Black-eyed Susans, the face of late summer. And boy, does it feel like it: overcast today and not so objectively hot, but sauna-like all the same. I walked Dora in the dress I'll picture below, and while it was as cool as anything could have been, the whole experience was steamy.
This is a quickie, because I have a phone meeting this morning, then am jumping in the car to drive to Virginia for a book-group talk and reading tonight. Wearing today, for all these events, as well as for my July 4/3 Challenge:
My Wool& Maggie swing dress, in marine blue, in a medium long size. I haven't worn Maggie in quite a while, largely because I've been focused on wearing non-swing-dress items, as well as trying to keep this dress in good shape through the summer and into the fall. I'm not wearing her as hard as I'd wear a challenge dress.
I'm still thinking that in sizing for this dress, I fall between a medium and a small. I like the length a lot, especially as it lends itself to belts without making the dress significantly shorter. There's not too much fabric here, but there's just enough that I think a half-size down would probably have been perfect. I'm not sure an actual small would have had enough fabric through the hips --- a problem lots of pear-shaped people seem to encounter with these dresses.
Anyway, I still love her. The color is luminous. She's airy and comfortable. She will take me into the fall and winter in great style --- can't wait to wear her with boots, cardigans and pullovers. She'll polish up nicely for this conference I'm going to at the turn of the seasons.
AND she'll do me well for meeting, driving, dining, and presenting: just the right note of polish without trying too hard. This is an overnight trip, so I've thrown my Camellia into my pack for sleeping and my Sierra for tomorrow. Having done all my non-swing-dress slots for this last full week of my wardrobe challenge, I'm looking forward to reveling in my comfortable default mode for the next few days.
Did get about two inches cut off my hair yesterday, and it's feeling much better, though VERY humidified this morning, even with some gel. I washed and conditioned it last night, slept with it in my t-shirt turban thing, then took it down and spritzed it with water and gel emulsified in a spray bottle. Not quite as effective as raking gel through right when I wash it, but some hold, at any rate. And it does feel good to have taken off some weight and dead ends after months of grow-out.
And we're off for the day.
LATER:
Post-meeting, just about packed for the road, waiting for some final things to print out.
I decided to go with a belt, and also my red Mary Janes, because I really must stop being so precious about these new clothing items.
Very humid hair, but I do like this overall.
Red shoes make me CONFIDENT. And they're no end of fun.