Beau and Boo Wear Blue: the relativity of a woman's size

Jean jacket: thrift hand-me-down from a friend; Ring: Birks; Jeans and shirt: Reitman's; Hat: I don't know; Beau's hat: Jaxon; T-shirt: Old Navy; Jeans and dress-shirt: thrift

It was a dark and rainy day, and Beau and I had errands to run. It was not a dress up sort of a day. Each of us threw on an outfit quickly and without much care.

And lo! we matched. 

I found it so amusing, I had to take a photo, smudgy selfie though it was. Are we already turning into one of those old couples who look alike?

Later, when I looked at the photo, I was struck by how little I look next to Beau, or how big he looks next to me, depending on your perspective. I've been noticing this about style bloggers: they talk about accepting their "average" or "plus" size bodies -- and then they pose next to their partners and look tiny. By what crazy standards are we calling ourselves big?!? 

Holy lack of perspective!

Okay, it is possible that Beau dwarfs things, like our little car co-op cars, fetchingly complimenting our blue ensembles of the day.

But, really, I'm not so very big! 

In fact, Beau calls me Boo. That's his nickname for anyone "little and cuddly" and a bit roundy, like a cute cat or, well, me. "You're just little!" he says, with endless surprise, when he hugs me. "You're a little Boo."


I can't remember, but I think this started when he learned that I say "Kitty!" to my cat exactly as little Boo says it to Sully in the movie Monsters Inc.

Anyway, I like it. It makes me feel cute and sweet, something I haven't often let myself feel as I've wended my way through the world all alone. 

Brooch: vintage; Hair clip: Stylize

Did I say I put this outfit together without much care? Well true, but I took a little care. That's just how I roll.

I knew the denim went with the navy shirt, and I thought the dark day would be brightened by the blue and green vintage brooch. The way the weather changes here, I also knew the rain might stop and the sun come out, so I turned a hair clip into an adornment on my jacket. 

I was right. The sun did come out and the pavement steamed like a sauna. I was glad for the clip.

I wore the dove both because silver goes well with blue, and because I wear my dove on days when I'm feeling shaky and need a little bucking up. It's both a Jewish and a Christian image for divinity and hope, so it speaks to me. It's a little like a welcome visitation from the Holy Spirit, or whatever you want to call it.

 

Seriously, these cars are really little. I don't know how Beau folds himself into these things. The other day, an old lady bent over and peered inside at him, just to get a look at how anyone could even fit into such a car. She told him he looked cute in there. 

I agree, though he also looks tense. He hates driving, which, aside from environmental reasons, is why he doesn't own a car. I know better than to even get my license. I'd have a complete breakdown driving in the city, I'm sure.

The car is so little that, tired and grumpy after our errand (getting a back-friendly foam mattress for me and Beau to lounge on at his place), we thought Beau had forgotten to rebook our car and someone had driven off in it. You see, it was so tiny that we couldn't see it hiding between two normal sized vehicles. There we stood, grumbling tummies, big foam mattress, steamy pavement and all, thinking, "Now what?"

But I saved the day (or I like to think I did). "There it is," I said. "You just didn't see it because it's just little, like me!"

 Oh, and here's big Bobby, otherwise known as KITTY!

Perky in Pucci: How to brighten a blah day.

Dress: Route; Sandals: Wonders; Bra: far too visible, Warners, I think

Who says a short woman can't wear a maxi-dress? Not I! 
 
I had two thoughts when I got this dress. 

Okay, three. 

First, I wondered what kind of bra arrangement I could manage with this thing. I haven't really sorted that out yet, though I'm on the lookout for a strapless bra that actually works.
 

Second, I thought of Mrs. Roper.

Pucci's work, probably 1960

And, third, naturally, obviously, I thought of Emilio Pucci. Who on earth wouldn't?

Emilio Pucci at work

His prints are gorgeously exuberant and unrestrained. It does take some chutzpah to wear them, or knock-offs off them. But I have chutzpah, so, no problem.

Jean jacket: Levis, thrift

Though Pucci's work is not restricted to the 60s, I associate him primarily with the 60s. Besides, I was going to a decidedly hippie-ish restaurant, so I thought I'd go with it. After all, their mural outside would match my dress perfectly. 

Yes, I do think of things like this.

Pucci's work, probably 1960

 You may have noticed that I seem to have a bit of a pash for orange these days. If I do, if it's excessive, I'm in good company.

