Delusions of pregnancy and grandeur

I lazily caught a crowded bus to U Village yesterday (um, very important business). A man began to stand, to offer me his seat, and I told him, "No, that's OK, I'm getting off at the next stop."

He sat and I considered whether I felt demeaned to be offered a seat. I'm younger that he is, I thought. I'm female, I'm not incapable of standing. It's not like I'm wearing heels, or pregnant.

And then, even worse, I thought, What if he did think I was pregnant?

. . .

Fall fashions at Anthropologie consoled me. I was very good and put back even the cheapest sale items (because who really needs another skirt?) until I saw a small purple jacket. Ooh, clothing! Why do you tempt me? You know autumn especially is my weakness.

I spoke with a sales girl all about the new catalogue. Even better: new Nordstrom catalogue. A gorgeous cover by R. Toledo, and pages flooded with dark, cozy, proper clothing. Long coats and big leather bags, and so much deep purple. I showed Brian a $1,395 Fendi watch with my birthdate on the face. He didn't think it was quite the sign of destiny I did. He also said it looked just like my current watch, which I intended as a sign that I quite like the style. Apparently, to some an established personal taste is redundancy.

. . .

I think the economic downturn, combined by autumn's usual influence toward more conservative, vaguely-academic/equestrian apparel, has driven fashion in a pretty classic direction. No shocking new trends. Magazines discuss purchases that will last a lifetime -- wardrobe investments. Flattering shapes, predictable autumn colors, versatile feminine styles.

I don't mind it at all. As much fun as it is to be intrigued by Balenciaga tulip-shaped skirts, or entertained by a glowing lime green MJ bag, my personal purchases have moved consistently toward things I expect to wear indefinitely. It doesn't always work out (I swear, I always think I will wear that magenta Brooks Brothers coat more often, but then it never seems quite right). But at least I can pay more realistic attention to a catalogue full of wearable pieces than some bizarre show of which designer can make us look silliest by "experimenting with form." I don't want my form experimented with, I want it flattered. It has enough trouble on it's own, apparently (see pregnancy entry above).

Showers, showers, few showers, partly cloudy. I left my umbrella at Thaiger Room last week,
and I can't figure out what to wear for this weather. Is it spring? Can I wear florals when my flowers have yet to bloom? Can I wear skirts bare-legged in this weather? Long pants dragging in puddles are as bad as open toes in this drizzle, and I'm sick of tights. I'm ready for weather that makes me forget what it feels like so overcast and chilly.

Weekend.

Lost on Friday with Nate and Melissa. The show has recaptured some of its early quality, with the cabin, the black smoke, and a tightening-up of plot lines. Things are muddled with time changes and mysterious characters, and there are still too many plotlines to cover everything in any one episode, but at least I can recall week-to-week what's going on.

Saturday -- Gym, Costco, long walk with Buster to campus (was as big a fan of the Quad as any sun-bathing sophomore), dinner, The Wire. The first season was striking, but in hindsight a good reiteration of familiar social dynamics. The second is more complex, more original, more gritty. It's really exciting and unsettling to see blue collar culture and organized crime contrasted with inner-city drug trade. A group of primarily white cops chasing primarily black dealers does not make one think in the same was as this mix of Greeks, eastern europeans, and african americans. And one irish american played by a brit, or maybe Australian. I forget.

Today, crepes and thick-creamed coffee at the Rusty Pelican. Along with breakfast cocktails (mimosas), they're pushing the concept of breakfast appetizers -- who needs a cinnamon roll while they wait for french toast?

Then, what I secretly want to do 90% of the time (when not baking cookies): Nordstrom Rack. I was in an unparalleled mood for trying on out-of-season designer clothing, and felt incomparably lucky to wander in just after 10 am and see that the store was unusually neat an tidy. This is what retail looks like before the shoppers arrive. I dove in and started disheveling things.

I small rack of Missoni scarves drew me over at least twice, but though I'm sure it would have been a decent investment, I couldn't part with $50+ for a square of silk. Shoes were iffy -- many so-so summer styles, but instead I left with my first pair of Chuck Taylor's. (A girl at work recently bought her first pair, too, and Friday we shared ambivalence at a style so over-done in high school, and yet so inevitable.)

And then, after standing in the slow slow lines once, I saw one lonely pair of very attractive Marc Jacobs' sunglasses on a sad rack of very unattractive styles (who's really shocked that that weird plastic unibrow style didn't sell well?). Tried on and looked very exciting, and was in line as soon as I saw the price was half normal Rack discount. Unfortunately got the same register girl the second time around -- she didn't seem so surprised to see me again, though.

