June is here and it’s time for the summer clothes and beachwear to come out. Most of the time in Italy, the temperatures remain pretty warm from now on, late 20’s and low 30’s, last year it hit 40 quite a few times. I find wearing something soft, long and floaty is comfortable, topped off with a large straw hat. Then I can imagine I’m Maggie Smith in My House in Umbria, she was only a little older than I am now when she made the film in 2003. She is not a great deal taller than me, 1.64.m and I’m 1.57, but there the similarity ends, she is slim and I am not, so she gives the impression of being tall and slender. I’m not sure exactly what impression I give but it aint tall and slender.
I sorted through my clothing to put away the winter things and find some summer stuff and there were three categories,
1. Keep,
2. Throw
3. Should throw but can’t so ends up in the keep pile.
The last on the list is interesting and I’m sure we all have this problem. I actually stood holding a couple of items knowing that I would never wear them again but just couldn’t bring myself to put them in the ‘throw pile’. One was a black, low cut top made from sheer material, very sexy, (for anyone under forty). The other is the dress/top that I got married in a couple of years ago, I loved it when I bought it, the shape was/is good but the pattern horrendous. When I saw the photographs afterwards I thought, ‘oh dear, not the right choice’, but, obviously I couldn’t put it in the throw pile.
I wasn’t the only one throwing out items, my husband was also sorting through his clothes and he was very bad…T shirts, shirts, trousers all well past their sell by date and ALL of them were in the ‘keep pile’ and they clearly belonged the third option. One summer shirt has been in the wardrobe for well over twenty years, its a favourite and comes out for birthdays.
I have never been able to make up my mind which style of dress is for me. I fancy being young and punk but it’s beginning to look a bit ‘naff’ I’d like to be classical and ‘arty’ but the shape can’t really carry it off. I can’t be bothered with ‘designer’ stuff because it’s far too expensive and frankly, who cares? I’m happy in jeans or jeggings and a sloppy top but I do like the opportunity to dress up. I’m more comfortable in trousers these days but if I could I would love to wear a slinky dress,(there are a couple of those in the should throw but can’t pile). I’m not keen on the more mature woman wearing strappy tops or strapless so all those items have hit the throw heap. Bikinis are a definite no-no, I’m sure my new granddaughter will not want to see Nonna on the beach baring all!
I love the idea of wearing jeans, doc martins, a baggy T-shirt with a punky slogan and a denim jacket. I also like the idea of wearing a smart tailored suit, but the need never arises these days. My daughter is very good at styling and she is extremely helpful but lives over 4,000 miles away and I look different on Skype! She did however give me a red top recently and when I wear it people make flattering comments, ‘you look nice today,’ ‘I like that top on you!’ I think red must be my colour. Pity I’ve only got the one item then – oh apart from the M&S cardigan.
I think I’m going to sum this up by saying I have an eclectic taste in clothing and that I try to dress to fit the occasion. I am a chameleon though not one that wants to fade into the background. I think that’s the actress in me.
Have you got a favourite item of clothing you can’t part with?
Now then, where is that sexy black top, it might just go with my white leggings and stilettos for this weekend…ONLY JOKING!
P.S. We’re off to Rome for the evening tomorrow for a story telling evening at the Beehive Hotel I’m one of the storytellers (Yikes). I’ll let you know how it goes and what I wear.
What does a storyteller wear?