Thursday, March 20, 2014

Spring, In Which Wendy Orders Two Dresses, asks the time-honoured question: WWSW? and thinks big thoughts about the universe


"March is a month of considerable frustration - it is so near spring and yet across a great deal of the country the weather is still so violent and changeable that outdoor activity in our yards seems light years away."
-  Thalassa Cruso 

Thalassa Baby, you said a mouthful...

It's spring somewhere, but sure as hell not here.  Here we are having another snow storm this morning even as I write this.... 

Oh Lord...

ON THE OTHER HAND...

IT IS SPRING!

and I am a preternaturally optimistic individual and so can it be very long before we are looking at this again?



Well maybe about 3 months, but if you are avidly watching the updated version of Cosmos these days, hosted by the wonderful Neil deGrasse Tyson, whose brain is much bigger than mine, you know that 3 months is nothing on the old cosmic calendar.  Yup, my flowers will be coming back soon enough.

And speaking of the cosmos, I read with great interest this week about the significant discovery by astrophysicists of gravitational waves.  You can ask me to speak more on this but I won't, cause I literally can't.  I am waiting for Neil deGrasse Tyson or CBC's Bob MacDonald to dumb it down for me.


The BICEP2 telescope looks at polarization of light from 380,000 years after the Big Bang.
that's not a telescope mate, this is a telescope...

Of course the general public has to trust these folks on this, since 99.9% of us don't have a clue about it all, and I noted with no surprise that the creationists were out quite quickly to debunk the whole thing. 

I'm not starting that debate here, as frankly this is a sweet little blog hosted by a sweet little person and I don't care to do that.  Suffice to say, you can guess which camp I am in.

Apparently, these gravitational waves point to multiple dimensions of time and that makes me hopeful, since in one of those dimensions, it might not be snowing and I might be 20 pounds lighter.

However impressive gravitational waves are and what they probably prove, the big bang has never been a big deal for me.  It's what preceded that big bang that has always got me humming. 

Wendy abhors a vacuum and if I was there, I would have had to make something out of nothing too, if only to break the silence and get the party started.  I find it imminently comforting to know that the universe is expanding, as it explains a lot to me and points me in the direction of some great intergalactic dance party at some future date.  Yes, for those keeping track, I am a fan of Star Trek.  However, I am not going out there till they clean up all the space junk and think I will pass if George C asks me for a date to the space station...

In keeping with this Virginia-esque stream of consciousness post, I flit now to what one must do when one is faced with a) a blizzard on the first day of spring and b) the reality that gravitational waves are probably the culprit of my expanding waistline and NOT my love of bread: One must find a spring dress.

As you know, I have been looking around and trying to be very picky about purchases, from both a sartorial and financial perspective.  This seems especially wise to me now that I know I may be wearing the same thing in multiple dimensions at the same time. 

I am still musing on the sandals, though they followed me to a poetry site this morning.  Now it's just getting creepy, but perhaps they are in multiple universes as well and are just trying to break through to me?  My god, could this be some kind of cosmic test that requires me to rescue them and bring them home to Earth? 


Offset Sandals, stay where you are!  I'm coming for you!

Anyhoo, back to the shopping... So I have been watching for an eyelet dress, since for me, spring and summer is eyelet weather.  The eyelet dress had to be simple, because spring/summer 2014 is being ruled by one question and one question alone: WWSW?

WHAT WOULD SOFIA WEAR?



Sofia favours simple looks, with some embellishments and pizazz here are there, and I am happy to report I have seen her in feathers, so she has some camp as well, so she is my perfect muse...




So as I have planned and thought and planned, I have cottoned on to simple lines and a simple colour palette for spring/summer, with the odd mad dash of colour so I can be happy.  Gigi summed it all up for me in her comments about yesterday's post when she said she has to avoid looking mumsy.  I resembled that remark, so Sofia it is!

J Crew had their big March rollout and I actually saw a few things I liked.  This was a pleasant surprise.  I have not sworn of the crew - in fact, I ordered a couple of tshirts recently to restock ones that had bitten the dust, but really, I have discovered that I can no longer afford to be trendy, psychically or financially.  (I think I will get that made into a bumper sticker, what do you think?)

And lo and behold, there were a couple of eyelet dresses that caught my eye and which had potential to work on my body.

The seersucker eyelet shift dress in bungalow blue.  (which bungalow?)

Seersucker eyelet shift dress



And the eyelet shirtdress in white:

Eyelet shirtdress


I ordered both with an eye to keeping one or none.  We will see.  Because as you know, it only stays now if a) I love it b) it's flattering c) I actually have a place to wear it.

right now, these dresses are fine for c), but the other two questions can only be answered in person.

