Monday Musings: Some Things Are Too Precious Not To Wear
Our escape to a cooler climate was shorter than we wanted. Sausalito was as charming as ever, and it was fabulous to visit with my sister-in-law.
The weather is always a bit unpredictable by the water, so I’m glad I tucked this Jackie cardigan into my bag. The terry is just enough for breezes, but I didn’t overheat because I could unbutton it.
We had a lovely dinner and catch-up, but on the second morning, I had to bail on our trip and head home.
The root canal I’d had redone on Thursday wasn’t as “effortless” as I’d hoped. I’ve never had to redo a root canal, so I didn’t know what to expect, but I can report from the trenches that an abscess in your cheekbone is not fun.
What We Decide Is Worth Keeping
After our conversation last week, I suddenly remembered two family rings I’d tucked into a safe-deposit box years ago and nearly forgotten.
As a child, I remember my mother wearing her wedding band that had a row of three small diamonds. On each side, she wore two narrow bands of small diamonds separated by sapphires. One had belonged to my granny and the other to my great-granny.
My granny was nice, but she lived across the country, and we didn’t see each other much. I only met my great-granny once, and she seemed a bit intimidating.
The rings passed to my mom, who treasured them, then they passed to me, and I seldom wore them because a jeweler told me they were very fragile.
About 25 years ago, I noticed that one of the prongs looked loose, so I took the rings to a local jeweler. I wanted to have the stones reset into a stronger setting so I could wear them without worrying about losing one.
He told me the stones were old, the cuts were out of fashion, and they weren’t worth much. He convinced me they weren’t worth the expense of resetting, so I put them in the safe-deposit box and left them there until last week, when I rediscovered them.
When I slipped them onto my finger, I thought about all the life that had been lived wearing those rings, and I wanted to add some of my own.
It struck me that 20 years ago, I’d allowed the jeweler to decide what these rings were worth to me. At 70, I’m far less willing to let someone else make that decision. I’m also much harder to talk out of my own opinions, which may be one of the better parts of aging.
The old-fashioned cuts don’t bother me. They’re part of the rings’ history and, frankly, part of their charm. They don’t need to be fashionable, and they certainly don’t need to impress a jeweler. The only person who needs to enjoy them is me.
I’m going to have them repaired or reset so I can wear them. Their value isn’t in the cost of the gems. It’s in their history.
If I eventually lose a stone, at least it will happen because I was enjoying the rings. Precious pieces need to be worn, not kept perfectly safe until we die and pass them along to someone else.
Do you have a piece of family jewelry that isn’t especially valuable on paper but means something to you? Do you wear it, or is it still tucked away somewhere?
Answers to your questions:
Q – With so many shades of brown showing up this fall, should we adjust our usual lipstick, blush, or eye makeup when wearing brown instead of our usual black or navy? And which eyeliner and eyeshadow shades work best with fair skin, blue eyes, and gray hair?
A – Our makeup should make us look healthy and alive, not match our clothes. Changing it to coordinate with brown can leave us looking sallow. Keep wearing the lipstick, blush, and eye makeup that bring your face to life, then choose clothing in shades of brown that flatter your coloring. Cooler skin tones may look better in grayed taupes and ashy browns, while warmer skin tones can often carry richer, golden browns. Here are some cool-based browns and taupes:
Q – When using the one-third/two-thirds rule of dressing, do we measure from the top of the head or from the shoulders?
A – The measurement starts at your shoulders. The rule applies to the proportions of your outfit, so we don’t include the head. It’s more of a visual guide than an exact measurement. I explain it in more detail, with examples, in my article on the rule of thirds for outfits.
Q – I’m seeing so many short cardigans in stores, carrying over from summer into fall. What are some different ways to style them?
A – Short cardigans are a great layering piece because they create that shorter one-third proportion we were just talking about. I love to wear mine over a longer top because it stops the eye at your waist, without having to tuck anything in. Their length is also perfect with fuller bottoms like midi skirts and the wide-leg pants we’re seeing everywhere. Short cardigans also great over a dress, or you can button it closed and wear as a top on its own.
Q- How can we dress for fall and winter in a warm climate like Southwest Florida? Should we wear traditional fall colors in lightweight fabrics, continue wearing brighter summer colors, and are white pants appropriate year-round in Florida?
A- This is really personal choice, but if you want to wear fall colors, do it in lighter weight fabrics. Dress for the temperature, not the calendar. but there’s no reason to retire the brighter colors that make you look and feel good.
And yes, wear your white pants year-round. Florida doesn’t suddenly become New England because the calendar says October.
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