Pink and Beige

I'm still trying to make this ivory jacket work, y'all, this time with narrow trousers.

Talbot's everything, except the shoes, which are White Mountain, and you can't see them anyway. I went without the jacket most of the day, but it is the right layer for a day that begins at 60 degrees and gets up to 75 by lunch time.

The long sleeved tee has a great raw edge detail around the neckline and down the center front. This one is especially nice because it is soft and floppy, not stiff. I am a fool for a raw edge, I tell you.

 

NEW Challenge - Ivory Swing Jacket

As I've said, I struggled with an ivory jacket that I bought last year. I thought it was a little big, I thought I should have bought it in another color, but it was final sale so I felt stuck with it. When I looked at it again yesterday, the solution came to me: neutrals. I'd pair this elegant fabric with tones of brown and ivory, head to toe. So I wore my leopard chiffon tee, brown silk pants and brown sandals.

The tee looks like a scarf, doesn't it? It has a drapey neckline. The jacket really needs to be taken in a bit on the sides; there is a bit of gather on the back waist, but not enough to truly tip in the jacket.  It is made of cotton, but I suspect mercerized cotton, because it has a slight sheen.

The details on this jacket are amazing. Covered buttons of course, but also covered buttonholes.

And check out the angled buttonhole on the bracelet sleeves. Swoon. 

The body of the jacket is lined with cotton, so it is fully breathable, but the sleeves are lined with acetate, so you can slip it on easily.

I asked my mother about her clothing tastes, or fabrics in general, and I must quote her response in full:

"I remember ordering my sheets from Macy's, NYC. As for clothes. They were a minor concern. You took the most expensive skirt I ever bought, saying it was too young for me.  You were right. But at least I didn't get liposuction to maintain illusions."

I know, she should be blogging. The truth is, getting sheets from Macy's was a BIG DEAL if you lived in Akron in the sixties. And apparently I was a mean and ungrateful teenager as well. But I remember that skirt, I stole it because it felt so good on me. It was the first skirt I'd ever seen that was lined, and that was the beginning of my affection for "good" clothes. Interestingly, this led to me dressing older than I was for many years. Imagine that ivory jacket on a 30 year old. I kind of regret that now, but I also understand why I did it.

I'm going home to have a bowl of strawberries and a piece of cake for dinner. Tomorrow I "march" (probably more like slouching in this heat) in the 4th of July parade with my library pals.

Have a great holiday!