Mae West

     I very often use pictures of women from bygone eras in some of my collage jewelry designs.  I am especially attracted to images of women I imagine to be somewhat more rebellious against the societal restraints that were present at the time. I happened to have a great sheet of images from artchix studio and recognized one as the famous actress Mae West.  I admit, I didn't know a great deal about her.  I somehow remember my one of my parents telling about her and one of her famous lines "why don't you come on up and see my some" (they left off the last bit of that line "when I've got nothing on but the radio").  A little more research on her turned up some interesting tidbits, which made me love her all the more.  I found out she was actually jailed (briefly) for her first play (she was a playwright as well as an actress), which she boldly titled "Sex".  She was an advocate for gay rights before people even knew what gay rights was.  She began her movie acting career as a sultry sex kitten at the ripe old age of 38 (that was, and probably still is, considered over-the-hill for a Hollywood bombshell).  If I could choose a single word that I think describes her it would be: unapologetic.

   I find that I admire the unapologetic Mae West because she was true to herself and didn't care what others thought about her.  She was who she was and you could take her or leave her.  I often think I (and probably many others) need a little of Ms. West's spirit in our lives.  I know for myself, I am about as far from unapologetic as you can get.  I have caught myself apologizing to someone when they bump into me, as if I have some kind of compulsive need to beg forgiveness for having the audacity to take up space.  I made this necklace in honor of the great actress, and as a reminder to whoever wears it, to lighten up a little on yourself.  You are who you are and don't apologize for it.  Life is too short to worry so much about what others think because as Mae West said "you only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough".