Burgundy Dress: Modcloth.
Mustard Cardigan: Forever21.
Brown Opera Boots: c/o Pink and Pepper.
Lipstick in MAC's Diva.
Last night as I was putting this post together I wanted to write something meaningful, but nothing was coming to me. No use in forcing something to try and make content. So, I figured that tomorrow would be a new day and that perhaps I could find inspiration in something that happened.
I've recently been really hooked of the social experiment, Humans of New York. This guy named Brandon goes around the Streets of New York and captures photos of random people that catches his eye. Not in the sense of beautiful people, but real, interesting, people who seem to have stories. He always just talks with them and finds out a little bit about them and provides a quote or two under the photo. No matter what, the quote, however simple it is, is just always profound and insightful. I don't even think these people mean for them to be. They just are because they're real stories, real events these people have gone through and the rawness of humanity is just fascinating.
So after being really fascinated with this site for a few weeks now, for some reason I just found myself somewhat doing the same thing today here at Kent. It wasn't really intentional, it just kind of happened. I woke up at 12:30 and laid in bed for a good 45 minutes before I rolled out and down my bunk bed. The mornings are always my favorite (even though it's never morning when I actually wake up), but just the sense of and feeling of a completely new day to make anything happen is always beautiful to me. I start off every day by going to get coffee at the student center--the center of all the hustle and bustle of campus. With my cinnamon, cupcake latte in hand, I went upstairs to the student center and just sat down facing the windows to where everyone walks outside and just felt this pull to just...sit there. Fridays I have no classes and had nothing planned today, so I thought why not just sit, relax, and enjoy my cup of coffee?
I found it absolutely fascinating and inspiring to watch all of these people on my campus walk by. These people whom most I've never seen before, or maybe I have seen and never realized it. I don' t know. I'm a chronic phone user--I always seem to be looking down at my phone, checking instagram, scrolling through feeds, ect so I never really take the time to look at all that's around me. Including humans. And you wouldn't think that students in a midwestern college town would be intriguing but they really, really are.
I'm not a people person by any means, but as I sat there, I fell more and more in love with people in a way I just can't describe. Not the individuals themselves, but the little things they would do that show how human we really are, the connecting thread that this guy and that girl and I all have in common. I saw the rawness and just the pure essence of these people as they walked by because they were unaware anyone was watching and observing them. They didn't feel the need to act in a prescribed way, but acted just as they naturally do.
I saw the way this boy looked at a girl with so much love and complete admiration in his eyes. The way he smiled at her was so beautiful. And the deep set lines of sorrow and the furrowed brow of students as they walked by, and I wondered what made them look so upset. Friends walking in groups, laughing at a joke I couldn't hear, but then others hurridly walking alone, their head down and in their own world with their headphones on. I wonder if they wished they were laughing with others, too. Everyone was so fast paced, had such an agenda, but there was this one man who walked slow as could be. It wasn't because he couldn't walk faster, but just because he chose to walk slowly, deliberately, absorbing the world around him like I was. A girl in a leg cast painstakingly trying to walk amongst the crowd. I wish someone would have helped her. I should of helped her. A couple smoking cigarettes together passed by and when they went to come inside, he held her back so he could walk in first and hold the door open for her. The outfits were of course interesting on these people, as well. The style is so diverse here and I marveled at each of these outfits I truly took the time to look at instead of just glancing and moving on with my day. I wondered if they were deliberate, if they had planned them out the night before or just put something, whatever on that morning. Each person had something special about their outfit; whether it was just sweats or full on business clothing. There was a piece or part of the ensemble that defined them as a person.
There was just so much more, but it's something to observe people in the moment and see the extraordinary in person that you can't replicate once you're back in your dorm and trying to write about it. The fleeting moment is gone, and it won't ever be captured again. I sat there wishing so badly that I had my laptop, a piece a paper, pen, or anything so I could remember every single person that walked by me and what struck me about them as they passed by. You would think that I sat there for a long time people watching, but I only observed for fifteen minutes until my coffee was done, but I took more away from those fifteen minutes than I do almost all of my days.
To just see humans and the people live their life; the same thing I'm trying to do and you're trying to do. It makes me feel a lot less alone, and a lot more inspired. I don't know. This simple thing today really changed my perspective on a lot of things. Perhaps it's still just my large coffee talking through my pumping, caffeinated blood, but I feel different somehow.
Like I've seen things with completely different eyes.
With much love, Lauren.
13 comments
Beautiful words, honestly made me want to do the same and think about how unique every human really is and how behind every person is a story. Your inspiration from the social experiment is amazing; such an admirable thing to do! It's always the little things in life that are the best and it puts into perspective just how precious those things are.
You also look beautiful, I love the styling and colours of your outfit. xo
Oh So Bridie | Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle
You really do need that book by Keri Smith that I recommended to you- how to be an explorer of the world- it does all sorts of projects like this! X
I love your writing here and yes, I feel an overwhelming sense if love for people when I watch and look at them like that. The fragility and uniqueness of life! X
ADORABLE dress. I really enjoy the color combo of the dress and cardi, go Lauren! :)
I LOVE the cozy sweater with this dress, Lauren!! Absolutely adorable!
Natasha
A modest fashion blog: www.natashaatkerson.blogspot.com
Preetiness Oozes from you!! The cardigan is so beautiful n such a perfect accomplice to your dress as,well.your writing is always Surreal
Ella
What beautiful words. You've inspired me to take time out of my day and try and focus on those around me instead - as a college student I tend to get a little self-absorbed when I'm busy, and I don't like that. It's lonely, as you said, and I want to be more empathic, and kind.
You make me want to people watch! I've done it before but not so deliberately. Although UGA's campus is definitely not as stylish as yours. Mostly just gigantic t-shirts with leggings. It's pretty awful...
But anyway. I love this gorgeous outfit so much. The color combination is one of my favorites. I love love the collar on your pretty dress too. Everything just pairs so perfectly together.
Wow, dear. Just when you can't get any more appealing you come up with something like this. Being able to see AND appreciate your fellow humans in such a manner is indicative of such a deep and loving heart. It sometimes strikes me how everyone around me each has their own story to tell, their own person to be. Sometimes I see things so heartbreaking and sometimes moments so beautiful. But mostly it is just people getting through the day. A sight whose majesty we should never take for granted.
Such cool colors combined (oh I need another "C") chickie (ah, there it is :D) And SO enjoyed that closer look at those stunning white tights on your lovely legs. Think those are my second favorite behind the red ones (so far!) Such a pure, wonderful beauty! Sigh!!!!! xoxo
Your blog is a joy, Lauren. Great writing, and I could totally relate. It can be rather lonely being an introvert on campus; I really enjoyed reading about your solitary meditation on those around you. The outfit - goes without saying - just rocks (are you losing weight? looks like it). But you look rather peaceful. I like that a lot. =)
First of all, you look adorable! I love that dress and those boots are just so cute!
Also, I'm loving your words today. I love HONY and I think that your words have helped me remind that every person has something beautiful and unique about them! Thanks for the reminder, hon!
xoxo,
Laura
http://lauraisthriftingthroughlife.blogspot.com/
Love this cardigan :)
Reading this post was such a pleasure. As an introvert who loves people watching (and I was doing it today!), I really connected with this. Observing people, seeing little quirks, seeing the way *they* observe people - it's so beautiful.
And I LOVE this outfit. I wouldn't have thought these colors would go together, but they do, so well! Your dress is gorgeous, as is the sweater, and the boots.
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