Thursday, November 11, 2010

the weapon we have is love


top: thrift, $1.50 -- sweater: thrift, $4 -- skirt: thrift, $1 -- shoes: thrift, $6 -- tights: Urban Outfitters, $10 -- belt: thrift, $2

So I was originally going to wear this outfit on Tuesday, but being sick got in the way. It actually was pretty nice though because it meant I didn't have to spend ages agonizing over what to wear the way that I usually do.

I'm up way past my bedtime at the moment because I'm working on a paper that's due today. I've actually never done this before. Ever. Not in middle school, not in high school, and not in college. I've finished plenty of papers the morning of the day they were due, but never late into the night before. I'm not much of a night owl, you see. I like my sleep, and, provided I get enough of that, I like mornings, too.

I went to a very moving event tonight before I started working on my paper. It was a talk by Somaly Mam, a Cambodian woman who founded a really amazing NGO that provides shelter, empowerment, and education to girls who are victims of sexual slavery and sex trafficking in Southeast Asia. Somaly Mam herself was a victim of sexual slavery. Her NGO is also working with governments to increase legal penalties for brothel owners and johns while abolishing legal penalties for underaged sex workers. (Did you know that even in many states within the US, if a 14 year old girl were arrested for prostitution, she would be treated as a criminal and not a victim?)

Check out the Somaly Mam Foundation and spread the word to raise awareness.

Somaly Mam brought with her several adolescent girls who are survivors of sexual slavery rescued from brothels and rehabilitated by the foundation. When they introduced themselves, they all reminded us in the audience just how lucky we are, not just to be getting a university education but also to simply be loved and cared for by our parents, families, and friends. It's so easy to forget how lucky I am sometimes. But I really and truly am, and I am so grateful to have access to all the resources I do and, most importantly, to give and receive so much love.

Oh, and... it feels incredibly shallow after all of that, but a couple more outfit photos...





Today's title comes from a really silly but nevertheless poignant song called "The Weapon" by... Harry and the Potters. They're a band that sings about Harry Potter, and they founded a genre of music called wizard rock. I never really got into it myself, but my sister Molly was really into it a few years ago and even had a very successful act herself. I went with her to a couple Harry and the Potters shows. I'm a pretty big Harry Potter fan even if I'm not much of one for wizard rock, and one of the things that I most appreciate about the series is that the driving, healing, unifying force is love. Pure and simple. "The Weapon" isn't a really a weapon at all. Love is generative, not destructive. Anyway. I just thought of this song when trying to come up with a good title for today's post.

Time to haul my dorky self to bed!

16 comments:

Zarna said...

i love those tights and the leopard belt! i've been looking for a skinny leopard belt - no luck yet!

stayfabulous,
zarna
www.zarnasrunway.com

callie said...

Ok so as soon as I read your post title on my blog feed, I thought of Harry Potter. haha I'm not into Wizard Rock but I have probably read the books a few too many times. :D

You look so pretty! Can I please have that cardigan please?! No but seriously, the sweater paired with the polka dots, and the cute pencil skirt + the blue tights? Awesome.

On a more serious note, that sound like an incredible event you went to. Sexual slavery is definitely something more people need to be aware of and educated about so that we can help. Somaly sounds like an awesome lady.

Tonio said...

Love you knit! with the polka dot shirt! is so cool that matchs! seems so romantic, feminine, and a little garde :)
tonio

Following you, peep into my blog, and if you like it.... FOLLOW BACK!

Tonio said...

By the way, I love you phrase of the comments

Your support means the world to me :)
YOU ARE SOOO SWEET

Jazzy E (Hivenn) said...

love the shoes& your belt!
x hivennn. enter my giveaway? six whole miss patina dresses to giveaway.

Dylana Suarez said...

I love you in polka dots!

xoxo,

www.colormenana.blogspot.com

Nnenna said...

Love the details on the cardigan- so pretty :)

haha, I'm the opposite- not at all a morning person, but definitely a night owl!

Kate said...

Love the polkadots & love the blue tights! Great combo!

sydney said...

i love the polka dots and light blue tights! and that event you went to sounds amazing, i think sexual trafficking is an issue that sometimes gets ignored, and it's nice to be more informed about what's going on in the world.

Unknown said...

Deeper side: Glad to hear about the good cause for sex trafficking~
shallow side~ What a score on that thrifted cardi! Paula

JennaStevie said...

Ohhh I really love this outfit, those blue tights/blue cardigan are soo pretty. Great with the dolka dots!!

That would have been an amazing event to go to! Such a sad topic but awareness definatly helps. Thats good she's able to help other women after what she went through

Dooshi said...

I love this outfit! Especially the color of your leggings.
Its very important to be aware to those things, very good post!

http://themeydale.blogspot.com/

salwabalwa said...

What a beautiful cardigan! I loveeeee how you wore colored tights with the outfit.

Btw. I LOVE Harry and the Potters! haha, I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT WAIT for the movie to come out.

molly said...

Love is a weapon against hate and Voldemort :)

molly said...

Love is a weapon against hate and Voldemort :)

Michal said...

Ok so as soon as I read your post title on my blog feed, I thought of Harry Potter. haha I'm not into Wizard Rock but I have probably read the books a few too many times. :D

You look so pretty! Can I please have that cardigan please?! No but seriously, the sweater paired with the polka dots, and the cute pencil skirt + the blue tights? Awesome.

On a more serious note, that sound like an incredible event you went to. Sexual slavery is definitely something more people need to be aware of and educated about so that we can help. Somaly sounds like an awesome lady.