This weekend one of my girl friends will be turning 25 and we’re going to dress up and celebrate with a three course dessert and a night out. Since she is reaching the quarter of a century mark, I thought I’d get her something fun and special- like a pretty birthday tiara with a 25 sign on it! I’ve seen such age-specific hats many times and figured that I can easily find one in any party favors store online or off.
Since there are no party favor stores within a mile of me, I started googling it up and I couldn’t find any! They have little sections for 16, 30, 40, 50, 60 etc but no 25. You’d think that retailers would capitalize on any cause for celebration and produce some 25 specific merchandises (remember in October when they had the “Sweetest Day”? What IS that if not a commercial holiday?), but no, the quarter of a century mark is apparently not important enough to warrant age-specific party favors.
Turning 25 may not seem very significant to those who have already passed that age (I’m sure you have even more significant milestones to worry about) or those who are far from it (when I was in my teens, I thought the twenties 25 was a distant blur), but trust me, to those in who ARE turning 25 or are in their early 20’s, the quarter of a century mark is a big deal. It is kind of the turning point betweeen “still growing” and “aging”- especially for a girl! As my korean friend’s mom puts it, a girl is like a Christmas cake, once you hit 25 you start to expire. I thought it sounded a bit conventional and antiquated back then when I first heard it, but I’m beginning to think that there may be a grain of wisdom to it. Sunscreen will not be enough and it is probably a good time to start using anti-aging products. Yes, I know aging is a natural process and that we’re suppose to embrace what the future holds because it can only get richer and more beautiful with age and experience, but having been raised in an environment where youth is equivalent to beauty, it is a hard concept to grasp. Even though guys age better, this phenomena is not limited to females however. I talked to a guy friend who is turning 25 soon and it sounds like a big milestone to him too, because it signifies that you have just lived 1/3 of your life (assuming we all live till 75), and it is really a time to take stock of what we have achieved and where we are heading. The time when we can just take the risk, fall and quickly pick ourselves up again is fast running out!
I’m probably overdramatizing and freaking out when I’m not even turning 25 yet, but you get the picture- it’s a milestone! What does a girl have to do to find a pretty tiara with a 25 on it?
Tea with BG 
Shishi said:
I completely understand what you mean, I am turning 25 in november and it is kind of freaky to me. 25 means being an adult for good somehow, but I’m not there yet, I really don’t feel like one!
The tiara is a cute and good idea, she’ll always have it. I haven’t seen any online but if I do I’ll let you know!
I am glad you and HG are still blogging 😉
MonsteRawr said:
I totally understand! I just turned 23 yesterday, and I had a minor breakdown in Kohl’s because I felt too old for the junior section but no old enough for the misses section. Every new birthday requires you to asses and justify your stand in life, and consider what is still left to do and accomplish. I’m not sure I can handle the stress of 52 more of these!
Pink Sun Drops said:
25 was one of the best years of my life!! I really did become a grown up and learned sooooo many new things about myself, that as much as I loved being a teenager and in my early 20’s I would never want to take any of that knowledge back. My life has been so much more full and rich with my eyes much more open since then!
Fashion Minute said:
I remember turning 25 as the last time I felt young!
I think 30 will feel like even MORE of a milestone though. Ahh, our twenties. Life ain’t too shabby at this age, eh?
xx,
F.M.
Knikki said:
19 and 17 are definitely the best years. After that it goes downhill. LOL
Unmei said:
I’m not scared of being 25. For some reason the number doesn’t phase me at all. Maybe it’s because the idea of living to an even 100 isn’t necessarily the age I will live to. I’m thinking 30 is going to be the next birthday to smack me in the face.
Stolen said:
I’m 19, so now you have me thinking about turning 20 and why that isn’t celebrated either. Surely, it’s important to celebrate (or at least congratulate) someone from leaving their spotty teenage years?
As for the tiara: make one! Buy an existing tiara, get out the card, the glue, the glitter and fake jewels and go crazy!!!
xx
mimi said:
in australia, 21 is a major milestone. i had a tiara with a 21 on it for my last birthday! 🙂
kyara said:
I am turning 28 in a few weeks and I really wish I had made a MUCH bigger deal out of 25. Oh well there is always a chance to make up for it at 30… booo! lol
Vee said:
I completely freaked out when I turned 24 and refused to let anyone acknowledge my age that birthday.
In retrospect it seems like a ridiculous reaction. I don’t even remember why I thought 24 was SO awful. Maybe because I knew it was one year closer to 25 and that was halfway mark to feel ‘old’.
But the year-early freakout really took the edge off the 25 marker, which passed painlessly. Am now adjusting to being 26. And yes, I’ve noticed changes in my skin texture. I now moisturize. But it’s probably something I should have done ages ago. I have to say I feel more attractive now than I did at 18, 21, etc. I know what suits my me more in terms of clothing, what hairstyles look better on me, what colors, makeup–better everything.
So take that to heart when you stress about getting older 😉 I hope you found a tiara!