Reality.................

As I was driving to work yesterday, Thursday, March 5, I was in the midst of a huge snow storm. My husband had driven the truck to work in Philadelphia, and I was driving a small, (very small) rented car so that I could drive 15 minutes to work.

As I was driving, I wondered who in the world was going to come to the shop today in the middle of a snowstorm. But, since all my materials for making new hats, costumes, etc was at the shop, I decided to go in to do some work and watch old movies. I had my food with me, my chai tea, and I prepared to have a relaxing day in my shop.

As I was driving, an oil truck was struggling to get up the hill. I stayed back about 3 car lengths, just in case I had to go around him. All of a sudden, I noticed his trailer starting to slide over to the right. I don't know what the driver was thinking, but then I noticed the front of his truck was turned to the left and swinging around. I think he was either attempting to turn around (in the middle of the street) or try to gain control of the trailer that was sliding down hill TOWARD ME!  I started to back up, but there were cars behind me. It was snowing badly. All of a sudden I saw the front of his truck coming straight at the side of my car. There was nowhere for me to go. I couldn't turn right, there was a snow bank and I couldn't go left, the truck was there. I couldn't back up, there were cars behind me. I started to blow the horn, I was yelling STOP! STOP! The driver of the truck was staring at me with a look of desperation.  I closed my eyes and waited for impact and thought...I'm not ready. I'm not ready to go....I'm not ready to leave my husband. He stopped about a foot from my car.

The driver got out to see if I was ok. He apologized...he was a mess and so was I. All the cars behind me backed down the hill...and I did also, enough to get out of the way and wait for the truck to move and I went up the hill around the truck.

It was an eye opening experience for me. In a split second our life can change drastically. We can become a cripple, or dead in the blink of an eye. My whole day, I thought.....I almost wasn't here. I almost didn't get to unlock this door. If he would have hit me, I would not be able to make this hat today. All day yesterday I was grateful.....I was grateful for placing one sequin on one dress. For tying a belt, or zipping a dress.

Later that night when my husband came home, the kiss he gave me was so appreciated. It tasted so good. All of a sudden I noticed his soft lips, his beard stubble, his beautiful eyebrows...the shape of his nose. I was so grateful. Maybe this was what I needed. My chai tea smells better, I appreciate my full body, my big ass, and my age. I am happy for every wrinkle on my face. It is still here to smile, and to welcome one more day........................................

Be grateful................................................

Rose Ellen A Moore

RCMoore for the Unique Millinery and Vintage

www.rcmooreunique.com

double standards, nakedness and big women..............

I couldn't wait to come into work today and jot down a few of my thoughts, however ANGRY they may be.

In the last few days we have lost our beloved 'Spock' from Star Trek. Leonard Nimoy was not only a gifted actor but he was a very special person. His quote was, "Here's to the big girls, the small girls and the girls in between. "......How very beautiful. He was a man that wanted to promote positive body image. Do you know how much this must have meant to the women who were in the photos? I wish I could interview them to see how their day went. I bet this one photo shoot changed their whole lives and how they feel about themselves.

What is wrong with America? we get our head stuck up our own butt simply because of nudity. It's a human body.....it's not engaged in a sexual act, it's not anything, it's just a body. Europe does not have this issue. But we do. We have such a double standard here. In NYC there are hundreds of strip clubs. These women dance totally nude, but show a piece of nude art in Time Square, and the hierarchy will tell you to put a dress on it.

The be headings  of innocent men and the burning of one was put on national TV and the internet. We watch children starve, people bludgeon each other, and yet, when someone poses in the nude, the same nude body that inspired Michelangelo,  and Picasso, is now deemed as 'dirty' or  'inappropriate'....

I will continute to support curvy women, not so curvy women, in between women, women with one breast, one arm, one leg, no arms, no legs, no hair, .....everybody!!!!  we must treat ourselves and our bodies with respect.  We should celebrate being alive and healthy.

Facebook, can kiss MY BIG ROUND BEAUTIFUL A$$!!!!!!   (too bad I can't post it on facebook)

PS   thank you Leonard Nimoy!


Rose Ellen Moore

Peter Paul Rubens 

Lucien Freud

Picasso

Degas

I'm so over the Oscars and who wore what................

I really enjoyed the Oscars.....there were some wonderful moments that I will never forget....

