There’s power in patterns. They are like roadmaps to who we are—whether that’s a recurring behavior or an echoed motif throughout an article of clothing. As a forward thinker with a vintage soul, I embrace change like an old friend. Meanwhile, I tend to make a tradition of what works. I’ve always been a repeat offender in wearing silk scarves, to the point where I found myself yearning for one in the form of a dress.
This quarter-sleeve button-down number is a canvas for mix-and-match patterns. Printed on the satin: a green and black chevron that seems to imitate snakeskin and contrasts bag-chain imagery, patterned on a blue and orange backsplash. Perhaps it’s because the scarf print is a head nod to luxury, like Hermes or Versace, that pulled me to this garment. Weaved into that is a modernity and sense of legacy at the same time from both brands that embody the scarf print. In the sunlight, the colors become more vibrant. In the slight breeze on a hot day in Bakersfield (these were taken back in April, so not the unbearable triple digits yet), they dance. Thus, steps taken toward Luigi’s, an Italian eatery in town that has been there since 1910, became more of a strut. Trust me when I say it was a fast one at that, because I was extremely hungry, and that Wild Mushroom Agnolotti was calling my name with a warm Italian accent!
Fueled by that delectable half-moon ravioli dripping in brown butter, sage & parmiagiano reggiano (yes, the flavors were ambrosial), my dear friends Mari, Anton and I continued to explore Bakersfield’s old charms. Surprise, surprise, I’m also a creature of habit when it comes to a love for historic architecture. That’s why no matter what city I’m exploring, whether it’s one I’m visiting, or the one I call home, I gravitate toward stuccoed columns like a moth to a flame, and so does Mari. She’s actually the one that discovered the architectural splendor that is the Baker Branch Library: a building coated in baby blue and fashioned with Grecian pearl columns. The aesthetic harkened me back to the library of Kenwood House in London’s Hampstead Heath. Baker Branch Library appeared to be Kenwood House’s Edwardian sister clothed in the neoclassical style who decided to settle down in Kern County. It was a déjà vu moment taking photos there, to be sure: it was a comfort in the familiarity of one home (London) echoed in another (Bakersfield).
But here’s the thing about patterns: we also need to be unafraid of breaking them, to be willing to try new things, because change is good for us. Moving to Bakersfield was a change for me after living in Los Angeles the past few years. But in a way, it feels like home, because I’m from Central Valley originally. Moving here has helped me grow so much as a person, things I plan to detail in a future blog post. Stay tuned!
Keeping it Krischic,
Kristin Vartan
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Keeping it Krischic 