Not Easily Ruffled

 
One of my colleagues wore a necklace to a Zoom practice group meeting* this week. I was so impressed that I put on a belt the next day. First time I’d worn a belt since I began working remotely.

 
 
I continue to think that it is important to try to elevate one’s mood by “dressing” for work. Understand: I am not dressing for remote work as I would dress for the office. But I am more dressed up on weekdays than I am on the weekends. Separation! Boundaries!
This week, I completely lost track of the days . . . more than once

Mother!
 
 
 
In addition to the minor psychological boost of getting up, showering, and putting on a pretty sweater or blouse (this is the extent of the dressing up), I am wearing things that carry special meaning.
 
For instance, this charming blouse was given to me by my mother. If I can’t be with her (and I really wish that I could), I will wear clothes that she’s given me!

 
 
 
 
My mother knows my penchant for white blouses. This one is delightfully madcap. In addition to the ruffle running down the outside of each sleeve, the back is laced and gathered into kicky pleats.
Does anyone know me better than my mother does?

I don’t think so
She’s known me since the day I was born!

 
 
In addition to the things my mother has given me, there are the things that I have given to her and also bought for myself: evidence of a barely subconscious desire to engage in mother-daughter dressing. So, we could be dressed identically, alone together, in this period of isolation.
 
That’s comforting, too.

 
 
 
Normally, I would invite you to come closer and run your fingers over this ruffle. But I must ask you to stay six feet back.
 
You know what? You can come as close to your monitor as you like.
Feel the power of this ruffle

Rounding things out, a pair of absurd platform shoes. I think it’s important to wear shoes everyday, too. Fashion sneakers count.
 
Oxfords! The classic mens’ shoe; always so right
But wait

What the huh?
Have you ever seen anything more hideo-marvelous in your life?

Thank you, all, for your wonderful book suggestions. I won’t run dry for a long time. I had read most of the Maisie Dobbs books by Jacqueline Winspear, but became very worried around the tenth book that Maisie was getting ready to break her engagement with James and I was not willing to participate in that. But the books are wonderfully crisp and Maisie is an admirable, sympathetic heroine.
 
I have a new question for today. What have you resolved to “get done” during this stay-at-home period?**
 
Blouse: I.N.C. by Anna Sui; Hideo-marvelous Oxfords: Solsana
 
* A practice group meeting is the equivalent of family movie night in terms of familiarity!
 
** Please note that an acceptable answer is “Survive this!” But I am interested in how many are planning a closet purge (I am), craft or sewing projects (yup), or home beautification (me, too!).

15 thoughts on “Not Easily Ruffled”

  1. Three weeks at home: it´s no problem to work from home, but I must confess it´s a bit lonely… Quickly new routines established themsleves: everyone is out taking a brisk morning walk before they go home and turn on their computer at around eight in the morning. Then everyone is out for a walk again when the work is done in the evening. I have always found clothes a very important part of my job life; a sort of costume to put on to get in the right mental mood. And that is just as important when working from home. I still dress to go to work! During this strange period I intend to read a lot (I always read a lot, but now I will read even more), grow a lot of plants for my summer garden and to knit that sweater I have thougt about for a long time. And read this blog, of course, but mabye that goes withóut saying…

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  2. I love your blouse and have to admit, I am in a athleisure wear all day, every day, and definitely not in shoes! I too plan to do a closet (we have SO many, very luckily, in our apartment) and drawer purge. Also reading a lot of the books on my shelf that have yet to be enjoyed. Big goal – get better at yoga! Doing a power yoga flow every day and hoping I get stronger and better at certain poses.

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  3. I’m here in DC, too. My small achievement for the week was to put away my winter work clothes and boots. Let’s face it, we’re not emerging again until the weather’s warm. And I, for one, am very comfortable working my 9-6 in yoga pants and a tee.