Glory from Selma being one of them.   Lady Gaga's tribute to Julie Andrews....  Graham Moore that won an Oscar and told everyone he tried to kill himself because he was different at 16 years old. I enjoyed watching the fashions. But I really hate the judgments and the make wrongs. These are artists....I say that time and time again. These are people who create masterpieces for us to watch many many years from now. Music, theater, costume design, animation, ....all has to do with art. I agree that some people chose the wrong color, (for my taste) and I agree that some people did not do their hair right (for my taste) , however, to make someone wrong, to belittle someone, is bullying. Plain and simple. 

Giuliana Rancic and Kelly Osborne are not my opinion of experts. These 2 'fashion experts'  need to go sit down. (and please shut up!) These 2 people are trying to carry on the torch of Joan Rivers who, at the beginning of her career was funny, but as she got older, she was mean spirited and cruel. I never enjoyed the 'Fashion Police'.... Who dubbed these people goddesses of fashion?This stupid show was  about making fun of someone's weight, and  discussing whether a red shoe would have looked better than the black one the person was wearing. Why can't people wear what they want? Why can't people enjoy their lives without someone making you wrong for it.  Everybody has a different taste and style.  Not everyone has the desire to look 'like everyone else'. I know that first hand. If I had to wear ANY of the gowns that I saw at the Oscars, I would have been unhappy. I love COLOR and lots of it! and I'm a big girl, so I look like a giant peacock, and I LOVE IT! what would Joan Rivers have said about me?  I don't care, because her opinion, and Giuliana's and Kelly's do not matter to me. They are flies that feed off garbage, and they contribute NOTHING to the good of society. They make people feel bad about themselves.  So, I'm making myself the fashion police. I'm arresting them, for assaults on peoples' self confidence, and for stealing peoples' joy.......

Everyone has an opinion, and we in this great country are allowed to have it. And we are also free to wear the things that make us happy, and creative and fun. God Bless America.....

Rose Ellen A Moore

RCMoore for the Unique millinery and vintage shop

www.rcmooreunique.com

Remembering Ann Lowe.....Kanye West, eat your heart out.

Normally I would defend people who are creative and have a creative flare to put fashion out there and push it to it's limits. But there are some things that have to be called exactly what they are.

I don't understand why some celebrities put endorse fashions when they know nothing of fashion. Kanye West is an example of someone who is delusional when it comes to fashion. Let me refer to the photo below......

Does Kanye even know how to sew a button on a shirt?  What about all the other designers out there that are extremely talented but cannot catch a break, but because Kanye West has millions of dollars he can have a 'clothing line'....but for who?  Who would wear a pair of panty hose over their head, except to rob a house? Who would wear a pair of see-through pants? Oh I'm sorry, I see alot of those on the website 'Walmartians'....   Why would a woman go to the gym with her nipples hanging out? Who would exercise in fabric that is meant to hold in sweat?  I would love for him to answer these questions, along with this one....WHAT HAPPENED TO CLASS?    I am a firm believer that sexiness, confidence and style comes from within.  But these clothes are NON-CLOTHES! most of them don't have any clothes on. They are pieces of rag!  Someone should have jumped out of their seat, at the end, and said into the microphone, ......."I'm sorry, Kanye, but this award should have gone to...............................".....but alas, that classless act is saved for Kanye himself. I have no respect for this man, but I will say this, the one beautiful thing he created, was his daughter, North. I wonder if he would want HER in these garments ( I use that term loosely) that he put his name on. 

What Kanye SHOULD have done, was to take a tidbit of information from the first African American designer from Clayton Alabama. Her name was Anne Lowe. She was talented and had beautiful taste. She designed dresses for the high society people of Alabama. She also designed one of the most famous dresses in the world. The dress that Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy wore on her wedding day to President Kennedy.  

This dress is now hung in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Unfortunately, #AnnLowe did not receive any accolades for her hard work.  Do you know how many African American designers are not receiving their just due credits, but fools like Kanye West  get credit for something that is not worthy.  Kanye...please do all a favor. STOP....stick to making great music........

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Lowe

Rose Ellen Moore

www.rcmooreunique.com

Grammy's 2015

Well well well....here we are again at another PAINFULL Monday talking about everyone's opinion about who had on what and why why WHY??????

Well...I'll make it simple. I am in NO WAY a Joan Rivers, or any kind of Fashion Police. If people come in my shop and ask me what would go with what....I will give them my raw and explicit opinion. But NEVER before they ask....AND...

