I love the “Fog” poem by Carl Sandburg who describes the fog so simply and powerfully through a metaphorical cat. Aubrey is sitting looking not over the harbor but at me and with hairy eyeballs I might add. She is mysterious, unpredictable, and even a little scary just like that fog slowly and quietly creeping in.  (Thank you, Dan, for sharing this poem with me.)

The Fog poem gave me clarity of mind for the following opposite sunny days. I am wearing a classic wool cashmere, camel-brown dress coat by Marvin Richards. This coat will probably be in my closet forever.

A glimpse of Crotched Mountain peeking through the trees.

This is what I typically wear on weekends. You have seen this navy checkered shirt before and distressed jeans. But these burgundy Lucky Brand booties are new and were thrifted for $20.00.Mabel turns one on Monday, March 2. We are throwing her a surprise party—shhh. She thinks she’s still a puppy…an 85 pound one.

“We are all such fragile creatures in a web of life we will never understand.” (Dan Dagenais)

My post is straying from its usual fashion theme in an effort to stop and contemplate on the meaning of life. The above quote (by my creative brother) about the “web of life” got me thinking about the meaning of that expression. Therefore, I set out to visit my favorite secret spot this past weekend, to search for answers on that subject.The sun was shining brightly and it looked to be a superb day to capture some stunning views from this mountain top location. I believe that nature speaks to us revealing life’s wonder and mystery. Humans are fragile yet enduring; delicate yet strong.We exist for a purpose greater than ourselves.We are living, breathing, desiring and feeling organisms.Embrace the simplicity that exists within nature.To reveal life’s deeper meaning.And truth through its beauty.The web of life.

My beige skirt and black cardigan blend nicely with the winter landscape.My wool pencil skirt is by J. Crew and cardigan is by Cherokee.

Mabel’s colors match the winter scenery:  black, brown and white. With that thought, Mabel just told me she wants to check out the snow and eat some slushies, an authentic wintertime treat. Enjoy the rest of your week!

I am taking a brief intermission from fashion to dedicate this post to my beloved cat, Ishi; 9/1/08 to 1/24/20, RIP. He was our beloved cat for almost 12 years. He survived the ice storm of 2008/2009, the arrival of two new feline sisters, and had to deal with our now 85 pound puppy. And he just purred in return. He had a way of locking eyes with you and gazing at you with an expression of pure love. He was extremely playful as a kitten and was known to do flips on the bed.

My husband and older son gave him the name Ishi following an archery class in 2008 where they learned that Ishi was the last known member of the Native American Yahi people from the present-day state of California. When they returned home from their class, they decidedly announced that his name would be “Ishi.” Prior to that, his name had been Raphael after one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a name given to him by his foster mom.

In his prime, he weighed 18 pounds. He was a mackerel tabby with distinctive stripes that ran perpendicular to his spine and lined his legs. This tiger-stripe pattern was dubbed “mackerel” because of the stripes coming off the spine resembling a fish skeleton.

He is giving me his silent meow here.

Do you see the “M” above his eyes? This marking sets tabbies apart from other cats.

Farewell my handsome kitty. You were greatly loved and will be deeply missed.

I love the faux wrap dress! This kind of dress looks like a regular wrap dress, except that it already comes fastened together with no opening in the front. You just simply slip it over your head and you’re dressed and ready to go!

Another reason I love this dress is that it’s timeless and appropriate for any age group. You can be conservative and choose a long-sleeve and knee-length hemline like mine, or you can be adventurous and choose a sleeveless style and shorter hem length on date night.  Pet alert: there are two photobombs in this pic. It was actually quite challenging to take pictures with Mabel as she kept coming in to check things out. And of course, her tail is like a huge dust mop. This dress can go from office attire to wedding chic. It can be dressed up with heels and feminine jewelry or worn with a denim jacket and booties. And it can be worn all year round with sandals in the summer.

The little black dress that I featured here is also a faux wrap dress.

What I’m wearing:

Dress:  Ann Klein

Shoes:  Rockport Total Motion Pumps

Necklace:  Old wedding ring on a simple gold chain

Mabel says: “If the cat can be on the bed, I can, too…Mom. No dog house for me.”

