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We can't speak for you guys,
but it's been harder and harder as
of late to find something worth a damn to give us hope.

{photo: via Unsplash}

If we can't find it in the current films, music or current leaders, of our country - where could we look?
Where do we even start? So, as we created this very special Fall / Winter 2020 collection,
we decided to look back. (No, we're not talking about the 70s dead rockstar thing...)

{photo: via Unsplash}

We're talking about opening the vault on the most motivating, dream-building, hope-giving
speeches - targeted to a group of half-drunk, totally broke young  20 and 30-somethings
(depending on those of us who took some time off.) 

{photo: Rhema Kallianpur via Unsplash}

What is this we speak of?
Well, we looked up some of the greatest college graduation
speeches we could find on the internet.
It was a long, yet inspiring night of rosé
and watery eyes to find some words that
were serious, yet not so serious,
by some of our favorites to get us thru. 

We peppered in our favorite bits &
pieces from our favorite
pick-me-ups by everyone from
Denzel Washington to Joan Didion.
You can find these words of wisdom
in the descriptions of all of our new Fall Arrivals. 
Too tired to skip around the shop right now? We get it.
Scroll down for our  very favorite,
creme de la creme, must read... 


"Sunscreen Speech" of 1997:

Ladies and gentlemen of the class of '97:
Wear sunscreen.

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.
The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists,
whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
than my own meandering
experience. I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind.
You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded.
But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and
recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before
you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective
as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum.
The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your
worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Sing.

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts.
Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don't waste your time on jealousy.
Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind.
The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive.
Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters.
Throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life.
The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22
what they wanted to do with their lives.
Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't.

Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees.
You'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't.
Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll divorce at 40,
maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary.
Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either.
Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else's.

Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can.
Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it.
It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.

Do not read beauty magazines.
They will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents.
You never know when they'll be gone for good.
Be nice to your siblings.
They're your best link to your past and the people
most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious
few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography
and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you
need the people who knew you when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard.
Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.
Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths:
Prices will rise. Politicians will philander.
You, too, will get old. And when you do, you'll fantasize
that when you were young, prices were reasonable,
politicians were noble and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.

Don't expect anyone else to support you.
Maybe you have a trust fund.
Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse.
But you never know when either one might run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it.
Advice is a form of nostalgia.
Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal,
wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen.

~ Mary Schmich