I'm not sure about the rest of the country, but Daylight Savings Time not only stole an hour from those of us in the Upper Midwest - it also took away most of March, April and May. A week ago, I was still wearing my down coat, wellies and my work uniform of a sweater and wool pencil skirt. Then - BAM - all of a sudden, the temperatures were pushing into the high 60's, then 70's, and finally topping out at 80 degrees yesterday. The last few days have included al fresco dining, pulling out clothes I haven't seen since last September, and a few mentions of, "Ohmigosh, it's *hot* outside!"
Yesterday, by the way, was good old St. Patrick's Day. My memories (while somewhat fuzzy) of my Irish revelry, usually included a scarf and gloves. This year, it was shorts, a Guinness t-shirt, and sunblock.
The entire global warming debate aside, being jolted from winter straight into summer presents a completely different issue: what the heck are we supposed to wear during this bizarre week of "wummer?" We Northerners are embracing the unexpected heat and humidity with a very wary eye. Everyone knows we typically get snowed upon in March. And a few flakes in April and May aren't unusual, either. So... it's not like I can do a happy dance and shove all my wool, cashmere and down into a box and be done with it. Nu-uh. I'm wondering when the cold snap will arrive (even if "cold" means highs in the 50's) and I'll be digging through those boxes again.
Additionally, some people are getting a little too happy about the weather. I see flip-flops, muscle tees, and other beach attire cruising around the streets lately. One extreme to the other. Or, you'll see said flip-flops worn with a gauzy skirt, chunky sweater and a scarf and coat. Your top half thinks it's still late February; your bottom plunked itself into June.
The Chicago Tribune even ran a story about people's fashion confusion (and shopping sprees) during this "heat wave." My friend, the one who relocated and is living out of a suitcase while getting settled and searching for a new home, is going out of her mind because her smart packing skills didn't anticipate 80 degrees in March. Granted, this does give her an excuse to, um, go shopping.
I think the mild winter has been a general phenomenon for a lot of the country this season. How have you been dressing? Is it all about layers? Pulled out your favorite summer outfits this week? Seen any bizarre fashion mash-ups?
Today's forecast is 77 and sunny, and we all know snow could be on the horizon, so I'm off to soak up this lovely June, er I mean March, day. I'll leave you with this closing image of what used to be a sizeable snowbank, now a cold mess hanging on for dear life during these relatively sultry nights. It serves as a reminder that, while the bulk of winter is indeed over, we may well get a final visit from winter. So I'm keeping my coat and wellies within reach.
Images: my own
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