Stay warm and see you soon.

“I must go in, for the fog is rising” (Emily Dickinson’s last words)

I was on “top of the world” yesterday in spite of the dreary, dismal and depressing weather. The location of this area is one of my favorite secret spots that I posted about earlier this year here and this location truly speaks to me. The fog was tangibly thick and seemingly oppressive; however, it can also be beautiful and inspiring.  It inspired me to dig out my sweaters, scarfs and boots that had fog-blending colors of gray, brown, beige and black; with just a surprise pop of color here and there.

I am wearing a beige cowl neck sweater by “eight eight eight,” and it’s 100% cotton. It’s paired with my “Sound/style” pull on leggings that contain 62% cotton, 35% polyester, and 3% spandex. And my moto jacket, which I have worn many times, is timeless and seasonless.This gray silk scarf can be worn as a shawl, also. My gray leggings are by Calvin Klein Jeans and I am wearing them with my cognac brown riding boots by Kork Ease.My boots have zippers on the inside of the shaft, too. They are super comfortable. My kitty slept through the entire photo session as she’s only into white boots.The surprise pop of color here and there with my Giani Bernini red pumps. These are Lee jeans, slim fit, skinny leg, and mid rise.

Mabel loves this weather and I promised to take her to the “top of the world” with me the next time.

Golden marrow, hollow snares, yellow eyes and sunken stares,

Pretty once and kindly glares follow me through fallen hairs.

Never stop and never bare, the road unearthed and cold its lair

plod along its weary course ; forbear the load; do not despair (Sarah Connor)

Winter has officially begun and the “dead of winter” will be upon us soon. However, we have many reasons to enjoy this time of year and to appreciate what this season has to offer. Okay, give me a minute–I’m thinking…  Just kidding. One of the things I like to do is watch a scary movie as they can be an “appealing distraction” to being stuck inside on a cold winter’s day.  This link www.ihorror.com/7-classic-horror-films-cold-winters-night  provides “seven top picks of awesome horror films for those endless winter nights.”

According to this link, www.huffpost.com/entry/anxiety-love-watching-horror-movies, instead of causing anxiety, watching a scary movie can actually help alleviate anxiety as it can make people focus their worry on something completely unrelated to it.

So you may wonder what all of this has to do with fashion. A lot of women love the winter months as it gives them a chance to wear their favorite sweaters, boots and scarves. For me, it’s about leggings, booties, cardigans and wool blend skirts. Oh, and the little black dress.

Visiting charming country inns is another great way to break up winter’s monotony. This is the warm and inviting entrance room at the Chesterfield Inn in Chesterfield, NH, which I had the opportunity to stay at a couple of weekends ago with my husband (www.chesterfieldinn.com). I highly recommend this inn to anyone looking for a luxurious romantic getaway that includes a gourmet breakfast. The inn also serves a sumptuous candlelight dinner in their dining room. And if you want to bring your dog, they have pet friendly rooms, too. (Next time Mabel, I promise.)And bon fires. They are the perfect “distraction” to winter doldrums.Stay tuned for more winter fashion next year!

(Livin’ Large by Euge Groove. Please play song while reading post)

Send me to the moon and higher, see your works as they transpire

Take me to the heavens Father, let me take a trip with you.

Have your sacred angel guide me, bring me to my hearts desire

Divine your words are faithful and true.

Bring me to my knees O Father let me see your glory’s fire

Let your light shine down as morning dew.  (by Sarah Connor)

Today marks the longest night of the year and the shortest day, Saturday, December 21, 2019. While likening this journey as a trip into the dark depths of the abyss, I am also using this theme for my fashion post. From darkness to light; from my little black dress to my free-spirited ivory one, from black shoes to creamy white ones. Do we need darkness to appreciate the light? I appreciate both as depicted here:

Darkness

Light:

The sunset took place at 4:15 p.m. today and will set at 4:16 p.m. tomorrow, 12/22/19. Needless to say, I may be celebrating the entire weekend.

