the turtleneck dress

While I love a sweater dress, a turtleneck dress now and then trumps it for me. Isn’t it a bit old-fashioned to like turtlenecks? I’ve been a devotee since grade school, when I wore what were surely hideous ones (prints!).  I like to have my neck covered? My neck is easily cold?

I think it is simpler than that. I think I’ve just always thought: those look cool.

And I basically still think that. At least I’m consistent.

IMG_1279

IMG_1292

Well, it’s not meant to be quite so tight. I’ve been eating lots of popcorn.

I rather like it, though. A strange blend of conservative and ever so slightly risqué or gauche. And it is meant to be tight…

The balance of conservative and sensual* inspired the austerity of this ultra-tight, drastic side-part bun.  Here again is that just-below-the-knee length I like so well.

*reminds me of the crop top in this way.
IMG_1281

IMG_1327

Dress from asos, Cole Haan pumps (thrifted), Breil Milano watch (thrifted), Mulberry bag (thrifted).  On the lips: MAC huggable lip color in Love Beam.

IMG_1300

x

the baseball cap

IMG_5086
I’ve mentioned before wanting a baseball cap but could never quite find something that suited me. What I really like is that broken-in look that caps get when someone actually wears them a lot, curves the bill, ideally the bill gets a bit frayed, etc. I don’t care so much about the color or logos as the look; classic/vintage baseball shape, nondescript, Everyman’s cap. So, I reasoned, it would be great if some friend with too many hats anyway just gave me an old one. For years this seemed reasonable, and I left no small number of hints about how reasonable I thought it would be. I’d given up but IT FINALLY HAPPENED! A friend gave me a hat!

A baseball cap can be such a strangely feminine touch. You can throw it on with anything; dress it up a little, dress it way, way down, take it in a sporty direction, a butch direction, an editorial direction. It always adds for me (on others and on myself) an air of friendliness and approachability. It seems more likely that I would be asked for directions, randomly smiled at, that kind of thing. There’s also something inherently wholesome about them, not least because properly worn, you should be outside. [Here I run into problems because once it’s on…I can’t exactly take it off. A curly hair thing.]

IMG_5087

I love it.

What’s a governor’s club? Who cares!

IMG_5131

I’d also like to make a case here for the exposed, unadorned neck. A young, healthy neck is decoration enough, in so many cases, especially as in a case like this, with such a clean, abundant expanse of skin showing. It can be a shame to break up that expanse, even more so than with the wrist, for me, as there is such an appealing, intricate arrangement of bones and tendons around the clavicle and the base of the throat. [Am I losing you?] I think the play of light in these varied hollows can be stunning, as good as or better than jewels – a simple presentation of the occasionally lovely human body. Have oiled up here with some Nuxe Huile Prodigeuse (and sunblock), which is phenomenal.

Strapless sweetheart bodysuit from MotelRocks (via asos), Paris Blues shorts*, Skagen watch, Mexican bone bracelet, amber ring, Converse.

*I am into white shorts. With the cap I really wanted to wear [more casual] cut-offs but I realize I don’t have white cut-offs. Project.

IMG_5147

And of course a baseball cap is the quintessential American accessory. Happy 4th of July.

x