“SO WE BEAT ON, BOATS AGAINST THE CURRENT, BORNE BACK CEASELESSLY INTO THE PAST.” - F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

In 2012, this blog has had a little over 5,000 visitors, spanning 85 countries. In Internet terms, I know that’s not a lot, but it sure feels humbling. For me, this is about inspiration; inspiration for style, and dressing, and of course fashion. I try not to let my own life bleed into it all too much, but so much of personal style is directly correlated to your circumstances. I believe that so, incredibly deeply, especially upon reviewing posts throughout the last year. I see a style diary, baring my soul and the places its taken me the last 12 months.

While home for Christmas, I attempted to visit my Dad’s gym, using one of his Family passes. When I showed the lovely and friendly (*_*) girl at the desk my drivers license to sign in, she immediately passed it back to me and without making eye contact, said “you’re not from Modesto; we can’t let you in. You’re a resident of San Francisco.” I wanted to laugh at her and explain “No, no…I GREW UP here. I am Modesto; people know me here.” And then I looked around and saw the gym I went to all through high school had different paint on the walls, different equipment, and looked like a completely different place than when I regularly ran through the halls, recognizing cute boys from school. I didn’t recognize anyone anymore, and I’m no longer from there.

Every New Year’s I find myself reflecting the past year and asking myself how much of the past do I take with me, and how much do I barge forward, never looking back. I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer to that. I know I’ve figured it out little by little, year by year. I know this year was one full of many highs and many lows, but I enter 2013 with a great clarity; knowing where I’ve been and just enough to know where I’m at right now. And maybe…that’s enough for now.

This week, Leandra Medine wrote this on her blog:

“Sometimes I’ll see an image and will connect with it so viscerally and simultaneously inexplicably, and no matter how hard I try to explain the instantaneously forged new, albeit deep, relationship, I just can’t.”

I couldn’t agree more. So many of the images I’ve used on here feel like postcards from my soul; guiding my sartorial inspiration and postmarking a season of my life. So, I’ll leave you with these. 

Happy New Year to you all, my darling readers. Whether you read this just to humor me, or if we’ve never met. You make me quite happy, and I wish you the most wonderful 2013.

xxxx