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How To Look Mysterious: From the Perspective Of an Extrovert
When I think of being someone who is mysterious, I channel my inner Devon Aoki or Lily-Rose Depp. Laid-back hair, darker tones on the eyes, always your classic pair of sunglasses, and even a baby tee or cami tank with your go-to jeans or mini skirt. As an extrovert, I’m not the type of mysterious that reads at a cafe with her headphones, or the type that hyper fixates on a Norman Rockwell reference. I would say I am more the type to just sit in a room and observe and if I happen to have my headphones on, I would be listening to the Renaissance album by Beyonce, obviously.
As I grow older, my fashion sense matures as well. I went through many stages in my fashion journey and I am now at the point in my womanhood where I realize less on the face is okay, where I realize I don’t have to wear what everyone else is wearing. I don’t have to wear the corset top to parties, I can wear my white tee, signature clean makeup, jeans, and sneakers, and that’s enough. That’s what being mysterious is all about, it’s being able to stand out while not being the shiniest one in the room. It’s about not always trying so hard to stand out just because it pleases others. Screw that, stand out because it makes you comfortable.
Wear the Yankee hat with the dad shorts and platform Converse cause you want to. Wear the dress and the heels to lunch cause YOU want to. Being mysterious is making people want to talk about you because if they are talking about you, you’re being remembered, and that means you’re doing something right.
“We are not idealized wild things. We are imperfect mortal beings aware of that mortality even as we push it away, failed by our very complication, so weird that when we mourn our losses we also mourn, for better or for worse, ourselves.”
Joan Didion
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The Jane Birkin Effect
Daring, delicate, and determined. Three words don’t even come close to the impact Jane Birkin has left on millions. From her doe eyes, free spirit, and legendary performances on the big screen, the English-French actress and icon is still leaving her mark on all platforms around the world. Her name is not only heard in the cinematic world but also in the world of purses and accessorizing. The Jane Birkin effect is simple and you don’t need the infamous “Birkin Bag” to participate in this trend. Here’s how it works: grab any bag, which could be a purse, tote bag, satchel, or even a fanny pack. Then, you want to find any sort of arts and crafts supplies you may have, which could be ribbons, beads, old friendship bracelets, pins, key chains, or even the macaroni necklace you made in elementary school. As long as it’s a symbol of you or your identity, then that’s all there is to it. You then want to lather your handbag with all that you have by tying bows, knots, or pinning your favorite picture of your pet on the strap. Then, voila, what once was your boring, day-to-day bag, is now your very own physical piece of individuality. However, if you truly want to embrace your inner Jane, then you might want to consider tossing your traditional handbag and maybe use something with more of that basket feel, some may even say, “prairie girl realness”, either way, wear it with confidence and look chic doing it!
“When you start recognizing that you’re having fun, life can be delightful.” Jane Birkin
When it comes to the art of accessorizing, many have conflicting opinions on the matter. Less is more, more is better, blah blah blah, who cares. If there is one thing you must know about Jane Birkin, is that she was praised for her true self and she celebrated her mistakes, she was unapologetically herself. You don’t need the perfect teeth, the perfect hair, or the perfect frame. The details we express are what make us special and we must dream as if we’ll live forever and live as if we’ll die today. The nerves we feel or the moments in our lives where we are too scared to speak or to stand, are temporary feelings filling endless voids of potential. We all have the potential to be someone so why not try? The thing I have learned most from reading more about Jane is that she was never afraid to be bold and she never let anyone tell her otherwise. That is the spirit and mindset all of us must live through, because one day all that will be left of us is the ribbons, charms, and memories, so why not make it exciting for people to tell your legacy?