The Second Week Of Reckoning!
I am sad that I haven’t written very many posts this week, but it simply couldn’t be helped. I hope that next week I’ll be able to be home earlier, and get some rest, and do some writing. We shall see how the week progresses.
Today I fought some very strong and persuasive demons that are starting to haunt me more and more frequently; Winter Clearance Sales. I have been so very good. Saint-like! I have made it two entire months without buying a single piece of clothing. Or shoes. I never really believed that I could do it. But I have persevered! Only one more month until my Big Shopping Extravaganza!!
In preparation of the big day, and also because I vowed to, I will do my best to be more critical with this round of reckoning.
Such as, this (here). My Indian tunic. Well, since the huby had it hand sewn specifically for me, I really can’t let it go. Even though, if he goes to India for a year I’m sure I’ll get many more… but still, keep.
Next, my rock star pants (here). These hold such cherished memories that I can’t help but smile when I see them. For a moment. And then I see the mold and cringe. These I have been holding on to for purely sentimental reasons, something I am determined to stop doing. Or at least stop doing as much. Dianne, your comment made me so happy. And Maria, I would love to let you take a picture of Nate and I in our matching leather pants, but since I sold his on eBay years ago and mine will no longer contain even my calf, it’s just not possible. So I’m afraid these have to go. It’s time.
And now, a blouse (here). Ah, this was the day I made public my No-Shopping Vow! Historic. The blouse, not quite as historic. It’s sort of forgettable, but yes, cute. It is currently in the maybe pile for Bye Bye Birdie. Annie, if you want to try it, it’s yours. Otherwise it will have a new permanent theater home. I’m saying farewell.
Oh! Sequins (here)! I feel like this hasn’t gotten a chance to shine, pun intended. I’ve only worn it for a MAC event, and I feel it deserves so much more! Plus, 75% voted to keep it. And I got one weird random comment about it. It stays!
Next, my geisha blouse (here). I’m not sure how to feel about this. it’s so pretty, but it’s been so long since I’ve worn it. I guess… probation. 6 months to wear. And Lizzie, I can’t find Bezzerwizzer. 😦 And I want a board game night, stat.
A leopard dress (here). Not many people want me to let this out into the real world, but only 16% want me to toss it. Add the fact that I just wore it yesterday with a cozy sweater over and it was the best holed-up-in-a-snowstorm outfit ever. So comfy! I have to keep.
My striper (here)! I love this skirt. No one voted for me to toss it, and I feel it has life yet, even with the pills. I will try to remove them, though. It’s just so soft and drapey. Stays.
A tough one- two dresses (here). This one hurts. Bad. i feel like I don’t need to keep both, yet I like them both. Plus, I just got pictures of me holding my niece Aida at her christening in dress #1, so now I feel attached to it. It is a good church dress. Dress #2 I just cannot live without. And 58% voted for #2. Hmm. I will relegate dress #1 to the costume closet for one year. It it never sees the light of day, I’ll have to let it go.
Ah, another blouse (here). Liz, I loved the golf analogy! And I am trying to get over my “I can only wear it once” issue. It isn’t a logical choice I make. Just an unconscious repulsion for something that I have already worn. This blouse, though, I’d like to wear again. I have found a new fondness for it. Keep.
Horrors! The Nicole Miller disaster (here)! I haven’t even tried to salvage this yet. I feel I have to make an attemt at least before I toss. I owe the dress at least that, for my stupidity. Plus, it’s hot. It stays, for now.
And that’s that for this evening. I’m catching up to myself, steadily! Plus, I think I did a little better this time- two pieces going, two on probation, and six to keep. Not ruthless, by any means. But… discerning, I think.
Since I’m so bad at deciding.
She Sells Sea Shells.
Item: Dress Color/Fabric: Green/white, cotton/polyester Designer: I’m not sure- the label just has a picture of a mermaid on it. I’m partial to thinking that it was made by an actual mermaid. Where Purchased: Anthropologie Years Owned: 1.5
Ah, what a week! As they say somewhere, I’m sure glad to see the end of it. I had a truly lovely snow day today, even though I only got to leave work an hour and a half early.
I love, love, love being snuggled up inside around a fire, with a nice, isolating cushion of snow on the outside. As long as I have no where to go. But I have been thinking back to the summer tonight, and to one of my favorite summer days.