Much traipsing around downtown, and found a good denim skirt at Urban. Not cheap. But it felt very right when I tried it on.

I'm excited to announce that yesterday I wore a skirt sans tights for the second time this week, and was not at all freezing. It was spectacular. I'm sick of tights.

This young lady who rides my bus and goes to the gym in the morning is always a little (maybe a lot) flamboyantly dressed. Today, she wandered into the makeup and hair-styling area in a reasonable skirt and a strapless bra. Where on campus does one need to dress in a way that requires a strapless bra?! Crazy people.

ps! this is my 100th post!! winner!

I don't want to have a sick day.

I don't want to be stuck in the house. I don't want to have this cough and sniffles. I don't want to do any more laundry or match any more socks. I don't want to take out the dog on his every little whim. I don't want to put away dishes or iron shirts or wach Martha or What Not To Wear. I am sick of this whole sick-day business. And while I'm complaining, let me just say that I am very sore from the bevy of squats I did in Total Toning yesterday.

Last night I thought it was a good idea: I'd sleep in, I'd do some chores, I'd sit around in my pajamas with soup and Netflix. It went OK at first, but by 10 am I was grumpy and restless. When Brian said, "I wish I could stay home with you," I thought "Absolutely not! There's no way either of us would be happy after an hour of my grumpiness!" Fortunately he was soon safely on his way to Redmond, and Buster forgets I've just yelled at him within moments.

Update! I decided to put on pants and very big sunglasses and drag my unwanted clothes (from consolidating to make way for fancy new dresser), to the new Crossroads on the Ave. Unshowered and coughing, I was in little shape for public appearances, but I'd heard many good things about used designer bags from the greek system and other fabulous cheapo merch.

I found a J Crew skirt ($11), Ted Baker sandals ($15), and a springy little Hermes tote ($22). Even if the store was 99% fading, cheapo, or boring, these few little finds took only a third of the credit I got when the buyers took nearly everything in my giant bag -- 22 items sold, only 3 teeshirts to take home.

After the little outing, I am OK with pajamas and Netflix.

Vancouver is excellent. I was quite tired of work by the end of last week, and I think the fancy times up here with Brian this weekend, plus the work-related medium-fancy times of the conference the next couple days will be a perfect little break.

Lots of walking around and eating out with Brian. A very disjointed drive up Saturday (stops for UPS, coffee, gas, bagels, lunch with Caitie, waiting at the boarder), then we explored a little, then had excellent tasty dinner + drinks at some bistro between on the cusp of the sketchy neighborhood.

Sunday: breakfast of perfectly almost-over-toasted French toast, then a shoe-buying expedition, then the newly-remodeled aquarium and a drive through the park.

It was chilly, but stayed dry until we found the craft commune of Granville Island -- drizzly is not good for tourism. We forced ourselves to walk through the little village of arts and nicknacks until early dinner. Excellent bread and Canadian peach cider, good crab cake to start, but some kind of weird bits in one of my scallops that I may never get over. If this city has ruined scallops for me, I firmly take back my "Vancouver is excellent."

Today, Pookie left at 8ish, so I got ready for a big day of no plans. Realized I left accidentally sent my umbrella home in the car, so went out and bought a new (and better) one at some drug store. Certainly, in Canada I've heard more sales rep and cashier people with clear recently-immigrated accents than I've ever heard ever in the states.

Tried shopping, but nothing peaked my interest until ... Zara. What a mecca! Everything beautiful! How have I spent years shopping and never seen this place? Everything gorgeous but reasonably priced, trendy but not cheapo, good quality, decent fit. Had to visit the fitting room twice to try everything on. And, wonderfully, went out today thinking of a trench coat, and came back with a perfect one. Love a belted waist and a big collar. Somehow, though, managed moderation and only bought three things: that coat, dark work pants, and a little black casual dress. Has bows at the waist. Possibly I'll be drawn back in for some shoes before I leave -- there were some amazing ones, if only they have my size ...

The Vancouver Art Gallery coat check lady was one of the rudest service people I've ever encountered, and we barely spoke. I can only guess she was jealous of my fabulous hair. The building is lovely -- very nice to see how a piece of classical architecture fits seamlessly in a very modern-architecture city. Some video installation, some tree stuff, much pictorialism that I looked through diligently without being moved. Was worth $15 because I had nothing better to do and it could be considered a donation toward Art.

