V A is a long standing and recognised digital creative; her voice resonates with many. In the last ten years, the site has developed into an online destination for fashion, beauty and lifestyle advice. Her sense of style, editorial flair and practical counsel offers an inspired and graceful approach to living.

V A is a long standing and recognised digital creative; her voice resonates with many. In the last ten years, the site has developed into an online destination for fashion, beauty and lifestyle advice. Her sense of style, editorial flair and practical counsel offers an inspired and graceful approach to living.

Edit by: Vicki
Mar 14, 2016

Are You The Woman You Wanted To Be?


“I always knew the woman I wanted to be.”


I admire Diane von Furstenberg’s strength of words and strong sense of self; smart enough to know where she wanted to finish but not sure how she would run the race.


I cannot credit myself with such clarity.

I didn’t know what I wanted to do (when I grew up) and nor did I know what kind of woman I wanted to be. I never thought it through and was only too happy to follow life’s journey and adapt along the way. Not necessarily the blueprint I would follow today or the advice I would share with my daughters if I had my time over. I attribute a whole lot of chance, good fortune and a few right decisions to ending up in a happy place.


Today I am the woman I want to be but it’s more through good luck than good management.



If a fortune teller had shown me the future I would have laughed and most likely said, “nonsense.” I’m not one for predictions or seeing far into the distance; I don’t know if this is a blessing or a fault. I believe in an open mind and welcoming opportunities. I don’t fear change, enjoy challenge and I understand mistakes are how we learn and grow. I am convinced of serendipity and I adhere to the principle that timing is everything.


When I was younger I envied girlfriends who knew where they were headed and who were steadfast in their direction. I saw this self-assured nature as a positive and a quality to be admired.  I think I may have confused security with confidence.

Confidence is something I have developed over the years and this has made all the difference.


Diane Von Furstenberg, Are you The Woman You Want To Be, vickiarcher.comDiane Von Furstenberg, Are you The Woman You Want To Be, vickiarcher.com


I could never have imagined I am the woman I am. Do you feel like that?

My life has been so full of surprises, mostly welcome ones and I hope it continues this way. My “job” is a constant inspiration and not a day passes without thinking about this destination. Yes, I can track the steps and the developments but I still find it wondrous. Never in a million lifetimes would I have predicted my destiny as this.


I do have a vague memory of loving to read and write as a child, as having a vivid imagination and I have never been lost for a word, that’s for sure. I put this down to the practicalities of my day-to-day childhood. Now I question whether these qualities were inescapable, forever preserved in the DNA and it has simply taken me time and experience to get back where I started.



Whatever the answer, this is one very fascinating question. xv



images diane von furstenberg, peter lindbergh and bob stone for vogue

 

Edit by: Vicki
In This Post: Lifestyle