I wore this dress, even though it is actually a swimsuit cover-up. I just throw a white tank dress under it, and … dress! It’s a wonderful stifling hot summer day sort of dress.
This day was indeed, a stifler, but it was a day in which many, many wonderful things happened. The first was an ideeli red sale, where I got this tragic lovliness (here). Such excitement!
This wonderful event was followed by brunch at the Barneys’. Brunch at the Barney’s is every bit as wonderful as it sounds. There are waffles, gluten-free if needed, fruit, eggs, sausages, sometimes banana custard, and always mimosas. All that plus an adorable, probably napping, toddler. We always have a glutinous, glorious good time!
But on that particular brunch, my mind was troubled. On the way, I spotted a yard sale that was selling little mannequins. And I had been trying to find one to display clothes on since I started writing this. They are very costly. So my fear was that in all of our revelry, we would either miss the yard sale or all of the mannequins would be gone.
My fear was entirely unfounded, though, because the place had quite literally hundreds of the things.
Kevin loaned me $20, since we never, ever have cash, and that’s how Trixie entered my life. She is wonderful, except for her lack of butt.
Even if the day had ended there, it would have been splendid. But the good times kept rolling! Kevin, Vicki, Nate and I went to a chaotic and fascinating flea market, where I found some fun jewelry, an amazing vintage handbag, and some gorgeous stone beads.
The highlight being the stone beads. They were just irresistible, in every color and shape, with such soothing smoothness and interesting textures. Numerous winding ropes of gorgeous, semi-precious stones.
Even Nate was enthralled. We deliberated, along with Vicki, for close to an hour. And ended up with wonderful round treasures, and an awakening of a cache of new creativity in my head.
Hence was born my obsession with jewelry making.
But wait! There’s more!
After some careful prowling I feel safest not to disclose in this venue, Kevin and Vicki came to our house and cleaned it with us. To show tunes. For hours. That will go down in history as one of the single greatest acts of kindness anyone has ever showed me.
Cleaning is always helpful to my sanity. But sometimes I am too crazy to figure out how to do it.
So yes, I have amazing friends. We re-payed them with burgers and beer, and spent much time trying to decide the name for my new clothes model. I forget what we all decided on.
But when I woke up the next day, her name was Trixie.
I have to say, it was a good day…
But what about the dress? I do love it. It’s just so beachy to me. I feel warmer just looking at it. But I can also imagine myself wandering around on some beach, barefoot and crazy and alone, with seaweed in my long, knotted hair and fish in my hands . Perhaps I’d been shipwrecked. I hope that I didn’t have to resort to cannibalism.
But I think it does great things for Trixie’s figure, which would hopefully translate into great things for mine. The slight pucker of the fabric enhances her bosom. And although I have never noticed this phenomenon on my own figure, I would find it hard to pass up such a possibility. Just being honest.
**There are just so many uses for this. I’m keeping!
This Is What It Sounds Like When Doves Cry.
Item: Blouse Color/Fabric: Red, Cotton/nylon/spandex Designer: Max Studio Where Purchased: Value City Years Owned: 8
Ah, what a week! I am quite literally buried in a massive mountain of costumes for Bye Bye Birdie. Many of which you will have read about already. So come see the show and watch my closet dance on stage! Seriously, it’s going to be a wonderful show, and it opens on Friday, and everyone should go.
This blouse, you won’t be seeing on stage. I’m not sure anyone will be seeing this anywhere. I can’t even remember the last time I wore this, but I do remember purchasing it.
I stalked it. For whatever reason, I became obsessed with this blouse the very moment I laid eyes on it in that treasure trove of fashion, the Value City. I’m not sure why. Maybe I wanted to be a pirate. Maybe I was thinking of a really horrible vintage prom tuxedo. Maybe I was thinking about Prince in Purple Rain. Maybe I was just thinking about Prince.
Anyway, obsessed was I. Value City, for those who never got to experience the giddy highs and nauseous lows of it, was a store like none other. You could find a genuine high end designer right next to something dirty and obviously worn, like they might have just found a shirt in the parking lot and stuck a price tag on it. One of the great unsolved mysteries of my life was that every 5 to 10 minutes there would be an announcement for security to go to the shoe department. Why? Are there really that many shoe shoplifters out there? Was it a secret code of some sort, like maybe to go check out someone wearing or trying on a horrible outfit? Was there some sort of illicit shoe-related drug scheme? And if the problem was so severe, shouldn’t they have had a security person posted in the shoe section at all times, patrolling endlessly?
