A Girl's Best Friend....
Wednesday, February 16, 2011 at 5:58PM I know what they say. Diamonds are a girl's best friend. And though I suppose it's true, for me, it's all about my pearls. Portia's pearls, to be exact. I reach for them in darkness and in light. In celebration and in desperation. They give me color. They give me light. They enhance. They illuminate. They comfort. They help me put my best foot forward... and yes, they've been known to turn a few heads ~ which is never a bad thing. I can wear them to an evening fete, and I can wear them to the grocery store. Which, let's be honest, is most often the case. But whether I'm at the deli counter or sipping champagne, they flatter me always. I love that.
Delightful little baubles, and the closest of friends. We were made for each other. I knew it the first time I laid eyes on my very first strand. All 52 inches of it. It was back in 2003. I was working in advertising and moonlighting at Helene m. in Portland on the weekends. Helene and I were putting a mannequin together, and out came this gorgeous little number with my name all over it.
"What is that?" I exclaimed to Helene, giving her my "stop the presses!" glance of complete awe.
"You like it?" she asked, not entirely convinced. "A woman came into the store the other day and asked if we were interested in selling her pieces. I told her we'd give them a try."
"Who is she and where does she come from?" I asked, determined to get to the bottom of this fascinating creation.
"Her name is Portia."
And the rest, as they say, is history. My husband surprised me with those freshwater pearls on pink silk Christmas morning the same year, and I never took them off from that moment forward. They became my signature, and I became her most ardent fan. And along the way, we became very dear friends.
Photo courtesy of L.L. Bean
Her pearls now grace the necks of some very fetching women, including Katie Couric and Maggie Rizer (for L.L. Bean) and have been featured in many a fashion magazine, including Allure and the New York Times Style Magazine. And of course, her pearls, though still very much available at Helene m., are also now a part of L. L. Bean's Signature Collection.
Great strides for a woman with a fabulous eye and big heart.
A girl's best friend, indeed.
