Leather + Lace

One of the many things I love about fashion is the freedom to pull together pieces that are very different from one another and create something beautiful. We live in a time that celebrates personal, unique style in such a way that we can combine trends, fabrics, and even decades. There is something so satisfying about pulling together an outfit that combines a variety of pieces you may not initially think "go together". One of my favorite ways to do this is to choose a feminine piece like this sweater with a pretty lace hem detail and mix it with something more masculine like a black leather bomber jacket. The key to pulling off a juxtaposed look is to play up one of the trends more than the other, which is why I threw my hair up in a top-knot, grabbed my super cool Ray-Bans and chose my sassy, strappy, snakeskin heels to give off a moto-chic vibe. You want the look to be cohesive with a pop of something different that catches the eye.

I believe that this same concept applies to our relationships. Think about all the friendships you've had over the years. Have you ever had a friend or even an acquaintance that was completely different than you? Someone who you initially thought you had nothing in common with but now you look back and wonder how you got through life without them. We need to surround ourselves with people from different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences because it not only challenges our outlook but also makes us more well-rounded people. As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend (Proverbs 27:17). Instead of shying away from people who are different from you, embrace the challenge and get ready to experience blessings beyond your imagination.

Romans 12:4-5 describes it this way: For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. This is referring to the body of believers that is the church and compares it to a human body having all different parts- arms, legs, eyes, ears, heart, lungs, etc. It would be pretty silly if all of us were the same body part, and it would also be silly if I view my function as less valuable than someone else's. I am definitely a victim of comparison, especially due to social media, and can easily fall into that trap of wishing I had different gifts or even different struggles. Do you know what your strengths are? What about your weaknesses? God's plan is to utilize us each uniquely so that when we join together with people, both similar and different than us, we create something extraordinary! 

Photography by Justin James

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