Nonsense and Sensibility?

No-sense, nonsensical, nonsense! Sense is collective. We sense because we've weighed the positives, the negatives, and taken many things into consideration. Because of this, what makes "sense" in some situations, is an atrocious mistake upon other occasions. And, that is why we must use our sensibility to discern and decide when nonsense may make perfect sense and when being sensible, is being far too rigid.

Take Diana Vreeland for example. She is the legendary Editor of Vogue and, quite the legendary editor. Her entire autobiography "DV" by Diana Vreeland, leaves one at the end to wonder if any of it really happened? Her lengthy memoir opens with the line, "I loathe nostalgia." And, maybe she isn't longing for the past during her wildly entertaining tales of where life has taken her. Madame Vreeland lived such a glamorous and eccentric life, that one can't help but believe all the stories could be true (even if they are not). At the end of the book, you are left with a whirlwind of very vivid images and the strong urge to read the novel again! Which, in the end, is what matters. So, for DV, claiming her autobiography is nonsense makes perfect sense!

Another strong argument for nonsense is in the realm of fashion. In fashion, it is very easy to get stuck in a cookie-cutter type of style. The shirt goes with the skirt, the skirt goes with the cardigan, and the cardigan goes with the shoes. It's opening a magazine and buying all the cloth on the model. When there are arrows in every direction: the cardigan with the skirt, the shirt with the shoes, you could take two away, and still have an outfit! This is why eccentric dressing can be so refreshing! It's those aha! moments where one says, "I would have never paired those shoes with that dress but it looks so right! It may be a pair of quirky sunglasses, old oversized clip-on earrings from the 1950's, it may be those red patent leather shoes on sale, that you just weren't quite sure about, but now make your conservative wool-knee-length black dress come to life. Fashion shouldn't be boring, especially while you can still see! (and even when you can't it will be all the more interesting!) Feel the clothing, the outfit, stand in front of the mirror and try it all... mix the purple palettes, plaids, and floral patterns. If it seems smart, then go with it. We all make mistakes.

But, I will leave you with some wisdom from the Duchess of Fashion herself:

"When accessorizing, always take off the last thing you put on." - Mlle Chanel