Every year, about August
15th, I start fretting that the massive September issue of Vogue is
not going to arrive. Did somebody steal it out of my mailbox? Who
could resist it? Some postal worker, somewhere along the route
between New York and me, is probably flipping through the pages
during her (or his!) break, getting egg-salad crusted thumb marks on
my copy. When it finally arrives around August 20th, I rejoice. At
last! Then I feel immediately guilty at suspecting mail theft,
especially by our hard working postal employees. I hereby apologize
profusely for such unjustified mistrust, and feel really bad about
the whole thing.
This year, as the 120th
Anniversary issue it was truly humongous . And glorious as usual.
Every fall, I anticipate the first sit-down with it. I pour coffee
(or wine, if for some reason, I am forced to wait until evening) turn
off the news and switch to Baroque music or a little discrete jazz,
and delve into this astonishing compendium of the most important and
beautiful clothing, shoes and jewels that I will never own. And I
don't just rendezvous with Vogue. There are at least a half-dozen
more magazines that I'll pore through. This isn't about ownership or
shopping. It almost isn't about the clothes.
For me, it's about the
potential for renewal, even in the Fall of the year.
You'd think that this is a
concept that is reserved only for the Spring collections and fashion
issues. But no. As long as I can remember, September marks the
beginning of the delicious time of year when I can get serious about
the things I love best. I'll forever associate it with going back to
school and all the attendant luxuries; new books, new classes, new
ideas, old and new friends and new clothes. My grandmother
was a professional tailor and seamstress, and I always got a
seriously well made and custom-fitted dress or two, and at least one
new pair of shoes. And we all know that new shoes can be personally,
academically and romantically transformative. This is a fact.
As a
curvy, hourglass type (my euphemisms and I'm sticking to them!)
Summer has never been my optimally flattering season as far as
clothing goes. Too many flaws to hide. Fall and Winter are my best
times, and every Fall is a chance to finally get it right.
I've
always been on a clenched budget, but that doesn't stop me from
planning how to approach this best season with a little more grace, a
little more taste and modernity than I managed last year. And because
I am an old woman now and have many more Autumns behind me than ahead
of me, there's no time like the present to dress up with whatever
panache I can manage. And as I get older, each Fall looks like a
chance to be better.
Renewal
doesn't mean a whole new wardrobe. It means new ways to put old
items and ideas together. It also means finding new items that
expand the meaning of what you loved last year. That's the kind of
renewal and that I find in my September issues of the fashion
magazines. What do you find?
