Do you separate your life into “eras?” I know Taylor Swift believes, but how about we the somewhat-less-famous? Maybe because 67 is a lot of years to imagine separately, I do. In fact, I feel now like I’m moving out of a time that began at 50 with my divorce, navigated my children’s graduations from college and graduate school, and brought me to remarriage, retirement, and this moment in my house with a husband still working. (He’s younger than I am.)
In this new era I attempt things previously believed impossible. Write fiction among them, something I’m still plugging away at. Become capable of internal quiet, also plugging away.
More quotidian, I cannot grow houseplants. Who knew? I manage small manual tasks. Have I told you I got an electric drill and drill bit set for Christmas? One I asked for? I plan to drill my first hole this week and if the universe cracks open instead of the credenza wall I apologize in advance. High WASPs believe in prophylactic apologies.
But not every change is provoked by the sheer glory of being, or the joy of new skills. Sometimes it’s my mirror, where I can see the old woman on her way. She may in fact have already settled on my sofa. Next will be my imagination of self. Sometimes I feel her, in my body.
And so we come to hard pants and hand lotion, as one does. If you look through my Style posts, you’ll see that truly I used to live in jeans. And now I truly cannot. Every single part of my body, except perhaps my calves and ankles, objects to hard fabric. And if I’m going stretchy, I’m all in.
Kim at Northern California Style put up this post last weekend, and although when Vuori first launched I couldn’t see the point, now a set of joggers and a top are on their way to me. No one does refined athletic wear like Kim, and I highly advise you take a look.
Signature Style – Athletic Wear Essentials and Styling Them for Daily Wear
I chose Lake Heather bottoms and a Beryl Heather top. The colors are divine. (Why is “bottoms’ plural, and “top” singular? Sure, we often have two legs, but two arms are just as common?)
Finally, this new era, long may it last, will include specialized hand salve. My niece gave me this Kiehl’s for Christmas, and as someone who has never used anything other than random hand lotion she finds at Whole Foods, it’s been transformative. Plus it smells like eucalyptus, which reminds me of my childhood vacation house near Watsonville.
Another era.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone. The daffodils sprouting in my front yard insist that Spring will come.
Links may generate commissions.
14 Responses
I went through a list of clothing items with one of my ESL students recently – which ones take plural and which don’t. We threw up our hands.
Maybe certain pieces of clothing we co-inhabit with gremlins. Invisible gremlins. Who demand the plural?
I applaud you and your students for trying to make sense of SO MANY aspects of English grammar:)
Add my applause ! English is so crazy anyway – whether grammar or spelling .
At my age, I can’t BEAR anything hard or scratchy against my skin. Or uncomfortable shoes. That means no heels, ever, flats only, and well made ones that I usually try to score on eBay because good shoes can be pricey (Belgians, Ara, Porcelli, Vionic). That means no wool, only some cashmere (a lot of it on the market IS scratchy) and no compression leggings made of “performance” fabrics, please — too tight, too stiff, too weird. When I went skiing in the mid-sixties with my family, we wore these awful stretch ski pants made out of material that felt like sandpaper, I have no idea what…polyester? Banlon? Whatever petroleum by-products they were using then. Today I only wear soft thin cotton leggings by a brand called Felina, “extra lightweight.” If I still skied, I wouldn’t wear them… but they’re perfect for the retirement lifestyle (lounging, layering under long skirts, strolling, meeting someone for a drink). I also swear by Quince washable stretch silk tank midi dresses, which make me feel long and lean and minimalist…à la Carolyn Bessette, maybe? (Dream on). They are simple, well-made, chic, flattering and shockingly inexpensive (that’s Quince’s brand…good clothes, no middleman.)
Anyway this is TMI but your posts always make me want to free associate in response…
Mackenzie, I think a lot of the people reading here would like to dress exactly as you do, and will appreciate the brand recommendations very much. As I do. If I can tell you how uncomfortable I now find jeans, this comment doesn’t even open the door to the house in which TMI lives:). Thank you.
Gonna second the Felina brand rec by Mackenzie. Discovered these at Costco last year and went back for more this year. Durable, comfortable, very light weight but tight weave so duly warm in frigid temps.
I thank you and I imagine more than a few other people here do too:)
I’m getting into harder pants- vintage Levi’s! I love the feel of real denim for “out of the house”, and it’s made my dressing easier. I don’t love the feel of stretch. I wear all cotton sweats a lot at home, when I’m not wearing cotton flannel!
Oh, I love the look of vintage Levi’s. If my body hadn’t staged a rebellion, I’d be right there with you. I don’t like tight stretch either, am clearly far too picky to exist, but a nice pair of trim joggers/sweatpants seem to be my sweet spot these days.
For many years I avoided denim jeans because they were too stiff and had too many thick seams…and didn’t look professional. In the last few years, since my retirement, I’ve embraced jeans by Madewell, Levi and Uniqlo as part of my uniform when I’m not wearing sweatpants. I like to be comfortable and I’m finding those brands to have some good wide leg options. I only wear yoga pants for yoga. Otherwise I don’t like the feeling of tight stretchy pants for everyday wear. I also like the corduroy pants from Uniqlo for a more tailored look.
*the feel and look of tight stretchy pants
I love denim from all those brands you mention. And I’d love a pair of corduroy pants! I bet they look great.
Bottoms to cover the cakes ….. :)
I bought some of that hand lotion at an airport. It was during Covid, and all that handwashing took its toll on my hands. I was behind the security lines, so I splurged. It smells really good.
Comments are closed.