Seventeen Again

Summer is here.  Which means retailers are already starting to tease us with Fall Fashion Previews (yes, I had to capitalize all those important words).  J. Crew sent out such an email with this image:

Hard to think about accumulating more sweaters and woolly items when a good part of the country is scorching in triple-digit heat.  But, you know, fashion could care less about temperatures.  Anyway, all the colors and patterns made me think of old Benetton ads, back from, um, the late 1980's.  This compelled me to dig out my old stash of Seventeen magazine clippings.  And while I couldn't find what my brain recalled from Benetton, I did find this gem that pretty much tells the same story:

Holy high school!  Everything old is new again, right?  I remember how much I loved these ensembles.  And I'm pretty positive I'm quickly becoming "that" old person who whines that today's music/fashion/kids/insert-whine-of-choice-here just isn't like it "used to be."  Seriously, my current stash of Lucky magazines (and I do love them) just doesn't instill in me the same excitement as this publication did while I was sporting braces and purple mascara.

And while we're yapping about younger versions of ourselves, certain people will especially get a kick out of this artifact:

I found plenty of other pictures of Hollywood stars that made me just smile and exclaim, "Wow!  Look at her!"  Then I'd groan, "Dang, that was a long time ago" and promptly reach for the tequila.

With the stash from the past uncovered, I'll plan to pepper my blog with some highlights throughout the summer.  With the release of the always highly-anticipated September Issue from Vogue, it seems fitting to remember the ridiculous giddiness I felt when Seventeen's Back to School issue landed in the mailbox.  Who was your favorite celebrity to grace the pages of your teenage mags?  And what clothing brand or store brings you right back to the start of high school?  





Images:  (1) J. Crew, (2 & 3) Seventeen Magazine

The Return of Summer (and Me)

Hey everyone...

I know, it's been aeons.  Or at least it feels like it.  Been a lot going on.  Like, a lot a lot.  Most recently, the Twin Cities got walloped by a bunch of storms, in which nearly 500,000 people lost power, including me (more on that in a minute).  So I've been neglectful of this page, and whenever I'm on the computer and open my bookmarks, I see my little "Mir" giving me the stink-eye.  Sometimes it's a mournful gaze.  I'm pretty sure it's also given me the middle finger a few times.  I don't blame my blog.

Miraculously, summer has finally returned to Minneapolis.  And I figured if green grass and temperatures above 50 degrees can make a showing, so can I.  Here's a brief and random summary of some recent activity...


I pulled this amazing trio out of storage.  Much like my Aerosoles, these shoes are well-worn, probably 4 years old now, and well-adored:

As for new acquisitions, it's been a little quieter.  But the purchases have been deliberate, if relatively new territory from my typical habits.


First up, activewear.  My decade-old wardrobe of dude shorts and freebie oversized t-shirts needed a serious update.  Athleta (and others) to the rescue:

This trend was spurred by my first-ever outing to the local indoor rock-climbing place.  Not only did I survive, but I liked it and told my friend I'd be back for another round.  

I also caved and got something more substantial:

Yep, isn't she pretty?  My last bike was a Trek that I bought back home in 1995.  It logged a few miles along Lake Michigan in Chicago, got me around town during my summer in Boston/Cambridge, and then proceeded to collect dust in the garage.  I know.  It deserved better.  Sigh.  Alas, its frame is bent and I'm trying to figure out what to do with it.  I refuse to  trash it.  But the bike shop says they can't really do anything with it either.

Also, I was in Toronto for a few days and honed in on the goodies I can't get back here in the States.  Impressively, only one clothing item.  Not surprisingly, I'm still a sucker for cute animal packaging:

And speaking of cute animals, I also scored this back here in Mpls:

So, that's a smidgen of what I've been up to lately.  Honestly, I'm just happy that summer has made an appearance, even if it heralded its arrival with some insane storms.  Here are a few shots of the havoc it wreaked in the 'hood (and beyond):

It was sad to see these old trees fall, and of course I also feel bad for everyone impacted by the storms.  Makes you really appreciate the everyday conveniences - amazing how we can take for granted the simple act of flipping a switch or glancing at the alarm clock.  Or constantly checking your iPhone for texts.  I spent a couple hours yesterday at the local grocery store, hanging out with a number of other neighbors who were using any available outlets to juice their phones/laptops/Gameboys.  It's a relief to have the current flowing again, and I'll once again give a shout out to the hardworking folks at Excel Energy (who are still toiling away to restore power to everyone).

