I was sitting quietly in a quiet corner of a comfy private airport lounge editing a video in Dallas Texas when a young woman and her husband walked in and settled on a couch across from me. I was mesmerized by her presence and for the better part of two hours, I tried hard not to get caught stealing glances at her whenever I could. She had a dreamy yet strong look; I marvelled at her silhouette, her profile. She posed quite a distracted from the project I was working on.
I couldn’t help but notice she was exquisitely beautiful, elegant, regal and whimsical all at the same time. I studied her carefully every time she looked away, lost browsing on her phone. Her hair, parted in the middle, was held back in an elegant low chignon, no hair out of place, no wisps.
She had on a pair of simple pearl earrings. A thin bracelet adorned her right hand. She was wearing a simple fitted mini little black dress made from rich stretch fabric, had on black stockings and a pair of black white-soled sneakers, a black puffy jacket draped over her chair. Thick bushy eyebrows, neutral lips and probably very little makeup, if any at all.
It’s been over a year now and I still remember exactly what she was wearing, how she looked, how she sat finger poised, ready to scroll down her phone … What made this woman interesting? There was nothing in particular that was remarkable about her. If anything, she was completely understated. Elegant and understated –that’s what stood out to me.
Coco Chanel said ‘simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance’, and this girl embodied that so very well. She had nothing trendy on. She dressed sensibly, modestly even, and yet there I sat captivated by her, trying to analyse her look, her attitude, her mannerisms…
My whole life, I’ve preferred fashion that appears effortless, an art form the French have perfected. I’ve shunned embellished fashion for as long as I can remember, save for a time of youthful indiscretion when everything I designed and wore was luminous green or neon pink -lol! Why did I ever think that was okay?! I digress.
The point is, there’s beauty in simplicity and elegance in a minimal look. Life is most beautifully lived at its simplest. Laugh when you can, cry if you must, jump for joy, bow in silence, dance to the music. Simplicity. Clean lines. Functional. Seek these. Stay beautiful. Cheers, Helena ღ
