A Brief Moment of Reflection on the Departure of our "Year of Change"

Can you believe it? That whirlwind known as 2008 has finally come to an end and we are now presented with the prospect of a newer, more intriguing, and brighter future. That's not to say that 2008 didn't result in a lot of positive changes, however. On the contrary, this past February Marc Jacobs gave guests attending his show at New York Fashion Week the gift of time by showing his F/W 08 collection, well, on time. Later that same month, cable viewers all cheered in unison when the wonderboy of reality television, Baltimore native Christian Siriano, won season four of Project Runway. Then, in July, Vogue Italia released an "ethnic" issue of the magazine featuring all non-white models like Naomi Campbell, Jourdan Dunn, and Chanel Iman. Then, September came and presented us with yet another round of fashion weeks that offered stunning and memorable collections from Calvin Klein in New York, Alexander McQueen in London, and Louis Vuitton in Paris. In addition to politically charged shows by designers like Stella McCartney and Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, the tents of Bryant Park were plastered with the slogans "Wear Your Vote", "Fashion=Change", and "Accessorize for Democracy". And in November, America, along with the rest of the world, anxiously awaited the outcome of the 2008 Presidential Election in which our nation's first African-American president was elected. So, forgetting about the housing crisis and the meltdown of our financial system for a moment, we have quite a bit to look forward to in 2009. We have the prospect of rebuilding that which we may have lost. We have the joy and happiness which we recieve from the time spent with our family and loved ones. We have a TON of new shoes and clothing that we picked up for super cheap at sample sales. And, we still have the one thing that was never taken away from us: hope. Here's to a New Year!