This was the cover image (created by me through the magic of Photoshop) for my 2016 chapbook, Richeldis of Walsingham. I'd superimposed a photo of a Walsingham seal that hangs on our dining-room wall with a photo I'd taken in the ruins there, years before. The image seems apposite for the day, when virtually, at least, having walked 120+ purposeful, prayerful miles in Lent, I'm there.
As part of my Holy Week "retreat" in virtual Walsingham, I plan to watch some Masses and meditations via Walsingham Catholic TV. At yesterday's Mass in the Slipper Chapel, the priest was urging everyone to go to Confession, which is my main plan today. The line will be out the door, but then that's what I get for waiting this late. I shall have to bear the waiting with something like virtue. I do also plan to get there half an hour early.
Otherwise, I want to try to knock out another Sun essay or two today, in addition to walking that I'm still going to do . . . let's just say I'm making the circuit of Walsingham to pray the rosary.
It's quite warm again, with a high in the mid-80sF. We've had a little morning fog, but it's burning off now, and the day promises to be fair and summery.
Wearing today, very Team Basic with wet hair:
Here's Willow, in her first April outing. The sleeves may get a little warm by the end of the day, but it's a good day for testing her summer-worthiness. A lot of things count in her favor: the shorter length, the breezy swing style that allows for a lot of air flow, the open v-neckline. Now, I realized once I'd put her on that I'll need to pop on a skirt to go into my parish church for Confession, because they give you the big side-eye if you show too much leg. This is the parish where one of my daughters was threatened with being denied Communion because her skirts were too short, as judged by the pastor, which is why we don't regularly attend Mass in that parish anymore. But the same pastor is an excellent confessor, so although I really have to make myself go, because I'm enduringly not happy about equating dress-code violations with obdurate mortal sin, I am generally glad when I have gone to him (I've dealt with my anger about that whole situation in confession to somebody else . . .).
I'd like to find another regular confessor, but nobody has really come into my way yet, so when I go, which isn't nearly regularly enough, because see above, I do go to him --- because it's my parish, and there it is, and you know you're going to be behind the screen and it's not going to be weird in any way, which has not always been my experience when I've taken pot luck in other parishes.
But for walking, writing, being home generally, this dress is truly fine. And it's easy enough to pop on a skirt for a little while.
I have to say that of all the Wool& dresses I currently own --- six dresses, with a skirt on order for the end of this month --- Willow is probably my least versatile dress. I won't say least favorite, because I like this dress fine and wear her a lot, but of all my dresses, this is the one I'd be least likely to include in a travel capsule, for situations where I'd be dressing up and down from day to day and event to event. This is a great casual dress. And she works well year-round, with layers or without. She also does pretty well as a tunic, thanks to her shorter length, or as a top tucked into a skirt.
I'm really glad to have her, but of all the styles I currently own --- Audrey, Camellia, Fiona, Maggie, Sierra, Willow --- this would be the style I'm least likely to buy again. Not that I don't like it. It's just that I think one is enough. Partly it's the length: the Willow really does seem to run shorter than other swing styles, which means that I always have to adapt this dress if I'm going to church. While I don't subscribe to my home parish's posted modesty rules, and strenuously object to having them applied as measures for reading the state of teenaged girls' souls from across the room, I do have my own boundaries of appropriateness for Mass. For that reason I'd thought about ordering a long size instead of a regular, but I really think that that would have been too much fabric. I love my medium-long Maggie, although I've had my periodic doubts about the amount of fabric in that dress, but that dress is cut a little more slimly than the Willow, and I really think a long would have looked like a tent. So while I like this dress and wear her a lot, these are my reservations --- in case they're useful to anyone. Nothing like an ongoing review, as you live with something over time.
On the other hand, I adore this color, which is so fresh and cool. It also shows every tiny spot, but oh well. Thanks to the beautiful pale color, Willow has quickly become my most-washed dress, with black-heather Audrey and my redyed royal-blue Camellia tied for least-washed.
