We had a lot of rain starting yesterday afternoon. Today is windy, but sunny. We’re having somewhat moderate daytime temps, with highs in the mid-forties.
I went to Kohl’s and Target yesterday. Kohl’s was incredibly disappointing. I tried on several pairs of pants but they all start at the hips and not the waist. They are not made for my body. And they’re way too long – and I have long legs. But I tried! Plus, they’re fairly cheaply made, which I was fine about at this point, thinking it’s just for one night. Everything is wrinkled, as if it came out of a box that had been jammed with new stock. Sigh.
I gave up. Then I hit Target for some new makeup and mascara and some black tights. I tried their clothing, but I’ve discovered I’m a “between” – between skinny sizes and women’s plus sizes. I’m sure I could have found something better if I’d had more time, but I don’t. And I hate shopping.
So I calmly called Don and said I was headed home. No more shopping. It’s really not worth the stress. When I came home I pulled out a black knit dress that I’ve had for at least 15 years, tried it on, showed it to Don, and damn it, that’s it. Basically an A-line dress. It has short sleeves and I don’t like showing my arms, but really, at this point, who cares?
A great relief, let me tell you.
Today, we’re going to go get our tree. This is the earliest we have ever done that, but I well remember our panic last year when we drove up to the nursery and there was not a tree in sight. On December 8th. We feel the need for some pretty lights and our favorite ornaments. Like I said yesterday, we’ll get it in the stand today but with all the hoopla tomorrow and getting back home in the wee hours on Wednesday, we’ll probably decorate on Thursday. Or Friday.
Okay. Time to get a move on.
Stay safe.
Happy Monday.
Liven the black up with some bling-bling, and nobody will look at your arms…
sorry stores didn’t have the clothes you wanted (nothing new about that in my own experience), but glad you have decided on something to wear. the dress sounds lovely, a classic. with makeup and tights you sought now in hand, hopefully you can relax, enjoy getting the Christmas tree and (especially) tomorrow night!
happy, safe monday to you, don and everyone else.
kathy
dear Claudia/Don — glad you solved dressing dilemma — I hate shopping or have I already said that ??!! somewhere in your closet do you have a colored sweater or shawl/wrap to sort of cover arms?? altho I’m sure you will look great w/o — maybe a bright scarf or necklace — it is SO funny that men never worry re what to wear–pants, shirt, sweater/jacket, this has always frustrated me — at least, not now as sweatpants, shirt, socks are my ONLY attire these days, ha! Just don’t forget your beautiful smile. have a great time. stay healthy/safe
Your little black dress to the rescue. Add a glittery brooch and you’re ready to go and enjoy yourself. Have fun getting your tree. It’s not too soon. Hugs, Elaine
Sorry your shopping didn’t go as expected, but, sounds like you found a perfect solution. Petra had a good idea….Distraction 101. Add a scarf and no one will even look at your arms.
We have half of our outside done…we plan to finish today, while the weather holds. I know what you mean about the lights…it just makes the season. Good luck on finding a tree! ;)
You can never go wrong with a classic black dress in my opinion. Have fun, looking forward to a full report of your evening.
Take care
Claudia, a black dress with accessories, a lovely man on your arm, and the only people who matter being delighted to see you is a recipe for excitement and joy.
They will not care what you are wearing when their faces light up seeing you.
I hope you have a wonderful evening. We will all be thinking of you and Don being back in the world that has been your careers, and joy.
And then we all get to see the movie and you being an actor.💕 I can only imagine Don’s excitement, and pride.
You are a star 💫 to us for so many reasons.
I could not have said this better.
Glad you finally got your outfit sorted after your dispiriting venture to the shops. Hope you find a suitable tree – there’s a shortage of live trees here (New South Wales Australia) owning to the recent floods.
Your black dress sounds perfect….
Hope you find a beautiful tree!
I find that trying on clothes is horrible and getting the right fit next to impossible. I’m glad you black dress will work. Go and enjoy! I am glad you are getting your tree, I need some lights and pretty ornaments myself this week.
Shopping seems harder and less satisfactory than years ago. I hope you have a good time and enjoy seeing everyone again.
We still have an artificial tree and I miss the smell of a real one. No reason we can’t have an additional tree – small and fragrant.
Perfect! A little black dress always makes me think of Audrey Hepburn.
