the lynette effect | part 1

Ever had a friend who has influenced you to purchase something you never expected to buy or even knew you wanted? For example, in the midst of a joint shopping excursion with said friend, she spies something that you completely overlooked. And because she has convinced you that it's a "must have," it has now somehow made it's way into your shopping cart. Unless, of course, there was only ONE left or it was a one-of-a-kind treasure, in which case it has made it's way into HER shopping cart because it was her keen eye who saw it first, after all.

Well, that friend for me is Lynette. We've been friends for longer than some of you have been on the planet, so let's just say we've got a pretty good handle on what makes the other one tick. We have years of epic shopping experiences under our (animal print) belts and the stories to go with them have far out-lived many of the actual items that were purchased. We are different. 

While I might  favor a more relaxed, modern, whimsical and slightly bo-ho flavor, Lynette is drawn to high-fashion and design with lots of flair like a moth to a darn flame. I lean toward minimalism and she, the consummate maximalista without being overdone. However, there's this huge overlap in our individual personal style circles. It's where we operate and it's where the MAGIC happens.

Recently, a diverted flight due to engine trouble unexpectedly landed Lynette (safely) right here in MY town and the 20-hour delay gave us time for a little shopping joy ride. I mean, when the situation presents itself, you put the pedal to the metal and floor it. Right? A round of Missoni-for-Target madness and a short romp through West Elm proved to be quite productive, shall we say. I'll save the Missoni tales for another post but the West Elm excursion netted me an awesome pillow cover that I'm sure I would never have noticed, had I not been with...(insert "Lynette effect" sound effects here) Lynette. I had already perused that shelf in the clearance corner nothing appeared interesting to me but when I heard her utter that oh-so familiar phrase, "these are cool," my head snapped back around so fast I nearly cracked a vertebrae. "What????" I said, afraid I might be missing out and, frankly, afraid she had found the only one of whatever it was.

In the end, she decided against it but we both agreed it would be the perfect finishing touch in the "Hollywood glam" room back at the condo, with a bit of a  Kelly Wearstler flavor. She was completely convinced but, because there were 10 of them left and it wasn't returnable, I decided to think about it for a few days. I did, I still wanted it, and when I went back it had been marked down even further. SCORE! 

So what is the point of this story and really, do I need to even have one? It's just a silly blog post, for crying out loud. Truth of the matter is that I could take this in any number of directions. It could serve as a warning, as in "don't try to be someone you're not" or "don't waste your money on things you never really wanted anyway." Agreed and agreed. But it can also be said that the way we influence each other can challenge and stretch us, taking us to places we couldn't quite muster up the courage to go. That little extra nudge from someone we love and trust often makes all the difference. Where it might serve some of us well to edit (Remember Coco Chanel's advice to look in the mirror and take one thing off before we leave the house?), others of us tend to quit a little too soon so we miss that finishing touch that completes the room or outfit. For me, Lynette is the friend who encourages me to put a cherry on the top. Voila!

Who is your Lynette and, more importantly, will you choose to be generous with your own wisdom and advice? Don't hide it under a bushel and keep it all to yourself. That being said, YOU can also enjoy the "Lynette effect" right here. She deserves to be shared.

But I made sure I got MY pillow first...;-)