Are you a fashion girl from a small town?
I come from a small town on the Jersey Shore. I'm something of a local celebrity, simply because I have met Justin Timberlake. I recently sat down with a glass of sav blac, and Sweet Home Alabama was on ABC Family. I've seen it before, (like, 6 times at least), but this time it really was kind of like watching myself... a blonder, bitchier, shallower, more successful version of myself.
I don't think I've accomplished nearly enough yet- let's get that straight. I'm not like, "Where's my naked cover of Paper Magazine?" Kardashian-proud of myself, but yea- I left town and did some shit.
Fun fact: This clip stars Melanie Lynskey, with whom I made the film "Hello, I Must Be Going" between this movie and her role in Ever After- you can believe I fanned out when I met her.
I went to school in New York, worked there as an assistant costume designer for film for several years thereafter, then picked up and moved to LA. I didn't know a (professional) soul there, and moved in with my wonderful aunt and uncle in Newport Beach. Not a bad deal. I then got wrangled into the crazy world of celebrity styling (The Rachel Zoe project was NOT an exaggeration, guys) I did some amazing work, and worked with photographers, stylists, and celebrities that I've admired all my life.
Then I moved back to New Jersey. Initially for a job opportunity that didn't pan out due to logistics (aka a 70 mile drive, for a very well known high-end e-tailer) Now what? I was back to my small beach town life, and couldn't help but feel I had outgrown most of the people and places I had known all my life. The song Brandy makes me cry because it's what my life would've been had I never left. Just a harbor town girl throwin whiskey down for the local sailors... Brandy... you're fine girl... what gooooood wife you would be....
Anyway... Reese's character in Sweet Home Alabama, left town and became a successful fashion designer in *exotic* New York City, and, upon her return home, is pretty much an asshole. She exerts all of her energy denying her small town roots, up-keeping the veil that she is a New Yorker worthy of marrying her politico-socialite finance. Of course, it is impossible to ignore your roots- she learns the err of her ways, embraces her southern heritage, and falls back in love with that hot guy from high school who turned out to be a millionaire selling lighting glass (?) wtf. {If anyone I went to high school with is now a millionaire selling, I don't know... drift wood from hurricane damage... please raise your hand and make a dinner reservation}
I guess what I saw in the movie this time around is that it's so important not to loose sight of the real world, and to appreciate and embrace your roots. Professionally, being from a different background than your co-workers or clients, should be viewed as a strength and embraced.
In the world of fashion- people take themselves way too seriously, and I make it a personal goal of mine to break that seriousness whenever possible. I've cracked jokes as an assistant on shoots with major celebrities because everyone was being too uptight- and you know what? It created a mood of levity that created better work.
So, fashion people- stop being assholes and start having more fun.
