Dressing for Schizophrenia

I admit it. There are just some days when I have no idea how to dress. I can put on my clothes and shoes with no problem. I just mean I'm having trouble choosing outfits for this schizophrenic season and this weirdest of weather. Sunday, when this photo was taken, was one of several days in a row of steaming hot temperatures and sunny skies, suddenly morphing into noisy, windy, black thunderstorms that dumped rain and blew the world around, then stopping as suddenly as they started. Then sunny for a while, followed by more wild bluster.  And repeat.

I'm relieved to report that I'm not the only one who had trouble . It's my habit to cruise around TJ Maxx while Dan shops for the restaurant. When he dropped me off right at the front doors, the sun was shining and the rain was sprinkling big, sloppy drops. When I got inside, I saw a young woman in cutoffs and flip-flops, with her barefooted kids in bathing suits. I also saw some after-church outfits, a few yoga pants and racerback tops, but with everyone unprepared for any serious rain.

I particularly noticed a tall, graceful woman with a sleek salt and pepper LOB. It didn't take a psychic flash to know that she'd pulled out the perfectly new, spotless, olive-colored Wellies to wear them at least one time, as well as a very silky, and designer-ish anorak to sport with the boots. A black turtleneck peeped out from under her jacket, which could not have been comfortable in the warm store.

I get it, though. I've welcomed a stormy day in early spring so I could wear a winter piece that I had just got on clearance. Fun to wear it once before it was completely out of season. But in spite of the rain, she looked out of place in the heat, but no more so than the nearly barefooted flip-floppers splashing through the parking lot puddles under the now steely skies. I think the kids in the bathing suits probably were the most practically dressed.

I did okay, though. You can see how the wind bells out the silky little dress ... but it stayed cool (and decently dry in gusty wind) with my jeans underneath. The day I found it and tried it on in the dressing room, I was wearing the blue skinnies and these coral shoes. I loved the long-over-long look, and the blue, white and coral together, so I'm wearing a happy accident. I wore just enough shoe to keep my toes dry, and I no longer care very much if the wind blows my hair around.

Perhaps not what I think of as traditional play clothes for a rainy day, but it worked as well as anything. ( I remind you that I'm not shaped like that with a largish goiter just above my knee.  It was just windy. It's actually pretty when it falls normally. Please use your imagination in my favor.)

I got to see the kids in their bathing suits whooping it up in the largish parking lot puddles as their mom shepherded them toward their minivan. They were enjoying themselves.

The woman in her new wellies must have gotten a similar thrill when she glided elegantly back to her car, impervious to wet feet and shoulders.  She might have been too warm, but I'm pretty sure she was happy because she looked good and she knew it.

I got to wear an outfit that I liked, so that was good.

There really can be no rules for dressing in weather like this.   The best you can do is just wear what makes you happy.