More about the Dress

It was a bit of a rush this morning.  I got up early, ate, watched the wedding and blogged.  I am sitting here now with a recap of the wedding on the telly.
I've also had a chance since this morning to look at some of the commentary, see the polls and read some blog comments.  When I blogged about the dress, I did not venture an opinion.  In truth, I thought it was spectacular and voted for 'gorgeous' on AOL. 

I still remember getting up 30 years ago to watch the wedding of Princess Diana.  When I saw the dress, I gasped and said it looked like a 'dress made by committee'.  While I did not get to travel to Grand Rapids to see it in person last year, I cannot imagine that it improved up close.  Years later, I would associate it with the "Seinfeld Puffy-shirt episode".  But the dress was the 'fairy-tale' dress many expected.
So, there was a very small percentage of viewers who did not like today's dress.  I'm OK with that.  I'm still in the huge majority on this one.
While getting ready to leave my house, I heard an interview with author Philippa Gregory.  (can you say 'meow'?)  Apparently, she had said earlier in the week that none of her friends were going to watch the wedding.  Who cares.  She also said that Kate's life would change and that her family would be shut out from the life of the newlyweds.  I hope she is wrong about that last part.  I find it hard to believe that William would allow that to happen after what he experienced with his mother.

Later that morning I was sitting in the hospital waiting to be taken to pre-op.  There were two American commentators making 'catty' comments about the hats.  One, wearing a hat too big for her head, said she hoped they would do away with the custom for this more modern couple.  Well, pomp and circumstance is what this monarchy is all about.  Without all the fuss, they are just another ordinary family.  The other reporter looked like she got dressed in the dark with a hat and dress that did not match. 

OK.  I am being really catty.  But I loved the hats and the matching outfits.  All I can say is this:  The Queen knows how to throw one heck of a party.  Hooray for the Kingdom.  I am sure we all wish them the best.

It's all about the Dress

Let's face it ladies, all we really wanted to see was the dress.  And, if the wedding is British and you love hats, especially those designed by Philip Treacy, it's the hats.  So, this morning, after having seen THE dress, it seemed all down hill from there.

I have had some experience with wedding dresses.  When I worked for the JL Hudson Company, I spent many months selling wedding dresses, along with bridesmaid dresses, in the old downtown store.  Most of the brides were pretty forgettable, but I still remember a few outstanding ones.  My all-time favorite was the tall blonde who purchased a gorgeous pale ivory alencon lace dress with long fitted sleeves and a satin sleeveless overcoat.  She was absolutely stunning. 

On the opposite end was the bride who chose the very unflattering lace and tulle 'Scarlett O'Hara' full skirt with loooong train.  She looked like a big white barn.  And then there was the bride who chose black bridesmaid dresses with white tulle overlay.  A sea of gray.  Kind of like today's skies.

I never got the opportunity to plan any 'famous' Detroit weddings.  I did have the opportunity to help Julie Bertoia pick out her wedding dress.  Her brother, Reno Bertoia, (who died just a week ago) was a former Detroit Tiger.  I knew the Bertoia family (relatives on my mother's side of the family), so I had an 'in' in helping out. 

Picking the gown was always an exciting time for these future brides.  My future daughter-in-law was all excited on Sunday.  She and her aunt had gone shopping to pick out her wedding dress.  The latest discussion for a wedding location is Vancouver, BC.  That sounds exciting to me.

Getting married in a beautiful white gown can make any girl feel like a Princess.  At least for a day.  And we are only thirty minutes away from the BIG kiss.  Enjoy your day, however you plan to spend it.

My Hat's Off - or On

I have a lot of hats.  I don't work or go to fancy lunches, so most of them, well all of them, sit in their boxes in my closet.  I used to wear them to the symphony, but...  Some I have had for a very long time, as evidenced by the boxes. 

Crowley's closed its downtown store in 1977 and that was the only one I ever shopped in.  Others bear the names J.L. Hudson and Hudson's.  The fanciest boxes have the letter J imprinted in continuous scroll work for Jacobsen's.

I no longer buy hats other than to garden or ones that flatten for travel.  But next Sunday the library is having a celebration of its National Medal and I thought it might be fun to dust one off and put it on.  Problem is, I can't decide which one to wear.  Some are definitely off the list because of the winter season.  But there are three I am considering.

Here are my choices:

Designed by Diahann Carroll 

Ruth Alan Designs

 

Designed by Kokin

I'll take all suggestions.  Hopefully, the hat will look better on me than on the lamp shade.

Black Friday

For all intents and purposes, I am likely done with holiday shopping.  That is because I buy things all year long as I see them and put them away.  (Regarding the previous post, I have also forgotten about gifts I have purchased and find them many months, or years, later.)  I have all of this year's 'stuff' right now in a spare bedroom.

So, I will not be hitting the stores on Friday.  To tell the truth, I have never shopped on the Friday after Thanksgiving.  Last Tuesday I went to Macy's to pick up something and they were having an early bird sale.  I am sure the 'early bird' was trampled to death by all the shoppers.  I ended up leaving because the lines were too long at the registers.

What I would like to know is who in the world is going shopping at Kohl's at 3:00 in the morning?  I guess if you work midnights this is great.  For those of us who normally sleep during the night, I'll be dreaming about shopping.  Maybe.  Probably not.

Update:  This came in an email today from Chico's.  My kind of day.

