Friday, November 1, 2013

Fashioning My Cyber Microcosm: Looks Like Sweater Weather (Monthly Theme)

Isn't it uncanny how Mrs Kitty can unleash her theme upon the blogosphere and almost always be just in time for the current mood?

This month is aptly themed sweaters!



Arizona is a tricky little piece of land.
The assumption is that it's always hot, or at least during the winter season, so mildly cold that one can still wear their summer clothing during a visit. That is true... unless of course you're in Northern Arizona. 
So, I'm here to tell you about a place. My place. 
There is a spot, smack dab in the crossroads to the famously beautiful wooded areas of Flagstaff, Prescott and Show Low, where nary a tree can be seen until you draw nearer to the aforementioned towns... where just so happens to be the place where life has taken me. 
Since it's flat desert as far as the eye can see, the biting winter wind from the altitude at which we lay blows harsh during the winter, often bringing snow... only, it goes unimpeded by structures, like dense trees or tall buildings.

Still... for all my whining, it's not quite as cold as where I once lived in Canada; my hair would oft begin to freeze on a particularly cold day.




I adore sweaters, and because I come from the "cold belt" of Canada, my sweater collection is gargantuan. Sadly, packing sweaters is a bit like packing books; they are very bulky and heavy in large amounts. I was only able to bring my absolutely favorites of my favorites.
The air is much colder at night, and the difference can be as stark as a 30 degree drop...
It certainly makes me miss all my sweaters...

Because of my former work at a clothing retail shop, I have acquired quite a taste for sweater dresses-- we specialized in them during the winter. This particular one, I found at a thrift store many years ago. It sat in the back of my closet for all that time until I felt comfortable with my curves; I was your typical ugly duckling in high school.
But that's really besides the point. The moment I started wearing this sweater dress, marks a time when I visually transitioned from girl to woman. Trading off my baggy teenage angsty attire, and rediscovering form fitted articles as stand alone pieces, that made me feel beautiful and mature. I hoarded these articles away for "some other time"; these are the moments worth junk piling for...


Anyway, more than anything else, this theme has reminded me of how much the cool weather provokes the need to knit! Because nothing is better than cozying down to a horror flick with your two needles, hands and creativity. And of course, a hot brew of your favorite tea.




30 comments:

  1. I love your grey and black stripey sweater! You'd be needing it if you were up here, Madame MM. Another blizzard warning for this weekend!

    I finished a beginner's knitting class in Cochrane last month. I'm working on a grey and black snowflake scarf. I'd forgotten how much I like to knit - it's been over thirty years since I picked up some needles! :D

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    1. I'll be up there again in December for a whole month; my family paid for my plane ticket.
      I'm not looking forward to the weather, but now I'll have a chance to visit with everyone, and you're on my list! =P

      I haven't been knitting for very long comparatively, but I've become such an addict of it during the colder season. Perhaps you'll have this lovely scarf done by December? I'd love to see it!

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    2. That's so awesome you're coming back up for a visit, and how nice of your family to buy your ticket! Email me when you arrive and I'll try to have the scarf done before you get here. We'll be renting out in Cochrane by then, but I can come into Calgary and get you ... I've got my winter tires on now! ;P

      And thanks, Laura! The youngest has already laid claim to it. :D

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  2. It is great how you remember that sweater marking your transition to womanhood. It is great the memories clothes can bring back. Of course, most of my younger clothes no longer fit me, but I still have the memories.

    Hair freezes in Canada? I would hate that, I take such care of mine! Guess I will never move there!

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    1. Part of the reason I would like to be a professional designer is precisely for that reason. Clothes mean so much more to me than covering my naked form, hehe. I'm probably more sentimental than I should be; I can't ever convince myself to get rid of anything =/

      Only in certain areas. I doubt it would happen in Vancouver or Victoria B.C.
      But I dreaded the colder days since I don't know how to drive and would rely heavily on the public transit to take me around. Waiting for a bus was a drag.

