Homecomings

When I haven't seen someone in a long time, the first thing I notice is how much, or how little, they've changed.

I moved back to Boston over three weeks ago to weather the employment and economic storm for a time without the burden of rent and bills. It was a necessary move and not one that I was at all happy about. I had my little life in Brooklyn. Small routines and local hangouts. I hadn't spent more than a weekend in Boston in over two years. After enjoying the comforts that came with spending some time in the city of my birth, I would begin itching to get back home. Because that was what New York had become.

Interestingly enough, one of the most jarring things for me to deal with has been the conservative manner of dress that pervades this city. The changes that I had undergone weren't obvious until a few days after my return. Before the rains descended upon us, I pulled out The Dress, placed my laptop in a bright green bag and walked to the nearest coffee shop with my laptop. After being shocked, shocked, that not every café here has wireless available, I decided to head back to the house. It was on that return trip that I took my first real look at those around me. There I was, swathed in color and looking out of place. I wasn't used to it. On an afternoon later that week, three different people in one short trip to Whole Foods stared at me before approaching and asking about the long, maroon cardigan I had simply thrown on to keep out the unseasonable chill. In New York, I rarely stuck out. I blended in with the blur of people wearing all manner of outfit, from the gray suit to the acid washed skinny jean to the patterned maxi dress. My wardrobe had its shining moments, but for the most part, people's eyes slid right by me. I liked it that way. Here, however, I was decidedly other.

I've spent large chunks of my life being decidedly other. It's always made me mildly uncomfortable. My clothes, however, had never been the cause. I wasn't sure how to handle it. After the rains came, I began to feel restless. I was rather tempted to do something drastic. Rip holes in my tights. Splash bleach all over The Jeans before turning them into shorts. I was fearful that I would begin to fade away and fall back on bad habits to deal with my discomfort.

I took a breath. Or several. I realized that the constant dreariness was affecting me. That a break here didn't mean that I would backslide into the person I once was. That once the sun finally broke, I could remove the dresses from their hiding place. Shake them out. Put them on. And that people might look, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.

That, in this case, sticking out isn't something that should bother me.

Come Again Another Day

It feels like it's been raining forever.

One of my friend's looked at me this weekend and said I don't know how to say this, but that's a Fall bag.

I smiled and told her that I knew before explaining that I didn't feel like switching everything I own from one bag to another and so had brought the brown, suede Coach shoulder bag along on my trip. This was partly true. I left out that it's felt like Fall. Or at least that nasty part of late Winter/early Spring when the rain is cold and you shiver all the way down to the bone. And for this reason, I keep reaching for the bag.

Considering the style mood I've been in lately, the weather is not helping my recent bout of wanderlust. Nothing makes you want to fly off somewhere with sunshine and beaches like rain in mid-June. Since my move back to Boston over two weeks ago, my dresses have stayed packed away in a suitcase. I look at them everyday, sadly folded and waiting for the sun to return. I could unpack them. Air them out and place them on hangers. But that would just be teasing them. And myself.

I spent most of March and April waiting for the rain to stop. Reminding myself that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. That April showers bring May flowers. And then I spent the week of my birthday waiting for the rain to disappear. Hoping that my newly straightened hair wouldn't be ruined. That I wouldn't have to dig up some pair of rain proof shoes to wear in place of my bejeweled golden flats. The rain finally fled the day before my celebration. But it didn't stay away for long.

And it doesn't seem to plan on going away anytime soon.

Vacation Days

I spent part of this weekend dipping into impossibly cold water, soaking in the sun and swinging in a hammock while writing in my journal. And it was perfection. I've recently been fighting the urge to flit off somewhere. It's monetarily impossible at the moment and I'm not really a risk taker, but whenever the thought crosses my mind these days, my chest fills with excitement and fear. The presentation of the resort collections only compounds these feelings. All I want right now is the freedom of the beach and a boat and all of the beautiful clothes that such a life would entail.

Today, unable to focus on the task at hand, I found myself browsing online for those types of clothes. Easy pieces that one can just throw on. Items meant for lounging. Sweet dresses and cute espadrilles and simple denim. This has been a theme with me recently, as should be obvious if you've read my past few posts. But today I took it a bit further. Instead of a piece here and a piece there, I constructed a whole vacation wardrobe. And yes, sometimes one needs a vacation from the drudgery and frustration and heartache of being unemployed for a long stretch of time.

A fantasy warm weather vacation can't exist without a bit of Pucci. Or a caftan, for that matter. This dress covers both categories.


And of course I'll need a minidress.


And one that grazes the knee.


And a necklace that melds perfectly with all three.


But occasionally I might crave a little nighttime sparkle. Especially when it involves no zippers or buttons.


I wouldn't be able to live on dresses alone. Well I could, but there would be days when hammock napping or quick jaunts to the beach would be called for. And none of those dresses would really do for any of that.

This top, however, is perfect for wearing over my bathing suit.


With these shorts.


And both would easily fit into my beach bag when I finally decided to trade sand for surf.


For quick trips into town to buy supplies, this top has the ease I'm looking for without the boredom.


And these jeans could go everywhere with everything.


I'm having a big Phillip Lim moment currently. I could live in his line and T by Alexander Wang and Current/Elliott and Ella Moss and Loomstate through my whole non-fantasy vacation summer.


Oh, and Thakoon.


I chose simple shoes. Shoes that would go with many different outfits. Shoes good for walking around old cities with cobblestones and winding streets. Shoes that can be carried as you walk by the beach. Nothing with too high a heel. Practicality above all else.

And since we're discussing practicality, we'll begin with the flats...


And the sandals.


Nothing quite says summer like a pair of espadrilles...


Or two.


And after they all arrived from their various stores and online homes, I would throw them in here with other necessities, perfume, that copy of Madame Bovary I have yet to finish and one PowerBook.


And then I would flit.


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What About This? (Special Birthday Encore)

I promised, as part of her birthday celebrations, a new post for the first of my styling guinea pigs. The first time round, she gave me free rein when it came to price range. And when let loose, I pick things like Wolford tights and Jimmy Choo booties. So for this birthday edition, she asked that I try to at least be reasonable. So I gave myself a ceiling. No single item over $100. Thankfully, with everything on sale everywhere from Old Navy to Barneys, this didn't prove as difficult as it might have been in previous years.

In fact, I found so many things that I think organizing them into outfits could cause my brain to implode. But then, how to organize them? Day/Night? Work/Play? By Store?

Instead we're going by type of piece, much like this post that I wrote for myself.

Things for the top half

One


Two


Three


Four



Things for the bottom half

One


Two


Three



Things for the whole

One


Two


Three


Four


Five



Things that keep out the cold (or are supposed to...)

One


Two


Three



Things for the feet

One


Two


Three


Four



Thing[s] to carry

One



Things to ornament

One


Two


Three


Four


Five


Six


And one for the head



So that last one broke the rules. But only by six bucks.

It was a necessary evil.

HAPPY (almost) BIRTHDAY KELLY!


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