For the last 7 weeks, commuting from Chicago’s north shore to the city every day, this stylish redhead wore wide-legged pants (who has those anyway?) over a fully bandaged leg (toes to hip). Choosing these tights, I wondered … would anyone notice? Did I have the courage to reveal myself? Yes, for me today was monumental. It marks the first day I was finally unchained.
Allow me to back up about 4 months when this story began…
I've been vigilant about the sun over the last 29 years after my malignant melanoma when I was in college. My sunscreen spray booths, wide brimmed hats and amazing cover-ups have been the headliners of my sun-kissed, redheaded life on the lake or on beach vacations with my kiddos.
My life has been a blur over the last two years in my new position- with the travel and orchestration across multiple time zones, the daily stress of getting three kids to school and activities before my commute downtown, business travel to meetings, and conferences and photo shoots. I eat a yogurt at my desk most days. There is zero time to schedule appointments, let alone carve out time to actually attend the appointment.
That is, until you are forced to make the time. Last fall, a small mole on my right calf had become the issue. Once cooler weather rolled in, I donned my work uniform of skinny pants and jeans, fun jackets and scarves, and of course, my high heeled boots. Over the autumn months my mole became irritated. Another busy week would pass without a call to my dermatologist, but the reminder was there. The mole wasn’t going away.
Fashion gives us the courage to reveal or to hide; to punctuate or to retreat. Fashion is a choice.