Gathered Hemlock Review

Gathered Hemlock Dress

As you know from my recent posts I recently celebrated a birthday. And because of the volume of family and friends with who I end up celebrating, the festivities go on for a few weekends. The same is true for Chris's late February birthday. So I've come to call the time that elapses between mid-February and mid-April, "Cake Season." Cake season is a wonderful time of year during which I eat A LOT of cake. And because it is also timed with lousy Smarch weather of rain and cold and sometimes snow, I don't get to run around enough to counteract the caloric effects. So cake season for me, means many delicious sweets and a little extra cushion. No big gig.  But I do feel/see it a little in my clothes.

Much like the Softly Structured dress, this printed jersey knit Gathered Hemlock Dress is clingy in all the right places. I like the gentle drape. And I am glad it was released in additional prints/colors. A few months back when I tried the Softly Structured the medium was a great fit. At this point I feel like Gathered Hemlock size medium clings in all the places, period (i.e. not just the right ones). I don't know if it is the cake season or a change in the sizing. It's most likely cake season... But I thought I should mention it. It is unlined so although the draping camouflages nicely in the front, the back is pretty thin. For comfort and coverage reasons, I would need to pair a slip with it in the summer. But slips can be annoying in summer.  I also liked the Softly Structured navy print a bit more. I am drawn to darker palettes. Gathered Hemlock is a beautiful print and although I will be skipping it, it seems like something that could work seamlessly for work or weekend.

Quick Birthday Snap

Nanette Lepore Cafe Sheath

Testament drape cardigan

Streets Ahead bow belt

Shoes from random store in Brazil

I wore this to birthday shop and to birthday dinner with Chris's family on Sunday. My MIL was trying on her potential Anthro finds but I already finished. The dress was a birthday gift from her last year. So it seemed fitting to the celebration. I didn't find anything at Anthro that day. But I have a few reviews I'll put up soon. Thanks for reading!

Memories of Tea Time

This year I find myself turning to herbal tea with great enthusiasm. They have become integral to my evening winding down ritual before bed. For most of my life I have been a drinker of tea. Only in high school did I occasionally incorporate coffee, and it was mostly on special occasions, where I felt oh so Seattle and oh so Grunge by heading to Starbucks (yes, I realize how clueless that sounds, but I was 16 and therefore clueless).

Both of my parents worked my entire life. When my grandmother was still living she would watch me during the period of time between school and my mom's return home. Each day after first grade she would have a cup of hot tea and a plate of toast waiting for me. We'd listen to Patsy Cline records and I'd change into my outfit for dance classes. Since then tea has had a special place in my heart. It's funny how repetition can both bring comfort and solidify the status of a memory. My mom has never been a home coffee drinker. She likes coffee but every morning for as long as I can remember, she has had a cup of hot tea with milk and sugar. My own tea ritual is one I tend to practice in the evenings with decaffeinated versions of my favorites: peppermint, chamomile, cinnamon spice. My love for tea and the knowledge of its role in the history of my family made it difficult to pass up this teacup print Sugar and Cream dress once it hit the sale. I realize material objects are just things. We are not a sum total of stuff. But in grief and nostalgic longing, things can become more substantive when they trigger beloved memories.