I never got to the bottom of it. But I have secretly always suspected that the shoe shenanigans contributed to the demise of the Value City franchise.
Well, that, and their penchant for marking things down to $0.70.
I didn’t wait for this blouse to get down to $0.70, but I most likely waited until it was less than $7. Sometimes $10 seems like too much of a commitment. But $7? Much easier. And with the $3 I saved I could more than likely buy a pair of Value City’s shoes. Used? Perhaps. Awesome? For sure!
And I did enjoy wearing this on many an occasion. Probably for something holiday-y. But I have not broken it out in years. There’s still a glimmer of my former love there. I have pulled this from the rack during a closet extermination more than once. I have considered it, and then put it back on the rack. I just haven’t been able to part with it. Should I?
**It’s time to say goodbye. I think someone needs to have it, though!
A Thousand Words.
Item: Sweater Color/Fabric: Turquoise, Acrylic/nylon/mohair Designer: Dex Where Purchased: TJ Maxx Years Owned: 2
I have to confess that I am still not feeling like myself. I’m not exactly sure what the problem is, but I’m trying to just keep going and get back into a normal routine.
So I am not planning, really, to write a thousand words tonight. And in fact I’m fairly certain I’m not even going to get half of that. But I was thinking about that old saying about a picture being worth a thousand words after I was doing some sorting through my old internet picture files. And found this:
This picture was from New Year’s Eve in 2009. It was the first time I had worn this sweater, even though I’d had it for a while. It’s one of those sweaters with that fuzzy look that I love in theory, but in reality makes me itch like crazy. And up until then I had a difficult time deciding what to pair with such a vibrant blue.
Last New Year’s Eve was celebrated in much the same way as this year, at my dear friends Kevin and Michael’s, surrounded by people that I adore, eating delicious snacks by the fistful, contemplating the year before us.
A few notable exceptions this year was JLo’s unitard, and Lizzie, who I am hugging fiercely in the above picture.
That looks like a world champion hug! It should have been, since we locked ourselves in the bathroom for secrets and tears for a large portion of the evening! But I do feel a little cheated that I didn’t get to hug Lizzie on New Year’s this year. Especially since I’m not sure how long it will be until I see her again, and I iss her already.
Hence, something that I really am determined to work on this year (and I don’t want to say the word ‘resolution’ after experiencing the New Year’s madness at the gym today. Whoah!); I am going to get better at communicating with the people I love who are far away from me.
I’m horrible at keeping in touch. Awful. Even (especially?) my family. Mostly it’s because I hate talking on the phone. I even loathe the act of making a call. I have a weird sort of paranoia about it- I don’t know why. It just scares me, and at time to tears. This is one reason why I am certain I am not an adult yet. I think that when I am an adult this simple task will be ust that- a simple task. But I’ve gotten so much better and more comfortable with expressing how I feel via keyboard- one of the reasons I am very grateful for phenomenon of texting.
That kind of makes me sad- like I’m more robot than human at this point. I can’t help it, though. Writing just seems to be my chosen medium.
I know that I have way too many friends out there where so much time has elapsed since I’ve reached out to them that they probably have forgotten my existence. And it probably feels like I have forgotten theirs, but this isn’t true. Every single day I think about so many people that have touched my life. I need to start showing it.
Maybe I won’t find the courage to actually pick up the phone, but an email is still something, right? If I start there, I feel like I can actually improve on this communication handicap of mine.
Anyway, there’s a brief synopsis of what’s been clogging up my brain for the last few days. Hopefully now I can de-clutter a little.
The sweater, I am torn about. I love the color, and the lace details, and the funny little buttons. But it doesn’t feel that great. It’s not the most itchy sweater I’ve ever worn, but it’s not the least either. There are many sacrifices I am willing to make for fashion. As long as I’m not breaking out in hives (which clothing has caused me to do in the past), I can deal with a little discomfort. Is this one worth it, though?
**This was great on stage, and I still love the color, so it’s staying for a while longer.
A New Year, A New Reckoning!
Greetings, all! I hope that everyone had a glorious New Year’s celebration! I did, well, not so much. I have allowed myself to be overcome by regrets for what I did not accomplish in 2010, guilt about what I always promise to do and then fail every year, and anxiety over the seemingly insurmountable hill of what I need to do in 2011. Then I let myself drown in self pity.
