Favorite Post: The Perfect Honor

If you follow me on twitter, you've seen #wearing tweets where I mention vintage pieces. They're usually my late grandmother's. I inherited a lot from each of my grandmothers, and miss each of them every day. Back after I lost my second grandmother, I posted about part of how my family dealt with her passing.

I've got lots of thoughts brewing on this lil' ol' blog here, and while I mull them over, I thought I'd pull some of my favorite posts from the past 6+ years (yes, I'm an Old Blogger).

If you have thoughts, ideas, questions, Style Dilemmas, please do send them along! I'd love to hear what you want to read!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Boots. Tall ones, short ones, fuzzy ones, leather ones, rubber ones, tucked into or over shoes, every color of the rainbow, stomping in puddles, climbing over snow, looking chic in last minute shopping.

Scarves. Sheer, knitted, woolen, fuzzy, soft, wrapped, loose, rainbow, monochromatic.

Sweaters. Fitted, bulky, belted, loose, cabled, knit, hand-wash, snuggly, cowl-necked, turtle-necked, crew-necked, v-necked. And certainly no reindeer.

Hats. Elegant, sloppy, fun, cute, felt, wool, fleece, matching, deliberately not matching, over your ears, letting your ears peek out, brimmed, rolled.

Gloves. Elbow-length, cropped, fingerless, mittened, wool, leather, fur-trimmed (thanks, H!), cashmere-lined.

Take that, you summer dress lovers.

Style Poll: THE Accessory

Well, I'm a terrible listener.



Despite agreeing with the 100% response on our last style poll, that a big, floppy J.Lo hat is The Don't Forget Beach Accessory (other choices were a sarong, sparkles, and a credit card), I did. I forgot it.



Fortunately, Sea Isle City, NJ, hosts a Big Huge Market in the middle of September every year (the main reason we make the trip this time of year). So I grabbed a $5 cap and am wearing it proudly (GO PHILS!).


That is, when The Bean doesn't grab it from my head and wear it on top of hers.

Style Dilemma: Wandering Egyptian Paths

N wrote in for help:

I will be traveling on vacation to Egypt this coming october and have no idea what to wear! I want to look chic and yet will be doing lots of walking activities and potentially hiking on this trip. Also, because egypt is predominantly Islamic, any clues on what I should definitely avoid (aka no tank tops?)

Any advice would be so greatly appreciated!

Upon followup, it turns out that N is going on the trip because it's been a dream of hers to go visit since she was a kid pouring over ancient egypt books. Her best friend just went this year, and she figures, "Heck if she can, no reason why I can't either." She'll be traveling on a tour with some beach time, city time, and lots of touristy desert walking time. She describes her style as "minimalist," liking clean lines and solids. As for what she won't wear? "Anything that's has a pattern that looks like old wall paper."

Last bit of important information - she's trying to "go backpack," rather than "kitchen sink" on the packing style for this trip.

Dear N,

Excited to help out. As it turns out, bluesuitgirl just made the trip last year. She'd asked for my help, too, specifically on shoes and a bag. Start with that post, and then temper it with her "real trip" advice. I've added some selections based on her recommendations. You also might want to take a look at my response to dariaux' plea for her trip to India.

From bluesuitgirl:

Egypt is such a great experience, you will see sights you have never seen before, crowded streets, slums, the traffic and all sorts of other things ie. animals, pushcarts travelling down the highways. It is improtatnt to remember that Egypt is returning to a more conservative era, meaning many women are covered to the point that only their eyes are showing.

Being a westerner, sometimes we can be a bit disrespectful because we are not aware of the proper norms. You should keep your shoulders and knees covered at all times-- meaning in even 100 degree heat, no tank tops or shorts...and with that you will still be heckeled in the streets and some random men may grab your butt or arm or any other part of your body they can get a quick grasp of. And if they don't actually touch you, they sure will be whistling.

Light t-shirts are great, khakis or cargo pants that are not heavy. Jeans were a bit much in the heat. If you wear dresses, make sure they are knee-length or longer and something over the shoulders. Layer, although it doesn't really get cool at night, it is cool compared to the really hot days.

Sturdy shoes are key. The streets and sidewalks are not in good shape, cute little strappy sandals may prove a bit hazardous when navigating the uneven roadways. If you are spending the day out sightseeing, a big floppy hat is a must--along with lots of sunscreen!

Good luck on your pre-trip shopping, N! And be sure to let us know what you end up buying - and then wearing! If you snap any great shots, we'd love to see those when you get back!

Style Remembered: The Perfect Honor

People keep asking - which is very nice of them - how my Mom-Mom's services were on Friday.

"Wonderful," I find myself saying. A strange thing, I suppose, to say that memorial services were wonderful, but they were. All of our family - all 5 of her children, 15 grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren (of 13), along with a few of her nieces and nephews - was together for the first time in quite a while. The room filled out with her Alpha Chi Omega sisters, golf buddies, bridge partners, and friends from way back when.
We spoke (yup, I managed it), sang, listened (to my littlest cousin, who's not so little anymore, play Fuer Elise), prayed, and cried.
Then we had lunch.
Then we hit her apartment.
What started as H and I swinging by to see if there was anything we wanted to keep as memories ended up as the whole family laughing, sharing, trading, and honoring my grandparents. The hottest negotiated items? Her hats.
Kept lovingly in John Wanamaker* hat boxes, I never saw a single one of them on Mom-Mom's head. By the time I remember her, she'd emancipated herself from hats and gloves and donned slacks. My cousins and I tried them all on with cries of, "Oh, that's perfect on you, you have to take that one." We may never wear the pillboxes, but we have them (though I'm determined to find an occasion to don the cream wool topper now sitting on H's dresser).
We all attempted to slip on the delicate white kid leather opera gloves with sweet little pearl buttons at the wrist. They don't fit anyone's contemporary hands, but I have them safe and sound, and will find out how to preserve them best. Most of the rest of the gloves ended up in my care (I'm the romantic, impractical one of the bunch). Some I'll wear, and some I'll keep for The Bean.
Her purses lay neatly on the bed, just begging for each of us to take one home. I ended up with 2 amazing frame bags and 2 clutches. I have her opera glasses, which she let me use when she took me to the symphony. Each of us has handkerchiefs, a scarf here and there, and most of us took some linens, some handmade by her Irish American mother (holding Mom-Mom in the picture, at right).
My sister is storing what we think was her wedding night negligée. My aunt has her wedding dress, to be kept and shared around as we each want to hold onto it for a while.
We each have little memories of this and that - very few of them from the articles themselves - but we all now have a teensy piece of her we can wear for a special event, or put on a bureau or nightstand, displaying it with pride and sweetness.
I'm fortunate I can now wear something of hers every day to honor her and remember her.

*Strangely enough, my other grandmother worked at the flagship Wanamaker's. It's a lovely little connection between two of the most important women in my life.