It's nice to be back, and of course, I'm curious to know if you've indulged in any summer buys in my extended absence.  Strappy sandals?  A lovely dress?  Or, maybe you also invested in a new bike?  Patio furniture?  BBQ lessons?

Happy June!
M

Sad Panda

Today's news just made me very sad today.  I have a special place in my heart for Beantown, thanks to many visits there, my childhood bestie living there for several years, plus a summer stint in Cambridge, across the "Smoots" Bridge.  I also had friends and coworkers running the Boston Marathon, and while I'm relieved to hear they are OK, we know others are not. 

Sending out prayers and love to the first city I ever visited that I did not want to leave, and to where I hope to return someday soon.




Image:  I shared this from Boston, MA's FB page.  I think they'll be OK with sharing the love here, too.

April (Snow) Showers

As I write this post, I can hear the sweet, springtime sound of:

a)  little birdies chirping in the budding trees
b)  dudes revving their motorcycles a couple blocks away along the lake
c)  warm breezes amid a thunderstorm
d)  my neighbor's snowblower

Yeah.  D.  Well, actually, sort of C, too.  Because not only did I wake this early morning to a mix of sleet and snow, but the day welcomed me with a couple bursts of lightning and a clap of thunder.  In a heavy snowfall.

So, while the rest of you are posting pics on Facebook of sunny 70 degree skies (New York) and neatly trimmed, green baseball fields (Virginia), I shoveled my front walk for like the 23rd time this winter, er, spring.

The down coat and wellies are back, after maybe 2 fleeting days of lightweight jackets and something other than boots.  Eh.  It's the Upper Midwest.

And while I'll spare you the latest wintry not-so-wonderlandy vista, I will share this with you...

Back in January, when we are supposed to get pounded with snow...  well, we got pounded with snow.  About 14" when all was said and done.  This happened shortly after the TGT/Jason Wu collab, and I had just received the gorgeous Robert Rodriguez party dress in the mail.  Holiday festivities were over, so where in the heck was I gonna wear this stunner?

You bet.

I was trying the dress on upstairs and happened to check out the ensuing storm and got this weird idea that...  gee, wouldn't it be awesome to run outside into about 8 inches (and rapidly counting) of snow and...  I don't know...  get a picture of this insane mash-up?  So, that's me, measuring the fluffy stuff, in my cocktail dress.  And Tretorns.  (My coworker - who's got some fashion opportunities of his own - commented that the boots and dress don't pair well and that I looked like an extra for Fargo or Grumpy Old Men...  I think they go together perfectly and it's just as NYC as Fargo, so there.)

Just goes to prove that you can always find an excuse to wear something, no matter the weather, or the sad excuse for a season.  And while I'd love to kick winter across five Aprils (extra credit to anyone who gets that ref), I guess there's really no reason not to trot out the summery frocks.  Just be sure to pair them with your wellies and you'll be all good.

Wellie + Good

If you recall from my last post, I was all excited that Spring was just around the corner.  I could trot out that pretty blue satchel, along with some new jackets I acquired and other stuff not made of wool and down.  

Yeah.  Scratch that.

I woke up this fine, mid-March morn to yet another snowfall.  Yet another slow walk to the bus, trying to remember where the glare ice lay under a deceptively safe looking 3" of fresh snow.  While getting pelted by more snow flying sideways into my face.

April is, like, 2 weeks away.  Heck, the first "day of Spring" is closer than that.  However, instead of tulips and green grass and a bunch of robins carousing around in the yard, this is what the equinox will look like:

Good luck with that egg hunt, Easter Bunny.  Feels like a whole lotta December to me.