Finally it was time for some work-related mingling. Flatironed my hair, then went cashless to the foyer on the third floor, where I clinged to the first group of approachable ladies I saw, until I heard the bar was accepting debit cards. Got me a G+T, then clumped with UW advisers till someone suggested we head to the hotel bar. Had another couple rounds and talked about college-related stuff there till someone suggested we go to bed. Now here I am. Typing way past my bedtime.

Project Runway

Another season is over. The final runway shows seem less climactic each time, and I'm less smitten with the designers and their designs.

Rami's collection: Beautiful. Mature. Love the dress with the skirt woven into the bodice. Not sure about his colors, but I could see wearing some things here.

Most of the designers on the show come up with some generic narrative, but he introduces this collection saying it celebrates women, and I can actually see that. I want him to win. But this is TV, and Christian is obviously everyone's favorite.

When I look over the collections now, I actually am more torn between Christian and Rami -- on this 15" monitor instead of the 60" TV, the nice details of Rami's are lost, and the excess of Christian's is subdued, to his benefit.

Jillian's collection: I didn’t really like Jillian as a TV personality, but I still expected something better than this. It looks very amateur. What’s attractive is not original, what’s original is not attractive. Disjointed. She clearly will not win. I would much rather have seen Chris here.

Christian's collection: Christian and his designs make me think of Austin Scarlett, the super-flamboyant designer I loved the first time around, and who I thought got kicked off too soon. So why don't I like Christian the most now?

Maybe too fierce? Would be interesting to see the martketable version – I’m not sure if the “wow” here is because it’s all bigger than everyone else's work, or because it’s actually interesting.

The beige and brown ruffle/tube dress looks like a pastry.

In the end, I think he pulls this all off as a runway show – and pulling off something almost laughable is impressive – but I’m not sure it translates into something I'd like to wear.

Oscars and weather

Somehow, the Oscars were enjoyable to watch even though I didn't particularly care about any of the awards except that Marion Cotillard won best actress. Her teary, gibbrishy acceptance "speech" was, aside from Delice de Bourgogne, the highlight of the evening.

Daniel Day-Lewis' win also made me happy, though not as happy as if he had been as striking in reality as his character was in There Will Be Blood. I was equally disappointed to see Johnny Depp looking completely goofy -- his lack of excellent movies this year plus his Where's Waldo glasses and hair make me wonder what was so exciting about him a year or so ago.

Also, I think the high stance on Javier Bardem's jacket makes his already-large head look enormous. Not that the most attractive man at the event can't pull off a giant head.

Was at first very turned off by Tilda Swinton wearing apparently no make-up. Then I decided this plus simple hair and a garbage-sack dress were possibly a feminist statement against female objectification, and found it all quite appealing.

Am very happy to not need multiple layers, gloves, umbrella everywhere I go. Today I wore just a thin hoody over gym clothed to meet the 6:30 bus, and was not chilly at all! With pink blossoms outside my window, spring has appeared very suddenly after what seems like a long delay. May dig up floral print cardigan soon.

Progressive in conservative's clothing.

Once, during high-school, just after my parents had removed to remote and unfashionable Darrington, I left for a date wearing a knee-length grey jersey shirtdress. As I walked to the car, my mom called out, "You're wearing that to see a boy? You look like a frumpy librarian!"

This is the same mom who now has an enormous closet full of floor-length floral skirts (though I guess floral's en vogue now, too, proving all fashion transitory and vaguely arbitrary, basically a game of roulette winnable by anyone with some semblance of personal style).

Anyway, I occasionally did feel like a prudish aunt trapped in a teenage world of magazines lined with navel-skimming J-Lo necklines and department store shelves overflowing with thong-baring 7 jeans. All I ever wanted was to be a responsible adult, with a job, an apartment, a kitchen-aid mixer, and a nice pair of pumps. My first crush was Alex P. Keaton, and I while I quickly was bred into liberalism, my biker/hippie mom was obviously unable to break me of my affinity for pinstripes. It may never be my work wardrobe, nor (more unfortunately) Brian's, but I do love a nice suit.

So it was with enthusiasm I read the The Newly Uptight in the NY times. Blazer-loving women unite! Next week's NY Fashion Week promises a wealth of pencil skirts, pumps and properly-fitted strong lady pieces.

