Dreaming of Neutrals

I got a new catalog in the mail yesterday, from The Peruvian Connection, and spent at least an hour happily browsing and imagining myself draped in pima cotton in warm, rich neutrals. Their slogan is Artisan Apparel for Nomads and Romantics. How I wish I were either nomadic or romantic! If I can't BE either of those things, maybe I can dress that way:

Romantica Dress, $218

As much as I love bright colors and high contrast outfits, I adore seeing a pretty girl (myself, n'est-ce pas?) draped in shades of camel, cinder, garnet, cognac, stone. olive and copper. I want every skirt on their web site, starting with this one.

Shadow Rose skirt, $149

Do not question my irrational desires! The heart wants what it wants!
 

 

Dress n' Boots

I ordered a fantastic pair of Kenneth Cole boots when I was in Philadelphia in March, and it was almost 80 degrees. I had a vision of wearing them with cute dresses and short skirts. When the boots arrived, the faux summer had passed, and so had the boot/dress moment. When summer returned for real, the weather switched into meltingly hot, nothing but 90 degree days, which is too hot for anything boot-like on my feet.

FINALLY we had a day under 80, and I trotted those boots right out.

Again with the jean-ish jacket, this time over a tank dress from Kohl's. I felt a little silly at the mall after it had warmed up to 78 and I was the only woman in boots and a jacket, but I stood my ground.

I faced a harbinger of doom at the mall, because the Woodfield Talbot's store is closing. 

Bum bum BUM. The outlet store is also madly selling off its inventory with the exact same signage. Thinking of a world without Talbot's makes me feel like this:

Anxious Buffy.

Lilac Rhapsody

The Pantone Color Report for Fall is out, and it appears that I'm well prepared in every hue, except perhaps for Pink Flambe (but there is a cashmere cardigan that I have my eye on). I cannot figure out how to paste in the color spread, so please click through and enjoy the palette!

I'm ahead of the game today, and am wearing Rhapsody, Rose Smoke and Titanium.

Or, lilac, pink and gray if all you have is a 64 box of Crayolas.

Blue Steel and Ivory

Talbot's tee and skirt, Earthies shoes.

Because this top is somewhere between blue and gray, I dub it Zoolander-ish.

More wearing of the linen; I wore this skirt eight weeks ago and at this rate may wear it only three times this summer! The horizontal raw edge detail really blends with the horizontal wrinkles, don't you think? 

Sadly, the three things I ordered from Sundance must all be returned. The skirt was too tight in the waist and really not a great length on me, the jacket was the wrong color (my oops, and the right color is sold out), and the dress looked AWFUL on me. I wanted to love it, I really did. I wanted to love something out of that box, for Heaven's sake. So back it all goes, and that's all right, because I'll have a scrap of clothing budget left for August. It was a psychic burden, I tell you.

Ben just emailed me, thrilled with his first paycheck. Remember that feeling with your first full time job, where it's sort of like jail, the day is so long? And then you get that first HUGE paycheck and it all makes sense?  

Catching Up!

I am several outfits behind. I took the pictures, but we've been all budget all the time, and my brain is too fried to compose more than very basic posts.

Exceptionally shrubby hair.

This is my Anne Klein pleated skirt, which used to be reserved for special occasions (holidays, evening events), but which I want to wear more often. It's polyester, after all, so very easy care, and so swirly and pleasant to have on! The top is Nine West via Ebay, and my beloved red Spring Step sandals, seen here in electric blue (which I kinda want):

Still available on Amazon!

One of our staff told me she liked these shoes so much that she had bought a pair for herself in brown - and she is a young woman (by which I mean in her twenties)! What a compliment! Do we admit that some compliments mean more than others?  All are lovely and to be enjoyed, in any case.

Feeling that summer is waning, I'm trying to wear my linen as often as possible, this time a cantaloupe jacket with a striped tank underneath, and white jeans. I also made it to the salon, thank you very much.

Here I was also making an effort to wear a particular pair of shoes. I've had these for years and have worn them two or three times. They remind me of old-guy-on-the-Miami-golf-course shoes. What am I, Sid Caesar? Still, I love orange, and they're really well made, all leather inside and out.

Bitchin' shoes, Sid.

And thus we arrive at today, with beige linen pants, a Loft top and a red linen "jean" jacket from Jones New York. I love jean jackets. All those metal buttons act like jewelry for me, and I love the contrast between the severe lines and a flowy or lacy top underneath.

The pants are VERY wide-legged. My red Borns look like the Shoes of the Fisherman peeking out underneath.

For Christina, some papal footwear.

Sundance is having serious reductions on their outlet items in August (another 30% off!), so I bought a dress and a skirt that I've been coveting all year, and am considering a shirt and a jacket as well.

I've also had several exuberant texts from Ben - "I'm on a boat!" "Nate's house is big!" "Jeremy Renner was on Angel!"

Oh, yes, I remember.

 
 

White, Olive and YELLOW

Sometimes clothes are just clothes, you know? There is no compelling tale about yesterday's outfit. My Athleta skirt may look dark brown in the photo, but it is a dark olive green. I'm wearing a white ribbon yarn sweater from J. Jill (over a white tank), and those great yellow Miz Mooz sandals. The sweater is very airy, so is a good choice for a warm but not stifling day. 

I love being so tall.

Nine West watch (Amazon) and yellow quartz ring (eBay).

Shell and wood bead necklace (Kohl's)

Cheerful feet!

Even on a "just clothes" day, it's satisfying to take pleasure in the accessories. Tomorrow I get my hair cut, which will also be a happy thing. I also have the semi-annual Rotary dinner for new officers (I am one) and am mulling over what to wear to that. *sigh* Sometimes I think men have it so easy with suits. And then I think of my shoes and feel that men's sartorial lives are sad and empty.

 

Black and White, Artist Style

This is my homage to Picasso, or perhaps Van Gogh, out in the hot Tuscan fields in loose, cool linen. I need a straw hat and some paints. 

Jones New York trousers, Loft scarf, Talbot's peasant top. I liked this top so much that I also bought it in black crossdyed linen, so I can reverse this outfit with white jeans. I have on red earrings, a red shell ring and red Born flats to keep from being monochromatic. The scarf is perfect in my air-conditioned office.


I don't normally wear all-over-loose-and-flowy. I tend to be fitted in at least one third of my look, whether it is skirt, pants, top. Even fitted boots qualify. On a hot, sticky day, however, you just want as little material as possible touching you.


Which leads me to another thought and a link to a great post. Chicago Tribune writer Amy Guth contributed a post on Dressing Room Choices at Already Pretty, a blog (and lovely human) whom you know I revere in every way. I'll summarize, but I hope you'll also read her full post.

When you try on clothes at the store, turn your back to the mirror. 

Think about how you feel, how the fabric moves, how the color and details appear from your perspective. THEN turn around and catch a glimpse of your reflection. NEVER watch yourself getting dressed. This is my own caveat because it is one long opportunity to flinch and criticize. 

In my Skokie house, I could circle around through the kitchen, dining room and living room (not as far as it sounds - it was a little house) and "surprise" my reflection in the full length mirror on the bathroom door. In this way I saw myself moving, not static, and all at once.  In the condo I don't have the same runway approach, but I still try to get the outfit on the move, then compare my view to what the camera sees. Huh. I kind of miss that tour of the house on my way to the mirror.