The Stories From My Soul: Wandering Free, Wish I Could Be...

View from the pier in my hometown; Point Arena, Ca.

I spent my spring break in one of the most beautiful places on earth; at home on the Mendocino Coast. Living in Wine Country is nice and all, but as someone who grew up right on the edge of the western world, I will forever have a hard time living in an area where the sea foam does not touch. The lack of coastline in Rohnert Park takes a toll on my soul, making me feel like a fish out of water (literally). The Pacific Ocean runs through the veins of those who have grown up alongside it and has become a necessary force to my very existence. My parents always talk about the time they took me to the beach right after I learned how to walk. My mom was holding me, and the minute she put me down, I sprinted towards the waves as my Dad chased after me because they knew I had no fear of actually going in the ocean. I seem to always run towards the dangers of nature, but that’s only because I thrive on the exhilarating aspects of our planet.

Living in a landlocked environment over these past four years has made it difficult for me to adjust to my surroundings. Like Madison in the film Splash when she gets in the bathtub to nourish her mermaid tail, I find myself in the bathtub each night; nourishing my salt water soul. In a strange way, the bathwater is a way to cope with the fact that I don’t have the sea by my side.

My time off last week allowed me to re-establish my bond with one of my true loves of the world; the ocean. I can sense the emptiness in my heart whenever I’m away from it for too long. As I walked along the pier in my hometown, I felt my soul recharging and was slowly becoming whole again. With each breath, I was inhaling a magical amount of energy, inspiration, and serenity, thus taking my entire being to the next level of creativity. I began to think about fashion (naturally), and how my intrigue of the waves is similar to my lust for fashion. My desire to surround myself in glamour is the same as my desire to surround myself in the atmosphere of the sea. I consider the entirety of the ocean a necessity in my world of glamour. The water has shaped me in all walks of life, and fashion is definitely no exception.

"Dead mermaids"

The ocean played a part in raising me, as it indirectly fed my passion for glamour. I remember going to the beach as a child and thinking that the washed up pieces of seaweed were dead mermaids. Their shiny dead bodies were thrown ashore by the forceful waves and onto the freshly dampened sand for the strange little children of the land (like myself) to admire. I thought it was such a morbid kind of glamorous, and one of nature’s most primitive acts of fashion. From an early age, I was lucky enough to be surrounded by the highest sense of beauty the world had to offer. The natural wonder of the ocean gave me an appreciation for the true glamour of the world, which set the tone for the rest of my life. I was in awe of the ocean, as it was a haven for all that inspired me in life.

The mystique of the ocean is beyond anything else in the world. It’s the ultimate sense of glamour; the ultimate beauty queen. How can something so perfect be real? Its beauty is not created with makeup or clothes, but a planetary creation that bears the enchantment of what our world is capable of. The ocean emits a pure and authentic feeling of glamour, as it accomplishes the essence of glam without any assistance or enhancements. In a way, the ocean is a fashion icon. It’s beautiful in more ways than just looks-- its beauty is a feeling. It radiates magic, captivating all those in its presence. The ocean is what personal style should be about. It’s the most vulnerable organ of the Earth, and it’s not afraid to powerfully express that vulnerability. We should all feel free with our fashion choices—as free as the sea. Style is something we all have within us, and it’s just a matter of pulling it out and possessing the confidence to be free with it.

We can all learn from the rhythm of the waves by finding our own rhythm of style. Fashion inspiration and liberation is all around us, we just have to take the time to let it into our lives.

In honor of the ocean and fashion, here are some beach themed pictures of fierce women: