It’s cool, drab, and rainy this morning, and with last weekend’s time change, the dark nights hit earlier; as we move toward the solstice, over the next six weeks, the days are shorter and shorter, and once we hit the solstice and they start lengthening again, we’ll nonetheless have the two coldest months of the year to get through. This ornamental maple, stunning two weeks ago, is almost bare of its leaves now, and there are many months before its gorgeous chartreuse unfolds again in the spring. If only I could go back to bed this morning with a lovely thick mystery novel and spend the day, and perhaps most of the subsequent months ’til March, moving from there to my armchair, otherwise budging only to tend the fire and make pots of smoky tea.
Instead, I have to get “up and at ’em” now and plunge into the rainy dark to catch a ferry, so I’m trying to think what I could wear that will cheer me up. I could wear my skinny jeans tucked into my “fun rain boots” — they’re white-and-black-pin-striped with Barbie-pink accents, perhaps with a long black v-neck cashmere tunic-sweater, and hmmmm, now that I think of it, maybe my pink cheetah-print silk chiffon scarf.
Or just give into the gloom with all greys and blacks in swaddling, nurturing drapey-comfy fabrics.
Or defy it in black, crisper shapes, a bit harder-edged, my MK booties, and metal-detailed accessories.
Or a fun dress in a bright print, arguably more spring-appropriate but brought into late fall courtesy of dark tights and boots and a black cardigan.
Or wear a skirt with sequins or beads or bright embroidery, again toned down with the darker elements of tights, boots, and cardigan.
I’ll let you guess what I choose, but I’d better go do that now, and get dressed, or risk being late, missing the ferry, and being stuck here, Sleeping Beauty like, ’til mid-March when the spring sun and crocuses coax me out like Prince Charming’s kiss . . .
What do you wear to cope with the winter’s oncoming darkness?
Hmmm, did you wear the bright dress with tights and boots?
As I am a lover of the weather you describe I tend to go with clothes that go with the weather, meaning I wouldn’t wear the bright dress.I would, “just give into the gloom with all greys and blacks in swaddling, nurturing drapey-comfy fabrics.”
Dear, Mater, you tell a good story:”If only I could go back to bed this morning with a lovely thick mystery novel and spend the day, and perhaps most of the subsequent months ’til March, moving from there to my armchair, otherwise budging only to tend the fire and make pots of smoky tea.” Le sigh!
Scarves pinned with laundry pins. I actually love the winter months. Summer is far too oppressive to me.
In the winter I love pastels. But now it is difficult. I love bright colors, but they seem out of place at the moment. I tend to opt for grays and blacks. Although I have for some inexplicable reason worn a lot of orange and black this fall….It must be something in the air, no?
“. . . budging only to tend the fire and make pots of smoky tea.”
I love the imagery in your writing. And I love the images that accompany this post.
Jillian: That was my first choice, but in the end I chose something else — a sequined skirt, styled as above with the addition of some other bits of sparkle here and there (cuff, pendant, diamond studs).
LBR: yes, that has an appeal, but it’s not what I chose today. Actually, I ended up being able to get home early (4-ish) and into pjs, my favourite outfit of all. Le sigh, in your words!
Thomas: the wooden ones or the coloured pegs? I love summer’s more moderate days, the ease of living, and I like the September-October fall days. Much of winter I love as well (and I especially love getting to wear some of my coats) — but here, contending with riding the bike on a kilometre-long dirt-turned-to-mud road with rain pelting down and wind blowing my hat off (actually happened this morning, had to stop the bike and go back to retrieve) — Not so much love!
Mardel: Pastel cashmere, now there’s a thought (altho’ I don’t do much pastel anymore, for some reason). I love orange with chocolate brown or charcoal, altho’ I can’t wear it myself.
Enc: Thanks — the maple was so striking this year — the elongated fingers of the leaves are so defined in their lacy orange.
November, I tend towards hard edge especially because I am so in love with my new pumps because they have revitalised some very plain outfits to Rei Kawakubo levels of uber chic!
December tends to see me wearing more colour, although this year I have been playing more with my necklaces to lift various outfits.
I so agree with your desire to curl up and read, the effort it takes to get up in the dark and go home in the dark makes me ache for spring.
Mater, off topic, but have you seen ttwcreative’s blog? She is a major knitter! She’s at
ttwcreative.blogspot.com
Karen
Yay, I guessed it! Anyway, I have a French GF who spent several years in Canada. She advised me to buy all the beautifully coloured sweaters I could afford early in the season (NOW) before they were all picked over when I really needed a lift, Jan. through March. Usually black on the bottom b/c of the snow and slush, but on top luscious coloured cashmere and jewelry (coral, amethyst, amber) and scarves to cosset me.
IndigoAl: Have you shown us your new pumps? Don’t remember seeing them, so I’m going to go pore over your past posts. If they’re not there yet, perhaps you’ll feature them soon. Great how a new pair of fab shoes can revitalize so much of our closet.
Karen: I just checked it out — some inspiration there, for sure!
Duchesse: I’m so impressionable . . . I read your comment and caught myself thinking “Oooh, I must rush. All the best coloured sweaters will be gone soon and I KNOW there’s not much beyond greys, browns, and blacks in my winter wardrobe.” Mind you, being overly influenced by such savvy commenters as you are — not such a sign of weakness, right? 😉