Farewell Betsey Johnson

Yesterday as I logged onto Betsey Johnson's website to get my routine Betsey fix, the homepage was plastered with a huge 'Everything 70-80% off!" sign. I was absolutely delighted, only to read on and find that this lovely sale is actually a going out of business sale. My heart dropped as I took in the breathtaking news. First I was confused then overwhelmed with sadness. Betsey Johnson wasn't just any designer, she was my favorite. So much so that I refer to her on a first name basis as if we're BFFs. But that's what it feels like. I remember when I first laid eyes on a Betsey bag. I was at Plato's Closet strolling around waiting for them to buy some of my old clothes. Then it hit me like a big pink zebra print blessing in the skies. The bag captivated my attention like any other bag failed to do. It was a pink and black, zebra print shoulder bag from the Betseyville collection. It felt so right, and I knew I had to have it. I was only 17 and jobless. The money I got from selling my clothes to Plato's Closet was just enough to cover the bag and that was all the money I had to my name. I used my last dollar to get that bag and I didn't have an ounce of buyer's remorse.
When I got home I had to know who this wonderful designer was. After a quick google search I was immediately in love with almost all the Betsey Johnson collections. For me, Betsey Johnson isn't just fashion. Her pieces speak to me in a way other designers can't. Her Soho boutique is my Tiffany's. On Breakfast at Tiffany's when Holly Golightly was talking about how the Tiffany's on 5th Avenue made her feel. That's how the Betsey Johnson boutique makes me feel. It's my own little happy place tucked away quietly off of Wooster St. and now it's all being taken away from me. Some people may think that it's silly to be this upset about a designer going out of business but this really hit home for me. It truly feels like a part of me has died. Sometimes I would think about working for Betsey in the future or going to one of her fashion shows and now none of that will happen. I have so many fond memories of Betsey Johnson and to see people picking away at the sales like vultures on a carcass just kills me. I could say something cliché like "her legacy will live on through her designs" but it doesn't help. Betsey Johnson will be nothing more than a mere memory. All I have to remember Betsey by are the few items I have by her in my closet. Hopefully Betsey will take one last cartwheel down the runway before calling it quits. No matter what, I'll always be a Betsey Babe for life.