Bastaille Day, Redux

Wearing sweaters in the summer can be a tricky business, depending on your geographic origin and associated climate; here in the swamps of the Garden State, some of the welcome, more temperate attributes of the northeast seem to be nonexistent. Thankfully, and yet unfortunately, I am generally only concerned with bearing the full and brutal force of the summer sun and accompanying humid heavy heat when walking from the door of my apartment building to the door of my car, and again from car door to office building door, in the mornings. Choosing sweaters with natural and light fabrics is essential at all times, but is of utmost importance in the summer; I stick with cotton and linen.

To continue the trend and momentum established on Wednesday with one of my favorite navy blue and cream white striped dresses, my subtle salute to the glory and victory of French democracy, I again opted for navy and white stripes yesterday. This sweater is all cotton, and the crisp white adds a freshness to the look appropriate for the season, despite the long sleeves. The stripes vary and oscillate in width, providing an interesting alternative to a great classic.


Deception and conceit can be valuable behaviors in any environment; this "skirt" is actually a dress, again a light cotton material, with the appearance of denim. I love the soft feel of this fabric, and the slight mimicry of the stripe pattern, in a sense mirroring the pattern of the sweater. The dress itself is ideal for the summer, but not at all appropriate for the office; the straps are thin, leaving my shoulders completely bare. At a loss for what to wear yesterday, I decided to throw it on and wear it as a skirt, shaping the entire look with a beautiful dark cognac leather belt.


Cognac leather heels, which matched my leather belt; I have not yet worn these without tights and was glad to discover they continue to be comfortable and attractive.


Golden rose earrings, which are the closest I could subconsciously find to the royal symbolic fleur-de-lis, perhaps more appropriate in the day honoring the revolution.


Tiger-eye-like lucite bangle, a luxurious find from a nearby local vintage shop.


By wearing a thick leather belt at the waist, I provided balance to this look overall, unifying the sweater and the dress, and indeed creating the illusion of a single piece or dress.