Noun:
1. Another side of oneself; a second self
2. An intimate friend or a constant companion
Latin : alter, other + ego, I, self
i was talking to pen* the other day on the train about alter egos and what [some of] ours might look like. this is something that i think about quite a bit. i reckon it would be really fun to own a dress up box for grownup girls – all those women who never did it when they were little, or never did it enough, or loved it so much they just want to carry on! a place where girls of all ages and sizes can come and try on clothes all day – be cleopatra for an afternoon, or the cowgirl they have always dreamed they were… a place of acceptance, where nothing is too silly, or not right… a place where photos can be taken, memories made and loads of fun had.
in my head, i wear stripey socks over funky skirts
i mix colours that aren’t meant to be mixed,
and wear spots with stripes…
i have a whole selection of cowgirl boots and hats
beautiful floral dresses to wear over jeans,
i’m a little bit rockstar-princess and have a tattoo (or two)
i have a boxful of hats,
a closetful of dresses & jeans,
a jacket in every colour
perfect for any mood
i wear sequin dresses,
drink champagne before breakfast
dance barefoot,
know spells,
live with arms wide open
i’m a photographer who has her own style,
wears aprons simply for the fun of it,
owns 24 bikinis (one with the stars & stripes on it) and they all look fabulous,
and loves to jump.
so, this month i’m going to pick something. even just one thing and let my alter ego escape. perhaps a pair of socks, some cowgirl boots or a hat
what could you do this month in order to play with your alter ego/s?
1. Modus operandi, 2. wait…pause…breath, 3. ., 4. silence, 5. urban cowgirl, 6. let me fall, 7. puddle dancing, 8. reflections (A), 9. arms wide open, 10. even cowgirls get the blues, 11. the cowgirl princess, 12. 49/365 ‘S’, 13. urban cowgirl
Hey! I’m not picking up your posts on Google Reader! GAH! But I’m caught up now and I loved this post! Now I have to go off and think of something alter egoish to do this month. Trouble is, I have a tendency to do things permanent, like adding ANOTHER tattoo. And I’m hearing the call of bright red hair again. Maybe just a temporary colour :)
How are those boots feeling?
x
wonderful post.
i have been doing a lot of work on and with myself lately.
my alterego is this toned, strong thing. she is confident and fearless.
i am much more restrained in many things. i hold my crazy self in, often. she pops out from time to time but still i hold myself back.
she does however have free reign and complete control over my great shoe collection
my alter ego would love to rollerblade, skateboard or own a real, auto-scooter.
she would like to wear black leather pants, great halter style tops, and own a pair of to the knee suede boots.
she would pirouette and do cartwheels…….she would sing karaoke wthout a care as to how dreadful her voice was.
thanks for indulging her,
she makes me happy,
storm
That looks so much fun, I spend far too much time in safe but boring basics. I could have lots of fun dressing up if I didn’t actually have to buy the clothes, I’m way too cautious about spending money
yes, yes, yes……. all of it and more…. my alter ego would wear a full tulle skirt cascading to my ankles, shouting its delight in red. Red silk ballet slippers, jewels adorning my cheekbones and eyes, silver curly hair whispering round my shoulders, and a smoky red diaphanous top hinting at the woman beneath…..
…….. wearing only words, here she is… :)
Love you Leonie woman…..
Oh, this is a great post!
Of course, the title of my blog suggests that I am in a near constant battle with my alter ego. Between the renegade and the nerd (‘good’ girl personae) they are always struggling for who’s in charge and calling the shots. When the renegade part of me takes over it can get dangerously liberating. I’ve been experiencing quite a bit of that over the past nine months or so.
Right now, I need to keep THAT alter ego in check ~ and figure out ways to embrace the other alter egos that need the light of freedom. Let’s see…those might be:
1. Take-life-less-seriously Susie
2. Get-back-in-the-creative-groove Gertie
3. Passionate-committed-vegan Vera
4. Speak-my-truth-always Angie
5. Even-more-peaceful-hippie-chick Chantal
How’s that for a start?!?! :-p
Just found the link to this post and thank goodness I did because it is a fabulous one. Finding the nerve to be me… I work on it daily. This encourages me, thank you. So tomorrow I will wear my red cowgirl boots AND my favorite floral apron to Friday’s play group. Watch out suburban mommies, there’s a new me in town. … and she likes to skip.
Thanks for that.
I have the dress up boxes. I’ve just forgotten to go rummage around in there. And I may have lost the courage to wear pajamas to the grocery store and a speed racer helmet while driving just because it strikes my mood. Ah, in my late teens and early twenties, I was quite the alter ego. Then I learned to conform to get by easier. Lately I feel like rebelling against that, bucking the ordinary and flying the freak flag again. Thanks for reminding me that other me is in there. XOXO
Oh my gosh, we are SO going to try on some fancy dress up clothes and take pictures when I visit (NEXT WEEK!!!!).
I luv u!
i am all about the dressing up over here, am just a little girl pretending to be a woman most days … eek!
i wear stripy socks under funky skirts and always mix colours that weren’t meant to be mixed (sometimes with utterly disaterous results when i see it under the flourescent lights of work, eep). i save my cowboy hats for summer’s sun though my boots are often seen with skirts and i have some fun sequin dresses and girly froth and collect vintage aprons which i wear out all the time. i have a beautiful collection of hats and scarves.
the problem for me is … a lot of my vintage fun finds are in bins in the basement, i can’t wear them since the weight gain :( which makes me miss what has become my alter ego instead of myself but i’m working on that … because i miss the silk bellydance costumes and harem pants and the long patterned wrap skirt from the sixties that i love to wear with a purple silk halter and the dresses, oh my the dresses. i was going to throw everything out but i couldn’t which reminded me that maybe it was worth it to put the work in to fit them again. so i am and i will. tee hee
i love dressing up, its who i am … you should do it, its so much fun and oh so addicting ;-)
i love, love, LOVE this post!
it’s like you were looking right into my secret wardrobe too :)
and i love your mini challenge. i am so in!
i’m going to have a rummage now and see what i find…
Oh Leonie – I love this post, yes I so need a dressing up box. I am always too worried about what I look like and what other people think, but I too have a secret desire to wear stripy socks in bright colours! Maybe at our next gathering we should all wear floral dresses or something a little different? Great selection of photo’s too, emma x