Navy & Gold Festive. Low-Key Sparkly What I Wore

The weekend was so busy, and I’m trying to keep up with end-of-term marking while also trying not to think abouttomorrow’s marathon session with my dentist (“Boo! Root canal. . . ). . . .

So all I have for now is another Festive Outfits post. I love the way these J Crew silk brocade pants (in the Cafe Capri) take on a different vibe when paired with a navy merino top, some chunky beads, and black patent flats (also J Crew, the Vivs)

I ended up wearing them for two operas in a row, first styled as above when we went to Tosca, and then on Saturday night, I wore them with sequinned pink cashmere for Albert Herring. Once upon a time, this kind of repetition would have bothered me. Luckily, those days are long gone, and I’m going to enjoy wearing my few festive pieces as often as possible over the next several weeks. It’s all about the CPW, right?

So distract me from my dental woes — How do you spell Festive in the first week of December? Shiny shoes, luscious fabrics, rich new smells in the kitchen, children’s giggles. Have you started playing Christmas tunes yet? And if so, which favourites do you recommend? Have you planned where you’ll be for Christmas dinner yet? (some negotations took place in our family, but it’s all sorted now and this Nana doesn’t have to host although I get to contribute my tourtières. . . )

14 Comments

  1. Tiffany
    3 December 2013 / 3:27 am

    Love love love those pants. And the outfit above is just gorgeous.

    As for festive … well, I'm not quite there yet. Have just got back from a 10-day trip overseas to see my mother (just out of hospital). While I was there, I managed to get very sick myself (I know, smart), and I'm only now recovering. I've just had a huge writing job come in – which is great, except for the timing! AND, we're all a-flutter in our house because there is a chance (around 70% at this point) that we will be moving to London at the beginning of next year. With all this stuff going on, it's hard to concentrate on Christmas, especially as we're not hosting dinner. And, sadly, now both kids are teenagers they just don't seem to be very into it, which is dampening my enthusiasm also … So there's my string of Grinch excuses for this December. Perhaps I'll do better next year!

    • materfamilias
      3 December 2013 / 6:08 pm

      Wow! That's a lot going on. Selfishly, what I grabbed out of all your news is that you might move to London (at the beginning of 2014? or 2015?) in which case I hope we can finally meet — I'd manage a trip to London relatively easily compared to Australia!

  2. Lorrie
    3 December 2013 / 4:19 am

    I started playing Christmas music this weekend. Today I scrubbed the kitchen floor to the beat of "The Lost Christmas" by TransSiberian Orchestra. Josh Groban's and Neil Diamond's Christmas CDs are ones we like, too. Easy listening stuff. Also Michael Card and Twila Paris – but those are oldies.

    Your festive outfit is so versatile. Love it. Hope the dental procedure tomorrow is a piece of cake.

    • materfamilias
      3 December 2013 / 6:10 pm

      Floor-scrubbing and Christmas tunes — way to get it done! Thanks for the good wishes for the Big Scary. 😉

  3. Susan B
    3 December 2013 / 4:46 am

    Oh, I love this outfit, really a LOT! I keep going back and looking at a similar version of those pants. Sometimes just looking at other people's festive outfits and decorations gets me in the holiday mood.

    • materfamilias
      3 December 2013 / 6:10 pm

      Thanks, Sue. It's good, isn't it? Feels like a Sweet Spot Outfit for me, quite honestly. . . .get the pants! 😉

  4. Pondside
    3 December 2013 / 5:19 am

    There's a wreath on the door and silver hearts hanging from the chandelier on the veranda, but that's it so far. More will have to wait for my return after this week away for work. I do a lot of driving during this week, from one institution to another, and I like to sing along as I go, and that means tuning in to whichever station is playing Christmas music. There's snow in the valley tonight, so it's feeling very Christmassy.
    I love the pants – am on the lookout for something with that sort of casually elegant feel.

    • materfamilias
      3 December 2013 / 6:13 pm

      Decor-wise, you're way ahead of me — and my reasons for slow Christmas progress are similar to yours. This time of year is always such a conflict as there's so much marking pressure, right up until Christmas.
      But once I get this Dental Stuff out of the way, I might put on Christmas tunes as backdrop. . . crossing my fingers, though, that we won't see any snow for at least one more week, despite the Christmas spirit it delivers. . . it can wreak havoc on an exam schedule!

  5. Duchesse
    3 December 2013 / 2:26 pm

    Enjoy every wear, such a charming outfit and comfortable, too. Good luck w/ procedure. And tourtière! We are surrounded by many local versions, plus my MIL's cipaille.

    • materfamilias
      3 December 2013 / 6:14 pm

      Of course, I had to do a little research on cipaille. Lucky you, with a better kind of research right in your family, mmmmmmm. Is the Duke originally from Gaspésie? Our favourite local restaurateur (and brilliant sommelier) hails from there.

  6. LPC
    3 December 2013 / 5:03 pm

    Love your party pants. And I too like to wear a piece over and over these days, it makes me feel intelligent, which beats fashionable any day:).

    • materfamilias
      3 December 2013 / 6:15 pm

      Nicely said! Intelligent does trump fashionable, doesn't it?!

  7. K.Line
    4 December 2013 / 2:28 am

    You are impressively festive. I never wear anything remotely sparkly for the season. Seasonal dressing just doesn't apply to me unfortunately – I don't go to parties (or, I do but they're totally casual). Seems like you have a lot of fun at this time of year.

    • materfamilias
      5 December 2013 / 2:35 am

      We don't have many/any? parties or dress-up affairs beyond opera these days, either, but I do try to Festive even the Casual if I get a chance. . . .This is actually a tough time of year because the workload spikes dramatically right alongside a busy spot of expectations in personal/family life, so I guess I try to find the fun where I can!

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