I am still feeling rather melancholy, but I am going to attempt to make baby steps in the direction I need to head, by focusing on one aspect of my life at a time, instead of the whole of it all at once. That’s enough for anyone to drown in.
And so, the easiest area of my life to fix at this moment is this very blog. I need to do a better job of actually making my mind up about my clothes, and setting them free when it is time. To date, only four pieces have actually left my home since I began this project in August; Two via eBay, two to my sister. Although I think I may have left one of the items for my sister in my car…but it’s no longer in my house, so that’s moving in the right direction!
I don’t think my eBay experiment really worked. I am trying to think of ways to improve it, but am having a difficult time. And I hate the idea of just donating some of these pieces- it’s too quick and brutal. For now, I am going to resolve to do a Reckoning every weekend in January, in order to get caught up a little bit. And should anything that I decide to eliminate tickle any of your fancies, please let me know. I will let you have it for a small, non-money related fee. Such as subscribing or directing some friends to my blog. We’ll see how that might work…
Now, for the main event! I have to go all the way back to October to catch up with my deciding.
Up first, my Inside Out Dress (here). Although this one didn’t exactly rack in the votes, everyone voted to keep it and wear in some way or another. I have to agree. And it just fits me so well that I don’t think I can pass it up at this point in time. Keep!
Next, the Project Sweater (here). This one will be difficult. I loved reviewing the comments for this one- a shower of love! And I love you all! I just noticed the fine print that this might work for Bye Bye Birdie from Annie. I shall bring it today and see if it will work as a costume piece. And if not, I think I will try it one more time. On probation!
And now, my Honeymoon capris (here). I’m surprised at the voting for these- 70% voted for them to stay. But I think I just have outgrown them in too many ways. These will be my first cut of the weekend.
My Jumpsuit! (here). This has an overwhelming vote to stay (90%), and it really was miraculous for my travels. It will stay for at least another trip (or cast party!).
Here is my dirndyl! (here) At least one person out there finds this ugly. But it is very authentic, and most of you think it will be a nice heirloom someday. And Maria thinks I could have a rib or two removed… I’m not ready to part with it just yet, even if I may not wear it in the near future. Keep!
Next up, the Fruit bat (here). This is a tough one. 66% voted to stay, including one vote for OMG! Best costume ever! Plus, I like it. It’s staying, although if I wear it again, it needs some mending. And Heather, just let me know when you want to borrow, and it’s yours!
Ah, my fave costume ever (here)! Someone thinks this looks like garbage, and maybe they are right. It’s just too much fun for me to toss at this point. To the costume closet! And Annie, I want to see pictures! 🙂
Now, my Hiking Sweater (here). I’m confused by the number of people who thought we should have taken the bus there and walked back. It would have been the same distance, and the same number of hills, and my feet would have endured the same amount of torture. I guess we would have saved money without the taxi, though. Anyway, 100% say keep, and keep I shall. Maria, I would like an invite into your closet!
And the Traveling Shirt (here). I love this concept! And again it is unanimous to keep, and to pass on. No one volunteered to take it anywhere yet, so I think I will send this to my sister, with the shirt I forgot at Christmas. So this is like a semi-keep.
Next… oh, Freuza Bruta (here)! One person voted to let this one go. It really has bounced back from its beating, and I want to keep it. So there.
Here’s a tough one, my lacey thing (here). This one really divided the votes, with a slight lean toward keeping. I did manage to wear this since posting, for an audition. I sort of re-bonded with it. I think I will put it on probation until Spring.
Ok, I know that I only decided to toss one thing, my Honeymoon capris, but this was an odd batch, with the Halloween costumes and my trip to Spain. Next weekend I vow to be more ruthless!
The Final Dress.
Item: Dress Color/Fabric: Lavender, polyester Designer: Kimchi Blue Where purchased: Urban Outfitters Years Owned: 1.5
Here it is, my friends. My last post of the year! Technically, I will be writing another one tonight, but it won’t post until after midnight, so I guess this is it. And I thought, what a better piece for the final post then my Final Dress?
I call it my Final Dress because it has been with me for the endings of too particular sad endings. I wore this dress on my very last night in Hawaii last year, and also my last day in Spain this year.
I didn’t actually even buy this dress; Nate did. I was at work on a regular unassuming business day, when I got an email that there was a blowout sale at Urban Outfitters online.
