Spring is in the air, I'm not freezing, I'm thinking about different coats, and my shirt is making me happy - and, bonus... it was already in my closet
Shop your closet first(a change in weather can help). Plus, little things like more nutritional yeast on popcorn, karaoke, spring weather, and clarifications on things I've written and need to share
You guys- I’m wearing a cotton button down shirt today. This is a big deal! There is no layer, there is no wool, there is nothing heavy that I’m wearing over it! It’s 50 here in NYC today!!
I feel like the pilot on the plane at the end of Almost Famous as he busts out of the cockpit after steadying the plane "We’re alive! We made it!” (Now is a good moment to remind us that there is always a 2nd winter that comes right about…now, so I should calm down and not put away the cashmere yet).
As much as we all know I love my big blue puffer (and if you don’t, feel free to read about it here, and also where have you been, how did you get here exactly?), but man, is it nice to wear a different jacket. Less bulk, new look, new things to find in the pockets (today was a bunch of kleenex and a half eaten bag of peanut m&m’s, I’m wondering how old they are and what was wrong that day, why didn’t I finish them, totally abnormal behavior. I can’t fathom what happened).
I have a full coat wardrobe (they fall into the accessories category of totally upping an outfit AND you don’t have to take your clothes off to try them on). The day’s temperature is how I decide which jacket- each coat has a window of about 10-20 degrees- if it’s less than 35, it’s going to be big blue. Once we get high 30s-40s, I change it up. The menswear long wool overcoat? That’s for the mid-to-upper 30s. The longer, lighter, brown not-quite-down-jacket? That’s like, mid 40s-low 60s, and great to travel with. Short red puffer? You’re warm but my butt is not, so we need it to be in the 40s for you. And so on.
Which is why my outfit today got me excited. I’m wearing a shirt. Jeans. Shoes (these new Clarks! So excited!). That’s it. So simple. But I’m so thrilled, I feel normal, cute even. This shirt has poufy sleeves, which makes it tough to wear under a cardigan or a blazer. Which means I forgo it a lot of the winter. Not today though! Nor earlier this week, when I wore this to dinner, too (see, it’s very versatile!) This is “the shirt” that I am gravitating towards now, that feels good, that looks how I want it, that works with most everything, that I can dress up for dinner but wear with jeans and kicks (or clarks!) for my co-working space today into a casual dinner with new friends. The shirt that, when I can’t wear it, I don’t know what else to do. You know the feeling, right? (do you?!)
This shirt was a such find. It was one of these amazing days with your girlfriends- we went to lunch, we had some drinks at said lunch, and then we went and wandered and shopped, and everyone was finding and buying great stuff. I found the shirt at a small boutique (often the best source for random favorites of mine); it was less than $100, I’ve never heard of the brand- and it looks good with every pair of pants I’ve ever tried. I think it’s the length? Plus the pouf? Most would call this “proportions”. I get compliments every time I wear it, it covers me how I like, the length is long enough that it covers this belly but short enough that i’m not drowning nor do I need to tuck it in. It’s not basic, the sleeves and the cut are the details that give it its something, but it’s basic enough that I can/will wear it 2 days in one week.
One day, I made the mistake of going pant shopping while wearing this shirt- and I liked every pair I tried on. When I got home and started to think of other outfits for these many pants… I came up empty handed, because, turns out, the shirt is what made the sale. I returned them all and started over.
(big try on day for me and the blue shirt: clockwise from top left Tibi, Rails (x 2), Oak & Fort, Tibi, Cos. Note my headphones and same pose in every photo. I am nothing if not predictable, nor did I know that this was my “try-on stance” until right now.)
The point of all of this blue shirt babble?
SHOP YOUR CLOSET, first and foremost.
It is (should be) full pieces that we love wearing, that we know how each piece feels, where we understand the look and the proportions and how to pair it. When it’s working how it should, getting dressed is a breeze, you feel good all day long, confidence is higher than yesterday, all good things. I am living proof. And if your clsoet is full of these things, you need to get reacquainted each season, remember what’s there, why we like it (do we still like it?), and how we wear it. And maybe retire a thing or two, and then understand how to incorporate a new trend (BEFORE WE BUY IT, LET’S THINK ABOUT IT. New concept, you’re welcome).
