My best friend and I went into Ralph Lauren on Madison on Sunday — the flagship.
When I studied in the city, this used to be a destination I would frequent. I swear you could go into this store every day of your life, see every floor and room, and you would still observe something new.
As we moved from room to floor, to new room, etc. we made comments about the future. What we wanted, what we envisioned for ourselves. Of course at the time this was all tongue in cheek… we talked of how we would dress our future husbands and that I swear I found the dress I will wear to my wedding reception after party. With every statement we made, giggles closely followed.
As much as some of our comments may have had a tinge of hope tied somewhere in them, we for the most part knew they were more so just remarks to make us smile.
It wasn’t until we had reached the 3rd floor when I realized a pattern… We were dreaming. Dreaming up a world that sparked our imagination in ways I don’t think I’ve allowed myself to in decades. It felt like I was a little kid again — looking at the world around me with wonder, amazement, and hope. I felt like I had been shrunk down to half my size and was telling people when I grew up I’d be a princess or something.
I couldn’t help but smile at this realization. I’ve always felt the flagship on Madison carried magic — but after today, I’m certain. How wonderful, that there is a place, that in adulthood, sparked me to dream like I was a little girl again.
I feel like we lose that as adults sometimes… reality hits you and every thought becomes more “practical”. But that’s never really been my cup of tea…
Our whole walk home my friend and I continued our conversation of dreams, but grounded it a little. We discussed the complexities of growing up, what it means to work for the rest of your life, and overall how we can be more mindful about making the one life we are given worthwhile. I told her of my intense dislike for the words, “I can’t.” I’ve always much rather marched to the beat of — I have to try, and I might “fail”, but I will learn. I will grow.
All of those remarks we made in the Ralph Lauren store… dreams, for sure! But not impossible. If you’re ever looking to have what some would call a “realistic” conversation, perhaps I’m not the one to be having it with. Because I’m 24 now, I’ve met some harsher realities and climbed some both physical and metaphorical mountains of my own (as we all do), but I still allow myself to dream — and I still believe they are possible.
I truly do envision myself wearing that white dress someday, price tag be damned. And if I don’t, it’s because I found something different — and will not be because I told myself “I can’t.”
I guess this long rant about my momentary day of dreaming aside, I want to point out something.
How magical it is that a building full of clothing (which is really much more than that) had the ability to transport me back to a younger time where I spent more of my time coloring and dancing than sitting behind a desk worried about excel sheets.
Those Ralph Lauren stores make me feel so small — surrounded by a world of art that holds a presence larger than the room itself. It’s as if you don’t exist on earth and truly are gliding through a gallery — jaw dropped, eyes wide and teary.
This city does the same — makes you feel so entirely small — and I think that’s one of my favorite things about it here. No one’s watching… and it’s the best feeling. It allows yourself — forces yourself, actually — to look within and ask…
Who am I? What do I want? What are my dreams? And how am I going to do it?