You never know what you might find at an UO blowout sale. Sometimes there is just a handful of items, and sometimes there are pages upon pages of great things for less then a fast food value meal. But you have to act quickly, because they disappear in the blink of an eye.
I became very dizzy. I almost passed out. You see, for some strange reason, online shopping is discouraged at my work.
What could I do?
With trembling fingers, I called Nate post haste.
I quickly explained my emergency, and asked if he would be able to go online that very instant and find me some lovely things.
Can you believe that he said yes? What a fine man!
He also chose many wonderful pieces, such as this dress. He has great taste, that man of mine.
On our last night in Hawaii, spent in wacky Honolulu, we contemplated hitting the legendary nightlife there. We knew that we wanted to go out in some capacity, so I wore this dress with gold sandals and my Grecian-inspired gold earrings.
We didn’t end up going dancing, though. I think we were all a touch too melancholy for that. And so we went to Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville, which sounds kind of touristy and lame, I know, but they had fantastic Happy Hour specials. Plus, there was a bartender there we had grown very fond of. I can’t remember his name, though. I remember the important details, such as the dress I was wearing.
There we sat, Kevin, Nate, and I, drinking our very last Mai Tai’s and Longboard Ale’s of Hawaii, trying to think of ways we could come back and live there.
it wasn’t entirely somber, however. Our bartender Whatshisname told some great jokes. Which of course I can’t remember, either.
It was a nice, laid back finish to a truly perfect getaway.
Our last day in Spain was spent in Barcelona. It was our only chance to visit the Sagrada Familia, since it was being consecrated by the Pope the weekend we were there, and impossible to get to. The Sagrada Familia is an absolutely huge cathedral that has been in the process of being built for over 120 years. I had read all about it, and seen pictures, but I was still woefully unprepared for the grandeur.
The outside is like the most enormous sculpture in the world, and you can stare at it for hours, and always discover something that you missed previously. The inside is like an alabaster spaceship with smatterings of rainbow stained glass. It is simply jaw-droppingly amazing.
My only complaint was that we didn’t have long to spend there. Being thwarted by the Pope for much of the weekend, many tourists were in the same position a we were. So we all showed up at once. It took over an hour to get inside, an hour of biting cold wind.
Of course our last day would be cold, dreary, and windy. I guess that makes it easier to leave than when it is beautiful.
I did wish that I had opted for jeans rather than this flimsy dress with tights and boots and a sweater. I convinced myself that it was a warm, practical outfit. I lied.
After the Sagrada, we had to check out of our rock star hotel, and then we headed into the gothic quarter for a few more glimpses of Barcelona.
We really just wandered aimlessly, a desperate attempt to pierce the mysterious heart of that great city. It just didn’t really happen.
I think we need to go back, and try again. I feel like we missed so much there.
I wish that we could just be on a constant vacation, just never stop circling the globe…
The dress I love. I like that it makes the warm/cold weather change so easily. I like that it is ever so slightly metallic, my theme for December. It just gives it a little sparkle. And it comforted me in two sad scenarios. I think I should keep it.
Edit: I never did wear it again, so I’m saying goodbye! Want the Final Dress? It can be yours here!
We’ve Got That Ring Of Confidence!
Item: Sweater Cape Color/Fabric: Black, acrylic/nylon Designer: Erin Fetherston For Target Years Owned: 2.5
Tonight I am showcasing a strange little thing. It is a cape-ish item that looks to be hand knit but is, in fact, not. This is something that I found at Target, and got very excited about because it was a part of Erin Fetherston’s collection for Target, and Erin Fetherston is a Very Big Designer.
Now, I will admit that I have bought things I did not need/not sure if I even wanted/was confused as to what the piece actually was/ was maybe even physically repulsed by just because of an important sounding label inside.
It’s never a good idea. Label excitement often leads to poor judgement.
Hence, a cape. I don’t hate it, exactly. I want to like it. I’m just a little confused by it.
Therefore, I have only worn this once. And to work at Next Boutique, of all places. Not like, a cotillion, or a to knitting festival or any where you might expect to see a cape-ish item.
No. Next Boutique.
I think that this was a time when I was feeling very free about my fashion choices. I had decided that it was good, nay, awesome, if all the girls who worked there had their own unique fashion aesthetic.
