Just a thought....
Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

Friday, 06 August 2010

A sense of style



Have you ever left home in your slippers? Or at least dreamt that you have? Or worn sandals when going out into the snow? ; )

My dress for teaching leans towards the casual with just enough 'smart' to be presentable for corporate students. Yesterday, for example, I had the balls-in-the-bathtub student and a mess of teens. Dress: jeans, t-shirt, hiking boots. As day-to-day comfort wear goes, that is 'it'. Around lunch time, I stepped in at the shopping centre in the area - in the heart of the Jewish quarter. I spent my time there wondering, as I often do, if money makes one lose all sense of style - as though I have so much style myself =Þ Naturally, there were bunches of well-dressed dames, but some real oddballs too.

This morning, I decided to 'glamorise'. I hauled out my red throw, did the full 'war paint' routine and even dug through my jewellery box! Yes! Full red-carpet glamour. Ok, not quite, but, for me, it's a total departure from what has become my norm.

I left home feeling all dressed up... until I got to the bus stop and chanced to look down. Yep. Rough 'n tough hiking boots! I packed up laughing. My bus stop companion gave me a kind of quizzical grin, not knowing what could possibly be so amusing during a dark, early morning wait for the bus. Every now and again, throughout the day, my thoughts would go to my feet - which, in fairness, are far more comfortable than they have any right to be when 'dressed up' - and the mirth bubbles up again.

The photo, by the way, is of Tat's old boots. Mine aren't nearly as worn, so I could get away with it under my pants.

Looking at the news this morning and reading about how the fire brigade somewhere in northern USA is offering to hose down the cattle in the extreme heat, it's weird to see the thick blanket of snow not to far south of us here in Brazil. My world today is peppered with huddled Brazilian popsicles.

From one of our local news sites

27 comments:

  1. I can remember when wearing boots with skirts was fashionable...was it the 80's? The Cindi Lauper/Madonna look...I had a broom skirt and got myself a pair of Panama Jack black leather boots (like the kind my father would have worn to work!) and I'd wear them together...

    I still have them, but wear them in the snow now. I think it's hilarious you forgot to change into chic shoes. haha!!

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  2. Those shoes are worn? They look good to me. I knwo exactly what you mean. All the teachers wear slippers at school and we routinely walk out the door in them at the end of the day. And for several fancy schmancy events where everyone is lacquered up and hairsprayed down I have worn crocs because I can't cope in anything else. :) But well doen for dressing up. Whenever I do it's momentous to walk out the door with matching earings etc.

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  3. *LAUGHING* I have left the house in slippers before and got all the way to the grocery store before I realized. And uh, you know I've done the sandals in the snow before. hehe. I love your story and I bet you had a few people noticing you today for a few reasons! :) I love Tat's old boots, btw. They look comfy!

    Aaaah, snow! I just went for a brief walk in the backyard and came in dripping in sweat. MAN am I ready for fall!

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  4. Kat, I just don't do the Cyndi Lauper look... I'd look distinctly odd, but I know the look you're talking about. Back when I used to dress up, my 'look', for what it was worth, was more classical... with a touch of drama and artsy. Hm... that sounds quite good in theory haha!

    Katey... shh! I cleaned them for display! They fell apart shortly after that photo shoot. I didn't have matching earrings on. My excuse is that my hair covers my ears, so why bother. I used a broach to keep the throw in place and wore a ring. Go me! =Þ I believe crocs are super comfy. One day I'll try a pair.

    Kippy, you figured I was actually referring to your escapade in the snow, right? ; ) Thankfully, I've saved myself in time for the whole slippers to work deal... mostly because I don't wear slippers and my old SA slippers were thick sheepskin ones that felt too much like slippers. Ooh! I miss those! I'm actually half ready for summer, believe it or not, but not for the heat. For the chance to wear summer clothes that are *sigh* loose-fitting and to be able to put my unruly hair up.

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  5. *laughs I have to say I'm also ready for fall. I was looking at my hoodies with longing earlier ;o)

    Isn't dressing up a bit fun on occasion? Woooo! Even if you have more sensible footwear at times. *winks Better than having to march around in 3-4" heels! Ackness!

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  6. Jaime, I'd kill myself in 3 - 4 inch heels now. Hard to believe I used to wear them all the time with a large measure of comfort even - NUTS! The very thought gives me vertigo.

    We've had São Paulo's garoa... a drizzle that swirls in all directions and renders umbrellas useless, so you end up soaked anyway. I wished that I had a hoodie then. My hair doesn't appreciate swirling wet and I ended up looking like a shaggy dog having a bad hair day.

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  7. I bet you look quite cute with wet wild hair. Is that boots-with-long-skirts look that old already? You still see it around here on occasion.