I did throw the linen ribbed knit sweater in as a ride-along, and am hopeful about it as well, as a previous version is un-wearable this year after many years of good service.


I will keep you posted on how this all works out and I am also waiting to see the prices of Emerson Fry's roll-out next week.  There are a couple of pieces that may round out my spring-summer wardrobe:

this sweater:



or this dress if the eyelet above doesn't work:


But that is for another day...

Meanwhile, I have procrastinated enough this morning to try and avoid writing, so I will take the walk of shame back to my office now.

And finally, thanks for the nice wishes for my son!  It was a successful day for him, I believe, and a happy one, which is all one can hope for one's birthday, isn't it?

His major present:

Photo: Forrest  got a tattoo look


Once a Tolkien fan, always a Tolkien fan!

Hope you had fun rolling along with me this morning!  Have a great day and stay safe out there!

36 comments:

  1. Love love love Mr Tyson. I quite like not knowing what is going on sometimes. I also adore. I hate vacuums, the sounds the make, the action. I don't do it - in fact that was the reason I had to get a cleaner was purely to vacuum. If I had a choice i would have only wipeable floors but Mr CSW is a traditional Brit so he thinks it crazy to not have carpeted bedrooms...I love him anyway.

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    1. Naomi, I put carpets back the bedrooms after 30 years without, I really love the comfort and warmth of it but the wooden floors were so so much easier.
      Wendy, love the white dress at the end, perfection.

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    2. You two are cracking me up! I meant a vacuum in space! You put a whole different spin on it!

      hee hee! Hate a real-life vacuum!

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    3. LOL, I got confused for a moment when Naomi started talking about vacuums, as the ones you use for cleaning! ....Which reminds me, whenever someone says something is "chemical free", I turn around and say, whatever that something is, it must be a container with a vacuum inside.

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    4. Yeah - sure I knew what you meant! ( Not) ;P

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    5. now rereading it - I did think it was kinda odd mentioning vacuums along with the universe expanding but I thought it was part of the stream of consciousness...

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    6. Hey dude I spent 4 months studying astrophysics, I got it but was buffing off Naomi. Only 4 months because .... I did not get astrophysics!

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    7. okay now you are making me giggle out loud you two!

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  2. Love the stream-of-conciousness post! The weather here in TO is not much better, but it does seem to be slightly warmer than it was a couple weeks ago - or perhaps that is just wishful thinking! I broke down yesterday and ordered the eyelet midi skirt from J. Crew. I have always wanted an A-line eyelet skirt, fingers crossed it works out. Looking forward to your reviews of the 2 dresses. I also want to wear more dresses this spring/summer. That's quite the tattoo your son got for himself!! Love Tolkien!

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    1. It looks like January, not end of March here, so I am not hopeful of even seeing crocuses till the end of April at the earliest!

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  3. I do like that V neck white dress, a lot-- not sure we have Emerson Fry here?

    That is quite the tattoo, although I must admit I just don't like tattoos in general, the medical part of me. So glad he is safe on his second day of being 19!

    I loved the old Cosmos so must check this out, not sure what network this is on. Also, I'm in your camp...

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    1. Emerson Fry is out of Portsmouth, but I don't think they have a storefront there! I should check!

      I don't care for tattoos either!

      Oddly enough, I think the updates cosmos was on fox. If you google updates cosmos you find the web page and I bet you can catch the first two episodes online. I was a huge Carl Sagan fan and am enjoying this as well!

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    2. Why is it odd that the show is on fox?

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    3. oh just because the original was on PBS. I actually like that it's on Fox - might mean more viewers!

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  4. I love that your are channeling Sophia. It is fun to have a style muse to inspire you. I adore Michelle Obama for her great style, but I'm really more of a Jennifer Anniston dresser-California casual as it were. The Emerson dress is one top of my list. I've already called for measurements and the medium will be headed my way as long as the price does not make my jaw drop. The lovely gal who answered the phone told me it was stunning in person and the fabric was gorgeous - no slip required. Maybe we will be twins ;-)

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    1. Ha! Okay - I should call for the measurements, too! I may order it as well and then choose amongst the three of them! I suspect I would have to get mine shortened though!

      Ah California Chic - I wouldn't freeze if I tried that here except in July!

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    2. Speaking of slips--I was in Victoria's Secret yesterday and asked whether they had any half-slips. The girl literally did.not.know.what I was talking about.

