Monday, May 30, 2011

The New Black Cardigan







One of my favourite things to have happen is to unexpectedly find a perfect piece of clothing on sale for an extremely low price.  This happened yesterday, when I happened upon the black open cardigan that I wore today.  I can't really put into words what it feels like when I buy a piece of clothing on sale for an extremely low price, bring it home, try it on and realize that it is perfect, because it is comfortable, I like the way it looks on me and I can immediately pair it with a multitude of clothing already in my closet.  It is truly a happy dance moment.

Sunday, May 29, 2011

The Green Gingham Shirt





My search for some racer back tanks continued today ... and ended.  I didn't find exactly what I wanted, which was a ribbed knit racer back tank.  I settled for a smooth knit racer back tank.  My semi-disappointment at not finding exactly the kind of racer back tank that I wanted was offset by my finding the most perfect (in my opinion) floppy summer hats.  All in all, it was a pretty good shopping day.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

The Denim Overalls




Sometimes I can't believe how hard it is to find some things.  Today, buoyed by my "success" last Saturday with t-shirt dressing, I bought myself two t-shirt dresses.  One is a shorter and hoodie version of the dress that I wore last Saturday.  The second is basically a big long sleeve t-shirt with the neckline cut out and a plunging back.  After I bought these two t-shirt dresses, I thought that I might like to wear a racer back tank underneath them, so I went in search of some racer back tanks.  I thought that I would easily find them.  Imagine my surprise when, despite searching high and low, I was unable to find any.  Isn't this a basic underwear item for both women and men?  I certainly thought so, but, obviously, I was wrong.  I do have one last place to look, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that I will find racer back tanks there.  If I don't, I am not sure what I will do.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Billowy Black Skirt And Blouse



Some people have such an ease about their dress.  Every bit of clothing and every shoe that they put on, and every bag that they carry, all seem so comfortable.  It looks like they just grab whatever is close to hand to put on and, miraculously, it all works well together.  It all seems so effortless.  I really admire this ease and wish that I could have it.  If we were at the end of a year, rather than halfway through a year, I would be making a New Year's resolution to figure out a way that I could get this ease of dressing.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

The Contained Bow Skirt






My outfit today, the moment I put it on, reminded me of a particular scene in I Capture the Castle, the film that I saw on Monday.  In a lead up to the scene, Topaz, the stepmother, dyes the entire family's entire wardrobe green.  Subsequently, the two American gentlemen who arrive in the area, Simon and Neil (Simon comes to the area because he inherits some property in the area, including the castle that the family lives in, and Neil comes to the area because he is Simon's brother), pay the family a visit.  The scene that my outfit reminded me of occurs during that visit when Neil asks why the family is all wearing green.  There is an awkward moment, when the family look at one another, not sure how to respond, or, perhaps, not wanting the truth to come out, that is broken by Rose, the elder daughter, who rushes to the piano and begins playing.  Fortunately, no one asked me why I was wearing all green.


P.S.  I labelled the skirt that I wore today the "Contained Bow Skirt" as a nod to the exploding bow garments that have been created for JCrew by Prabal Gurung.  I particularly like the exploding bow blouse.  

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

The Knee Socks






I never cease to amaze myself.  Years ago, while I would have worn knee socks, I would have felt very self conscious in them.  Today, I was completely comfortable in them.  Knee socks are my second answer (my first was long skirts) to not wanting to wear tights when it is still a bit too nippy (particularly in the morning and evening) to go without tights.  (Yes, I know that I said that it was a sweltery Summer day this past Saturday, but, right now, days like that are definitely an exception, not a rule.)  Yesterday, I bought about a half dozen black knee socks, of different brands, to try out.  The annoying bit about buying socks is that there don't seem to be a lot of different brands on offer.  I guess "real women" are supposed to wear pantyhose -- of which there are oodles of different brands on offer -- or nothing at all.  I hate how the commercial world tries to mould women.  Another annoying bit about buying socks is that you can't return them when they don't work out.  How do knee socks usually fail me, you may wonder.  By falling down.  Once I find the brand that works for me, you can rest assured that I will be buying more of it.  The brand that I wore today will probably be a keeper.  I will have to see how it bears up after a laundering.  Tomorrow, I plan on testing out another brand.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

The Long Floral Frock







Are you ever simply taken by a film for its feel?  There may be nothing special about the film.  It may not be an award winner for anything.  It may not even be an award nominee for anything.  But it has a special feel ... for you.  In my lifetime to date, I have been taken by many films for their feel.  And a big part of a feel of a film for me is its costume design.  Yesterday, I watched one of my like-it-for-its-feel films, I Capture the Castle.  Then I watched another one:  The Painted Veil.  Had I had a bit more time, I would have also watched Sirens and Enchanted April.  All these films have one thing in common:  They all take place in the 1920s in a remote rural location in some country.  That was yesterday.  Then came today.  I will leave it at that.