I'd been feeling pretty stressed lately, what with Beau's move into town (moving is always stressful), and teaching, and my back injury, and its cause... 

Bright colours cheer me up. Orange is a new favourite. No harm in that.

 

I love this image because I think I look a little Hamlet: pensive, and haunted, adjectives that often, sadly, describe me quite well. 

See the ghost behind me? 

There's an irony in this photo. I was posing with the word "fragile" and pointing to myself because I was feeling very fragile. But it's Beau's image that is framed in the fragile tape. 

Like I say, moving is never easy and Beau's been pretty stressed lately too.

I hope we take good care of each other. I know we try.

Sometimes, the best solution is chocolate cake. This was the first time Beau's boys had tried the cake here and they thoroughly approved.

Another solution is not futzing with my hair. It's been really frizzy lately, frizzy enough for even me to curse my Jewfro, something of which I am usually very proud and fond.

I just slicked my hair back when it was wet, braided it, and caught the braids in a butterfly clip. No fuss, no muss. I'd meant to leave the braids down but it was just too young a look for me.

Ring on left hand: Birks; Pendant watch: heirloom; Bangles and flower ring: thrift

And, of course, anyone who knows me knows that one of my best solutions to a blue mood is bling, especially if its vintage. Today was not a day to stint on the bling or aim for understated jewerly. Some people might say this print calls for minimal jewelry. I'm not one of those people

This pendant was my paternal grandmother's and I'm guessing she got it in the 60s or early 70s. It's turquoise and gold-fill, with a Swiss movement. 

 

The movement has seventeen rubies! It's pretty great.

I like the gold-plate, filigree chain too, but I'm pretty sure it didn't originally come with this pendant. I wish I knew more about both.

 

The light on this day was incredible.

Colours were saturated, shadows were long...

... and everything looked extra beautiful and, somehow... significant or mysterious, if that makes any sense.

The light just lent itself to artsy photos of the day's bright colours.

Everything seemed to glow.

Austrian crystal earrings and matching brooch (below): vintage

Even human skin glowed with a strange beauty.

My vintage, daisy earring and brooch set went perfectly with both the light and the 60s outfit. 

(The only other time I've featured them in this blog was in a post called Sixties Housewife Goes to Town; it was a fun spoof of the novels inspired in large part by Betty Friedan.)

 

It's really nice to have Beau and the kids here in this neighbourhood now. It's the kind of neighbourhood where a local venue's stage doubles as a kids' play area during the day. Note the microphone stand. A young man was setting up for a gig as we had our cake.

 

And the toys are gender neutral too!

I'm not really a fan of the whole hippie scene, having seen the worst of it as a child, but I'll take it over conservative suburbs any day. 

Besides, the counter-culture encompasses a lot more than just hippies and my neighbourhood is no exception. This is just one hangout of many and this one is hippie-ish.

Glasses: Geek eyewear; Shirt: Old Navy

Have I ever told you how funny Beau is? He brings out the child in me, in a good way.

If you wanted a closer look at the art work behind us, here it is. Even it seemed to go with the day's fashion motif.

And here, because she recently passed, is the wonderful Jean Stapleton, in what must be a Pucci piece.

And so the sun sets on another beautiful day in the neighbourhood.

I'm posting this on the 100th Visible Monday over at Not Dead Yet Style. She wants us to "compose a post that includes any outfit, accessory, piece of jewelry, hairstyle, cosmetic or other adornment that makes you feel more confident, alive and visible that day." I'd say this one definitely fits the bill.

Cool Kid: The Return of the Bow Tie?

 

Recently, at the university graduation ceremony of one of my former students (post to follow), I spotted this kid across the lawn. 

 

He was taking photos of his graduating sister and his entire family. The little old woman dressed so colourfully is, I assume, his grandmother.

I liked his style so much, that I tried to snap photos of him without his knowing, but this one of his back was all I managed.

So when he came closer to me, I hobbled (it was a bad back day) up to him, told him about my blog, and asked if I could take his picture. He burst into a huge smile, with a rack full of braces on his teeth, and said yes, I could.

He then grabbed his sister to be sure she was in the photo. He clearly did not want to steal her thunder on her special day. She looked really proud of him too.

She then told him I should get some photos of him alone and graciously stepped out of the frame.

I seldom stop men for photos for my blog (and this guy is really still only a boy) but how could I not stop this one? He's such a cutie!