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| OOTD Selfie taken on a train |
I’m off to celebrate an ex-colleague’s retirement — my first time back to campus since I retired over three years ago now. I’m taking advantage of the jaunt over to the island to visit friends, so posting will be light this week. And, if this post is any indication, posting might also be rather random.
Let’s call this Random Monday, shall we — I’ll try numbering the random for some arbitrary cohesion — and see where the week takes me. . .
1. Photo above is of a favourite outfit in my recent carry-on-only travel wardrobe. Because of the pleats in the skirt, it might seem rather impractical, but because I love this recent purchase (Eileen Fisher, bought it in September) so much, I really wanted to bring it along. So to save the pleats from a good suitcase-squishing, I wore it for all the Transit days — wore it on the plane days and the train days — so four days, long days, right there. And I enjoyed wearing it for walking around cities as well. That’s a relaxed/boxy, navy merino sweater (also EF, bought at the same time as the skirt) I’m wearing it with, above, and my pink Oxfords (Officine Creative).
This is a secret weapon for me, I’m just realizing, in planning a very small travel wardrobe that I won’t get bored with: loving the garments I wear is more important to me than variety. Honestly, I’ve been wearing this combination almost as often now that I’m back home. . . .
2. Since we’re all Tilda Swinton fans here (Is that a reasonably fair assumption? Feel free to pipe up in comments with your Yesses and Nos. . . ), I suspect you’ll love this portrait of her by ex-partner and father of her twin son and daughter. It’s worth reading the plaque below for a description of the portrait’s execution — in twenty minutes!
3. I need to take a cue or two from Swinton — hard to imagine her ever wearing a simper like this in a photograph. (honestly, I have such a problem with photos, having become quite self-conscious about an open-mouthed smile over the past few years). Except for that, it’s a decent photo, thanks to the lens-wielding by my good friend L, who invited me to Edinburgh to visit her while she was on sabbatical there. It was snapped at L’Escargot Bleu which I heartily recommend should you be heading to Edinburgh anytime soon. The ribbons you can glimpse dangling in the air behind me are attached to balloons floating at the ceiling, all in celebration of the just-arrived “nouveau Beaujolais.”
That cashmere leopard v-neck is so light-weight that it tends to get slipped into my case to provide that variety I mentioned above. I’d guess it’s ten years old now, and still earning its keep. Except for the purple skirt, the pink shoes, and a leopard-print silk blouse, everything I brought was black or navy/indigo denim. . . (actually, the other shoes I bought were antiqued gold-black, so they were neutral, but not bland)
4. This bit of random is one of a series of photographs I took of a brilliant and beautiful staircase, Richard Wright’s Stairwell Project at Scotland’s National Gallery of Modern Art (Modern Two in Edinburgh). I’m going to tell you more about this very soon.
And perhaps you’ll notice that I’m beginning, in this random post, to get at some of what I was talking about last post, about sorting out how a particular trip, a visit to a city perhaps, takes shape, how it shows one’s priorities, on the ground. . . . Still intending to post more comprehensively about that.
5. I took a few Selfies in hotel rooms or in the mirrors of my guest rooms along the way. This one was to show off the silk scarf I fell for, and bought, in Paris. . .
You can also see here the outfit I most often presented to the world as I traveled — my coat and scarf! (I brought two with me — one in taupe cashmere, the other sporting a gold-stamped skull on soft pink merino). I did bring along my down-jacket-in-a-tiny-bag and it was useful in Italy, where the days were a bit too warm (and the activities more casual) for the tailored merino. . .
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| Speaking of Random Abundance. . . That Hair!! Curls and Grey, all completely natural, yes, and so “interesting” to see how it behaves in different water conditions. . . . |
Random Abundance — out of this is born Coherence, as Kim Stafford promises in The Muses Among Us. . . .So shall I continue to hope. Because I’m quite sure these next few days visiting will bring more of it, and I’ll be doing my best to capture some of it for you and midwife it onto a page in my sketchbook or a screen for your eyes to read here. . .
Meanwhile, as I’m heading across the city on buses and skytrains, across the water on a ferry, along a seawall pulling my faithful little case, I look forward to reading your comments here — they can be random too, if you wish 😉
Tilda! She honestly looks as if she could be one of your beautiful daughters: the coloring, the tousled hair, the slightly regal look). Oh, I do love her style.
