Letters from TC: The Intimacy in Sharing Your Favorites
Do you ever come across something that's so uniquely appealing to you, that you don't want to share it with anyone else? For example, a song that you may of heard in a weird/obscure TV show that you've just started watching. You look up the song and find it in its entirety, and now its become your absolute favorite. You can't stop listening to it, and you think to yourself about how you know someone who would love the song just as much as you do. You stop yourself in the midst of that thought, and wonder if you should just keep it to yourself. You wonder if you should keep this new found favorite hidden away, only for you to enjoy.
This happens often with me, when it comes down to music, clothing stores, and all sorts of things. It's not that I want to keep others from experiencing the magic of whatever I have stumbled across, but more so that I don't want that very thing I have come to love, to lose its magic. Or even worse, what if I reveal this newfound favorite to someone, and they reject it? What if they are unable to see the beauty in it in the same way that I do? Ouch.
The best example I have of this is the time when I took a friend of mine to one of my favorite thrift stores. He used to constantly pester me about how I always found the best things at the thrift store, but kept them all for myself. "What about me?", he'd say. Tired of his nagging, I gave in on one cool November day and took him with me on one of my thrifting ventures. Within minutes of walking through the door he'd managed to complain about the lack of interesting items, the odd smell of the store, and the fact that he didn't have time to look around all day for a vintage t-shirt. I was insulted because come on.. a vintage t-shirt? That is no where near my aesthetic.
I learned my lesson, and realized on a broader scale that the core of this 'secrecy' is the vulnerability that comes with sharing your favorite anything with anyone. That song that you can't stop listening to has now become a piece of you. That favorite record shop of yours (hidden in the old historic district of your town), is your oasis in the midst of urban pollution and civic chaos. Sharing things like these with someone else is sharing a piece of your taste, revealing your acumen for life and its extensions. Let's say that you do share these favorites. What happens when that relationship falters, and you never speak to that person again? Well.. now they have been relinquished into the world with a better playlist and a new favorite record store of their own.
My point in all of this is double edged. Art is to be shared, and I'd be lying if I said that I haven't been put on to some amazing music or fashion tips via past friends and flings. We sharpen our taste and interest by sharing our favorites with others. On the other hand, I believe it's important to keep some of those amazing songs for yourself. The record stores and vintage shops too, because you don't want to one day feel awkward entering a space that was once so sacred to you. Discernment is key in these instances, however if any of you that are reading this ever feel inclined to share your favorite song with me.. I promise to honor it, respect your taste, and sing it as loud as possible in the shower.
Love and light
TC
This look is simple and chic. It combines comfort and class, in a traditional way. My shoes are by Steve Madden, thrifted pants & glasses, and my shirt is by Cable & Gauge. The leather bag is by Rocklands London.