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  4. I am retired but still enjoy clothes and shoes, and ways to change up the styles. We had spent our time doing trips in our retirement but since that option is no longer available, have turned to other things. One project we started yesterday was going through stacks of photos accumulated prior to digital cameras. We are organizing those now. Later I plan to tackle the closets.
    We have a bathroom renovation ongoing and we’re fortunate the bathroom can be accessed by another pathway into the house, lessening our daily contact with the contractors.
    Stay well, all.

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  5. The ruffles are a delight – what a good mother you have.
    The shoes leave me speechless… in a good way.
    I’m keeping occupied by loading up online shopping carts… this is a terrible idea. Purging closets? Now THAT seems like a better one.

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  6. I absolutely love that blouse! During this crazy time, I am binge-watching even more stuff on Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu, to the extent that I’m now starting to recognize the German actors who are in Everything (I’m already overly familiar with the British ones). But my excuse is that I’m still required to go into work every day and managing a bunch of teleworking employees is dang stressful. I’m also taking the time for art, which in my case is essentially just getting paint all over everything.

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  7. Oh, I have SO many plans.

    I have completely scrubbed my prior plans for planting the roof deck for a much more exuberant scheme. I want the roof garden to be a beacon of delight and point of interest for planes, such as there are, flying over.

    Next up, restaining the 7-foot backyard fence.

    My neighbors have told me there is a young black cat abroad in our alley that they fear might be a stray. So I feel compelled to rescue it and find it a home. No one should be alone and friendless at this point in time.

    These neighbors and I became acquainted through our cats, Isis (theirs) and Maxine (ours). Max decamps from her own backyard and insinuates herself into their garden, chats with housebound Isis through the door or window, I’m not sure which, and sneaks back into her own yard. Apparently this had been going on for quite a while before I learned of it. God knows what Max has been telling young Isis.

    I have further plans but this is enough for now.

    I adore those shoes!

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  8. Ooh, the wedges! Love the cheery springtime spirit of the white ruffles with bright pink.

    Funnily enough, Phryne Fisher and Maisie Dobbs are part of my lockdown plan, but not because I read mysteries — it’s because I’m working my way through A Head for Trouble, a book of knitting patterns for hats/headbands/wristlets/cuffs/collars inspired by [fictional] lady detectives of the 1920s. (In case you’re still looking for mystery novels, the other sleuths’ names are Daisy Daisy Dalrymple, Kate Shackleton, Georgiana Rannoch, Verity Browne, Mercy Alcutt, and Dandy Gilver.) Beautiful patterns for any fellow knitters out there!

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  9. My mother can no longer shop, but every Christmas I buy myself something “from mom” and wrap it up and then unwrap it in front of her (in person when she was still able to visit, and now via video chat) which makes her very happy. Perhaps I should wear some of those tops now, which would both significantly up my WFH game, and make my mom happy on our daily video chats.
    As for goals, I am aiming high with plans to declutter both my basement storage room and my office, but 3 weeks in have yet to actually take any action. And hey, why not throw in a major closet purge as well, since I’m now clearly dreaming?

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  10. We’ve got the video turned off on our conference and Skype calling. It overloads the Departments’ capacity.
    With all the talk of masks I’ve been watching videos of folding techniques and have pulled my summer scarves out to see what’s there. It may be that the bandana square around the neck that can be pulled up over the nose in crowded situations will be my new summer accessory.

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  11. I had so many plans: closet and dresser purges, gardening, reading and TV catchups galore, on top of figuring out how to teach online! But then it more sense to hie myself to my mom’s so we each had someone to take care of us in case of Covid. It was the right decision, since Mom came down with Covid symptoms the day after I got here. And she’s recovered and out of in-house self-isolation, thank goodness. But being holed up at someone else’s house means no access to closets, garden, book shelves, or the TV remote. The garden is the thing I’m missing the most, though.

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  12. I love that shirt! I set goals that I have already accomplished, ensuring that everything will be checked off. So far:
    Investigate what happens when a dog eats a crayon. Ditto toddler.

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