I personally thrive off inspiring women. I read their words. I stalk them on social. I feed off of their awesomeness in order to better myself and this blog. So when I heard, via Instagram, that Garance Dore was in Philly doing a book signing at Club Monaco, all of my bullshit reasons of why I never attend events dissipated. I would move mountains to meet this woman. She is my blogging shaman. 

With Garance Dore, you read her blog and immediately feel like you’re sitting at a cafe having a casual chat with her over coffee and a scone. That is what blogging, well, at least good blogging, is all about, right? She’s real, honest, and smart … if I could bow down to her and it wouldn’t be creepy, I would. 

I hesitantly approached Club Monaco in hopes a vicious line wouldn’t be out the door. To my surprise, things looked rather calm. I bought her book, LoveXStyleXLife (still out of breath), and got into the long, but not insane, line winding through the store. 

As I stopped perspiring (damn you, restrictive leather jacket) and my mind slowed down a bit, I began to wonder, why the eff was this line not moving (and, on a side note, why did I never know Club Monaco had such cute stuff)?

After 15 minutes, I moved up a literal inch and saw a woman walking away from just meeting Garance beaming with a smile from ear-to-ear and carrying a beautiful bouquet of flowers wrapped in black paper. “You sit down with her and chat for a little! It’s marvelous,” she told the entire line.

Hold up … you get to talk with her AND she gives you flowers?! Did I fall into Parisian heaven? My heart began to race. I have SO much to say to her, but where do I begin? And why didn’t I know about this sooner. And why am I wearing a $10 Cheap Monday shirt with a cat shooting laser beams out of its eyes! BLAST! 

All the women waiting in line looked so crisp and chic. I looked like I had crawled out of a punk rock cellar after a long day of commuting and working, with no makeup for touchups in sight. Thank Jesus for my arsenal of lipstick I carry around with me.

I wish I could tell you what happened when I met her. I really do. But I blacked out. Just like when I accepted my college diploma. Just like when I have to speak in public. I black out. 

All I remember is her being so beautiful, smart and lovely in person, me telling her the name of my blog, and her loving it and asking me to write it down for her. Then, with a shaky hand, I wrote “LifeSucksInAStraplessBra.com” on a post it for her. I hope to dear sweet Jesus I spelled it correctly. 

I was in such awe and amazement that she actually liked my blog title and perhaps will read it, I almost left without retrieving my cellphone from the woman who took my picture with Garance. Awesome. 

It’s SO important to have smart people in your life, whether you know them or not, to look up to and learn from. Seeing Garance in person and learning about all of her success only makes me daydream even harder of one day being at my book signing, and meeting awkward bloggers who are too nervous to form together sentences. Except instead of flowers I would probably give them carbs and wine or something.

And P.S. Garance, if you’re reading this, next time you are in Philly, let’s grab coffee. I promise to not be such an awkward hot mess this time.