We had a lovely dinner with my son, Zach, and his partner, Joey, on Saturday night, an early celebration of Mother’s Day and my birthday, at the restaurant Joey manages, a well-appointed yet still comfortably casual room on the 18th floor, providing a stunning view of downtown Victoria, the illuminated legislature buildings, grand old dame Empress hotel, the inner harbour, and beyond all that, the Pacific glinting in the setting sun.
Getting ready to drive down, I confidently put on the simple outfit I’d planned — very simple LBD from Club Monaco with a V-d back, 3/4 sleeves, and clever pleating through the middle worn with a pair of open-toed black pumps whose sides sported a panel of zebra-stripes, and a sharp new pendant I’d bought. I felt great about the ensemble ’til I “checked my look in the mirror” and saw no Glory Days at all but rather a roll of back fat just below my bra. Meltdown! Meanwhile, poor Pater is assuring me that he thinks I look great — and thank goodness he does, but you know how credible he is in this situation, right? Could have been a disaster, but before I let myself descend to listing all the things I hate about my body and on and on, the self-indulgent pity growing as it can easily do, I realized that this time the Spanx undergarment was hurting, not helping. Taking it off let that little roll distribute itself into invisibility and the dress’s pleats rendered the tummy control unnecessary. Whew! Wish all wardrobe problems could be solved so easily!
Still, I needed some extra reassurance and for me, a snazzy coat can’t be beat. With weather in the high teens (Celsius) and showers in the forecast, my new light Betsey Johnson coat was perfect and Pater even took some shots so you could have a peek too.
I’m debating whether or not to bring this coat on our trip — it’s even lighter than it looks and could comfortably be worn onto the plane so wouldn’t require packing. We’re heading to Ottawa May 22nd, England the following week, and by the time we’re in Paris (June 7th-17th), we could be into some serious shirtsleeve — even tank top! — weather. But the weather’s so unpredictable at this time of year that we could also get a series of cool-ish overcast and rainy days that might have me longing for a cheery way to warm up. What do you think?
When headed to Paris, best rule is leave it out, you can always pick one up there, n’est ce pas? Bon voyage!
Hmmm, I say bring it, especially since it can be worn rather than packed. It’s gorgeous!
I say take the coat! You just know you’ll need it in England and it’s nice and light. Looks lovely, by the way, and I love the hit of blue from the scarf.
Patricia
What a fun coat! It’s so lighthearted. It will stand out in Paris, mais c’est bon, peut-etre? It definitely suits you more than a drab, expected sober black or khaki.
Dana: While this is true in theory, in practice I hate shopping for something because/when I need it — never find the right item at the right price in those circumstances. I actually have a raincoat I bought that way in Paris a few springs ago, and I don’t wear it here as much as I thought I would.
Jillian: Thanks, Jillian — I’m leaning towards doing this.
Patricia: and you’re leaning me even further that way — the England portion especially seems sure to need a jacket (and even if bringing it ensures that there is no rain, that in itself makes the packing space well worth it.
Pseu: I do wonder about the boldness factor, but at least it’s black! Perhaps I could tone it down by dispensing with a bright scarf. Or perhaps I’ll just be me!
That coat is so much fun! Tough decision. Looks great on you! It will stand out more in Paris than London. Be your lovely self and have the most magical dotted time.
Really fabulous coat. I say take it. It will make you smile. And you won’t find what you need when you need it.
Great coat and I love those shoes!
OMG!! You look sooooo Parisian in that outfit. Fantastic. I say oui; absolutely, this must come to Paris!!
Duchesse: A magical dotted time — I love it!
Mardel: Thanks, I’m pretty much convinced.
Imogen: Thanks — I couldn’t resist the shoes!
LBR: My coat thanks you — it will walk the streets of Paris in just a few weeks 😉
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Have a great trip!!! I love your look. My how you have evolved since you started the blog!