Shake A Tail Feather…Why I Love the Peacock.
On the day I held the first #CaftanSaturday for my Caftan Cuties Facebook group (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, read my first two blogs to get up to speed), I could put my hand on the one single solitary caftan I owned. When it quickly became clear that this would be an ongoing thing, I started shopping for more caftans, not only for these virtual events, but because I loved how I felt when I wore that first one.
I initially ordered from sites like Zulily, Groupon, Ashro and Caftans by Winlar—all boasting really adorable styles that fit my furloughed pocketbook budget. When I hosted our second Caftan Saturday, I chose a long black caftan from Ashro. The garment has a repeating print of a gorgeously vibrant striking bird. The bird looks wildly exotic and bold…and while its tail feathers aren’t spread, it totally gives me peacock vibes. Later I would purchase a similarly printed caftan in teal from Caftans By Winlar.
One of my Cuties suggested creating Don’t Rush Challenge video showing us transforming from our quarantine clothes into our caftans and that peacock caftan was perfect because it truly represents the feeling of spreading my beautiful wings when I slip a caftan onto my body.
And so, the peacock fixation began…
Y’all this bird drew me in. Switching out my sweats for a caftan feels like a peacock spreading its wings. It’s not the first time I’ve felt this way…but it had been a long while since at this point since I had been sheltering at home for about a month. A couple virtual events gave me an excuse to let my inner peacock out, but for the most part I was living in hoodies and leggings.
On that 2nd Caftan Saturday my daughter took pictures of me in my peacock caftan. I posed and twirled and sashayed on my porch peacocking all over the place. I loved the pictures so much, that they’re featured prominently on my web page! I decided that this was my spirit animal and searched for its meaning (and by “searched” I mean I Googled it).
Whaaaaaaa????? This was amazing to me because the meaning of the peacock embodies so much of who I am, I strive to be, and I identify with. It’s everything I want my Cuties to feel when they slip on their caftans. In so many of the expressions I’ve heard from the Cuties, they can identify with this peacock energy too.
Oh But I’m Not the Only One…
Oftentimes I am sent articles written about caftans and in them the authors reference feeling like a peacock (You’ll have to Google those yourself!). Typically, the sender comments to me something to the effect of, “But we already knew this.”
Keep on peacocking my friends…it’s inside all of us we just have to choose to spread those beautiful wings and be that graceful, royal, sensual, free, watchful being we know we are. Give yourself permission to peacock.
Original work of Nicole Finigan Ndzibah a.k.a. The Caftan Cutie – August 15, 2020