sixty, seventy—and let’s make it look rad. Start with fulfilling your soul. Start by loving and letting others love you. Shed your skins of insecurity and embrace exactly where you are. Right now.