I wish I had the nerve...

One of my favorite features in New York Magazine is a two-page spread called The Look Book, in which columnist Amy Larocca interviews someone on the street with notable style. The text is minimal; Q&A mostly about how the person describes their own look and where they got the clothes they’re wearing. When you rotate the magazine 90-degrees, it appears as kind of a sidebar to a large picture that takes up most of the two pages.

The current issue features a young woman with alopecia named Sam Rudolph. Alopecia is a condition that causes hair loss, and she has been bald since the age of seven. If you follow the link above, you can see her picture. She’s wearing huge sunglasses, nothing at all on her head, and she's lovely. The article ends with a fantastic quote:

Q: "How do you feel about being bald now?"

A: "Obviously, good enough to look like this. My mother always said my life would be easier if I just wore a wig, but I don’t want to hide who I am. Being bald is a big part of my life, and if I cover it up, it starts to feel like everything is fake."

This all has so much relevance to me now. I don't have the flair or the youth to pull it off, but I'd love to walk through the streets naked-headed! My wig is very natural looking and most people don't even know I'm wearing one. But it gets uncomfortable, particularly on hot days.

If I only had the nerve....