I have a confession to make. When I was in high school, my dream was to become a fashion designer. I idolized Betsey Johnson, whose career was just starting to take off. I didn't really know much about the business end of things, but I loved to sew and work with fabric. I loved to create and add my own flair to everything I made. Now, nearly 40 years later, she's still a big name in the fashion world (though I'm not as fond of her designs as I once was....) and I have a career in finance. But I still sew and play with fabric, and many of my designs have unique and creative touches.
So as I've been giving much thought to the new wardrobe I'm in the process of planning, I've also been thinking about my old aspirations of becoming a designer. Realistically, it's a bit too late to go back to school and change careers, but surely I can still satisfy my dreams in a more personal way. That was one of Randy Pausch's absolute commandments in his "Last Lecture."
Randy talks about his many dreams and how he accomplished them in one form or another. He was lucky and had a family, and later friends, mentors and co-workers who pushed him, encouraged him. Me? I didn't have dreams, wasn't encouraged to have them. Dreams took money and energy to support, and my family had neither (though we did have love.) I'm not into blame and excuses, but I didn't receive a whole lot of personal affirmation when I was growing up. Most girls can remember wanting to be a teacher, a ballet dancer, a nurse or even a doctor. The only dream I can ever recall having was to attend FIT and become a designer. And that was about as foreign an idea to my family as moving to the moon would have been.
Well, that dream didn't happen then. And knowing what I know now, I'm O.K. with it. The New York fashion scene isn't my really my kind of place. I'm more of a back-to-nature, practical, down-to-earth kind of gal (my Capricorn showing through). I've weathered a few bumps and scrapes in my life, but I am happy with who I am and what I do today. I have the love and support of my life partner of 20 years, and he is encouraging me to fulfill my dream to design.
So while I don't expect a runway show, I will showcase my many talents as I design my SWAP wardrobe and beyond!
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Wow! Sometimes, you think you're the only one going through things. I was encouraged to become a doctor, but after a year of pre-med studies, I realized that was my parents dream not mine. I wanted to attend FIT. The dream wasn't feasible and so I was"encouraged" to join the military. You know, to straighten myself out. I took up Finance & Acctng. But never let my love for fashion wane one iota through it all. Now I have a job that pays okay, but more importantly I have the time to pursue my greatest love.
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