Red Lipstick

I remember the first time I became cognizant of red lipstick. It was worn by the actress Kelly McGillis in the movie "Top Gun" (released in 1986 by my former employer - shout out to Jerry Bruckheimer!) She wore it perfectly! It looked sophisticated and she was beautiful. From then on, my obsession with red lipstick was begun. However, due to my very young age back then, it looked utterly ridiculous on me. I could see that one grows into red lipstick much like you grow into your mom's high heels.

I waited for years and purchased and tried many shades of red lipstick. Still, nothing looked right yet. Finally, finally when I turned 30-years-old, my moment arrived! Red lipstick looked on me the same way it did on Ms. McGillis in 1986. I was overjoyed! Now I looked sophisticated and beautiful in my red lipstick, too. What a shame that I only put it on at home in the morning and never re-applied it the rest of the day! What a waste.

Now, in these years since I looked right in red lipstick, I've barely worn make-up to the extent I did when I still worked on a daily basis. My husband and children have been happy to have me without make-up while I stay home. I only wear it now when I teach or go to weddings and such. And, quite unfortunately for me, I have found that there is only a short stage in a woman's life (or, at least in my life) where she looks good in red lipstick. I seem to have passed that stage already. I tried putting it on a few times in the past couple months and each time, I needed to wipe it off in favor of a lighter beige-pink color instead. The red once again looks ridiculous on me. Now I've aged out of it instead of grown into it. This is what the other side of wearing red lipstick looks like. How sad that I never took advantage of that stage while it was at hand.

I sit here now laughing as I write this. I laugh at how badly and for how long I wanted to look right in red lipstick and after all that effort, I didn't savor my opportunity when I had the chance. In a way, it's sad justice that I can't wear it any longer because I didn't appreciate it enough when I could. I also laugh because there is nothing I can do but laugh. Thank G-d, it seems that the sting of this isn't so very strong because I must be accepting aging better than I thought I would. Thank G-d! But still, what a shame....