The Sisterhood of the Travelling Shirt

voltee ♦ November 4, 2010 ♦ 5 Comments

Item: Tee-shirt Color/Fabric: White, cotton Designer: Johnny Was Where Purchased: Next Boutique Years Owned: 3.5

Tonight I am feeling rather sad. It is our penultimate evening in the lively resort town of Calpe, and it’s bitter-sweet. Bitter because I have loved this stage of our journey and wish it could never end. Sweet because I am so excited for Barcelona and the adventures we’ll have there. And also because it’s one more step toward the voyage home. And home is starting to tug on my heartstrings once more.
This is my all-time favorite tee-shirt. I love that it is a simple white cotton tee-shirt, but with just enough embellishments to keep me interested. I wish I was one of those woman who could wear an utterly plain white tee and make it look like the ultimate in cutting-edge style. I’m just not that confident. So I need a little bit of sparkle in a tee-shirt.
I bought this tee-shirt during the run of Company, when Nate’s family came out to see the show. It happened to be the annual summer sale for Next Boutique, so I insisted we make a quick stop there before heading on to the Farmer’s Market Uptown. Somehow, Next Boutique failed to exert its power over Nate’s Family, so I had very limited time, and was unable to do much damage. But I did find this tee, and fell in love.
Of course, the picture is of that same night. Whenever possible, I like to wear a piece the very same day I buy it. Or, if that’s not possible, within a few days. And then I usually don’t feel the same way about it, and probably won’t wear it again.
That has not proven true for this tee, however. I’ve worn this many multiple times. I brought it to Ohio last Christmas, and forgot it at my parents’ house.
Usually when that happens to an article of clothing, and it happens quite often, it’s like the piece has fallen into some kind of black hole. I don’t even remember its existence. Sometimes, it will appear to me in a fragmented vision, like Princess Leia in Star Wars, and I will almost remember it for an instant, but then, just as quickly, it fades away.
Not so with this one. I tore my closet apart on at least two separate occasions, trying to find it, to no avail.
And then my sister Kelly told me where I had left it. At first, my heart swelled with joy, and my mind flashed scene after scene in which I would wear it, now that we were reunited.
But then I saw the look on Kelly’s face.
“Well,” she said. “I took it home for a bit and looked after it for you.” And she gazed down at the tee with such love radiating from her that I knew they had truly bonded. “I was hoping maybe I could keep it for a while. I thought it’d be nice in St. Maarten,” she said, timidly, stroking the fabric with gentle care.
How could I say no?
Back I went to New York, Perfect-Tee-less, until Labor Day weekend when we made a trip to Ohio.
That’s when Kel came up with the idea of the travelling shirt. We would begin joint custody, swapping whenever we saw each other. Or maybe even more frequently, mailing it to each other in a pretty box filled with other fun things to share.
Well, we haven’t exactly carried out the totally awesome idea of the Mailed Box of Treasure yet, but now the Tee has visited three different states, plus St. Maarten, and now Spain.
I wore it for our last full day on Mallorca. This was the day when we did our Grand Tour of the Island, beginning in the bustling market of old, noble Sineau, the former capital of Mallorca, and continuing on to Alcudia, with its crumbling Roman ruins.
Most of the day, though, was spent in the car, embarking on one of the most harrowing and beautiful drives I will ever take. The drive from Soller to Palma is legendary, as it winds along the tops of cliffs that tower over the turquoise sea. Many times there is no barrier between your car and a deathly plummet. And so it was a delicate balance between extreme terror and extreme exhilaration, that more often than not fell on the side of the former for me. I have a very mild fear of heights, and also a very mild tendency toward motion sickness. Combine the two, and… very sick, very scared Kerry.
In spite of all that, it was still amazing. Especially when we found what I like to call Rapunzel’s Tower, here:

It was just sitting there on the side of the road, with a metal rung ladder beckoning all to climb up and see. It certainly would not be a bad place to be locked in for all eternity, for this is the view from the tower:

On the other side, the cliffs are even higher and more dramatic. It was an absolutely gorgeous stop on an absolutely gorgeous journey.
So, about the tee. I don’t want to get rid of it, now that it’s a world traveler and all. But I would like to suggest that others join our Sisterhood; let me know, and you too can take the Perfect Tee to a far off land! I’d like to keep bulding this one’s saga. Yes?

**I am keeping this, for sure, but would still love others to join in the sisterhood!  Any borrowers?