The SC and Daniel set off on another adventure, and landed at Confluence Park HERE , an urban “playground” in Denver’s lower downtown area. My ensemble for the day featured polka dots, which made our time together playful and lighthearted.
I’ve found that outfit choices have the ability to change or set a mood. Polka dots have the uncanny power to lift spirits, with their repetitive dots displayed on a background of a range of colors and in this case, white on black accompanied by white on red.
My white cropped pants have made frequent appearances this summer, as I continue my exploration of white as a wardrobe staple.
The estate sale black vintage straw headpiece by Schiaparelli has appeared at two parties this summer. There is no question that it will permanently reside in the hat room!
Curtise of The Secondhand Years HERE asked the question in her comment on Hat Attack last week regarding my process of downsizing hats. Decisions are difficult, as there have been many examples of hats having been in my collection for years and unworn. Suddenly I develop a love for a chapeau, and wear it frequently for a season. This speaks to changing tastes and unknown factors that I can’t explain.
Valerie of the Idiosyncratic Fashionistas HERE, who has a beautifully mischievous sense of humor, has mentioned that downsizing a hat is like giving away one of your children, and I resonate with that concept. Serious consideration must be taken here. But realistically, adding hats at this point means making choices about which beauty can go to the rack in the basement, and off to another life with someone else. If I’m not here, will my hats be orphans?
I don’t find this internal discussion to be morbid, but rather a function of living fully. To be aware of the impermanence of life facilitates my focus on creativity, and to write about it as part of aging gives me freedom. Our culture does not appear to encourage and approve of such musings. All the more reason to do so!
On another note, I discovered this polka dot tunic at my yoga studio’s boutique and I quickly surrendered to temptation. The diaphanous fabric attached to an opaque slip with bows at the wrist walked out the door with me without a second thought.
Estate sale vintage polka dot pumps provided grounding for crone feet on our journey through Confluence Park.
Photos By Daniel
To add to my flight of ideas, I’ve been wearing silk scarves on my bags this summer, as in the photo above. This estate sale vintage polka dot Bill Blass wonder was blinking at me from the scarf installation, and found itself tied to the estate sale vintage red chain shoulder bag. I finished off this composition with estate sale and flea market bangles/bracelets, pearl earrings and pearl necklace; moonstone ring from D Forsythe HERE; gifted watch and crystal pendant.
On another note, my computer has been playing tricks on me, and recently I’ve lost several emails from readers, which is the reason why I haven’t answered. I appreciate all communication from those who read and comment on Style Crone. Please resend if at all possible!
I’m heading over to Patti’s Visible Monday HERE at Not Dead Yet Style. I noticed that her guitar hat is back by popular demand!
I totally agree about outfits influencing mood! Feeling blue? Wear red! Or polka dots, either are therapeutic, and both together is positively magical!
That delightful Schiaparelli hat is definitely a keeper. In a way, I’m relieved to know you find the decision-making process about your hats a difficult one – it makes my own dithering feel a little less silly! You’re right again about tastes and moods changing, and I hate to feel I might regret letting something go which I’ve come to like more over time…
I don’t think anticipating death is morbid at all – it’s the one certainty in all our lives, and ignoring it doesn’t make it less inevitable. When I asked my 90 year old mum what she wanted for her birthday, she had quite a chuckle over not needing any more “stuff” which my sisters and I will have to sort out when she dies! And she also laughed and said she wouldn’t get enough use/wear out of anything bought now – always thrifty, my mama! xxxx
Very fresh. I love the monochrome look with a touch of red.
Fabulous!!! I would have been dubious of wearing so many different spots but not any more, they look stunning!!!
An AbFab outfit. Love the magnificent hat! I wear hats in the winter, love the clohe hats, 20s looking. THis look with the polka dots is so lovley, the shoes even!! I may need to add some to my wardrobe!
from the link up,
please stop by, jess
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
Dots, always points to me. I’m in a good mood with dots and so I am with stripes.
Yes I agree – to write about impermanence in a creative process allows the lungs to breathe.
Your clothes expression is in harmony with your text – dots, red, white and black.
Of course I love the red, white and black…and I am also partial to polka dots, as I DO feel they lift the spirit. At least mine, if not the viewers’…and I don’t find your musings on impermanence morbid…if only there were more conversation on the inevitable ending all of us face…
Looking beautiful as always, Judith!
Those polka dots are so playful! I’m the same way with downsizing scarves…very hard to do!!
What wonderful polka dots, the tunic is gorgeous and the shoes incredible. Your hat is so elegant and lovely.
I love that you’re being practical and down-sizing your hat collection. I know from the death of my Mum, and my Grandma before her, how difficult it is to deal with all those clothes. xxx
Love this collection of dots, Judith, including the fabulous shoes. I agree, we should have more open, gentle discussions about our belongings, while we are all still here, and no matter our age. Nothing is coming with me, so far as I know! Thanks for sharing with Visible Monday, xox.
I think it is lovely again. This weekend I was taking about you in a hat shop. Thinking of buying a hat again. But as I am so notoriously bad at it, I am hesitating. Your hats are of a different league anyway of course. I always think I look overly chic. With you they create a picture which is just right.