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  5. It is a beautiful spring day today. It's coming your way, I promise. They are forecasting possible snow next Tuesday but I just say "f*&k it." Even the plants and insects have given Mother Nature the bird. I too love the EF dress but do hope one of the JC dresses works out for you. Emily wants to get a tattoo (NO!!!) but has not landed on exactly what (Thank God!!!). I wince every time she brings it up but Hunter says whenever she wants they will go together, he's always wanted a tattoo. She jokes she wants something meaningful, that is really important to her...so she's thinking of getting the word "Food". Sigh.

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    1. She should meet Forrest. I tried to get him to put my picture on himself, but he begged off...

      I hope your weather does come our way - we deserve it after this winter!

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  6. Those dresses both seem very "you"! I love them both. Tried on the sleeveless one and wanted to love it but the pockets were placed a bit low and made my hips look wide. The seersucker is excellent, though. I may try it on again another day and talk myself into it :) The black ribbon at the back neckline closure offsets the sweetness of the dress. I love the looks of that other dress too, but have not seen it in person. Please report back, I'd love to hear a review of it.
    Now it is absolutely time for your snow to go away, this is ridiculous! Ours has melted but the weather is not nice either, but I'll take it over snow at this point.
    Can I comment on the drop crotch pants on the model wearing the white sweater, or would that be rude? lol

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    1. I am with you on drop crotch pants - do not get them!!!!! Can't wait to try them on and if they don't work, will try the emerson fry, though I think I would need to have it hemmed by 6 inches or so! The joys of being short!

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  7. Pretty pieces! Sophia is an excellent role model. That's a great tattoo but I can only think ouch!!

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  8. Is that Gandalf?!!! I didn't know your boy was a Tolkien fan just like me and my rascals.
    So much in this post... my son understands all of that physics stuff and he loves to talk about it, I find he's good at explaining things even if I am dense. Love your dress picks and this new tagline WWSW is such a good one!

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    1. it sure is! He and I are huge Tolkien fans! Sydney doesn't love the books but he and I sure do and we are also Game of Thrones people! I used to understand more physics and I always read about it when I see it as I think it is so interesting! So much magic in the universe! The WWSW could serve me well!

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  9. Lovely dress picks, Wendy. I'm glad you haven't sworn off J.Crew completely. ;) That first one would look great with cardigans too. The Factory also rolled out a very pretty white dress with scalloped lace trim that you should take a peek at.

    I've been watching Cosmos too, and I also tried to assimilate the new discovery but gave up beyond the part where a comparison was made between the universe and a bowl of jello. Jello I understand. Now I'm just waiting for spring. And waiting. And waiting. Wondering how many more roll-outs J.Crew will do before I can actually wear something I buy.

    Thanks for another entertaining post. I've fallen behind on blog reading so I'm off to catch-up now!

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    1. Hi ABC! Loved your picks this morning! You have the eye! I was looking at those oxofords that you posted as I am almost into sensible shoes full time! I wonder if they would be comfy? the monksstrap ones I bought last fall weren't and ended up being returned, but since these one tie, they might be the ticket! Do you think Sofia would wear them? ;-)

      I loved the jello analogy too!

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  10. Sophia?
    I think maybe Anne Heche, only with red hair.

    Anyway, our bird friends from last summer are back on the terrace, we're now doing 2 desperate windy & cold days followed by one sorta nice partly sunny day, repeat, repeat, repeat, hate it, but the birds have their own timetable. I wish I were on it.

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    1. oh you are making me hopeful Fred! I cannot believe that in 6 weeks I could have hummers again! Anne Heche? Hmm not familiar with her at all or her style - will have to look it up!

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  11. It is all so creepy the way your searches follow you all over the Internet. The very first time it happened I was struck by the coincidence until I realized that of course it was not. Your son is quite brave. It would be so hard for me to commit to wearing something forever when I can't decide what to wear tomorrow ! I love that you are preternaturally optimistic as it is such a great quality!

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    1. He was sore last night teacups! I'm with you, plus the whole idea of it horrifies me!!! I keep telling myself it's all going to work out!

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  12. I want those offset sandals but I wonder if they're comfortable for walking? Wouldn't want to twist my ankle!

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    1. They are about 3 inches high and the platform reduces the heel height to 3/4 of inch, so I think they would be okay, but I'd really need to try them to be sure!

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    2. Hi! I came back to let you know I ordered these and I love them. They are solid, not wobbly, and easy and comfortable for walking. I even jogged across a changing crosswalk light and didn't feel unstable with the short jog/jaunt. The leather is so soft. The height is fun. My middle aged feet don't feel like they're in heels and I love having some height without the painful foot-angle of wearing a high heel.

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