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Written & Photographed by Kenn Sava (*- unless otherwise credited)

Those few who actually know me know that I’m pretty much obsessed with women’s fashion (on women), probably as much as I am with Art & Music. I spent a lot of my free time the past 10 years drawing my ideas for clothes and toyed with the idea of starting a line before coming to my senses about how much money it takes to do it right (thanks to my friend Maiya’s experience, who actually did it), and especially, how “stealable” fashion ideas are. It would totally suck to come up with something new and different that some people thought was good only to have the idea stolen by a big company and not have the resources to stop them. I figured I’d need 10 great ideas so I could keep them coming. I also came to believe that fashion should be one to one, as in one of a kind items, which is total financial suicide, unless you are a brilliant tailor, too. I finally decided that if I met the right girlfriend/muse, I might design for her. In the meantime, I’ve contented myself with sharing an opinion, or twelve, when asked.

May 12, 2016, Magda at the corner of West 14th and 9th, the northern boundary of the Meat Packing District, one of her faves, on a beautiful spring day.

So, there I was the other day with my friend, the Fashion Guru & Blogger extraordinaire, Magdalena, from prettycripple.com. Yes, Magda is disabled. She’s in a wheelchair. (I don’t think she knows that, though, so I won’t tell her if you don’t.) We decided to spend a gloriously sunny afternoon in the Meat Packing District, which I will refrain from giving my opinion about, and say that I VERY much miss what it was back in the 1990’s and before. Magda, who hadn’t been there in a while, wanted to see which of her old fave small boutiques were still in business. I was psyched to see what we’d find. Unfortunately, we soon discovered that many of her favorites were no more, and another one, Scoop, is joining them any day.

Sign O’ The Times. Back in the day, Hogs & Heifers was just one of countless bars and nightclubs in the Meat Packing District. There were so many great ones, I actually only went to H&H once or twice. Now long gone, its sign on the wall outside is just about the only vestige remaining of what this neighborhood once was- not all that long ago.

After grabbing brunch, we began perusing, and as she went through the racks we’d compare notes on what she liked. It started out normally enough. At Scoop she got a very nice, reversible hat, which immediately came in handy in the bright sun at a nice discount.

Wait. Sun? Me? Mr. Night Owl? I know. I told Magda I’d “get up early” for our 2:30pm get together.

Ok. She has an eye for a bargain that’s also practical and versatile. No news there. Finally, we wound up at a pop-up type stand a few blocks away. Then things got interesting.  To my eyes, the clothes were a bit over the top, so I didn’t look very closely. They were handmade, though, which is always nice to see, fashion should be one to one. Women are unique, right? Magda agrees. She certainly is.

So, she picked out a blue number and I thought it was over the top but doable. Then, she took things to another level and she lost me. She picked out this top/jacket, and I didn’t say a word.

I watched. If she had asked me, I’d have said, “No.” But, she was in a zone. She didn’t have to ask. Buying clothes is as much what you’re going to wear with something and I don’t know her whole, amazing wardrobe, only what I’ve seen her wear, and what she wears on her Blog. And, what she was wearing right then. There you see the final result.

She fell in love with it. I fought back my initial reaction and tried to see it through her eyes. This is where going to see a wide variety of Art, or listening to a wide range of Music pays off- you fight off your initial reactions and try to keep an open mind long enough so you can learn something about it. I can’t tell you how many times this has made a big difference for me. Many of my favorite Artists, Composers and Musicians got to me through this process.

Standing there, it was now happening unconsciously. Automatically.

Dinner (and cocktail) time. Her new hat in full effect, doing its job.

Magda wound up buying the piece, which she had immediately loved, (and another), and we left. She wore it out. We parted and I was left thinking about the experience. I woke up today still thinking about it. I see the similarity with how I’ve come to love so much Art & Music.

There are Artists, and people, who are so good at what they do, and/or have a vision, that you have to trust them. You have to, at least, give them the benefit of the doubt. You have to see where they’re going with it, as they say. Try and see it through their eyes. Along the way you may learn, too. Magda has her own style. I’ve known a lot of entertainers, Musicians and Artists who did as well. They were themselves 24/7. My last Post was about one, who I didn’t know. It comes out of their pores. They dressed “differently” than most. They thought differently than most. That’s part of the process of being that creative, and part of what makes them special, and certainly unique.

Magda has that. Magda is more than “only” a “Role Model,” which she most certainly is. She’s a “Roll Model!”

It’s one thing to help someone buy clothes or give them your opinion. It’s absolutely pointless to try and do it with someone who’s a force of nature. Water seeks it’s own level. The winds blow where they will. The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain. Magda is an Artist, a successful graphic designer with her own company, but Art permeates her life in just about every part of it I’ve seen. So…What did I learn…Be yourself- everyone else is taken. Being around Magda reinforces that for me. It’s liberating being around someone like her who’s so free inside of herself.

So, the message to myself is- At such times? Shut up. And stay out of the way, so you don’t get rolled over!

*- Soundtrack for this Post is “To Me You Are A Work Of Art,” by Morrissey. Thank you, Morrissey. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have met Magda, and made a friend.

You can follow Magda @prettycripple or on prettycripple.com

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Written & photographed by Kenn Sava for nighthawknyc.com unless otherwise credited. To send comments, thoughts, feedback or propositions click here. Click the white box on the upper right for the archives or to search them. Subscribe to be notified of new Posts below. Your information will be used for no other purpose.