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    2. Yes, I don't drive either, buses are always late, too. I shudder to think of waiting for a bus in the snow! :(

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  3. Love this sweater dress it's so flattering on you and I love black and grey together. Embrace your curves! I'm such a hoarder of clothes as well, anything sentimental I just can't bring myself to get rid of! So I'm overflowing with clothes, some of which will never fit again, no matter how wishful my thinking =P

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    1. Thank you!
      Perhaps you could make new clothing from the old? I have a few pieces back home that I don't like the look of, but can't bring myself to give away... I'm thinking those will be refashioned in the future.

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  4. Wow! This sweater dress is so figure flattering for you. I hope you have a lot better confidence now because you look lovely. I have also those clothes I have bought recently for wearing later.... I hope later will come soon. The combination of black and grey stripes is my favourite pattern.

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    1. Thank you =)

      I hope later will come, too! And I hope you post about; I always love seeing what people have in their treasure trove!

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  5. Dang, you are ROCKING your curves in that dress! I wish I looked that hot is a sweater dress :)

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  6. I have the similar color like your sweater and loving it! The color and properties of the dress suits u..fab!

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    1. Thank you =D
      I wish it were purple and black like a turtle neck I have... but yes, the grey and black are a close second!

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  7. Held this way, your tools look like the bladed sai of Elekta...so now I envision you like a superhero seamstress...:D Nevermind, I just has to share this...:P

    Your sweater dress is cute and very flattering, I'm glad you feel comfortable wearing it now! :) I do undersand your struggles with your curves,however; I have had the same problem due to which I didn't dare to wear a pretty sweater dress somewhat similar to yours for years either. it was a christmas gift from my mother, and I thought its fabulous.

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    1. Superhero seamstress? What a marvelous notion... get it? Get it? ;)

      I'm happy I dusted it off as well-- it's about time I start wearing more of the clothing I was hiding away =P

      I hope you still own this sweater dress, because I would definitely like to see it! Or perhaps you've already shown it off?

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    2. Yeah, good one! :D

      I haven't featured that sweater dress yet, but I'm sure it will pop up on my blog sometime during winter because I love wearing it for how warm it is. :)

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  8. This is really a great post :) not only because I really like your sweater and your outfit (I love how you gothified it with the spiderweb tights!), but also because you taught me something I didn't know about northern Arizona, and most of all because there was a lot of body positivity. I used to hide my curves too back when I was in high school because I was ashamed of them; now I wear fit clothing all the time because I accepted and learned to like my body :). It was amazing of you to share this feeling with us, I could relate!

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    1. I'm glad you liked it =)
      It's truly amazing what we never appreciated until we got a bit older!

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  9. Really nice dress, and the belt goes perfectly with it <3

    Your winter sounds even more horrible than ours! No wonder you love sweaters :)

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    1. Thank you =)

      It is the one thing I do not miss about Canada lol
      The summers are short and sweet... but still rather short. Not like here; thankfully the cold takes its time to settle in!

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  10. AH, you look fabulous in this sweater dress! I'm so glad you've grown comfortable with wearing it. It's true that with age we grow more and more secure and confident in ourselves, and that is a wonderful phenomenon!

    Hopefully when you visit Canada you can bring more of your sweater collection home with you!

    Mr. Kitty is from Toronto, and I had an opportunity to go up there with him in December a couple of years ago. Usually we go in the spring, but this was an unavoidable trip... We both never want to go back in the winter. :) It snowed the whole time and was SO COLD.

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    1. Isn't it? I've always loved this sweater dress, but never let it flourish on it's own as an outfit lol

      Oh I have much to bring back with me, and sweaters are near the top of my list!
      At the same time, I think it's about time I say goodbye to a lot of them... and pay a visit to the thrift stores to update my sweater collection =P

      I absolutely adore Toronto! Though I only ever went during the summer, hehe.
      I can see how it would be rather cold during the winter, what with Lake Ontario right there!

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  11. You look great, the belt with the sweater really brings out our lovely curves :D

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  12. Love the sweater, sweater dresses are some of my favourite things for winter!

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    1. Indeed, they're quite fun and flirty ;)
      I absolutely need a few more in my collection

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