Milkmaid braids, Blush, and Leopard Print

Wearing:
Mock turtle neck top
Topshop bubble skirt
Zara leopard print pony hair flats
Vintage purse
Dior sunglasses
Mac "Captive" lipstick

When I was in high school, a classmate told me something that changed the way I presented myself.  It was the first week of our freshman year.  At start of one of our classes, he asked me, "Why do you always look so angry?"  Confused, I didn't say anything at first.  I shrugged and replied,  "I'm not angry..."  But he was very persistent.  He kept trying to figure out why I wouldn't ever smile.  I kept trying to explain to him that I was a happy person and that I simply chose not to smile.  But the more I tried to convince him, the more I realized how right he was (and how ridiculous my side of the argument was).

The truth was, I was too busy trying to look cool.  I thought if I smiled too much, I would look like a goofball or something.  "You should smile more," he told me.

That conversation haunted me.  It was not the first time I'd heard someone tell me that I needed to smile more.  But the fact that this kid made a point to tell me this before we even got to know each other made me realize the importance of smiling.  It sounds so silly to think about it now because I love to smile.  It's contagious.  And it makes me feel good to do it.  

So when I catch myself looking a little too serious in my photos, it reminds me of that time in high school when I was confronted about my non-smile.  It also makes me think of a friendship that blossomed out of it.

This is why I kind of regret not smiling more in these photographs.  Most of these were test shots.  I wasn't expecting to keep the majority of these.   But perhaps I need to smile even more so...especially during the test shots.  You just never know when it will "count."  :)

Happy Friday!

xo  Azu