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.
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.
