Pura Vida Vintage Reopens & NFW2015 Explained

Today is Spashionista's  birthday. Seriously, it's not an April Fool's joke; the blog turns three today. I want to thank each and every person that has been a constant source of encouragement over the years, even when I don't have time to acknowledge them individually. The friendships that have been forged through this blog have been nothing short of magical, and have really changed my life and broadened my horizons in ways I never thought possible. I'm still working on finding that sweet spot that allows for both quality content and mutual engagement. Tweaks are on the horizon - but not before Nashville Fashion Week 2015.

I am very, very proud of several things that Spashionista has accomplished so far. It's safe to say that I've raised awareness of curvy, 50+ women with disabilities. I'd like to think so, at any rate. I've also been nudging local businesses and venues that are exempt from the Americans with Disabilities Act (and there are plenty in and around Music City) to become wheelchair accessible - and they are listening. The Chef and I  recently added a wheelchair accessible table. More about that in a future post.

Then there's Pura Vida Vintage. Owner Krystle Ramos and I started a dialogue in 2013 about making the store accessible. Ramos' landlord, the owner of the Red Barn, was absolutely uninterested in adding a ramp to the historically exempt building. Last September Ramos, her partner Aaron McGill of Only One Tailoring, and I entertained the idea of trying to build a ramp on our own. The next week the Red Barn caught fire and was deemed a total loss. Only One relocated fairly quickly; Pura Vida did not. Turns out Ramos rejected several locations for her shop because they aren't wheelchair accessible. It took her six months to find the perfect storefront, and I was there last week when she opened her door for the Grand Re-opening.

This entire process wasn't just about getting a wheelchair into a shop. It was also  about forming friendships that go beyond being strictly business. I never expected that, but it's a wonderful side-effect - and all because I was persistent in the nicest way possible about my right to shop in a store. Who knew?

Oh, and you can expect to see me in lots of Pura Vida Vintage pieces, expertly altered to fit me by Only One Tailoring. In fact, if all goes well, next week you'll see me in vintage from several local shops. 

Speaking of which, many of you are having trouble finding the links to Nashville Fashion Week. Frankly, it's a very confusing system, so I'll try to simplify it for you. Here is the link to the Nashville Designer's Showcase: http://wls.io/apb5MAU. Here is the link to the Accessories as Art Event: http://wls.io/YMNKY1Q. You can click-through on both of these as many times as you like. The bloggers that generate the most traffic via their links will be invited to cover the event. If you have any more questions please feel free to email me at spashionista@gmail.com

Getting my Hat Attack on today as well. Technically, it's a tiara by Mikelle Hickman-Romine who was at Art2Wear 2015