Thank goodness, then, for my wellies.

One of my very early posts sang the praises of my ol' Aerosoles boots.  Today, I'm still having a love affair with boots, just a different kind.  I own about 8 pairs of these things...  Hunters, Missoni for Target, and the oft-worn Tretorns.  And, like the Aerosoles, I swear by these things.  Actually, these have catapulted themselves to first place.  Why?  Because, they help me contend with this:

#1:  Good morning, where do you think you're going?

#2:  The ubiquitous and dreaded, "Had to park next to an ice-mound with a moat."

#3:  The sidewalk obstacle course...  it's either the lake or the black snow.  (Mmm...  bet you want to scoop up some of that snow and eat it, huh?)

#4:  Regular winter street slop.  With a thin sheet of ice smirkingly hiding another frigid, gasoline-stale beer-I don't know what else-infested lake.

No matter the crap weather, my wellies (and the socks I pair with them) keep my tootsies warm and dry.  OK, maybe they're a little chilly on days when it's -10 degrees outside and the bus is taking forever to show up.  But, hey, I'll take it.  While I watch my fellow commuters inch around deep puddles, I stomp through them with gleeful abandon like some kid.  Those notorious mountains of slush?  Eh, big deal.  When the bus drops me off not at the sidewalk but in front of a 3 foot mountain of snow?  Bring it!  Even when my wellies sink about a foot into the pile, I'm all good.

So, yeah, I own an exorbitant amount of rubber boots.  But given that they'll get worn for about 4 months straight in winter & spring, I think it's a pretty good investment.

Here's a few shots of me an' my BFF's.  Usually worn with a skirt (I hate pants).  The fugly track pants are reserved for days when it's in the single digits and below...  such as, apparently, tomorrow morning.  Up here, frostbite prevention trumps, yes, fashion.  (I did venture out for 3 blocks in -20 degree windchill with the skirt and bare knees...  I survived, but it's not recommended).

Are you a wellie lover?  What's your indispenable winter commuting gear?  Are you somewhere like me, cursing out that groundhog and hoping the weather will get above freezing soon?







Images:  my own
Weather:  Mother Nature's bad attempt at humor

Spring is here?

It's March!  Never mind that there's a solid 3-4" of snow all over the place.  And the newest winter storm prediction?  Well...  apparently this is the snowiest month of the year up in these parts.  Admittedly, it's right around this time that our sanity is severely tested.  Spring is so close and yet...  Yeah.  Mother Nature loves messing with us during this month (and April, and sometimes May).

However, instead of crying and heading back into hibernation, I take solace in all the lovely pastels gracing my daily slew of retailer emails.  Lilacs, sky blues, and sunny yellows are starting to shove the heavy winter hues aside.  And I'm all for it.  

This week's pick is a satchel from Banana Republic:

Isn't she purty?  Looks pretty roomy, too.  Plenty of space for the typical haul, plus a pair of ballet flats, a cardigan, and whatever else I decide to cram in there.

What new arrival has you dreaming of al fresco brunches, tulips, and temperatures above 35 degrees?  Strappy sandals?  A great pair of shorts?  Anything in a Spring pastel color?  Which one?

Come Monday, I may be plodding through a fresh pile of snow, but I'm determined to start trotting out some of my transitional weather clothes.  Sure, the wool turtlenecks and skirts will get a few more rounds, but I'm more than happy to mix in shorter sleeves and colors straight from those PAAS easter egg kits and 80's Bonne Bell magazine ads.

Happy almost Spring :)






Image:  Banana Republic

Special delivery!

Anyone wanna guess why I'm so giddy?  I'll give you a hint...  it sure isn't the piles of white stuff in the backdrop.  After doing some snow shoveling, I'm more than ready to shovel a few of these treats into my mouth.

Who's with me?  And what's your favorite "flavor?"  Does it bring back any memories of GS camp (complete with mosquitoes and silly songs) and badge-covered sashes?

Now I gotta dig up my Brownie pin.  Happy Friday :)