Bonjour, Directorate! Or, for those night owls who check-in Sunday night just in case there’s something new, bonne nuit.
I can’t believe it’s June. I still have spring clothes to share!
Getting dressed for work TWO days a week is such a treat. The challenge is not “What to wear?” but “What delight to bring out into the world?” Or, “What challenge to throw down today?”
I found this Rosetta Getty tunic on The RealReal. It was categorized as a tunic, not a dress. While some might consider the length to be adequate for a dress — the wrap construction is not. So, tunic it is.
Tunic or dress, something about it spoke to me. I thought it would look cute with cropped jeans — but realized it would be perfect for work (RTO) with black pants.
I got up one Tuesday RTO morning, put on the tunic, pants, and spiffy loafers and checked three-quarters of my appearance. (Remember: There is no full-length mirror in my apartment.)
The brilliant white bib looked bare — disturbingly bare.
Even The Photographer realized something was wrong, saying in a puzzled voice, “You look like a waiter.” So a meander through my necklace drawers ensued. (Remember: The jewelry is now stored in flat drawers, one of my best ideas ever.)
Since I am now carrying a laptop back-and-forth everyday (part of the remote-hybrid equation), I need a tote bag everyday, too. This burlap one made out of an old coffee bean bag and some industrial webbing seemed just right. I found this bag 10 years ago, when a friend and I took an afternoon away from a conference to have lunch and poke around the idyllic downtown of Santa Barbara. We wandered into the Raoul Fabrics showroom and realized we’d entered our spiritual home — a bright airy space where just the right amount of plump upholstered English furniture, elaborate throw pillows, dark wood accent pieces, woven baskets, and objets from Africa and Asia were arranged. We touched everything and then sat down for a coze. And then I bought this tote bag and some fabric for a project in The Photographer’s office.
Back to the tunic!
It’s very beautifully constructed, but many of those details aren’t apparent in these photos. Do look at the bottom of the bib. One of the corners is rounded and one is square. It’s such a small detail, but so thoughtful and interesting.
OK, now looking at the photo, I see that the tote bag is obscuring the thoughtful and interesting detail. Disappointing. This is what happens when you rely heavily on imaginary, unpaid interns to run a hobby blog.
You may remember that this necklace was intended to be worn long, as a single strand?
I doubled it, creating a bib-style necklace that keeps all the interesting components together, front and center. A tiny black ribbon (supplied and tied by me) holds the strands in place.
Because it was still chilly when I wore this to work, I topped it off with a short denim jacket. The denim works well with the camel and black.
* Some might say this whole blog is an exercise in self-aggrandizement. But I think of it more as community organizing. And infotainment.
Your blog is a charming light in an otherwise bleak landscape. The tunic is great, with jacket and sans, and the necklace is perfect for it. But, and I say this with love, you need to wear leggings with this tunic rather than pants!!
Very clever work on that necklace, indeed! I’d definitely want all the interesting bits visible without the viewer having to look me up and down to take them all in. (That’s what the shoes are for, heh.) I love your philosophy of RTO dressing—what delights get to come back into the world. Glad I get to enjoy them via this blog!
I will imagine the squared off corner…
Also, this crosses into “apron-like” garments for me – which I can totally appreciate.
AND it’s also thinly veiled as a dress over pants fest.
Thumbs up from me.
You undoubtedly bring a smile to those who cross your path on RTO days! I share your love of tote bags. Is it burlap? A sack used for coffee beans? If the imaginary intern had only taken a better shot of the bag! The tunic is lovely as well, and your longer hair length is becoming.