Beyond my general appreciation for the conservative aesthetic, these structured suits are safely non-trendy (read: timeless, not boring), and more flattering than most contemporary fashion -- designed in the 1950's/early '60s, when important women drove markets and not their troubled teenage daughters. It may all be fashion, but knee-length wool skirts are not equal to skinny jeans.

I can only hope the Jackie O manicured, first-lady-waiving, perfectly coifed image will actually replace the now-popular Mary Kate and Ashley O stringy-hair, anorexic-hunched, boho image for some significant duration. If the Times' quotations on this movement as "fashion comfort food" for the current/impending recession are to be believed, I imagine it may be safe beyond autumn.


Photo: Old ladies, Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton

Pants rants.

Sarah: oooh i went to the opera last night

me: yeah ...

Sarah: saw pagliacci

me: ooh?

Sarah: so GOOD

me: how was it?

Sarah: dramatic

emotional

i liked it

4:56 PM me: we went to the symphony today

it was video game scores.

i fell asleep for a few minutes

5:05 PM Sarah: omg, for real

video games?

5:06 PM me: yeah

so it was basically like movie scores.

5:09 PM Sarah: hmmm

was it good?

what was the crowd like?

5:10 PM me: some of it. it was like 2 hours and they covered maybe 10 or 12 games, so it was lots of short bits. kind of obvious-sounding music, nothing mindblowing.

The crowd was ridiculous!

holy crap.

5:11 PM just the clothing -- nerds in suits, a couple girls in full-length gowns (at 1 pm), a high school kid wearing a furry hats with ears and everything, and then some bad harajuku knock-off girls, then someone wearing a black veil and fur cloak ...

5:12 PM plus normal parents and kids, and 20-something men.

Sarah: wow, just as I was hoping

I was mad last night

there were A LOT of people wearing jeans

me: oooh

yeah.

Sarah: and I just got so annoyed w/ seattle

5:13 PM it's like can't you even dress up for a FRIDAY night at the OPERA

me: in know. it doesn't even need to be super fancy, just put on some slacks or something.

What did you wear?

5:14 PM Sarah: a knee length black skirt, pin striped v neck shirt

and a nice coat

5:15 PM lysondra wore black pants

a nice shirt and a nice coat

i would have been ok w/ people wearing khakis

even

but jeans is just too much

me: it always seems so awkward, even for the nicely dressed people, to have no standard dress code.

5:16 PM no one really looks quite right

5:17 PM Sarah:i know, it just bothers me

i just think the opera is something that is formal

especially an evening show

i'm glad to get out of seattle

Lyso told me that she went to this gala one time

5:18 PM for some organization

and it was fancy

and there was someone there wearing birkenstocks

me: woah.

yeah ...

5:19 PM it's not like nice clothing it any less comfortable.

Sarah: jeans can be kind of uncomfortable

me: yeah.

5:20 PM Sarah: But i'm also annoyed by girls in prom dresses

me: yes.

someone needs to come in and give seattle a talking-to.

Weekend of things to wear and eat.

For being three days long, the weekend's been uneventful -- brunch, shopping, baking, movies, and knitting class tonight. But, for uneventful, it's been successful.

Yesterday I found the most fantastic, pefectly-fitted, black eyelet shirtdress, along with an almost-as-exciting Marc Jacobs skirt. After much debate, I went with the dress and -- like an cash-register miracle -- it rang up at half off the already 75%-off price. I took it home and wandered around in it for a while before making dinner.

I've never noticed Kay Unger's clothes before (maker of the shirtdress), but I recognize the name from Tim Gunn or Vogue or somesuch name-dropping fashion media. Looking through the copious lady-like skirts and dresses on her site, I may be a fan (though I'll need more miracles to afford much else).

I love that the clothes are almost entirely dresses -- I wish I owned more, because they required very little matching or planning, and it's easier to spend money on something when you know that's your entire outfit -- no $80 jeans required in addition.

A number of pieces are unappealing, I think because there's a lot of color and print. But many of the more simple dresses are fun without being childish -- in a marathon of juvenile shift and baby-doll dresses, it's nice to see grown-up clothes with waists and everything. The cuts all look very flattering (though anything feels flattering when I can order a size 2).