Monday, May 23, 2011

The Yellow Rain Slicker And The Cloche Hats





After a glorious Saturday, Sunday and Monday saw the return of rain and less warm weather.  Unlike most of last week though, when there were back to back to back days full of rain, Sunday and Monday saw only sporadic rain.  To be honest, I didn't mind so much.  I think that Saturday's taste of Summer gave me back my acceptance of weather (it is what it is) and (maybe more to do with my not minding the return of rain so much) I got the chance to wear my new yellow rain slicker (another gift).  Last week though was an entirely different story -- I was tired of rain and not at all pleased.  So to cheer myself up, on Tuesday evening, after work, I went shopping and bought myself a straw boater hat.  (If I remember correctly, it may be my very first straw boater hat.)  While finding the straw boater hat did cheer me up, my cheery state was somewhat short lived when I realized that I really couldn't wear the straw boater hat immediately.  Getting the straw boater hat also made me realize that what I really needed was hats for now.  (Not sure what it is with me these days, but I can't seem to stop wearing hats.)  While I don't dislike my black felt cloche hat, I knew that my time with it was limited and that I would have to find something else to put on my head.  And the straw boater hat wouldn't quite cut it ... yet.  So, when I got home, I went digging through my stash of hats.  I made some pleasant discoveries.  The two cloche hats that you see here are two of these discoveries.  Both more appropriate for warmer temperatures than my good old black felt cloche hat but not smacking so much of Summer like the straw boater hat.




The Big T-Shirt Dress



I am nearing the end of a three-day weekend.  While I had every good intention of posting throughout the long weekend, I was enjoying it so much that I couldn't bring myself to go anywhere near the computer until near the end of the weekend.  Saturday was just a glorious day, weatherwise.  While it started off very Spring-like, fairly warm and sunny, with a bright blue sky, which I would have been quite happy with, it quickly progressed to a hot and sticky Summer day, making me not believe my lucky stars.  As I said, just glorious.  And, it gave me the opportunity to try out my new big t-shirt dress.  As I have said previously, as much as I love the idea of t-shirt dressing, I have not had much luck pulling off t-shirt dressing, so I was a bit apprehensive as to whether I would feel comfortable in the big t-shirt dress.  And I really wanted the big t-shirt dress to work because it was a rather costly gift.  All I can say is, maybe it was just a case of having the right t-shirt, because, not only did I feel comfortable in the big t-shirt dress, I also didn't want to take it off ... ever.  Seriously, I could live in this big t-shirt dress!

Friday, May 20, 2011

The Crisp White Shirt






The crisp white shirt that I wore today has two stories behind it.  First, it is a Gap shirt that I bought when, in the Spring, the Gap used to put out a series of white shirts designed by different designers.  (I wish I could say that I remember the designer of my crisp white shirt, but I don't.)  Why is it that the Gap stopped doing this? Not a money maker, I suppose.  Second, it is a shirt that immediately came to mind when, many weeks ago now, I came across Thom Dolan's S/S 2011 lookbook.  I realized that the shirt would be perfect for recreating some of the looks in that lookbook.  I am always pleased when I come across a lookbook full of looks that I like and I realize that I don't have to buy a stitch of new clothing to recreate my favourite looks.  Bad for the designer, I know.  And, perhaps, selfish of me for not wanting to contribute to her/his financial welfare.  But I think that I buy enough new clothes that I may be forgiven for not buying from every designer's every line.  If you know Tom Dolan's S/S 2011 line, you will know that it really isn't that astonishing that I can re-create my favourite looks drawing from my existing wardrobe:  Leaving aside the bikinis, mostly the line consists of shirt dresses and crisp short sleeved shirts paired with shorts.  But this is a bit surprising:  The shorts are bloomer-like shorts.  Now, how may people can say that they already own bloomer-like shorts?  I can!  I do!  But going back to the shirt,  as I like many of the looks in Thom Dolan's S/S 2011 line, and plan on recreating them, I expect that this shirt will see a lot of wear this Spring/Summer.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

The Life Saver Dress




The dress that I wore today is one of a handful of dresses that I wear when I can't think of anything to wear.  I love it.  I can wear it with a multitude of cardigans and jackets (and I have).  I can even wear it on its own (although I have yet to do that).  While I have the same dress in two other plaids, the sapphire blue/ruby red plaid is definitely the favourite.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Paisley Raindrops Skirt





I may have discovered a way of avoiding wearing tights: the long skirt.  Not doable in Winter -- I am sure frostbite would ensue -- but definitely doable in the chilly Spring.  The problem, of course (isn't there always a problem), is that I don't actually own that many long skirts suitable for Spring.  The one that I wore today I picked up on the weekend.  Aside from it, I think that I own only one other long skirt suitable for wearing right now.  (My other long skirts are either heavy wool ones appropriate only for Winter or linen definitely intended for Summer wear.)  I recently purchased some maxi dresses that, while I had intended them for early Summer wear, I could probably make work right now.  I might have to get creative!  It could be fun ... or total misery.