Green is a great red alternative, when it comes to holiday dressing. Again this week I experienced the serendipity of the limited color palette.
The university I attend is on the quarter system; therefore, I am nearly finished. Yesterday I was able to hit Value Village for their Monday 99 cent tag sale, which worked out really well for dd, whose university is on the semester system. She is still in “crunch” mode, and in need of a costume for her acting class (for the Sally Field part in Steel Magnolias).
While shopping for her ’80s sweater, and whatever else I might happen to find, I found myself a dress. A green sweater dress, to be exact, something for which I’ve been half-heartedly looking for a couple of years. (If I had the budget to just decide what I want and go buy it, I could have bought this cotton/silk/cashmere blend dress at Banana Republic in Fall of ’08.) Finding a sweater dress for under $25 when one does not do acrylic falls nearly into the realm of the impossible. I spent $10.
Here, though, is the serendipity part: when I got home I pulled out a box in my closet containing a green belt (pictured, albeit not well, with shorts and blazer for a spring semi-casual event) and a pair of green & red paisley pumps. They match each other, but nothing else in my wardrobe. That is, until now. ha ha! Unbelievably, the belt is the exact same color as the dress. Not only that, but I have exactly ONE silk scarf (not outerwear type) left from about twenty years ago, and it also has the exact same green in it.
Rejoice with me! Or not.
Great find! Do we get to see a pic? 🙂 And it’s the rockin’ belt! It’s been nice to see you back blogging some…
Your family RULES the costume category. 🙂 Loved your 70’s couple post. Just
amazing. Interesting that you loved the green dress. I remember a post where you
were ruminating over what color green could go with, having had enough of sewing black and green hag costumes! You found the answer – it goes with green. 🙂
Wonderful belt and I do rejoice with you. I think green goes great with bone color, btw.
And pretty nice with a stone grey.
I’ve been getting rid of a lot of black clothes. Sometimes I ask myself what color
would I love to have the item in instead. Green, in one answer. I used to have a
drop dead glam silk ribbon knit sheath and jacket that I used to wear to cocktail
parties once upon a time. No longer interested in making people gasp. Recently bought what I’d rather wear: an emerald green sweater and long skirt. Probably is acrylic or a blend, didn’t bother to check. But more interested in friendly and
approachable now.
Bridgette Raes mentioned that green should be considered more as a neutral.
I think she’s right. I’d been longing for a green handbag and happened upon one
at one of the church Christmas bazaars my friend coaxes me into attending. I’m always reluctant because I don’t want crafty items, decorative items, etc. But this last one had an “attic” room with a bunch of purses thrown haphazardly in a corner.
I got this amazing large green shoulder bag in pebbled leather for fifty cents. I even met the lady who had just donated it. Didn’t recognize the brand because I don’t
shop retail much. Turns out to be a Maxx brand they sell on a shopping channel
for [to me] a breathtaking amount of money.
I will rejoice with you bacause: I LOVE green. And I wish I was brave enough to wear a sweater dress because I really love them!
I love you guys!
When I wear the dress, I will try to have someone more coordinated than I take a photo of me. 🙂
Vildy- YAY about the bag! Sounds fabulous!
for Carrie:
I recently read on a knitting blog that the secret to a sweater dress
not seating out is for the yarn to have a percentage of nylon. Also,
there are sweater dresses and sweater dresses. A friend once
told me, years ago, that the secret to leggings (see how long ago
that was) was to size up and this works. Goes from obscene sausage
casing to casually elegant. Same for sweater dresses! Size up and
suddenly they’re innocent looking.
oh, also, in the olden days 🙂 we had taffeta-like slips for under
knits. Probably still is some such thing. A close-fitting non-cling
slip underneath would prevent the sweater dress from hanging
in such a way as to show back of bra band, etc.
or, sorry to be so wordy and full of second thoughts, some kind of
smooth shell underneath.
Actually, this dress does have a percentage of nylon. And it’s a medium, rather than a small. The reason that works is because the neckline has a twisted effect, which makes a little extra drapiness in that area work.
I should just make myself a slip, it can’t be that hard! In the early months of this blog, I talked with a reader about cotton slips and I’ve been looking for one ever since, with no luck. Basically, I have avoided wearing dresses for the most part, in the winter, because they always stick to the tights.
I completely concur with sizing up for leggings, although I still wouldn’t wear them without something long over. 😉
yes, the trick is to think of it as a dress rather than a sweater. Try rubbing or
spraying fabric softener on the tights front.
That sounds fabulous! I love a terrific deal. I found summer patio chairs at GW yesterday for $2 each! While they have nothing to do with fashion, I will look great in them next summer. haha! 😉
I’ve never been able to pull off sweater skirts for my lower half no matter what size. If I get a skirt big enough to comfortably fit my hips, it falls off because my waist is tiny. If it’s a dress, it’s huge up top.
A simple slip in silk or linen would be really easy to whip up in an afternoon (or a Saturday.) I can’t wait to see it.
ha ha, Janel!
What do you recommend, in terms of eliminating cling? Silk, linen, cotton?
btw, all of you, if you are on fb, friend me. Then, if things get bad again, and I’m not blogging, at least we can keep minimally updated. 🙂