I also did some cosmetics testing yesterday while downtown. I wanted a new perfume, something very delicious for spring, and was having trouble deciding between replacing my almost-empty D&G Sicily from Berlin and buying something new. Although reviews were mixed on Covet, as they seems to be on every scent, I was barely able to tear my nose off my sleeve when I tried the scent the first time. I tried it again yesterday, and confirmed Spring would be a good time to wear something warm, fun, and edible -- woodsy, sweet Covet it is, and not soapy Sicily.

Also tried Diorkiss glosses after reading many a favorable MakeupAlly review. Awful. Love a Dior Ultra Gloss, but these are too scented (Spicy Guava came off before I could even look in the mirror), too glittery (Fruit Splash left a residue of gritty rainbow speckles worse than a kindergarten craft project), and unimpressive in all other regards - - lack of color, lack of selection, distractingly thick texture, inconvenient packaging. Nevermind, not for me.
___

This morning, I made the most fantastic blueberry coffee cake ever. It's really very amazing. I would have it again for dinner if we didn't already have plans.

Love Miss America Reality Check. Espech when they call Miss Washington "the most popular girl here." Woot! Wapato! If only she was a UW alum, I could be really excited.

Wait, wait, this just in from the Colbert Report!! Will Smith a Scientologist? Oh, nope, apparently he just studied it. And then his press agent told him to get out of the cult and back into popularity. The real question is, why did he wear this suit out before tailoring? I can hem those for you, Will.

Spring

The sun fell beautiful and warm over Wallingford; Buster and I raced down 1st toward the water -- he always wins. Fantastic day for walking the dog, and for maybe the first time ever I felt excited about spring's approach.

I could usually care less about the tepid skies and mid-school-year blahs of spring. I know technically Spring isn't here till late March, but I spend most of post-New Years months impatient for sun and warmth, stubbornly referring to Springtime in an attempt to make seasons jump calendar and become summer already. Autum's start and Summer's end of school dictated all my interest in seasons.

Then, the standard pastels are an unwelcome replacement for the rich and sparkily colors of fall and winter. This spring, however, I think lots of navy (that "nautical influence" is back for, what, the third year?) and my favorite peachy-coral color will be perfect -- if I can find polish to match the Raffia Orange gloss I bought Friday, I will be as spring-time-perky as the Jesus on Easter.

I do, however, inexplicably, like the floral dresses I thought I was seeing everywhere -- until I tried to find a photo online. Apparently there are no photos on the internet. But the florals are out there some where, trust me.

Not a fan.

While browsing startups started-up by women (a totally legitimate work activity), I got sucked into the hot-pink black hole of PopSugar. Not that I'm into celebrity stalking, but I allow myself rare schadenfreude when I see the rich and famous looking lousy. I don't really know who Mischa Barton is, nor can I wear current high-waisted trends myself, but there's no excuse for this drab, lumpy, thigh-accentuating, stringy-hair look. Eesch.

I finished my first scarf! Three months, three skeins of wool yarn, and one dropped stitch.

PS.

We bought our tickets to New York yesterday! And when I say "bought" I really mean we used a few thousand of Brian's parents' 180,000 frequent flier miles. I won't pretend my excitement at saving $338 doesn't overshadow the awkward feeling of having taken so much generosity from the Alexanders -- but they still have 141,000+ miles, so I think they'll scrape by.

Kelsey says she has an air-mattress for us in her very pretty new apartment. Flying and staying for free means we'll be able to do many more exciting things there -- in a perfect world, I could drag Brian to The Phantom of the Opera again. If not, there's Les Miserable and Rent and all kinds of little shows. Plus H&M, which I may go into Sunday and emerge from Friday. The irony is, of course, that I've started thinking about what I want to wear in New York, which makes me think maybe I should buy a few new things before we go -- buy things here so I'll have nice things to wear shopping when we get there.

My life is so difficult.

Living in the future

It's August and 80˚ but I'm feeling a bit Autumnal. Could we get a few grey rainy days please? I'd like to wear boots.

Last weekend, the Nordstrom Rack basement hosted a war between me and an olive green Marc Jacobs coat. Heavy cotton, lots of big buttons, deep pockets for storing iPod, phone, candy canes while christmas tree shopping -- it was a decidedly cold-weather coat. Unfortunately my pockets were not so deep, and the battle was decided when a slim emerald green wool coat joined the fray , armed with a much lighter pricetag.

If I told you this was my second long, solid-color wool coat to purchase this summer, would you hold it against me? But the other's kind of a slouchy-drapey cranberry piece from Brooks Brothers. Not at all the same. I went home and wore them around the air-conditioned house with sandals.