The photo of you with balloon strings behind is such a fab photo of you. You look relaxed and happy…and fulfilled.
The scarf is a treasure; perfect with your coloring along with being a memory enhancer.
You manage wonders, pulling easy style from your tiny suitcase when you travel. Afraid I am much more shambolic and would never be able to cut it with only a carry on.
Have fun at your party and visiting friends.
Wonder if visiting your old place of employment will stir up missing, or will it confirm that your life choices now give you equal satisfaction, leaving you content to see your teaching days in the rear view mirror?
A.in London
Thanks for all the kind words, A (yes! isn't Tilda wonderful!) I wondered the same thing about visiting my old campus — and was gratified to feel completely content with my decision three years ago. . .
Hi there Frances
As the saying goes – don't let the grass grow under your feet. With all your travels it certainly isn't having a chance to grow. What fun. Enjoy the time away.
This is just a quick jaunt, not too much beyond my backyard, but it is fun and I am enjoying 😉
Tilda is such an unusual beauty. You do look happy in the Edinburgh photo. I'm horrible with selfies or OOTD's. I think you have to relax and I'm not a natural smiler. My teeth have always been a problem (overbite) and my photo smile is self-conscious.Grey and curls react so differently every day, don't they? I really like that skirt. I've been watching it for a while and it's on sale at the Bay now. It is casual but dressy and I love the colour. I'm planning a Mexico resort wardrobe right now and I'm favouring a lot of soft green and rose plus the Fée Maboutée linen dress. Can tropical wear have a slightly French air? I'm trying because I find that the soft tones are most flattering. Enjoy your visit.
I love that colour combination you're planning on — and I think you will always give a French flair to your tropical wear!
You do a great job of tying scarves so they're soft, voluminous and nonchalant.
I also like your glasses–they follow your brows perfectly. I have been searching for new frames and want some that do the same. Would you please share the name and/or brand of yours? I have a narrow nose and have a hard time finding plastic frames that don't slide down too far.
Also re scarves, I recently heard a podcast about Audrey Hepburn circa "Sabrina," and that when she moved to London she owned one blouse, one skirt, one pair of pants and 14 scarves and everybody thought she was completely chic. I don't want to go that minimal (laundry too often), but I am very much thinking of trimming back to 2 pants, 2 skirts, etc. and keeping all the scarves.
My frames are a French brand — Face à Face. I'm always quite limited in my choice for frames because my prescription is quite strong. And I'm pleased that these wants follow my brows so well, especially since my brows don't get much grooming attention . . . That AH info is amusing but also instructive, isn't it? I'd be curious to see how you'd do with 2 pants etc. and all the scarves. Might be yet another illustration of Less being More.
Thank you! I found a local optician who carries them and will go try them on. My current glasses are from Anne & Valentin, handmade in nearby Toulouse. I was dismayed to see my unusual metal + tortoise shell frames ("Fairy") have been copied by so many industrial frame companies, though I had them seven years earlier. (I'm undoubtedly part of the reason they became cool, n'est-ce pas?) The Belgian company Théo also has some very unusual frames.
As for grooming brows, mine have gone gray before the rest of my hair, so if I don't use a pencil and some brow mascara, it looks like I don't have any. Sigh.
I had a pair of Anne & Valentin, two frames back, maybe 10 years ago? I'm sure your part of their increasing cool factor 😉
My brows haven't greyed yet and they have the same, um, exuberance my dad's developed in his later years. . . I need to keep watch over the ones that want to stretch out and mix it up with my bangs!!
Ha ha oh yes, curly hair and change of water, interesting indeed! Results definitely vary 🙂 The water conditions must have agreed with you on this trip, your hair looks great. Do you have a cut before you leave (and risk that awkward period while your curl memory recovers) or do you aim for that sweet spot between cuts?
The water somehow did work for my hair this trip, but it's never guaranteed, is it? I generally try not to have the cut just before — ugh! that horrid few days when the curls completely sulk, post-cut — but the sweet spots are so unpredictable, right?
Latching on to your comment about the outerwear you took on your trip (love your scarf). Recently purchased a very lightweight Eddie Bauer down coat (just above knee length), but I am wondering if it will be warm enough for London/Dublin in January. Thinking I might need to follow your lead and pack the down coat (4 oz, fits in a v. tiny bag) and wear my merino one, too. Love the idea of not carrying around the heavier coat, especially as many places in London (e.g. museums, theatres, stores) are so overheated in the winter. Just not sure the down coat will be quite warm enough when walking around town, especially as the sun sets around 4pm.
