Days and Nights to Remember

I have a terrible memory for names. My ability to memorize phone numbers is increasingly spotty thanks to an ever-growing dependence on mobile communication technologies. Sometimes I forget to set my alarm or check my voice mail. I confuse details from film narratives and forget exactly where or when I read the articles I try to cite in daily conversation. But it seems that a good deal of my capacity to remember is consumed by OUTFITS.

NYE: December 31, 2007-January 1, 2008 Manoush dress

And this "skill" predates the self-indulgent Internet trend of cataloging and broadcasting your "OOTD," or "outfit of the day," via websites like Mystylediary or Flickr Groups like Wardrobe Remix (both of which count me as members, so I mean no foul when I say "self-indulgent").

I wore the outfit on the left (anthro skirt, ann taylor top, chie mihara shoes) to go shopping with China. It was so much fun until we discovered we were being towed for parking in the wrong place. I wore the tibi sweatercoat on a South Hills suburban date with Chris to Fiori's and the Galleria. I bought the mbmj dress I was wearing underneath in DC. That day I went to see Batman: The Dark Knight for the first time. I remember being nervous to put my Coop bag on the sticky movie theater floor.

I can tell you exactly what I wore on my first day of Kindergarten and on many other first school days. I know how I was clothed for every school dance I ever attended, and I can recall this information in sequential order. I spent weeks of my adolescent summers toiling over the perfect casual but cute combination for Kennywood Day.* I remember the weddings of my loved ones according to the dress I wore. I know birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries by clothes.

28th Birthday Outfits (April 5th, 2008) Chris gave me the Nanette Lepore dress on the left and I wore it to my party. I wore the outfit on the right (Anthro skirt, Gabes sweater) to a birthday meal with my family.

Granted, this arguably useless capacity is supported in part through photographs, home movies, and conversations with other people in attendance. But I find the phenomenon of outfit recollection to be no less remarkable. Although I am not proud of every outfit I've worn in my natural life, I view what I wore as a component part of the sum of my fondest and not-so-fond memories.

I wore this Juicy Couture dress on July 1, 2008: My first day as a Predoctoral Fellow at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History

As you can imagine New Year's Eve is no exception. Even on the Eve's when I've opted to be low-key, staying in, I still dressed in something worth remembering. If you know you will remember it anyway, you might as well make it worth your while. To bid this year farewell this post features the outfits of my favorite memorable days and nights of 2008.

L2R: Rag and Bone dress I bought in DC and wore when I closed on the house!
The "fancy walk" James Coviello dress Chris goaded me into putting on before our lovely walk in the park!
I told Chris early in our relationship of my skill and that if he intended to make a memory, he should ensure I was wearing something worth remembering. I am glad he talked me out of the ratty Rush t-shirt and faded jeans I was going to wear.
I bought the BCBG dress at the outlets with China in early 2008 after we went to Cleveland. I wore it to the engagement dinner at Legume.
Chris wore the Vince sweater I got him for Christmas to a holiday party.

Outfits worn during our trip to the San Fransisco Bay Area to attend Michael and China's wedding (during which we are pictured at the far left). I am in Tibi dresses, Chris wore a Theory Suit.

I caught Chris taking his own OOTN photo in our hotel room in Emeryville.
I jumped in so you can see my DVF Nadine and his Marc Jacobs jacket and Trovata shirt.
I wore the blue A.P.C. dress on the right to the beach near the Cliffhouse and on Haight Street where we ate crepes and shopped. I also wore this dress earlier in the year to see Batman The Dark Knight for the second time (but this time with Chris in DC), where I bought it.

I look forward to all the outfit memories to come, and wish my readers an all-consumingly wonderful 2009!