Greetje
That tunic is lovely, with or without polka dots. But I just love the combination of dots in black and white and red – that scarf sets the whole outfit to music! It’s also reminding me of something I wore when I was younger, but I can’t quite get a clear picture in my head. I do know that I love seeing the positive and negative together.
I think it is the playfullness of spots that always makes me smile when I wear
them, this combination of the black, white and red is great on you.
Your as always stunning hat and the spotty shoes are the icing on the cake.
I hope your passed on hats go to good homes, then they will no longer be orphans.
Lovely, indeed! I am a fan of the scarf on the purse! I have done that in the past, but during my latest foray into that fashion statement I lost a favorite scarf on the Boston “T”. However, I am encouraged by your post to give it another go. I do so love the look! And, the fact that the scarf is right there if one’s neck gets a little chilly!
Hi Judith!
How are you?
I love the polka dots outfit, nice construction of colors, the red and the black
Some fashion experts would say it’s too much dots, but I think not – Wearing a multitude of dots is the best I think – The overall effect is quite fantastic I always thought –
Hats – I get rid of lot of clothes but hats I can’t get myself to get rid of them – It’s always carefully picked item –
Take care Judith
Arianexo
Really and truly delightful! You are so right about polkadots; they do cheer, and can be as chic as you wish to make them. Beautiful you, as usual … the white pants snap these looks together so perfectly. Grand shoes, especially.
It just occurred to me to show this to Dan so he’ll be reminded why a woman must have extreme breadth of wardrobe with such abundance of variety that she can put together an outfit like this one at a moments notice! Of course.
Yes, we need to think about our impermanence. It’s not easy to ponder. In our family we regularly joke about who will get what when we die.
I love all this outfit, as you look your usual stylish self. What tickles me and makes me smile is the polka dot shoes. For some reason they seem the most frivolous part of your outfit!
Wonderful hat too. And wonderful post, speaking of death and joy in a single bound 🙂 XO JJ
I have found that wearing a pattern like polka dots or stripes tends to lift my spirits too. The tunic is lovely – I would have taken it home too.
I don’t think it’s morbid to think about what will become of the things we wore and loved after we’re gone. That thought is partly what spurs me to regularly purge my closet as I don’t want to leave a giant pile of clothing for someone else to deal with. I don’t seem to have a problem giving away clothing, but I can’t seem to let go of any of the hats in my small (compared to you and Valerie) collection, even if I don’t wear them. What is it about hats that make them so difficult to part with?
Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize! Those shoes lift neat separates into the next level of style, then the red scarf carries it skyward into the performance art of which The Style Crone is the Grande Dame indeed!
Handing over elements of one’s wardrobe to the next generation is part of a woman’s life cycle — and it can be fun! I gathered up a box of leather bags and shipped them to a niece launching her career as an attorney. My reward was learning she had carried my mother’s 70-year-old box bag into a conference where it was much admired. (But she won’t wear hats. WHY won’t she wear hats?!)
Perfect; just perfect! Polka dots are a weakness of mine and I love to see them worn as beautifully as you have here. I’m especially in love with your shoes, and of course your hat as well.
It’s perfectly appropriate to want your things to be appreciated by others when you are no longer able to enjoy them.
Alicia
spashionista.com
I like this polka dot tunic better than any I have seen around…and you look lovely! I hope all is well in beautiful Colorado!
Well, you had me at polka dots Judith! Having said that, when I opened your post, I got all kinds of happy! YES! Polka dots do raise the spirits I say! When I finally realized how much I love them, and began adding them to my outfits…either in the main fabric, a scarf, a lining, accessories…it really did make me happier! I LOVE everything about this outfit, from tip to toe…it’s very Sue like, I think, :). The little details, I’d love to incorporate some of those in my own garments. (One of the perks of sewing for self.) The ties at the wrist, and, as I’ve mentioned before, the front slit on those capris! Ah, it’s all so very good Judith! Thank you so much for sharing You!
I clicked to enlarge the photo….totally cute flowers on those capris! From zooming in…it appears that your pants have a seam running down the center of each pant leg, yes?
Ohhhhhhhh, polka dots! (This casts the local yoga boutique in an entirely new light!)
Ohhhhhhhh, Schiaparelli!
Ohhhhhhhh, the well turned ankle peeking provocatively from a notch in a pant leg!
Ohhhhhhhh, red! And black! And white!
What does Denver do when you leave town?
Mmmm, you and Daniel make a good blogging team! I like his pictures of you and I can imagine it’s fun scouting for locations. Your summer-y polka dots and amazing accessories hit the spot (sorry). I agree that it’s important to acknowledge our mortality even as we enjoy the moment. I hope some of my “stuff” finds it’s self in appreciative hands after I’m finished here.
Sometimes I find it hard to let go of things, but I’ve found that if I give them to close friends, or to my sisters, it’s easier. I always say I reserve the right to ask for anything back, but I never have.
You look beautiful and I’m happy for you. Enjoy your glorious city and friends!! XXOO
Polka dots really do jump out and make people pay attention to the wearer. For those that carry themselves with confidence like you do, it is an excellent wardrobe choice!
I LOVE polka dots – you’ve made them inspiring. There’s something so classic AND so light-hearted about dots. With you in mind, I found this over the weekend. Thanks for savvy style!
http://huntresslondon.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/try-this-dotty-ditty-rethink.html