And so I thought; Well, how about a cape today?
Why-ever not??? I answered myself.
I paired this with a pale pink long sleeved drapey tee-shirt and jeans.
I liked my look. I strutted into the boutique all “Hells yeah, I am rocking a cape!”
And my manager Carissa looked at me and I saw a quizzical look pass over her face and disappear.
My cape-confidence meter began a slow but steady descent.
By mid-day I began pausing in front of mirrors, searching for affirmation that would never come.
About an hour later I began avoiding eye contact with any reflected image of myself.
And an hour after that I started wondering if I could just take it off and stuff it into my bag as though the cape had never happened. Like perhaps there was chance that no one really noticed that I was wearing a fake hand made sweater cape.
I ended up toughing it out for the remainder of the day, and went home and removed the cape. I buried it deep in my closet, where it has not seen the light of day until this evening.
What is this thing for? Can it be worn in the real world and not look silly? Is it for throwing on top of pajamas when you feel a bit chilly? Is it to save for special occasions where you wear a short sleeved something and need a little cover up? I just don’t get it.
The most embarrassing part, dear reader, is that this is not the only cape I own. I have three others. Three!
One is also a sweater cape. It is a little thicker and covers most of the torso. But I have never worn it.
One is more diaphanous and scarf like. This one is many colored, and I have actually worn it.
The last is orange plaid wool, and meant to be outerwear. I really like it, but have never worn it. My mom gave it to me, and I had grand visions of wearing it with a cream turtle neck sweater and big brown leather boots and taking a trio of great danes for a walk in Central Park.
But unfortunately that hasn’t happened yet, and I just can’t think of another scenario in which to wear it.
Back to my featured cape- it’s really sort of…sweet. Maybe it’s more of a shawl and less of a cape. Whatever you want to call it, I really would like to know your thoughts.
**I have moved this to the costume closet, but wondering if it should stay. Unsure…
The Evolution Of A Resolution
Item: Dress Color/Fabric: Dijon mustard, silk/polyester Designer: Nicole Miller Where Purchased: Next Boutique Years Owned: Three
Ah, home sweet home! It is nice to be back in New York, with my kitties and my closets. But it felt like such a short stay with my family, due to the stomach thing. And please know, Maria, that the stomach flu cannot even prevent me from the Holiday Feast! It was a warm and wonderful Christmas, basking in the love of my family, and consuming baked goods like the world might end.
I only wish it could have been longer. I feel robbed of the days when I was zombie-esque.
But now I need to set my sights on the next impending Holiday, New Year’s Day.
I feel like I may need to compose a spread sheet for my New Year’s resolutions this year. At the very least, a pie chart of some kind.
I need to make myself a road map for 2011. I am tired of getting myself lost.
In the meantime, another dress!
I love this one. It is not your typical sugary-sweet cocktail dress. Even though it does have a huge floppy bow on it. The bow is off center, so it kind of lends a more laid back feel to the dress.
I watched girl after girl after girl try this dress on at Next. And everyone just found it sort of odd.
I like odd. We happen to be great friends.
And so I was able to purchase this late in the Winter Sale, for a paltry sum.
I’ve only worn this once. It was to a wedding- the wedding of our dear friend Jason to his adorable pixieish hairdresser/fiancée Erica. Jason used to be called Louie, and he was on the gymnastics team with Nate at Michigan State. He also was a roommate of ours for many years.
I’ve never wanted anyone to find true love more than Louie, and he actually succeeded! They are a perfect couple and I miss them.
It was a summer wedding, and I could not have been more excited to wear this dress. Because I knew that I would wear it with my all-time most beloved pair of shoes.
That is a huge, huge statement for me to make. I have had love affairs with many a pair of shoes.
But none move me the way that these shoes do. Here, a glimpse:
Please note the details. The elegant pleating across the toe. The gold lining. The angular yet graceful heel. Oh, what a beauteous symphony!
I found these at Marshall’s, in one of those rare high end department store buy outs. I loved them the second I first laid eyes on them. The love doubled, and mixed with awe, when I discovered that they were crafted by Yves Saint Laurent, one of my most revered designers.
I did pay more for them than any other pair of shoes I’ve ever known, but it was still just a fraction of their original $880 price tag. I could not convince myself to buy them, until Nate finally convinced me that I couldn’t live without them.
He was right.
