The Gasp

I forgot to tell you this!

SisterBang and MotherBang both came to visit me in mid-March for my Installation, and it so happened that they both had Momentous Birthdays in March. I decided to give them little gifty bags of favorite products from Sephora and to buy them each a statement necklace. MotherBang does a lot of performing so I knew I could go whole hog bling on her, and SisterBang just needed something beautiful to wear to events like weddings and funerals and such. She’s a more Bohemian soul, so I had to find something that wouldn’t be too big in scale. I decided on pearls in a sort of floral design, because she loves both and looks very pretty in both.

The gifts were a big hit, as you may know how fun it is to sit around and get all girly with your mom and your sister, if that’s something that you all share. We certainly do, and if you think PeaceBang is bad about style obsessions and focusing on details, you should meet Mother and SisterBang!! Where do you think I get it!!??

So Mom opened her necklace and had a very positive reaction — which I knew she would, because I know what she likes and what looks good on her — and then she put it on. She was wearing her JAMMIES, you understand, which doesn’t show any bling off to its best effect, but her jammies were simple black clothes, with a T-shirt neckline. We fastened the necklace and I died because it looked so diva-tastic on her, and then she got up and went to the big mirror in my living room wall and she did what I call “the gasp.” This is that wonderful thing that happens when you show someone how great they can look in an accessory or hairdo or garment and they take a look in the mirror and they SEE IT, they see how fabulous they are, and they’re thrilled and emotionally touched, and they gasp and even sometimes get tears in their eyes.

MotherBang is a champion self make-up artist and accessorizer who knows her way around a hair and nail salon and totally knows how to dress herself, so it was extra delightful to see her eyes get big and misty her smile get huge when she spotted herself in her gorgeous bling.

She wore it to a concert last weekend, so I hear, and I know that feeling fabulous and beautiful helped her have the confidence to knock her two numbers out of the park.

Here’s the necklace, by BaubleBar.com:

Feeling beautiful is a wonderful, empowering thing.