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| The real me! |
I took the afternoon off work today, intent on having a long walk along the Themse, as a sort of companion piece to the one I took along the Seine last Saturday, but the weather was against me.
The whole afternoon was 15 minute episodes of rain interspersed with short periods of sunshine - I got wet four times, then threw in the towel. I did manage to take one or two photos, but they aren't very interesting, so I posted this picture of my Alter Ego, Hixi, instead.
Thus thwarted by the climate, I went shopping!
Not massively successful - I was looking - still! - for a green hat to go with my yellow dress. I visited at least a dozen shops, but no hats - nor indeed gloves - did I find.
I did, however, find new towels! Sunshine yellow, perfectly matching the aforementioned yellow dress. Not that I usually wear a towel over my dress, but still. I do love that shade of yellow! And I last bought towels when I bought the house, so it was about time.
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| Towel |
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| Dress |
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| ditto |
You have to admit this is a totally beautiful dress.
However, upon reflection, not the sort of dress to wear to a superior sort of garden party? With a green hat, with perhaps a small parrot perched on top? And green gloves with yellow polka dots? Perhaps, it occurred to me as I searched in vain for green hats and gloves, a somewhat less dramatic outfit would be more suitable? Perhaps the yellow dress could be used for less formal occasions?
So I went in search of a more suitable outfit. Dear Reader! Have you ever, against your ingrained parsimonious nature, resolved to spend a small fortune on an entirely frivolous item, only to search for it fruitlessly all over town?
That was my portion today. I looked in department stores, classy second hand stores, and even Harrods, but didn't see a single outfit that interested me (more than the yellow dress / green parrot combination, that is).
Finally I remembered a charity shop just along the road from Harrods, which I had discovered some years ago, and decided to make that my last stop before I gave up.
And Glory Be! I found a very beautiful dress and jacket outfit by Max Mara (see below). I am very pleased with it. Now all I need to do is to NOT wear it with a green hat with a parrot perched on top, and I am all settled. A black hat, perhaps, with black gloves and black shoes, would be suitable. Also much easier to find, I think.
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| In real light it is a very rich red, sort of strawberry |
So I did have rather a good day after all - sunshine yellow towels in the bathroom, and an outfit for my garden party, all the more appreciated because I bought it - relatively cheaply - after having passed up so many inferior - and much more expensive! - offerings.
