The Love Snap

I have had a lull in novel reading (mainly due to a little knitting project) but I'm sneaking in excerpts from Women in Clothes by a host of over 600 contributors.  These stories are fascinating.

"I Always Liked the Pearl Snap" by Nikki Hausler as told to Mary Mann got my attention as I went through a period of only wearing snap shirts (and dating men who moved to It City to become famous song-writers).  For me, it was the sure, light sound of the quick unsnap and the lure of those not quite shiny pearl snaps.

"What I Wore to Fall in Love" by Sarah Nicole Prickett had me holding my breath.  I was wearing a pair of cropped black pants paired with long black Italian boots that had wood heels. This was matched with a red sleeveless sweater with a low neckline and a black wool 3/4 length cardigan.  Everyone else was wearing a skirt.  He asked me, "was this seat taken?" (the last time I fell in love).

A Clean Slate

A guy visits Barcelona and subsequently decides that this (beautiful, art-filled, amazing, dancing) city should be his new home. Highly improbable. I mean, really, would anyone just stop what they are doing, take a risk to travel, and then make life decisions which would radically change the course of their lives? Inconceivable. Well, maybe not.

The author, who incidentally has a love of first edition works, takes the experience as a fresh start. He rids his life of the unnecessary and then finally the not so necessary if it means one can live longer in Barcelona...and so it begins.

Okay, so perhaps I identify with the character a bit. Needless to type, I have enjoyed the first few chapters of the book.

Not a Taxing Chore

I have already made this admission to you, and last night I shared this little secret with a local acquaintance. The conversation went something like this:

She: Which book are you reading?
Me: Emma
She: Oh she's the best!

Isn't it lovely how a book can make us feel as if we know the characters? I promised to have an update on my favorite character next week. Currently, I am leaning toward Mr. Woodhouse. I will let you know if I change my mind.

The weather here has been really nice for drying clothes outside on the line. I am getting a little more adept at hanging things in such a way to minimize future ironing. As in the UK, there are financial incentives to use large appliances late at night to reduce electrical loads. Process development, meet the washing machine.

Nothing so-Sew about it

Recently two friends have recycled magazines my way so I have been flipping through the glossy, mostly [occasionally/partially] recycled pages to catch a bit of inspiration for spring. Colors, patterns, mantras with a concept of fresh and/or contemporary were presented to match the change in season and perhaps new beginnings. It was these thoughts and this past weekend's visit to my parents which inspired me to finish two sewing projects I had started. Okay, one I had officially started; the other I had thought about quite a bit, but two safety pins likely does not a start make. I had hoped to elicit the help of the woman who used to make all of my clothes, my mother.

Though I had forgotten exactly just how many times one needs to try on an item to ensure that sewing is going along according to plan (many), it was beautiful to see my mother take my concepts into an executed form. I merely had to try on the item, describe what I wanted and in a few short hours, I had two finished projects. It was amazing! She also had the patience to teach me a few new things, though I did know better than to press my luck too much after we broke the sewing machine needle. Perhaps you too, can find a way to take something old and turn it into something new this year.

Bend It Like Beckerman

Love, Loss, and What I Wore is not a long read. The anecdotes with each item are short, sweet and sometimes sad with Ilene Beckerman saying just enough to generate a feeling or the spirit of the ensemble, but leaves quite a bit to the imagination of the reader. As I read through her clothing descriptions, I realized I also had shared several similar items, though perhaps many years later than she did (and I am not quite certain they were in style when I wore them).

As I flipped through the pages, I recalled several of my favorite items and exactly where I was or why I wore them. My mom, like Ms. Beckerman's mother, frequently made a lot of clothes for my sister and me, including some of the those special occasion outfits. A few of my standouts: the matching Easter dresses (mine in green and my sister's in pink), the yellow jersey pants with matching shirt, belt, earrings and shoes (yep, a bit too much yellow and why I thought appropriate for Field Day I will never know - actually, yes I do), the A-line skirts Mom made, the white shirt with blue polka dots which really was not pretty but I wore it anyway because my best friend gave it to me, the shirt I wore backwards due to the neckline (like the author), the blue sequined prom gown my senior year of high school, the little black number that was a bit too tight and perhaps too short...and on the list goes.