EVERYONE has their own style. Especially artists. These people are the creators of sound and art and all kinds of wonderful things. They will not be dressed like they are going to the library..they are going to be OUT THERE..which makes news, which makes them a household name, which makes them MONEY$$$$$$$ CHA-CHING!  

And so with that being said, ......I will post a link to a funny website which pokes fun at celebrity fashion for the grammy's...but I will say this.

The fashions are what keep me entertained on these boring award shows. I'm sorry, they are boring. I don't want to take anyone's accolades from them, but listening to the 28th person thank God, and their parents and blah blah blah is boring. I am happy for them when they win, but I will sleep if everyone wore something deemed as 'normal'.  The fashions and the music make the show. I hope they bring it ON for the Oscars. I'll be watching............

http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/09/entertainment/feat-best-memes-of-grammys-2015-billboard/

www.rcmooreunique.com

Rose Ellen Moore

blending a family ...is there such a thing???

This is a subject that has no solution. There is NOOOOOOOO perfect blend. There is just hope that everything works out.

I have 4 children...2 boys and 2 girls and my husband has 2 girls. We did not get together as the Brady Bunch. We had so many things against us on so many levels. The story is so long and sad, there isn't enough 'whatever-bytes' in 'the cloud' to store all the miserable events that have happened since my husband and I got married. But proof of the love that we have for each other is that we have overcome so many things. From racial divide, to step parenting. There is no 'perfect blend.' that is for coffee shops. There is no happily ever after. There are BIG THINGS that all kids feel at all different ages.

When marriages fail, it's usually because of all the past baggage that we brought into those relationships from our parents.  We can't help but inherit certain things. We see how our parents treat each other, and maybe we are absent of a parent, so we don't see 2 parents interacting. There are so many factors. So now, when children are brought into a new marriage, they don't know what to expect and they have their baggage.

Now that my husband and I have watched our children grow, and we stuck it out, we are watching our family come together. We are watching the child that didn't talk to this one and that one, now reach out. We have the other child who is raising a blended family, realize how hard it was for me. Many things are happening, many wonderful things.  So in this blog, I am saluting our children. They are growing every day...they are learning how the world works, and they keep on trying and we see them progressing. We love all of them...and we hope they realize how much we do. And as Carol Brady says in the Brady Bunch...."the only steps are up the stairs to the front door.."....

Rose Ellen Moore

www.rcmooreunique.com

If I could change the world................

Yesterday I had a conversation with our daughter Claysha. I asked her what she wanted to do in life. She stated that she wanted to change the world.  She said, "I know that sounds corny, but I really want that."   No...it's not corny....it's wonderful. If only more people thought that way.  So, I sent her this link, and I hope that all of you copy and paste it in your browser.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZGghmwUcbQ

Young people think that 'changing the world' means going to college to be a social worker. Being a nurse or doctor, a scientist, or something that would absolutely serve humanity. What young people do not realize, is that we can change the world just by doing a simple thing. A small pebble thrown into the water can make a difference for a very long time.

I am a hat maker, a lover of vintage clothing. But sometimes my job entails listening to a woman cry about her child, spouse or parent. Understanding when the world is not understanding them. Giving encouragement when they are overweight, underweight, or in poor health.  I throw my pebble in the water every day. I may not see what comes from it. I hope something does. But we can only try.........


If everyone does something kind for one person every day, ....wouldn't that be alot of ripples in the water?

our daughter Claysha Moore

www.rcmooreunique.com

Iron out your wrinkles with a smile!~

Don't worry about aging, honey.....it's not that bad. I find it liberating.

When I was about 17 years old, and my mother and I were alone in the house (my father was dead, my sister was married and gone)....her and I would put on our make up and do our hair in the big bathroom mirror together. I loved those times. I looked at her and thought...wow, she looks really beautiful. I never ever thought of her as 'getting old'...she was just an older version of myself.

Now that I'm 52, I look at the photos of me as a younger person and think the same thing, 'I'm just an older version of what I looked like before.' And so with that being sad, I decided to celebrate my age, my woman hood, my life by dressing in things that make me happy and make me smile. What a gift to give yourself every day.

Please enjoy this article by Second Hand Rose. Ramblings of a Girl Born in the Wrong Era.  One of the wonderful things about blogging is that you find others out there that have such wonderful ideas about life and love.  Today, Second Hand Rose inspired me to be the best ME I can possibly be. I love me. We (Me and Myself) have been through a lot together. Laughter and tears, joys and many sorrows, and we are still here to talk about it.