As you may know, I did a previous post on “the little black dress” here and particularly liked the classic black faux wrap dress. The dress I am wearing is very similar and is by Norma Kamali with the fabric containing 6% spandex. It’s stretchy and very comfortable. It was thrifted for $28.

My off-white dress is something I have worn before and appeared in Fashion for a Full Moon. It’s by xhilaration (which it makes me feel) and is described as a crocheted maxi party dress, perfect for winter solstice festivities, pagan or otherwise. 

Today, there is continuous darkness or twilight around the pole and the abyss seems close at hand. But I thank God for providing us with longer days ahead and the hope that it brings. I hope you enjoy this time with your family and loved ones as we prepare for the bright coming year.

PS:  I hope you liked the music. The song “Livin’ Large” by Euge Groove inspired my poem and makes me want to dance like my life depended on it.

I have been reading about how corduroy pants are back in style. Well, they are a classic and have never gone out of style. I was at J.C. Penney the other day and found these high-waisted corduroy pants that I fell in love with and was completely “wrecked.” I have been searching for high-waisted pants and wasn’t expecting to see these beautiful pair of cords staring at me saying “try me on.” The color is called “bronze wave” and they are a.n.a. brand, wide leg corduroys. What do you think of them with the navy checkered shirt? Personally, I think it’s the best combination.I am wearing these cords with a cream-colored blouse. I really think these pants can be worn with many different colors including sage green, brown, black and navy. This is a short post as I have to get back to my homemade chicken noodle soup. My husband has a cold and he said “it’s just what the doctor ordered.” My mom told me there’s something about chicken noodle soup that is “healing.” We need a lot of healing on these cold winter nights.There is a little black dress arriving for me soon for my upcoming weekend getaway and I cannot wait to share it with you. In the meantime, stay warm and enjoy your week.

In Search of the Perfect Little Black Dress

The dress above looks dark brown but it’s actually black in my pencil sketch. The woman in this drawing looks frustrated and forlorn in her search for the “perfect black dress.” But I love what she is wearing as we see a subtle glimpse of her silhouette in a bodycon-style dress. A bodycon dress gently traces feminine curves and does not fit snug like a glove. It’s a well-tailored garment that looks classy and elegant regardless of age and body shape. According to this article, how to wear a bodycon dress for over 40s, “anyone of any age can rock a bodycon dress if they want to.” This article shares tips on how to pull off this chic style with confidence.

The little black dress (LBD) is defined as an evening or cocktail dress and is typically short (not maxi length) with a simple cut.

Did you know that the origins of the LBD can be traced back to the 1920s designs of Coco Chanel and Jean Patou. French fashion is timeless and versatile, and holds appeal to the widest market due to its neutral colors. As you know, I did a post on this very subject in The French Dressed Woman.

This link delves into the history of the LBD and its global allure wardrobeshop.com history of the little black dress. “More than just a dress, the concept of the ‘Little Black Dress’ inspires confidence in women everywhere and will surely live on for centuries to come.”

Since I do not currently have a lot of little black dresses in my wardrobe, I am re-posting some black dresses I have previously worn here:

And here:

“Femme Fatales” frequently wore black dresses to symbolize their “mysterious allure.”

Here are some ideas for the perfect little black dress that caught my eye:

Weargirls.com black off-the-shoulder sasha fishtail wiggle dress:

Uniqistic.com elegant v-neck little black dress:

Unique-vintage.com black keyhole mesh detail wiggle dress:

Unique-vintage.com 1960s style black wiggle dress:

Macys.com Karen Kane three quarter sleeve faux wrap dress:

This is the dress I was going to wear to a wedding a few months ago, but it was a little snug (okay, tight). It seems to fit a little better now and the shawl adds an elegant cover for my shoulders. I will try to show you the dress in better lighting in a future post with my Canon camera. The brand is Betsey Johnson and can be seen here in navy. While I love this dress, I am in search of a long-sleeve or three-quarter sleeve black dress similar to the faux wrap dress above.

I hope everyone has a good week and stay tuned for more on the little black dress…Mabel’s first snowstorm.