Practice: What I Wore

It reached into the 40s today, so I pulled out an old lace dress from H&M. I remember when I first got it, probably a year ago. I wore it every day for two weeks. Now I'm not sure if it's right for me.

I'm not sure what's quite right for me anymore.

I enjoyed using my vinyl as a prop. My whole apartment looks like a college dorm. That Guns n' Roses record I've been carrying around for 27 years. I have records older than you.

Practice: Pleather and Prayer

Well, today I wore pleather. I wear pleather everyday in some form. The older I get the more pleather I need. And leather. Tomorrow I'm wearing a leather skirt. And striped tights. And a boat-necked 3/4-sleeved tee.

I also have a new book. That there Detroit Rock City's an oral history. I'm starting an oral history project this summer.

I haven't been meditating. Getting back to it tonight. But I've been trying to stop and make a zen prayer before going to sleep and before leaving my bed every morning. I'm trying to channel some of the best people I've ever met in my life by doing this.

I also drank coffee today at Box Kite Cafe. It's a beautiful place, perfect for mourning the season's lost hour.

I announce coffee drinking with some self-consciousness, being raised Mormon. I still wonder why Mormons are allowed to drink caffeinated sodas like Coke, yet are banned from coffee, which has proven health benefits, unlike Coke. Anyone? I really want to know.

Mo

moses loves that his birthday falls in the luckiest of lucky charms months.  green is his favorite color.

Moses turned nine this week.  Here are two things about him:

more shamrock-themed birthday times.

1) Three weeks ago, he discontinued kissing me on the lips.  Some of you will be relieved to hear this.  He at first cloaked it in the excuse that he didn't "want to make me sick," but it was pretty obvious that he's finally figured out that kissing your mom good-bye isn't super cool.  I realize it's time for him to move on, but I can't help feel a bit sad.

lucky rainbow sans pot o' gold.

2)  When he was born, i was convinced he would be dark haired and olive-skinned.  i don't know why. when i first saw his blonde hair and blue eyes,  i think i said something like, "wow, he looks like brad pitt!"  

he's a handsome little dude, and looks almost identical to his father.

how to shop at d.i.--overheard

sorry for the blur, but this was the best shot of the coat.  this is one of my best thrifted items ever--a '70's era tomato red rain coat from the d.i. in downtown salt lake.  i bought it last summer, and today was the first time i've worn it.  in utah, we tend to go from cotton dresses to down parkas with not much in between.

at the hair salon the other day, i listened to a client and a stylist chatting about thrifting and house-flipping (apparently, one does a lot of thrifting when one is a house flipper.)

1) the d.i. (short for deseret industries, the thrift store owned by the mormon church, with a chain of locations) in american fork, utah still has old-school d.i. prices while the provo d.i. has jacked their prices way up.  in fact, you could easily buy new items at F21, h&m, or target for the same prices or less.  

(this doesn't account for the environmental or human rights costs of that cheap clothing--i'm not editorializing here, just reporting what i overheard at relik, the hair salon in american fork (a.f. to locals.))

2) check the dates on the price tags at d.i. if an item has been in the store for more than two weeks, the manager will discount the item for you.  if, that is, you are nervy enough to negotiate on prices, which i rarely am.

3) d.i. in sugarhouse, a neighborhood in salt lake city, reportedly has the best merchandise.

i've found some great things at second-hand stores, but i'm not one of those super-thrifters (unlike ALL of my four daughters).  but here's one of my favorite thrifting tips:  if the best thing about an item is the price, don't buy it.

if you're a super-thrifter, what's your favorite thrift tip?

p.s.--i requested julie to do a "what i wore" column on this blog.  since she has the raddest style of ANYONE i know, i'd love more details on what she wears and how she shops and puts her looks together, her inspirations, etc.  did you know she was once a fashion merchandising major, before she caught the writing bug?

Practice: Out Of--PLUS What I Wear (Almost) EVERYday

This is from H&M. Zipper back. Fake tweed. It's just polyester with a tweed surface treatment. No big deal.

Well, my lovely co-blogger gave me some blogging tips. One of them led me to this photograph. I think on this blog I'm only going to put on my Facebook.

Would you like to see the top half of my winter uniform?

I was heartened to see peplums on the Oscars' red carpet last night (JLaw, yo!), because it made me feel like my peplum top, bought last winter is perhaps not so tired. A relief!--as I literally wear it almost everyday to work with skinny cord jeans and sometimes my hideous, crusty snow boots, when apropos (sic?).

It does not feel like spring will ever come to NYC.

So my practice continues into March. I'm trying to get a meditation habit going. I was up to seven minutes, but I've gone so many days without practicing, I feel like I almost need to start over.