80s Flashback

This morning, while getting ready for the annual Christmas Church Brunch, my mother pulled out a magical gift from her jewelry drawer. 

Pins.

Lots and lots of pins.

She handed them to me in a sort of non-chalont way, and said,

"I've been saving these for my kids, they were really popular to put on our jackets when I was younger."

so beautiful! 

My mom was voted "Most Stylish" by her Senior class. So receiving these pins was like seeing my cool-cat mom back in High School. Where all the girls probably looked at her clothes with a little green tint in their eyes, telling themselves that they would go out and find something like that next time they went shopping.

It's not like she grew up with the money to spend on her fashionista wardrobe. In fact, she grew up kind of poor. She worked for the money to buy her clothes, she did it all by herself. That's what I think she's most proud of. That she did it and no one else did. 

My new favorite commercials to watch are the BareEscential make-up commercials. I think they're message is so true, girls are forgetting that life isn't about being pretty. It's about getting out there, taking action, fixing mistakes, embracing flaws, and being yourself. I see my mom in that campaign. She inspires me to remember who I am. I'm not some princess waiting around for someone to fight my dragon. 

No way.

I'm my own force. And you can't stop me. 

My mom taught me to be my own kind of beautiful.

After all these thoughts ran through my head, I settled down with my pins on the table and meticulously placed each one on my jacket (well, almost each one. I still have a couple left over). I had to  pick and choose some of my favorites, so the end product turned out to be a very glitzy 80s jean jacket. 

Whenever I wear this jacket I think of my mom. Not only because she gave me these pins, but because they remind me of her and her determination to make the best of her circumstances and be a force for beauty.