the nosering

I can’t say how it began, the wanting of a nosering. I was around 17, and can’t remember any special trigger or role model. Can hardly remember even seeing or knowing anyone who had one, or, at least, anyone who had one that I liked. A description in a book, perhaps? It came upon me suddenly, I think, as these things* often do, and I waited patiently to see if it would fade. Two years of tireless fantasizing about a tiny gold hoop later, I got my nose pierced, with nary a moment of doubt or disappointment. It was a strange experience because the piercer has to get very near your face to do the job, and the guy who pierced my nose had eyes uncannily like mine, so we were both sort of astonished and distracted the whole time.

*Ex. Right now I want a pair of antique scissors, as a turn of the century florist might have used. Who can say why?

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My being 19 is very poorly documented. I can’t find this one picture. I am maybe 23 here? I’d just been snowboarding. You get the idea. I’ve had it for a while.

So at 19 a tiny hoop melded seamlessly into the architecture of my face (it was instantaneous), and I loved it, and I love it. I hardly see it now (or, am hardly conscious of seeing it), and I think I am not alone. I’ve had friends notice suddenly, many interactions in, wondering if I’d only just gotten it. They mention it and I feel something like surprise, too, having more or less forgotten about it. At which point I say, oh yes, I’ve had this for ages, and feel the pleasure of remembering having once made an excellent decision.

It fits, seems to be the indication. It’s me.

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From this look, a favorite.

I like so much finding these things that are me. This Meghan life paraphernalia. My long-lost style brethren.

I’ve been wanting a tattoo for a while…

the leopard

One does feel somewhat predatory with such decor as this going on.

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This Violent Lips leopard appliqué is not disappointing. It’s strange on the lips, yes. You know it’s there, and it seems like you can’t move your lips very dramatically without the appliqué cracking (not flaking off, just cracking in place – once it’s on, barring the intervention of oil or makeup remover, it’s not coming off). That said, I’m pretty impressed. I like. It’s a playful novelty, winning me over by being just what it promises to be.

[It’s a good thing, because I got a ton of them.]

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This leopard print is so unexpected. It’s distracting, and not only for me it seems, given the number of looks on the street. Any of the component colors alone would be unusual lip colors, and all three together are triply so. Unconventional, bizarre, bold…all the necessaries for a potentially fierce look, a look that says, I do what I want.

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I think we need some aviators here.

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This necklace features the Leo constellation (fitting, no?). Was searching for a small but not too small gold disc like this for some time, intended for layering with other small pendants on dainty gold chains with white v-neck shirts (you know how it is…). Gold and white is a favorite color combination of mine, and the uncontested favorite for summer. I was so attached to a white/gold/brown look here that I omitted blush and am only wearing bashings of bronzers and illuminators (yes, multiple, we’ll talk about that later).

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Victoria’s Secret tunic dress, bowler bag (eBay, thoughts on replicas here), gladiator sandals (eBay), Free People belt, Fossil Watch, Julie Nolan zodiac necklace (eBay, chain replaced), Ray Ban aviators.

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Used a combination of a gold Urban Decay 24/7 liner and a brown Tarte Smoldereyes pencil here, both great, soft, smudgeable, long-wearing formulations. Tried out an intriguing technique I picked up from this really interesting tutorial (so many techniques/perspectives here I hadn’t seen before) by Australian makeup artist Rae Morris. Applying the gold all along and down my inner corner/epicanthic fold was my idea, though. More dramatic and metallic in person. A little cat inspiration.

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