It's never OK to be abused, only reused

By Mary Rose Roberts
I spend most of my alms on environmental groups and safe houses for women. They are both causes close to my heart. I firmly believe that our world is a gift and should be respected—and the idea of more as a value system just creates junk that clutters the natural environment.

I also support domestic violence causes. I spent nearly a decade married to a bipolar abuser. Abuse can be physical, mental, or emotional—and all of these are reasons to leave the situation pronto. If a man hits or grabs you, leave. If a man calls you names, like “worthless” or always accuses you of cheating, leave. If a man threatens suicide or threatens to hurt you, a friend or loved ones, leave. Here is a link to “Am I being abused.” Answer the questions honestly. If you fail, go talk to a trusted friend or family member who can help you see the truth about your abuse.

What’s the best way to combine my favorite two causes? By fashion, of course! Last year, a local organization held an annual vintage fashion show to raise money for their safe house for women. Local antique stores outfitted and styled volunteers who modeled vintage wares on the catwalk.  In addition, attendees were invited to dress in vintage clothes.

So I headed to an area antique shop and started to look through the racks of clothes. One piece caught my eye. It was a black velvet spaghetti-strapped dress with chiffon cut outs. I tried it on in the dressing room and it fit like a glove. I looked at the price tag: $25.

“I’ll take it,” I told Laurie, the owner.

I paired the dress with long faux pearls tied into a knot and red lipstick.

Needless to say, it was a fun night. Money was raised for a great cause. Fashion and artistic styling by an area salon was top-notch. And, I was able to reuse something and still look fabulous. (I only wish I would have had a camera instead of my phone to take pictures, as these came out pretty blurry.)

Here's a link to a video clip from iluvlocalplaces.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs0WkfeFWlQ. And a picture they took...