When I was younger, I didn’t really care about fashion. I was more that type of girl who didn’t really wear make-up, tried a few times to follow trends, but mostly did not wear anything trendy. Most of all, I wanted to feel comfortable in my own body.
But this is another story.
The first time when everything changed was when I was 14 and I fell in love with the TV show Gossip Girl. I loved their imagination, how they combined many colours with different patterns and materials. I was so amazed by their fashion styles, I cannot even tell you.
I loved Blair Waldorf, and there was a time in college when I wore a very weird combination of clothing. I still remember the day I wore my knitted white jumper with a blue A-line skirt and yellow tights. On top, I wore a black coat and brown bag. OMG. I know. It already sounds terrible, just imagine how ridiculous I looked. I felt more like a minion with those yellow tights and blue skirt, not exactly like Blair.
I knew how I would like to dress, I knew that I loved hats, but I was ashamed of wearing them. I think it was because I lived in quite a small town and I just didn’t want people staring at me.
Everything changed again when I met Olivia* and I completely changed myself. My fashion style and beauty world has changed. I have started to be more girly and more passionate about girly stuff. I still remember how she first brought me Eos and Bath and Body Works products. Oh, have I mentioned Victoria’s Secret? As it was impossible for me to buy these brands back home in Slovakia, I was the happiest girl in the whole world when she brought me these gifts from her holidays in the USA.
At the age of 15, I started to write my own blog. I was so happy that I could inspire people. Three years ago, I started my collaboration with Bonprix which continues to this day.
Because of this blog, I had amazing opportunities and even once became a model in a fashion show. It was the most amazing experience and none of this would happen if I didn’t meet her.
When I moved here to the UK, suddenly I lost contact with her. I was quite sad because we were very close.
However, I could never imagine why she was not responding to my messages.
One evening in my first year in Uni, another friend had called me and told me that Olivia, who gave me a completely different point of view on fashion, had leukemia.
That night I couldn’t stop crying.
She didn’t communicate with anyone. It was a really difficult time for me, but I promised myself that I must have faith, that I must fight with her.
A year has passed and she has beaten leukemia. Unfortunately, because of the chemotherapy, she lost her ability to walk. Her medical treatment was successful, but it really hurt the nerves in her legs.
I think about her every day. I would never imagine something like this could happen to her.
She changed my life. Thanks to her, I developed my passion for fashion and I will be forever grateful to her. She is a fighter, and I know that she will learn to walk again.
She completely changed me, and I cannot even say how much I miss talking to her about new beauty products and fashion trends. But most of all I really miss her as a person.
Maybe she is not inspiring me with fashion right now, but she will always inspire me with her strength. I know she will never give up. I cannot wait for the day when she will call me and we will meet in a café.
I have so much to tell her.
*Not her real name
