The Royal We

A group of my work friends and the Queen herself, Jill Conner Browne, at a New Stage Theatre production. 

I'm really not the pageant type. Never have been. I hate the thought of parading across a stage in a bathing suit, literally ASKING to be judged.

Conversely, though, I've stood in front of the gorgeous, jeweled trappings of monarchy at many a world-renowned museum and thought to myself, "I bet that would look good on me."

So, a few years ago, I decided that I had no need to win a pageant or marry a prince. I was a woman of some small means, after all. I could buy my own jewelry and crown myself. (As Jill Conner Browne writes in the Sweet Potato Queens Book of Love - "It's vitally important that you buy your own crown and declare yourself Queen, and then spend the rest of your life living into that." I'm here to tell you that truer words were never written.)

 After some online searching, I found the perfect crown - studded with rhinestones and large green "emeralds." A few clicks, and it was on its way.

And y'all. Y'all. When it arrived, and I put it on my head, I stood straighter. My neck lengthened. I just cannot tell you what it did for me to wear that crown. If I had a bad day at work, I'd come home, put on my crown and pour myself a glass of champagne. A crown on one's head can even turn something mundane like vacuuming into a pleasure. It's just life-changing.

My sisters and their Christmas crowns!

I loved it so much that I realized I needed to share the joy. That year for Christmas, I bought both of my sisters crowns, too. We wore them at Christmas dinner, and they were magnificent AND festive.

That year for my birthday, I decided to do it up big. I rented a limousine, invited a crew of girlfriends, and told them all that crowns were not optional. When the night of the celebration rolled around, they floated in like the queens they are, their eyes and their tiaras sparkling. We spent the evening drinking champagne in the limo and hopping from one restaurant to another for a progressive dinner. (Someone even gifted me a scepter that year. I loved every minute of it.)

You'd be surprised how often you can find (invent?) appropriate crown-wearing occasions. When our local theatre presented a production based on Jill Conner Browne's work, I not only broke out the crown, but my black feather boa as well. Our whole group did likewise, and it was a fantastic evening!

In a couple of weeks, a good friend of mine is going to a lovely Nutcracker Tea with me in celebration of this holiday season. The event is a fundraiser for Ballet Mississippi, and it will be hosted among an indoor forest of professionally decorated Christmas trees. Costumed ballerinas will also be in attendance. What better place to glitter?

For this event, I *may have* purchased a second crown during my recent trip to New Orleans. (What a town. You can wander into a random store on Royal Street and find a huge crown selection. I mean, the retail folks in that city just get me, you know?) I look forward to wearing my "day crown" as we toast the holidays and one another!

So what are you waiting for? Declare yourself royalty, and go reign. I promise you won't regret it!

My beautiful birthday crew of Queens!