Day Twenty-Six: Houndstooth, My Favorite Dress Ever and Ethics Be Damned

Thoughts on a slow fashion day....

This is my very favorite daytime dress, ever:

As I write this, my teenage daughter is home from college for the week. I quote: "Wait. THAT'S your favorite dress, ever? Are you a crazy person? I can see liking it. But...really?"

And Tim Gunn would probably say: "Hm. That's a lot of look."

This is one of those times when I wish I'd already invested in a dress form so you could see what the dress actually looks like. I'd model it for you, but it's about five pounds too tight on me right now. I could get away with it, but, uh, no. It fit me wonderfully when I was 127 pounds. Form-fitting in that (this is for you, Joan!) sexy librarian way.

The cuffs, collar, and pocket trims are all black velvet. Buttons are also covered in black velvet. 100% wool with an amazing stretch to it. Just below the knee length. Very chic for 1988, when I bought it at the Adrienne Vittadini store in Frontenac in St. Louis. (I did remove the shoulder pads right after I bought it.) It cost me about $300. I was probably still paying off that credit card three years later.

I know. It's houndstooth. Who wears houndstooth? Houndstooth is terminally retro and I do love it.

See, I even loved it in 1965:

Kudos to my mom, Judy, for selecting this awesome ensemble!

To Walmart**:

 

The jury's out on this one. I like the idea, and the ribbed knit cuffs are a nice detail. It's double-breasted, though, and has a very wide collar--two design elements that don't much complement my rather squarish torso and broad shoulders. I haven't seen it in the store, yet, and so haven't been able to try it on. May or may not order it. Thoughts?

**Photo from Walmart.com website.

Okay. So now the squishy ethics part.

Here's the outfit I wore on Saturday. Red sweater, black pants. (The pants pictured may be the black NK jeans I'm having altered. I actually wore NK Black Classic Career pants. Like the pants very much. Nice drape, long enough to cover a 2" heel.) Ralph Lauren Sweater: $21.47 (Sam's Club); Norma Kamali Black Classic Career Pants: $15; Shoes: Black Earth Spirit Mules $30; Jewelry: Silver stud earrings $7

The sweater is Ralph Lauren, from Sam's Club. I bought it in red, gray and off white because I usually wear a LOT of sweaters as soon as the weather turns and there's next to nothing available at Walmart that's not acrylic. This sweater is 100% cotton and fits me like a glove.

Of course, RL is the same purveyor of this b.s. But I figure that, with many people, I'm already considered to be about as principled as a baby seal hunter with a backpack full of baseball bats for shopping at Walmart anyway. *sigh* In for a penny, in for a pound as they say. : )

Happy Monday!