You and your handsome husband will look lovely.
Take Care,
Kaye
I feel your shopping pain! Just for the record I also dislike Kohls. About all I’ve ever found there is sweat shirts. I have not had a dress on in five years at least. I keep one decently fitting black a line skirt, black and gray slacks and a few sweaters and jackets. That’s about as good as it gets.
Kohl’s — I’ve never been in one. My cousin got a nice coat there once, but that’s all I know. I haven’t been in any of the big-box/brick & mortar stores like a Kohl’s or even a Macy’s in years and years. I’m not inventive in my clothing at this age; I shop online at a discount site and wear the same things all the time, all year ’round. Pretty boring, huh!
(I did purchase [again, online], about six years ago, a couple of nice jackets from Target [affordable; on sale; something in conjunction with their designer brands/partnerships they feature from time to time; just happened to hit it right; nothing I normally keep track of with Target], like an upgrade from a sweater, almost a Chanel-feel to them, such that if something comes up where I have to dress up a little bit, they can transform my usual duds and make me look slightly more formal rather than my usual VERY informal appearance. But I only wear a light coat a couple of times in any given year [except if I’m at the beach and we’re windswept in the 50s-temps in these months, ’cause that wind off the Pacific Ocean can cut right thru you] as we’re never otherwise cold enough where I live; however, I have been wearing a light cardigan in the past days since our SoCalif weather has lately/recently dropped into daytime 60s-temps with 40s at night.)
But your solution as per today’s post? Terrific solution! Can’t go wrong with a basic black dress for most any occasion. LBD as they call it (Little Black Dress). And congrats for being able to wear the same size you did fifteen years ago!
You’ll look beautiful; your light hair will look nice with the black; you’ll play up your eyes with that new mascara; don’t forget the pretty earrings; and you’re going to have fun! That’s the main thing now; FUN! It’s like the frosting on the cake. A perk of the job you get to enjoy.
(What’s Don gonna wear? I need the whole picture! How are you getting in to the City with the weather and all? Bus, train, Pilot?)
Can’t wait to see your lovely, ‘live’ tree and your Shiny Brites (I’ve become more obsessed than ever this year with vintage Shiny Brites; been reading a lot about them and looking online at other people’s collections; have imagined what it was for my young folks to be buying their first Christmas ornaments after they got married in the late 1940s; getting what was affordable for them at the time, probably at Woolworth’s or something, with no idea how much their adult kid [me!] would cherish the very-few remaining, worn ornaments some 75 years later).
Our fave tree guy is putting together his Christmas-tree lot right now; we drove by there today. They were stringing colorful lights. He’ll serve hot cocoa out of an old teardrop trailer while you shop for your tree, holiday music playing in the background. Nothing better than to be looking for your perfect tree on a nippy evening, hot drink in hand, humming a carol and getting in the holiday mood. I look SO forward to this every year; we go thru the motions even if we don’t buy a tree.
(I don’t have much room in my living room for one these days. But it’s no worry for the tree guy, as he sells out early most every year; he has no problem selling his gorgeous trees … I think he gets his shipment of trees from Oregon tomorrow, with first day of business on Friday, and SoCalif may get rain, so it’s actually good for the trees; keep them cool. I recall other years when we had hot, dry Santa Ana winds in December and his trees suffered despite him trying to keep them hosed down. He actually grows these trees on his own property in Oregon, where he lives now. But he comes back ‘home’ to SoCalif to visit his elderly parents for the month of December and sell his trees locally in the same place each year; the townspeople count on it! He learned how to make a tree-growing business work well for himself over these past four decades! I love that he’s totally involved in the process from beginning to end. [We went to school together; he’s my age, otherwise retired now.])
I was there one year when they were unloading the trees from the huge closed-doors (maybe it’s refrigerated?) truck and, man, when they opened those doors, I wasn’t even all THAT nearby but I could smell that incredible tree aroma the closer I drove toward the tree lot; felt like I was up in the mountains in a pine forest. Just delightful. You’re gonna love that smell in your house, Claudia. I think you’re in for a cozy Christmas!
Kohls drives me nuts. Things packed in too tightly and not always great stuff. I do like the jeans I get there and that about does it. And underwear.
Well, reading backwards — glad you shopped your closet!