Today I am thankful for my home life and for the comfort it gives me. I don’t often take as much comfort in my home life as it offers — I focus too much on the messes, the things left undone, the stains, scuffs, worn spots, paint chips and unravellings (actual and metaphorical). But today, after a conference call concerning my all-consuming work project that left me shaking with anger for 30 minutes and too dispirited to do much work for an additional 90 minutes, I fell back on my imperfect home life and was very glad to have it. I’ll come out fine in my own office from this upsetting turn of events — I’ve just never been treated so poorly and lied to so smoothly by people outside my company who are supposedly working towards the same goals.
Sal at Already Pretty had a nice post last week about fashion inspiration. Sal’s more practiced and therefore more advanced at reading outfits and understanding what’s interesting her and how it corresponds to what she has. But I’m getting better at it. Hence, closet archive #8, inspired by this outrageously expensive brand of sweaters (yes, they are often shapeless and the color of rocks, but my sister in law gave me an Inhabit cardigan as a hand me down, and I love it), and an item in New York magazine about fuzzy sweaters.
The challenging item is the grey tunic.
Why I don’t wear it: When I got this tunic, it was a dress. The tunic is the same, I am different. In 1998, Daniel and I went on our first big trip together. Friends were getting married in Rome, so Daniel cashed in a decade’s worth of frequent flier miles and we went to Rome, then to Naples, then to Capri. (Daniel grandly remarked to others who were headed to Florence after the wedding, “We always go south.” Yes, if “always” means “once.”) Daniel bought this dress for me in Capri. I was lean and lithe and had legs for days. So of course wearing a sweater dress that was a only centimeter longer than scandalous made perfect sense.
Now, my body is different. I am stronger and much more flexible than I was 13 years ago. I have less of some kinds of endurance, more of other kinds. I am softer in the belly and the thighs. And I’m not quite as comfortable wearing a very short dress. It used to feel effortless, now it feels like a lot of work.
Why I still have it: Capri, Daniel, legs for days. This dress is my best souvenir.
What might save it: Renaming it. It’s a tunic now! And tunics seem like just the thing for me lately. It’s fuzzy! And New York magazine says fuzzy is just the thing for everyone lately. Friday, that was enough for me to pull this out of the closet and wear it with jeans, a tshirt, and ankle boots.
Another Door 
Would also look great with a straight grey/black wool skirt and black boots. Very classy.
That’s an interesting thought, like layering a short sweater over a longer top. I’ll try it — a belt would probably be called for then. As always, it’s wonderful to get personalized fashion advice from a Frenchwoman!
Great outfit, cozy and stylish, feels like a snugly self-hug, especially in light of the “tale of the sexy tunic” and the boots (love) add perfect balance to the whole look. Start to finish, it’s a keeper!.Sorry to hear about the miserable conference call and the deviousness exposed therein. I’m grateful for your safe haven in the midst of the storm. I want to borrow this space to thank you again for Rumi’s “The Guest House.” It traveled far and wide this past week, providing both solace and guidance among family. Tonight we learned that a sister’s cancer diagnosis (from last week) is far less dire than first presumed and very treatable. Much gratitude also for links to other words and sympathies expressed – it never occurred to me that these generous offerings were awaiting my attention until this door opened again today.
Oh, such wonderful news. I hope you’ve had a long exhale. “Very treatable” — those words are poem in themselves. Stay well, and the door is always open for you.
Boo for conference calls with people whose career choices given them no right to be evil (seriously, people, go oversee gulags or fashion magazines if your inclination is to lie and be mean). Yay for good diagnoses (for Susan’s, and our friend’s operation was a success, though chemo and radiation still to follow) and really on-trend yet classic outfits. I am volunteering Fionnuala’s kindergarten class today. I wish I had this exact outfit to wear! I would teach in in too, or shop or go to lunch–all those things the magazines envision you having different clothes to do.Would love to see how you accessorized this, too. I can see a chunky necklace working. A belt could also be fun, though I never really get belts right.
Yea for the cloud lifting. Such a relief for you. I must confess that you have called me out on a recent sartorial shortcoming. I didn’t accessorize — there’s nothing to see. I wore earrings of some sort, and probably a ring on my right hand as well as my wedding set, and maybe a small, sweet necklace that echoed the v-neck of the tunic, but nothing that really made an impact. I was feeling tentative about the tunic experiment, and it’s pretty fuzzy anyway so a chunky necklace might have been confusing, although I’ll try it next time. I can wear belts more often than I think, but not very often. If I hadn’t worn a tshirt under the tunic, a belt might have been okay, but I’m not sure. Belts often make me look chunky, since my waist is disproportionate to my bust or hips — it only emphasizes how much I don’t indent.
i love the re-purposing of a dress into a tunic! So smart and fab.
And yay, a better view of those shoes, which are lovely! I am sorry to hear that work has been sub-par for you lately,but am glad that you can find comfort in your home life. take care of yourself lady!
Thanks. I’m trying to take care of myself. I spend a lot of time practicing self-compassion. And also engaging in retail therapy. Both are working!