Rollin’ Like A Celebrity!

voltee ♦ October 4, 2011 ♦ 6 Comments

Item: Skirt Color/Fabric: Grey, unknown Designer: Also unknown Where Purchased: The Salvation Army Years Owned: Two

I know that I’m late to jump on this train, but today it hit me that the summer is really over. Yes, I realize that it’s about to be warm and beautiful outside again, for a few days. And I even saw a rainbow today, the largest, most vividly Roy G Biv-y rainbow I ever did see. A promise that the rains will stop, right?
Sure. But the snow isn’t far away. It’s all an illusion. Winter is lurking, ready to punch us in our Indian-Summer-drenched faces.
If I was to pick an official garment of Summer 2010, I would nominate this skirt. I don’t really know much about it; there are no tags at all inside. I found it at The Salvation Army with my fabulous friend, Lisa. She loved it, instantly, but I wasn’t convinced. But since it was half-priced Wednesday, I bought it anyway. And forgot about it for a good long while.
Then, in May of this year, I thought of it for some reason, and packed it for our little jaunt to California. It is perfect for traveling! Whatever it is made of doesn’t really wrinkle.
I decided to wear it when we had our lone night in LA. In my mind, I had always imagined Los Angeles as New York’s shinier, plasticy cousin. And granted, we didn’t really have enough time to let the city sink in a little, get under our skin a little. But it really wasn’t how I expected, at all.
We went to Hollywood first. And my first impression was that it was like a smaller, dirtier, less exciting Times Square. The Hollywood Walk of Fame was very- anti-climatic. I’m not sure what I expected.
Yes, I know. Magic! I expected magic, and reverence. Instead, there were cigarette butts and garbage and lots of names I didn’t really care about. I found myself sort of wondering what the point was. The most magical sight on the Walk was a man in the intersections, with a sign letting the world know he was dancing for Jesus.
And did he ever! His joy knew no bounds.
I had a much better time at Grauman’s Chinese Theater. Here was the magic! If only it had been a little less crowded… I could have stayed there for hours, enraptured by the Ghosts of Hollywood past. I learned many things- that my hands are a perfect match for Meryl Streep, that Hollywood leading ladies like Judy Garland, Ginger Rogers, and Elizabeth Taylor had very tiny feet, and that every single person who has ever visited must have touched Marilyn Monroe’s hand print. It was discolored by all the love.
I was very happy to find Joan Fontaine, also tiny feet, but deeply disappointed that there was no Audrey Hepburn. Martin Lawrence, yes. Audrey Hepburn, no. Tears.
We spent a few minute looking at the Hollywood sign, which did give me a little thrill when I saw it for the first time on the highway. Then we had a very delightful Thai dinner, and toured around by car.
We drove through Beverly Hills, saw some mansions, and the iconic Beverly Hills sign. It was such a lovely drive! I really was hoping to see a celebrity taking out the trash or something, but the stars were not so aligned. Then, we headed down Rodeo Drive- also not as big as I imagined. I oo-ed and ah-ed but luckily didn’t find the need to really shop there. And then we drove back.
I know I needed more than one day in LA to find the heart of it. And I will go back one day in search of it. But it was honestly love at first sight with New York City. That city, I just get.
This skirt, though, was quite successful. One lady even said aloud, “MM. I gotta get me a nice long skirt like that!”
And when I got back from California, this skirt became my new staple. Almost like a tee-shirt. If I saw you this summer, I may very well have been wearing it.
Is it worth saving for another summer? Will the maxi-skirt even be in style next summer? If not, should I care?