Last Reflections on NYC.
What anyone close to me knows is that while I caught tourist attractions here and there, I mostly spent my time in normal daily life and working in NYC. I was too busy taking in NYC and incorporating a baby to do what I would have expected: frequent Broadway shows, niche clubs, go to Fashion Week, tour historical landmarks and museums, and spent long summer days in Central Park. In a way, though, I'm glad.
A local pastor in Queens shared with us, early on, that it takes 2-3 years to really understand NYC and determine whether or not you like it. I think at the time I thought he was referring to the difference in lifestyle i.e. smaller living spaces, traveling on foot everywhere, and spending long hours at work. What he may have been referring to, and what I found it took 2-3 years to understand, are the people. I found most New Yorkers to be a contrast to the loud-mouthed, rude, and untrustworthy stereotype. The worst NYers tend to be that way, but at least 80% of the population isn't in my experience. A more accurate stereotype would be polite, private, assertive, and goal-driven. I did wonder if this is a response to the smaller percentile that are the horribly toxic, frequently depicted stereotype. Because those people were everywhere too, but smaller in number, however their presence was so abrasive they seemed to dominate.
There are three style points, three important style points, I'm taking away from the NYERS I managed to get to know and like:
1) Every square foot matters.
I first saw this in my fellow mommy friends who opted to live in a one bedroom apartment with a husband and two kids. We could not make such a transition at the time, and Robert and I opted to rent a two bedroom apartment a little farther from town. Mistake. The apartments I saw were always immaculate and well decorated. They spent all their time at local parks with other moms, so why would they need more indoor living space? This has broadened my awareness of the spaces in my house, and also made me question how much space I really need. Do I need more space, or am I making poor use of the space I already have? The same can be said for clothing, but in the reverse. Do I need to lose 20 pounds so there isn't a bulge at the top of my skirt, or should I have just bought a skirt with a higher or more forgiving waistband? A true Nyer would buy a different skirt.
2) Style is not age restrictive.
When I think of people I most admired in style there is a wide range. The youngest was right out of college and the oldest is in her 60s. There were actually two women from work who are in their sixties who were the most admired in style. The style was subtle and tasteful. One piece I remember is a short sleeved, v-neck, long cashmere sweater in a heather pink. Krista wore this at least three times a week with a pair of leggings and boots. I really wanted to copy it, but decided to wait and come up with my own twist. The following winter I saw the leggings and boots again, but never the sweater. The common denominator I noticed is that they all had a few staples they wore years after year, usually well made, tailored pants. Each season they would throw in handful of things from current fashion. After they wore the items every week, or even daily, in that season, I never saw the items again.
3) Invest in quality shoes.
This needs no explanation.This is my last post in this blog. What anyone close to me knows is that a year ago life intervened and it was irrevocably time to come back to Washington State, back to friends and family. I cherish the time my small family at the time had there. At the same time, it already feels like a different person lived that time period of my life. What I've learned most of all between living in Hawaii, and NYC, and then now back in Kitsap County, WA; is how to build a life around me. Each new move brought new adjustments. And each time, I eventually got past the stress and found ways to make the new life my own. For me, this brought happiness. I got happy faster with each move as I showed more initiate.
