The 60s Revisited

There is so much talk in the world of fashion about the 60s these days I decided I had to comment about it in some way. Yes, I can't lie (why would I start now?) I was in high school in the mid-60s. So if clothing and jewelry from the 60s is "vintage" guess that makes me "vintage" too! I have always thought of vintage as stuff from the 20s, 30s, 40s and maybe the 50s -- but now we can add a few decades to that term -- meaning that for me -- everything old is new again! Well, let's say all of my jewelry from that era is new again -- can't say that I am new again because we know that not to be true.

I am old...but grateful for the years. When I was styling the new Kazuri black and white bracelet last week, I thought it looked fabulous with the red and clear Lucite bangle I have been harboring since the mid-60s. So in my signature way of stacking I layered these pieces and I liked the end result. I would have liked it as much in the 60s as I do today. 

All of this 60s fanfare got me thinking about pix from my past. I pawed around a bit and uncovered a few from a very old modeling portfolio from the 60s. We used the word portfolio way back in the dark ages for what is now referred to as a "book". So...I decided to share one head shot here. Why? Not sure other than to prove to all of you that it's true; all things old do at some point in time come back around with a slight tweaking. Hair and make-up and yes, those are false eyelashes, with a bit of restyling would work today, no? What I wouldn't give to have those brows again but not too sure about the ever so intense look! How could I, at 15, take myself so seriously?

Fast forward to present day -- this is the first time in life that I have really felt my age -- I think it has to do with all of the fashion media attention around the 60s, a period in time when I felt I was at my physical prime.  A few weeks back, I was sharing all of this with a friend in NYC and told her I was tossing around the idea of doing a side-by-side comparison with this pix and she shouted over the phone "do not do a comparison, aging is brutal!" I actually had a chuckle at her shocking reaction -- yes, aging in a world that is so focused on the "beauty of youth" is a bit brutal. But, all things considered, I am grateful for the years and the wrinkles and the creaks that come along with each and every year. After all, as my dad would always say "considering the alternative, growing old isn't such a bad deal." 

I must admit that I sometimes push to remember those words as I hear myself making my mother's noise while I heft myself from the Pilates board...or do something as simple as standing after a long period of sitting at the desk in the studio. And, while the 60s were very good for me in many ways, I'm glad they have come and gone and we are well into 2012. Life is pretty damn amazing...if we take the time to think about it. My mantra for this time in life -- "aging is a gift...and I am thankful for it every day."