Since you're wondering, I'd be most likely to repeat either Camellia, Maggie, or Sierra. The cobalt Sierra coming soon is calling my name in a serious way, although honestly . . . do I need another dress of any kind any time soon? And if I did, would it be a Sierra, given that the main thing I have on this summer, for which I would be most inclined to buy a new dress, is in Houston, where it will be swampy hot? I have worn my original gray Sierra through a hot summer, but I'm not sure I'd choose a new one for that particular time and place. The new Aegean teal Maggie kind of calls my name, too, in that regard . . . I don't think I can wear emerald green, but I think I could probably wear this teal pretty well, and I adore my marine-blue Maggie, which probably wins as the most versatile dress in my closet, in terms of dressing up or down, especially in hot weather. That Maggie was my least-worn dress in March really doesn't mean much, except that a) we had a good bit of cold weather, and b) I was wearing purple for Lent. She will quickly catch up in wearings as the spring lengthens into summer.
At any rate, I have no active plans for acquiring another dress. Liking, wanting, being tempted does not equal acting on those impulses. I need to wait and see how my new Francis skirt, which is due to ship April 28th, I think, fits into my overall scheme, and just how much more versatility it adds. I do look forward to wearing various tops that I know I won't want to layer over dresses in the hot weather. Assuming the skirt fits and is flattering, it will potentially move all kinds of things from the "languishing in the closet" category to the "active wear" category. And honestly, it should be enough --- though of course should is a perilous word. Many things in this world should be, and aren't. But I think I need to take things slowly, remember and be grateful for what I have, and give any new piece a chance to earn its place before I consider another.
On the other hand, I have solved my ongoing concert-black situation by buying another very cheap (as in $15) Piko bamboo long-sleeved swing dress on Poshmark. For the Eucharistic Congress, which is chiefly when I'd be required to wear concert black, I could just wear my Audrey all day with my light cardigan of choice, then pop this swing dress over the top (taking the cardigan off first and stowing it in my purse). I don't think the dark-charcoal bottom of the maxi dress would stand out too much, especially if I'm on a back row behind the sopranos, where Gianfranco tends to like to put the altos. I can roll the dress up in my purse and just put it on at the last minute, which is perfect: I wouldn't have to wear black all day. Long sleeves will give me enough coverage that I won't need a cardigan or other top layer. Down the road I could potentially find a cheap black skirt to wear, too, because I know, having owned several of the same model, that this swing dress will be kind of short. Still, this plan will serve me for now. Anyway, that's my solution, which I went for because I was thinking about it. I'd been thinking I might try to pick up a black Maggie secondhand, but even used, a Wool& dress is going to be way more expensive than my need or desire to wear black warrants.
So, that's done. Another thing I now don't have to think about.
Overall, these feel like really not very Holy-Week thoughts, but it's good to get them out of my system. In just a few minutes I'll de-crate Dora --- who comes out of her crate every morning like an explosion of enthusiasm, which is always cheering. For all her quirks, if ever there were someone glad to see you (once she knows you and understands that you're not a threat), that someone is Dora. Here, meanwhile, in a photo from Sunday afternoon, she sunbathes in the yard while I read in my lawn chair:
I hope we'll do some of this today. It's a thing we both enjoy.
LATER:
Dressed for queueing in church. This is sort of a dry run for Easter, because I plan to wear this skirt. I might actually wear Willow with it, since the colors are nice together --- my other option would be Maggie.
It'll be kind of cold, so I'll welcome the layers, especially for standing around the Easter fire outside. I will wear different shoes and at least a cardigan, if not a coat. But the fresh springy color of this dress --- even though I've been wearing it for Lent --- makes it a strong contender for the Vigil. I'd love to be all garden-party, but when it's going to be in the high 40s . . . nah. Not so much. Floral, yes. But I have all Eastertide for garden-party looks.
Anyway, off to Confession, and hoping the line's not monstrous.
LATER:
The line wasn't too bad, even though I was hardly alone in the "left it till Holy Week" club.
When I came home, I tried some variations on a look with that skirt --- not wearing a Wool& item, though still including wool.
Here's this tank I bought on Poshmark in January, which I've worn some as a warm underlayer in cold weather, but look forward to wearing on its own in the spring and summer. It's a merino/silk/cashmere blend, and very soft and light. I love the fit --- it can be tucked in, but I think it's fairly flattering worn like this.
Here it is with a long cardigan:
Weirdly, because usually I love the long line of these duster cardigans, this seems to obscure the cut of the top in a way that makes it look less flattering than it looks on its own. Might have to tuck it in to wear it with a top layer.
And here's Willow, popped back on again and tried as a tunic over this skirt, before I took it off:
Definitely granola, but I don't hate it. I won't do this for Easter, but sometime, maybe?
Now going to join my husband in St. Mary Mead, England's Deadliest Village.