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  8. I live in KEDS sneakers, Tint, and not the fancy leather kind, the basic canvas type. I have them in 5 colors and also a couple fancy plaids and a Christmas pair and a lacey pair and for fun a patriotic red-white and blue pair! I have a few pair of sandles and one pair of leather slippers, etc and a couple of bair of boots,e tc, but 90% of the time you'll find me in my Keds!

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  9. Marty, I LOVE Keds!! I had a pair of Keds that eventually fell off my feet. Sadly, they stopped selling it in Brazil. Now you can find them, but only in 'exclusive' boutiques and at a price. I'm definitely considering another pair though. Mine was plain cream... I'm not excited about all the patterns, as I tend to have one pair I wear with everything.

    Ien, I most certainly don't look cute with a huge frizzy mane *laugh* Boots with long skirts isn't old. I think in certain circles it's just never gone 'out'.

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  10. We need to brush up on our geography: the snow in Brazil is blowing me away! My mind doesn't equate Brazil and snow :) We are in for a week of hot, humid weather!

    Oh yes, I've had dreams of going somewhere in my pajamas, and once in highschool, I even had shortie pajama bottoms on under my clothes instead of proper underwear, which I didn't realize until classes had started. That's a hoot about your boots :) Did you share your amusement with your bus stop companion?

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  11. I find the idea of snow in Brazil to be quite freaky too, Faye. I feel for you. I don't do hot 'n humid very well. No, I didn't share the source of my amusement. Pride and lack of the finer Portuguese linguistics prevented me from drawing attention to the 'problem'.

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  12. Looks like those gals were well prepared with good coats and gloves, like it happens all the time.

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  13. Faye, it doesn't. When the weather gets into the teens (around 60ºF), the gloves, scarves, thick coats and multiple layers come out.

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  14. That was a funny blog, Tint.
    It reminded me about a friend who had worked hard an early morning to make 3 kids ready for the national day. Getting dressed in national costumes takes time, and at last she too was ready. She was in a hurry, and a bit late. At the doorstep she noticed she was still wearing slippers!
    http://www.dagbladet.no/dinside/2003/04/24/367138.html?i=5

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  15. Isn't it funny what folks around the world deem "cold"? 60F here is still tshirt weather, especially in MN when the sun is shining. It's all what you're used to for average temps.

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  16. Brazilian blood is very thin, Faye and the houses and clothes aren't geared for cold. Our house gets cold very quickly. It's designed to stay cool in summer and very draughty.

    Amalie, their costumes are SO beautiful! The weave on the lady's sash is similar to the weave used on the Lithuanian sashes. I remember how long it used to take Tatiana to get into her costume and your friend had 3 kids to do too? I take my hat off to her. No wonder she ended up going in slippers.

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  17. Yes, I bet it's much the same. It's a stress simply- every national day, kids are supposed to line up at 8:45. The clothes must be ready the day before, if not, we have no chance.

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  18. I love those boots. Bet they're as comfy as slippers.

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  19. Tint, this is for you: the kids and I went to church this morning. Everyone is old enough to get themselves dressed and in the car. We parked at church and walked toward the front door. Near the door I glanced down and noticed that Joshua had SLIPPERS on, and not just standard ones. These are hand knit, bulky, red, black, yellow striped slippers. He wore them "just because". Did he know where his church shoes were? Yes. Sigh.

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  20. haha! Faye, I need a pattern for those slippers... they're obviously comfy ; )

    Emmm, Tat swore by them, that they were comfy enough. She wore them constantly.

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  21. Well, at least you had some boots on. I had a situation some 15 years ago, I went outside to a stairwell to open the outside door for a friend of mine, who back then used to pop in on early mornings so we could walk to school together, wearing my slippers, and as we were already at the apartment door it closed right in front of us because of draught. it was the middle of rather snowy winter, I was wearing my slippers, no coat, and no keys. Imagine going by trolley-bus all the way to the other part of the town just to get the spare keys. Thought it wasn't all that much fun at the time, now I crack up every time remembering that damn unlucky day.

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  22. Ouch Asta! My toes just froze in sympathy! And no coat? Brrr!

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  23. well, luckily for me I wore a warm sweater at that time, and could borrow gloves from that friend :) And the best part was that that time I wore some regular leather slippers. Imagine, what I might have looked like if I wore some colorful and silly plush ones I so much like to wear during winter months :D

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  24. I think the colorful plush slippers would have been fun : ) I'm glad you were at least a little warm though.

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  25. I wear big clunky boots with everything, shorts, skirts, peasant skirts.... you name it, I've got either my Doc shoes or my Doc boots. It doesn't matter to me if I'm 30 years out of style; besides, I've had a few gentlemen tell me they think the image of a woman in a summers dress and boots on rather appealing :)

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  26. But then again, you knew that about me, didn't you Tint?

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  27. Have you seen Tat's cute Docs? I'm in envy... totally! And yes, I knew that about you : )

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Tint~