I wish that you could touch these, I really do. They are the softest, most buttery leather I’ve ever touched. Sometimes when I am sad I hold them and pet them. It helps. But I’m terrified of ruining them.
So I think I’ve only worn them twice.
That is going to be one of my resolutions for 2011. I will not be like a little old lady who covers her couch with plastic so that it doesn’t get ruined, and never actually enjoys the couch. How comfortable is it to sit on plastic?
No.
I will wear my things! I will enjoy them! Without fear!
And, should I happen to ruin something, I will not cry. Much. They are, after all, merely material possessions.
Anyway.
Jason and Erica’s wedding was quite lovely. Also very hot. They got married on top of a mountain in Pennsylvania, and there was no shelter from the blinding, scorching, summer sun.
At least I didn’t have to wear a tux! Nate did, though:
Oh, I also love those earrings. I wore them for the tango scene in Evita. They will always be my Tango earrings. But they looked great with this outfit!
It was a fantastic, festive event. I love weddings. I have been to so many that I can’t even keep track, including being Maid of Honor twice, and a bridesmaid four times.
It seems like the wedding train is slowing down, as almost everyone I know is married.
Well, I’m ready to get back on. Plan some weddings, people!
I love this dress. I love the texture of it, almost like a deflated balloon, and I love the quirkiness of it. I would like to keep it and try for some non-wedding related wear.
**I adore this dress. I can’t wait to wear it again, someday!
Triumph, Heartbreak, And Online Shopping.
Item: Tee-Dress Color/Fabric: Blue-grey, cotton Designer: Project E Where Purchased: Hautelook.com (another fun website. Go here) Years Owned: Almost one
I have a fondness in my heart for this little dress. This is something that I purchased at a Hautelook Blowout sale. I have yet to sing the praises of the Hautelook Blowout sale, mostly for one important reason: My heart was broken by one last year.
Many times, the Blowout sale will be a combination of designers. Sometimes, there are huge multitudes of items, and by the time you’re finished browsing, everything is already gone. Hautelook doesn’t offer a preview of the sale, like ideeli. So with Hautelook, you’re not able to strategize as well, and many times I just end up clicking wildly in a desperate attempt to end up with something. That’s how I sometimes end up with things that I don’t totally love.
The Blowout that broke my heart, though, was all Robert Rodriguez pieces. Once, we ended up with a shipment of Robert Rodriguez at Next Boutique, entirely by accident, but it got opened and we had to keep it.
There was a dress that was without a doubt my favorite piece, ever, at Next. It was pale pink silk, with gorgeous, delicate lace details, and a dropped waist. It was so soft and dainty, a perfect little flapper dress, and I was obsessed with it. Unfortunately, it was over $400, and not really an option for me at that time.
I never expected to see it again. And then, that fateful Saturday morning, there it was, on Hautelook, for $34. $34! And in someone else’s cart.
I sat in suspended animation for almost an hour, biting my nails, hitting “refresh” repeatedly, hoping against hope that someone would delete it from their cart.
In the meantime, I found an absolutely perfect black patent leather motorcycle jacket that made me sing a song with happiness. It had three quarter length sleeves, and plenty of hardware and shine. I was in love!
And then, in one of the most miraculous comebacks of all time, the dress was suddenly available, and I swooped in with lightning fast fingers and added it to my cart.
What a thrill! I squealed. I ran a victory lap around my house. I doused myself with champagne, and then held a press conference.
I was the champion of the world!
I remember going to the theater, for a performance of Cinderella, and telling everyone of my triumphs, before the adrenaline had even worn off. I daydreamed of wearing the dress for some sort of anniversary celebration. Perhaps even with the leather jacket over in a a delicious contrast of pretty and tough.
Days passed. Then weeks. No dress, or jacket. My anniversary came, and went.
I started checking the website every day for an update. One day, I got it.
It was almost a month after my miraculous purchasing. And they told me they had short-shipped the items (a fancy way of saying that they sold more than they actually had), and I was not to get either one.
I stared at the screen, frozen in horror. I read the message again, and a third time, and a tenth, twenty-fifth time.
Then I burst into tears.
Yes. I cried over clothing. Soul shattering sobs, too. And it wasn’t the first time. Or the last.
Hautelook did send me $40 of onsite credit to spend instead. But what is $40 to a broken heart? Nothing. Not even a bandaid.
Forlorn sigh.
What brought on this rant in the first place? Oh, yes. My tee dress.
