Well, June flew by and July was just a cha-ching month. I kid you not. Since July first, my debit card has seen more action than I saw in 14 years of marriage which truly isn’t saying much. Just the same, I enjoyed every minute of it.

Beauty is a passion of mine. I can find beauty in dust and dirt. I can see art in a glass of flat pop. When I see color, my mood brightens, my spirit lifts and I appreciate the gift and blessing of sight as if I lived a life with blindness and an 88 eyeshadow color palette was my first glimpse after a life altering lasik surgery. This is why I’m so taken now with makeup.

I don’t actually do a “look” daily because I don’t leave the house all that often, but I do believe that one should dress for themselves and that in itself does something to elevate ones outlook. I remember long ago reading about a Fly Lady ritual whereby the first thing a person should do each day is put your shoes on. Even if you aren’t leaving the house, it sets the tone for the remainder of the day. I completely agree with that. I take it a step further and wear cute lingerie just for me so I feel femme, exude confidence and personify sexy. I recall a paramour once mentioning my unmentionables as if I wore them for him and I said, “Oh no, Love, I wear cute undies for me and me only.” If they entice or excite, great, but that’s not the goal. It’s kind of like having a secret weapon of confidence. It’s Maya Angelou’s “Phenomenal Woman” poem as a mantra. My own private upper.

Cosmetics has been that for me lately. Well, always really, but I was stuck in neutral colors for a long time and it took some introspection to determine the cause. When I met the man I would marry, one of the first things he said to me was, “I don’t like red lipstick on women,” and you know what, I stopped wearing it. I got the guy, but lost myself. A 23 year old woman that couldn’t wear her favorite lip color, all for what she believed was love. Hindsight, as they say.

Now, I wear lots of nudes and yes, reds, and corals and it’s by choice. I’m reclaiming my identity and enjoying using my face as my canvas to display my mood, my ambition, my wild streak, my soft side and everything that is the staunch feminist in me.

Stay tuned. I have about 5 or 6 posts to update this week and if I have the energy, I will do most of them today.

Sending a smile…

~Feela~