Copy and paste this link below if you would like to be inspired, and make sure that you leave Second Hand Rose a comment. I'm sure she would love it.

http://thesecondhandrose.blogspot.com/2013/09/fabulous-fashionistas-six-women-that.html?showComment=1422719173317#c7102521446562126395



Thank you for reading.....and if you are sad about your wrinkles, just smile....then you have a good excuse!

Rose Ellen Moore

www.rcmooreunique.com

https://www.facebook.com/rc.moore.7

https://twitter.com/rcmooreunique

being ME

For those of you who do not know, I own a 'vintage-millinery' shop on Tilghman street in Allentown PA.  I'm a transplant. I grew up in Berwick PA and I hated being from a small town. I never fit there. I always read Vogue, and Harpers Bazaar and my mother, being a wonderful seamstress, made all the latest styles. My sister and I wore them with great pride, only to be teased by the local-yocals who were jealous and didn't understand personal style.

I lived all over the world. I have been to several different countries, and several states and cities in the US. I adore being me and being different. Wearing what you want to wear and discovering your own sense of self and style are truly a part of life. We all travel different roads at different times, and style changes as we mature and change. The true beauty of it is in embracing who you are. The colors you like, the patterns that make you smile. It makes you walk differently, believe in yourself and enjoy your life. And in doing that, you bring joy to others.

I salute people who love fashion, vintage or not. I have one fashion rule, 'wear what you want to wear and what makes you happy'....
If you choose to wear black all day every day, that's your choice. I intend to dress like POW up until I'm old and grey. I put an url on the end of this blog. Look at these fashion savvy women in NYC. Mature and beautiful. So, enjoy dressing up as you, dear readers.  But however you dress....do it with confidence and class!

http://advancedstyle.blogspot.com/2009/01/shopping-in-style.html

www.rcmooreunique.com

https://www.facebook.com/rc.moore.7

when it's time to LET GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Today I am missing someone that was in my life for my entire life except for the last 3 or 4 years.  My cousin S was a very important person in my life. She was there for me when I was small. She was older than me and I considered her my second mother. Her mother and father were my 'great' aunt and uncle. She was beautiful, smart and funny. She traveled the world and I loved her because of all the things that she had been through in her life. She had one child who was the same age as my oldest child. They lived in NYC. They vacationed at my home in PA to get a taste of country life. I enjoyed being with her. I enjoyed our lively conversations and I loved her point of view. I couldn't get enough of being around her. 

Cousin S was with me when my father died. And also through my great divorce of 1996. She was also with me through my great divorce of 1998. She helped me raise my children. She was my sounding board.  I felt we could tell each other anything. She yelled at me, cried with me, we shared life and I enjoyed every bit of it. 

I moved 1 hour away from NYC to be near her. I wanted to be near her so I could see her more rather than talk on the phone. I also thought, well, she is now in her late 60's, so I should be near her in case she needed me. Unfortunately she did not feel the same. It became quite clear after my move to the Lehigh Valley, that I invaded her space. She did not want me to come visit her, she didn't enjoy talking to me and our time on the phone became less and less. She had her circle of friends, her job and her pets. She had a routine and I was ruining it. 

Some of us have that very rare privilege to be friends with someone for a long time. I have had friends and acquaintances that I have had in my life since I was 3 years old.  It's so nice to talk to someone and say, "hey, remember when...blah blah blah..."  and then laugh like crazy. Then there are the people, who, for whatever reason, just don't want you there anymore. Their space and time is limited and they choose to fill your spot with someone or something else. And you are left with this feeling of, "WHAT? WHY? Did I not mean that much to you?' The truth is, sometimes there is no reason or cause, sometimes it's just a 'what's so'.....  Maybe you have outgrown this person, or they, you..   maybe things that were once funny are not so funny anymore, and views have changed. The best thing we can do for ourselves is LET GOOOOOOOOOO!!!!   It's ok...no one is going to die. My cousin S and I are both fine. We are fine in our individual places....not in each other's life. So, today, although I am missing her, I wish her well....I wish her happiness, and I remember many fun times. Acceptance is the key to life. I don't remember who said that, but they are right. I am letting her go...maybe she will be like a butterfly and return, then again, maybe she will be a balloon and be gone forever. Whatever it is, I will be fine. 

Rose Ellen Moore

www.rcmooreunique.com