And then, to ensure we're only buying the right pieces that get us there, we have to put on our critical thinking hats when we go shopping (this is where I excel) and ask these questions when before we leave the dressing room:
Will it help me get dressed easily, or will it add to my overwhelm?
Am I excited in the moment, or do I actually love this, like, really? (you can always push pause and wait 24 hours, see if you’re still feeling it the next day- that usually does the trick, you’ll know by then).
Does it speak to my style, how I want to look, how I want to present?
Will I want to wear it next year, and the year after that?
How will I wear this once it’s home with me?
Do I have things to wear back to it, do I already have something that plays the same role? (it’s ok to have a lot of black shirts, for example, if each one has it’s own reason for being. same with jeans, do they fill a different need than the similar pair?)
Also, it’s a little thing. To love a piece of clothing? What a lucky girl am I!? To have found this piece that brings me joy, helps me feel good, cool, and takes me both casual and dressed up? I’ll take it.
A few more little things:
I need to apologize about something I wrote (or neglected to) last week. The new Bridget Jones new movie is about GRIEF. And didn’t mention it once. There are giggles, too. But I’m sorry for not thinking of this film beyond one very thin layer and never mentioning more. Turns out, I am easily influenced and don’t always think things through until I hear or read other people’s takes. And every single take on this movie that I have read or listened to since posting last week spoke to grief. I walked around, listening to reviews and podcasts, and my face.. must have looked weird. I was horrified at myself, embarassed that I took it so simply, and then shared without thinking it through. I will do it again, don’t worry, but know that I do learn things on occassion. Still really enjoyed the movie and still not a huge Leo girlie. And I’m always open to changing my mind.
Nutritional Yeast on popcorn. I might list this every time I eat it, I love it so much. I saw a movie this weekend- because I had time, and I because I wanted my popcorn with nutritional yeast, and it happened to be playing at the right time (11:45 am on Saturday- Ex-Husbands with Griffin Dunne and hot actors playing his sons!). Unless you can find some Bjorn Corn, go to the movies. Like Diet Coke is better from McDonald’s and worst in a plastic bottle, Bjorn Corn is my 2nd best way to eat popcorn with yeast- my order is 1. movie theater 2. bjorn corn 3. home popped (something about the movie theater oil and butter and how it makes the yeast stick to the kernels is just… better. But I’ll eat home popped popcorn any day of the week, don’t get me wrong.)
Karaoke. Never did I expect to type that word here. But even one song, only one song, and here we are. Turns out, Gloria by Laura Branigan is a great karaoke song, especially when you’re performing it as a duet (thanks again, SBB my BFF). I got a little tripped up over some of the lyrics but really, who gives a shit. I will be the first to tell you that Idon’t like karaoke- but that’s always before a couple drinks and not being in proximity to a microphone and list of song s that I love. Try and pry that mic out of my hands after drink #2. And, while we’re on the subject of both karaoke and duets… I love the song Cruisin’, by Gwynnie P and Huey Lewis, from their movie that I love a lot less about karaoke, aptly named Duets. I am not saying go watch this movie, unless you want to watch Gwynnie P seemingly want to make out with her long last father, Huey Lewis. Now that I’m explaining it out loud, I think I know what I’m watching tonight when I get home.
Walking in New York City! Because it’s over 30, I want to walk again! I think this is at least 65% of the reason that I live here- I love to walk in a city (I had to clarify. A hike is a walk up a mountain, so please don’t ask me to go on one). The weather is warming up, my shoulders don’t immediately rise to my ears upon exiting a building, my body is not in fight mode, so I can enjoy a walk- and walk I will! I didn’t make time for a workout today, but I did make time for a walk to dinner last night, an hour plus. It was glorious. Highly recommend.
Thanks, once again, for making it this far. I still am not clear on what we’re doing here, but I know I’m enjoying it, and I hope there’s something that you’re getting out of it, too?
Let me know, I want to hear from you!!
xo