Amazing sketch of Tilda. To have such talent (both hers and his)–sigh.
I knew I'd be doing more walking outdoors than in, this trip, so the wool coat was a safe bet, but it's true that it can be miserable being stuck with a heavier coat in a well/over-heated indoor environment. The down will likely be warm enough with a scarf, hat, and gloves, and you could always layer a lightweight merino sweater underneath.
My random replies.
Love that portrait of Tilda. Imagine if you'd drawn that. Wouldn't you be over the moon?
Not a simper at all. Looks like you're holding your glass of wine and saying…"Well… hel-lo there." In a husky, older-women-are-much-more-sexy-than-young-ones kind of voice.
That scarf is wonderful on you Frances… especially with that shade of lipstick.
I am currently experimenting with darker lipstick shades in the faint hope that people who've never seen me without eye-make-up won't goggle at me sans anything on my eyes…at our big hockey Christmas party this weekend. Stu says…"so you want them to look at your lips, instead?" in that way that makes it sound like a totally stupid idea. Ha. Which it probably is.
Enjoy your visit "home."
Oh, to have that talent! Yes, I'd be over the moon.
Hahahah, you make me laugh — and then feel I'd better go off and practice my best "hello there". . .
And I'm really chuckling at Stu's comment. . .
Frances – you look so cute – especially in the sweater! Also, I love the Tilda Swinton pic / plaque. She is a fascinating woman. And that ceiling. OMG!
The ceiling is magnificent, but wait until I show you the rest of the stairwell. . .
Tilda Swinton is fascinating. She projects someone who is completely comfortable in their own skin.
Your comment about selfies made me smile. A friend who was a model told me that she would press her tongue on the roof of her mouth, so that her mouth was slightly open. This would relax her face and seem more natural in a photo. I leave that with you 🙂
Ali
Okay, now I'm trying the tongue-pressing trick and wondering why my mouth doesn't slightly open properly . . . 😉
Yesss to Tilda and so many yeses to your outfits! I love the mostly neutrals but then some decidedly non-neutral pieces to keep it entertaining. I quite like that photo of you – at this point in all of our blogs we've all seen many faces, one more doesn't dominate, it just adds depth to the model we construct in our minds. xox.
I love your last sentence, that observation that we do hold many images of our faces from blogposts over the years so that another just adds depth. Interesting notion that rings true.
I love your new scarf,pleated skirt and leopard shirt (I've thought that it was Eric Bompard v-neck sweater)-all of them timeles and beautiful,for spring in your steps. But the real star is your hair!
And Tilda's portrait…..-special,beautiful,one feels a secret behind the painting…….
Enjoy your stay and meeting friends
Dottoressa
Thanks, Dottoressa. . I do think there's something really intimate and magical about that portrait.
Some random comments. 1) I love Tilda Swinton and have a postcard of that John Byrne drawing on the wall. He captures her essence so brilliantly. 2) I'm pleased our soft, Scottish water worked well with your curls! 3) We've just returned from a long train trip to the German-Swiss border to attend a series of events (including a Festschrift formal presentation) followed by two days in Paris. Your comments about taking a special item of clothing chimed with me. I spent ages beforehand trying to decide what to take in a small case to suit the various occasions and the weather – my teal velvet trouser suit somehow worked well worn several times in different ways and made me happier than the black dress I almost wore. 4) Enjoy your trip. Wilma D
You already knew that portrait — hoorah!
Curious about who the Festschrift was for. . . and you know I love a long train trip, especially when it folds in two days in Paris!
I love the sound of a teal velvet trouser suit, and how much more personality it must convey in contrast with the safer choice of a black dress.
The Festschrift was for a professor at Konstanz, a former colleague of my husband. He stayed with us a few times over the years during academic visits to Scotland, so it was lovely to attend the formal and informal events. The train journey through the Black Forest is beautiful, the last time I did that trip I was 23 so it was nostalgic too!
what a good reason to travel!
Love the portrait of Tilda, and your own photos as well. I don't see a simper either and they all add up to the presence that I think of as you, even though we haven't met. I'd love to say something thoughtful, but feel instead I have been swallowed up by a great whale.
Thanks Mardel — I hope you have the luck of Jonah (but perhaps emerge not smelling of marine vomit!!)