We've made it to Memorial Day weekend, the accepted start of summer in the United States. You wouldn't know it by the freezing cold (and rain, but thankfully not freezing rain, though that isn't impossible) but if you are the sort of person that cares about fashion rules, the white shoes and bags can come out of storage.
I think we all know how I feel about fashion rules.
I don't have the sort of constitution that could manage a trip to the pool for the opening weekend in this weather, but there's a birding hike at one of our beautiful State Parks on Sunday. Sure, it will be muddy with all the rain, but that's what old boots are for. I might have a difficult time convincing the boys to tag along, promise of rare warblers or not.
I'm going to plant the string beans and patty pan summer squash tomorrow as well. It feels late, but though we are slow to warm in Omaha, I know that it will be sweltering well into October. 90 days to harvest leaves plenty of time to grow. This year, I'm doing the squashes on a trellis. I saw a similar construction at last year's fair and I was determined to give it a try at home. The tomatoes and basil are struggling in the cool weather, but if they survive then they should be the stronger for it. We have the tiniest tomato on one of the plants, and a few flowers, but that's it, and they're all rather small. The smallest of the varieties that is barely growing is called (wait for it) German Johnson.
Ahem. Moving along...
Hey everybody, I found earrings to match my necklace. Cool, eh?
This dress was a gift from my dad, late 80's-ish (the era, not his age). I've removed the shoulder pads to make it more wearable. It wasn't my style then, but I could see why he thought I might like it-the cold rayon, the tasteful floral print, the wearable colours, etc.
Still not my style, but perfect for this sort of weather. Unlike so many rayon dresses, this is lined with an acetate that neither clings not creates static. It is a rare day that I can wear a dress or skirt without the addition of a slip. That alone makes it a keeper.
I think I like the sheer white tights. Maybe. I keep thinking they make me look like a nurse, but all the nurses wear surgical scrubs these days. Pity the poor fetishists. What I really need are pale pink tights like Talbotts sold years ago. They matched my skin tone perfectly, but I might have been alone in that as they were discontinued. Anyone know where I can get pale pink sheer tights? I'll love you forever if you do. Aw, I'll love you forever anyway!
Outfit Particulars:
Dress-80's, gift
Vintage Margaret Smith handbag-Hand-Me-Ups
Vintage Naturalizer pumps-Thrift World
Cloisonne bracelet-Goodwill
Necklace and earrings-K Mart
Yellow cardigan-Goodwill
Lippy-Revlon Fuchsia Fusion (say that ten times fast)
Fragrance-White Shoulders (I reek in honeysuckle and rose, even if the garden does not)
We found the most disgusting mould growing in the mulch tonight. I made Mr. ETB dig it out. It was yellow, and sickening and is nicknamed, "Dog vomit mould." I guess that's better than the "Dog penis" mould we had all over last year.
Really, in MY garden! How dare it?!
So what about you? Do you wait for a certain date to wear white (or wear velvet after Christmas), or do you wear whatever you fancy? Do tell.
Whatever you're wearing, I hope you have a lovely weekend.
Funny that you should mention one of the few fashion rules my mum obeyed: Whites may be worn on Memorial Day! Methinks it was tied into the whole respect for the ancestors ritual that also involved wrapping a coffee can in aluminum foil, plunking in a rock for ballast, inserting a fistful of peonies and depositing this floral tribute at The Cemetery.
ReplyDeleteLiterally decades later, the clan could easily afford something from the florist, but Grandmama Mamie's peonies have survived the family's travels and the ritual will be observed by her great-great's, albeit at a far distant columbaria.
That's a wonderful trans-seasonal dress bestowed upon you by your papa! A dark floral in a wearable fabric is indeed a treasure! (White Shoulders soap was a very special treat back in the day -- always saved that white satin box for treasures.)
Sorry no rules for me here. Didn't even do white when I got married!! Tell me, what are in your pots in the garden? I love having pots in my garden, gives height and interest and you can move them about which I love to do. A dress that requires no slip is a winner for sure, another one of your oldies you kept!!
ReplyDelete@Beth Waltz
ReplyDeleteThere's a certain charm to a coffee tin full of flowers as it shows some effort on the part of the family. I live far from where my parents are buried, but the cemetery was a new-ish one where they only permit flat monuments (so the lawn mowers can glide over them easily) and absolutely NO flowers. They did send out letters for years asking people to stop the practise of leaving a rock on the grave (to show someone had been there) but finally gave up as EVERYONE did that. Somehow not having flowers (coffee tin or not) seems kind of sterile.
@Sue
Ha! I didn't wear white for the wedding either. See how alike we are?
My pots in the picture have some micro lettuces, violas (not yet flowering) borage (also not flowering) and nasturtiums (ditto). When it finally warms up, we'll have beautiful, edible flowers for salads. I must have recently harvested the lettuce as it looks picked over in the photos, but we've been swimming in rocket and mixed cutting lettuces.
Oooh, I love rayon. Thank you about the tip re: acetate lining - I will look for that.
ReplyDeleteHee hee, love your sense of humour!!
The white/velvet rule isn't a thing here, or not that I'm aware of. Though Lord knows the fashion police are quick to get involved and reprimand women for many things - just not that! Like you, it wouldn't make any difference to me anyway!
ReplyDeleteI like the frock. I'd have guessed it was 70s, but that's maybe because you took the shoulder pads out. I don't think I've ever seen sheer pale pink tights, but I do have a pair of pink fishnets that have a similar effect. "Nude" (ie beige-ish) fishnets work well for a there-but-not-there look too.
Mould like a dog's penis AND its vomit? Ewww, no thanks! xxx
As Curtise said, we don't have Memorial Day here, so we have no rule about when to wear white. Never even heard the one about velvet after Christmas, but in my goth days pretty much any coolish day was velvet day (and so were plenty of hot days if I didn't have to move around too much).
ReplyDeleteI suppose my only personal rules are no bare shoulders in religious buildings, and never wear trousers to a semi-formal or formal event. But those are personal rules.