features - The Seventh Sphinx

Regardless of where the waistband sits I like pencil skirts that hit at this point just below the knee, still showing the full curve of the calf. There is something shapely to me about the combination of what is and what is not revealed.

The pearl set* is a bit prim with the turtleneck—a turtleneck sweater tucked into a high waisted pencil skirt being already in that clean, preppy Ralph Lauren vein—but I am myself a bit prim, and I like sometimes to look it. This necklace is stunning, too, a metallic lavender freshwater strand with rosy overtones that Pearls of Joy sent over. Metallics are a special, relatively rare pearlcreature of their own.

* These are complementary but not literally a set. I mean pearl earrings and a pearl necklace together, which can seem like too much (or too formal). Sometimes, though, I like to be too much. “Too much”, or maybe “a little bit too much”, is not a bad description of my style.

This would have been a good opportunity for a belt, though I like the uncluttered color block look, too.

One thing I like especially about a high waisted silhouette is the expanse of the full…haunch, I guess you would call it, in profile. I like clothes like this, that obscure the body without disguising it or breaking up its natural lines. The outfit is conservative in its coverage yet sensual in its silhouette.

Long No. 2 pencil skirt from J. Crew (thrifted), French Connection turtleneck sweater (via Marshall’s), Zara pumps (thrifted), fingerless gloves (eBay), Mulberry bag (thrifted), natural golden akoya earrings from Pearl Paradise, metallic lavender freshwater pearl necklace from Pearls of Joy. On the lips: Dr. Hauschka lip balm (which we love).

Winter is that time of year when those of all ages can get away with an otherwise unacceptable preponderance of pom poms. When the temperature drops suddenly I can forgive all manner of ridiculous and excessively cute hats. I am even sometimes charmed. This slouchy take on the classic winter pom pom knit hat looks great here, I think. The oversized pom adds a youthful, playful touch to the casually stylish neutrals.

I’ve yet to find a winter hat that I genuinely like and want to wear, and prefer to the absence of a hat. Hair problems, in part, but there’s also the issue of the hats being too cute. Cute is not really my look. That is, cutesy. Once in a while I’ll toe the line and am usually self-conscious as a result because it is unnatural to me. Or I’ll adopt an element that is abstractly cute but in the context of the rest of me it isn’t cute anymore; I overwhelm the cuteness until it reads more like eccentricity, or editorial—which is often a synonym for unwearable, in fashion—flair. This is my theory.

*Though these are external perspectives, and not words I use about myself or find internally useful (‘sexy’ being another term I would not even think of without a gaze, without an other), because I cannot see myself without knowing that I am myself, rendering objective judgments largely irrelevant/impossible. The age-old problem of being oneself.

Adorability does seem like one of those things you cannot achieve on purpose, though, anyway (except quite good actors, maybe, and even this is in the eye of the beholder). Ex. any given toddler in that stage where they realize that people think they are cute when they do certain things, and promptly stop being particularly cute. Premeditation spoils the whole effect.

I’m looking at hats, though. There are a few under consideration. We’ll see. One has a pom pom and little hearts. There is a possibility I’ll have to redact most of this post.

Category: features

the long pencil skirt

on the street: the pom pom