i'm looking for something in red

i used to have a little change purse. a vintage one with blue and white swirls and a pretty tortoise shell zipper pull. in it, i kept all my lip goods. my high-shine glosses and creamy balms. my mama's tube of the now-discontinued revlon exotica. the lip stain i wore on my wedding day.

a few days ago, i left the purse on the back of robert's car while doing a photo shoot for my etsy shop. robert reminded me about it as we walked inside and i shrugged it off. i would get it later, i figured.

but then i didn't. and then we drove away.

and somewhere, my little change purse sits on the side of the road. we did many drive-arounds but never found it. and with it, i lost something else.

my femininity. because nothing in this world makes me feel softer, sweeter and more put together than a good swipe of lip color. as i walked around with just burt's bees on my lips, i felt not only naked but un-prepared. i read somewhere that victoria beckham said she can't think when she wears flats. that's how i felt about my missing lipstick.

so i went to the drugstore, and bought the cheapest, brightest lip color i could find. a deep magenta perfect for summer. a shade that looks like i just drank about fifty strawberry slushies. and so what if it doesn't really last longer than about ten minutes? it was $2.50 and i can always get another.

so i drove to work today. my windows down and my sunglasses on, and as i rubbed my lips together, i smiled. because whatever it takes to make you feel like you is entirely worth it. worth more than $2.50 actually. worth driving around after supper for hours looking for a little change purse. you know it when you lose it, and recapturing it feels like such a victory.

p.s. you think lipstick will help that awful cowlick/horn that i've got going on with my hair? goodness gracious.