I bought this before the Robert Rodriguez fiasco, a few weeks before my surgery. It was quite helpful after the surgery, and I wore it a lot during my recovery. It was comfy enough for laying in bed all day, but presentable enough for spontaneous company. And it ended up being what I wore the very first time I left the house on my own after the surgery.
It was a trip to the Post Office. To pick up packages of clothes that I ordered online in my convalescence…
I like the dress. It hasn’t yet made the transition to real world wear yet, but I think it should. I love the puffy sleeves and the fact that it has pockets. I can see it in the winter with a long sleeve tee under, and tights and boots. Fun! Yes?
**I find this strangely practical. It’s always good to have a casual dress. Keep!
It’s Not A Hill, It’s A Mountain!
Item: Blouse Color/Fabric: Grey, rayon/silk Designer: ? Where Purchased: Anthropologie Years Owned: 0.5
Today I am feeling a little jealous of my New York and New Jersey-ers who are snowed into a Winter Wonderland. here in Ohio we got just a dusting of snow. I’m not looking forward to digging out our driveway late tomorrow night after the long drive home. Or rather, I’m looking forward to looking out of the window with a nice cup of cocoa, and watching Nate dig out the driveway…
It seems like a good time to flash back to the shining turquoise waters of the Mediterranean. The very best thing about the resort we stayed in on the coast in Calpe (well, the second best, behind the fabulous spa) was our balcony. Besides our very first night there, which was filled with the clack of pacing stilettos and many a loud “Pedro!” shout well into the wee hours of the morning, the resort was deserted and absolutely peaceful.
I loved the quiet, sunshine-drenched mornings on the balcony the best, but the sunsets were pretty gorgeous as well. Here’s our view:
Every day we admired that giant rock, the Penyon D’Ifac. Then one day we said, “Let’s climb it!”
It is actually a National Park in Spain. So I did not think it would be that daunting of a climb. I wore this blouse over my swimsuit, since it was yet another gorgeous, cloudless day. I didn’t really expect to sweat. Or to cry.
The initial climb was wide gravel paths, sloping gently upwards. Easy. Then, there was a tunnel. The sign outside the tunnel stated that the path beyond became very dangerous. To demonstrate this, it was illustrated with a stick figure falling over the sign of a cliff.
Slightly alarmed, I expressed doubt as to whether we should continue.
Nate, of course, was determined to press on.
There were portions where I was as terrified as I’ve ever been in my life. The “trail” was not clearly marked, and often did not even exist. Sometimes, there was just a sheer cliff face a narrow ledge, and a rope to pull yourself along. Oh, and an 800 foot and climbing drop straight to the sea.
Here is a visualization of the terror:
Finding footholds was very precarious. Nate made a joke about bringing a cooler and some beers up next time we climbed it. I laughed- it was absolutely the last place in the world I would ever want to be intoxicated. The height alone made me dizzy enough!
Then, when we were almost to the top, we passed a group of four English tourists, carrying about 12 empty Heineken cans out with them. Middle aged, out of shape, and drunk. Then I knew that if they could survive, I could, too!
And it was also quite beautiful. It was the home base of all the seabirds in Calpe. They were absolutely everywhere. Hopping on rocks next to the trail, eying us suspiciously. Spiraling tightly above our heads. Soaring languidly hundreds of feet below us, along the sea. I think I will always be able hear their voices, laughing, screaming, squaking, crying, squealing.
The path to the summit was just rocks, no trail. But once we got there, it was spectacular! Here’s part of the panoramic view:
At the top, there was another group of brave hikers, and they all had rock climbing equipment. Probably much smarter than us…
The smartest of all, though, were two little cats. Hanging out at the top of an 1800 ft rock. And scrambling around like it’s flat ground. Begging for picnic scraps, and so very adorable. They made me feel a little sheepish for being so scared.
The way down was much less frightening for me- because there were no more surprises, and I knew just how bad it would get. And that it wouldn’t get worse.
Here is the tunnel, and the blouse, and me, tired and proud:
It ended up being one of the highlights of our trip, and I am ever so glad that I did not plummet to my death.
The blouse was purchased on kind of a whim. It has some very cute pleating in the back, and it’s soft and comfy, but I’m not sure that I’m in love with it. I do think I need some help.
**Still haven’t made my mind up about this one. Help!
I Am What I Wore 