Pet Peeves

My first job was for the JL Hudson Company in Downtown Detroit.  The greatest part of my time there was spent working in the Bridal Salon on the 7th floor where all the fashionable designer labels were sold, attached to clothes I could not afford.  Everyone who worked at Hudson's was required to wear company dictated dress clothes.  That meant men and women were in black, dark brown, or navy suits with white blouses or shirts.  No question who the employees were.  Later, when I got transferred to the Pharmacy, I wore a white lab coat.

When I went to work in the Hospital, at both Detroit General and Hutzel, I wore a white uniform with white shoes.  Every day.  No exceptions.

After my years at home raising my children, I re-entered the work force and bought lots of new suits.  I wore them every day.  Most of the staff people at Town Hall dressed more casually.  Rarely were clerical people seen in suits.  And then they introduced 'casual day'.  What the H---was that?  Aren't these employees already in casual clothes?

Well, obviously not.  Now we had blue jeans, flip-flops, shirts hanging out over our pants (or bermudas), etc.  I asked one of my employees if they came dressed to clean out the basement.  I hated these days.  Sometimes it was downright embarrassing to be there.

Now, as if 'casual days' were not enough, we have 'Bring your pet to work day'.  Imagine my chagrin when I was trying to talk to someone at the counter and dogs were barking up a storm.  I could hardly hear myself think, let alone carry on a conversation.

I thought I had seen it all until I called and was told recently that it was 'Bring your child to work day'.  As a stay-at-home mom for 11 years I can tell you right now that you cannot get a lot done during the day if you are watching your young child, unless you are parking them in front of a TV set. 

So, all of this makes me wonder just how busy and over-worked these employees are if they have time to entertain their dogs and children at work.  This is WORK, not doggie day-care.  And these are my tax dollars being paid to employees to WORK, not baby-sit. 

Nuf said.

Random Thoughts

1.  If I Ruled the Airlines

I would guess that every third trip I make, I am chosen to be pulled out and scanned at security in the airport.  Usually this happens in Detroit, but not always.  Last week the zippers on my cargo pants set off the alarms.  I had to step aside and wait to be screened.  The full body search.  Do I look that dangerous?

I have set off alarms for buttons on my dress, my underwire bra, and mascara in my purse.  You think the system might be a little too sensitive? 

Since we all have to take off our shoes after the 'shoe bomber' incident, I am surprised that we are not all required to remove our pants along with our jackets after the moron who set his pants on fire.  Then again, I guess I was lucky to have kept my pants on during the screening last week.

As for the airlines, kudos to the TSA at McCarran.  Everyone one of them was pleasant and friendly.  Not so at McNamara.  You think it might be the weather?

2.  Where were the Fashion Police?

I do not normally spend much time 'people watching'.  Usually if I am out eating alone, I take a book along.  While having lunch in the MGM Grand in Vegas, I sat and watched the parade.  OMG. 

I wish I had one of those hidden cameras.  I mean, I could hardly sit and take pictures of the casino over and over again with my regular camera.  What a show!

What was the young man wearing the blue and white plaid shirt with the brown and white pinto pony shorts thinking when he got dressed?  Or was it because he'd had a really good time the night before?  Then there was the young girl (20ish), about a size 18, wearing bright yellow hot pants.  Really, no one needs to see butt cheeks like that, even at a pool.  Another had on white knit pants that were so tight you could see the cellulite dimples.  Some folks looked like they had gone dumpster diving for clothes.  Maybe they really did lose the shirts off their backs. 

BTW, we watched an Elvis video on the bus ride back into Vegas from Utah.  They were showing an early (read as 'censored') performance on the Ed Sullivan Show.  We all laughed at Elvis's plaid jacket.  I asked if he had mugged a horse.  Then we noticed the polka-dot shirt that went along with it.  No idea what the pants looked like, stripes?  As I said, he was censored.  His clothes would have fit right in with this crowd.

3.  Look ma, no hands....

Last week I toured Grand Canyon, Montezuma's Castle, Lake Powell, Bryce Canyon and Zion Canyon.  We were warned by our tour guide at each stop we made about the dangers of falling, dehydrating, suffering altitude sickness, etc.  So I had lots of questions as we went along.

What possesses parents to take children and babies under the age of four hiking in 90 degree plus heat at elevations exceeding 8000 feet?  And not hold their hands!  Allowing them to run on trails that do not always have barriers.  What are they thinking?

Then there were the women who were walking on rocks at Bryce and the Grand Canyon in their flip-flops on loose, sandstone trails.  And, if they wanted you to be out on that ledge, they probably would not have put up the fence.  Duh!  Here is a book that our tour guide recommended about deaths in the canyon.  I love the description as to why these disasters happen.

4.  Look out, I'm Comin' Through

Whoa!  What is this world coming to?  Who is raising our children?  While walking to the Zion Shuttle at one of the many stops, I was nearly run over by four teenage girls racing to get in front of me and my friend.  I made a loud comment to just push the seniors out of the way or knock them down.  It reminded me of the 'marble rye' episode on Seinfeld.  They must have been related to the young people sitting on the Grand Canyon shuttle and trying to cover up the sign that said Federal Law requires that the seats be vacated for seniors and the handicapped.  Well, not that day.

More on the trip and some of the gorgeous scenery when I get around to downloading my photos.