Finally, Sweater Weather

The past five or six years in Eastern Nebraska have been unseasonably warm. Oh sure, we get a "Polar Vortex" now and then, but it rarely lasts longer than a day or two-certainly nothing requiring the wearing of heavy sweaters. This year has been strange-we go from 60 degrees F. one day to 14 degrees the following morning. Most years, I'm lucky if I wear this mohair sweater at all-this year it has been out since October. I'm not complaining. I know what you're thinking-why is she wearing clogs if it is so cold? *shrug* I'm from Chicago. My dad wouldn't bother with socks until there was a couple inches of snow on the ground. I'm not typically bothered by the cold on my feet, but that's probably poor circulation and not being able to tell the difference. Anyway, yeah the clogs are year-round shoes for me.
 Beneath the mohair sweater I'm wearing a heavy cashmere polo neck purchased at Marshall Fields in the Country Shop sometime in the 80's. I have the cashmere in several colours (though some are crew neck, some are cardigans, etc.). They are excellent quality, two-ply, Made in Hong Kong. At the time, it was a pay-day splurge for me (I bought them over the course of about three winters) when I was young and without financial responsibilities. It ranks near the top of the list of, "Best investments I've made" as they are still serving me well in great condition after all these years. Most years I don't unpack the pastel shades (I was still young enough to not understand I could never wear lilac without looking ill) but this rust coloured one is a wardrobe staple. Young readers-buy the best quality you can afford (even better if you find it in a thrift shop) but don't waste your money on things that will fall apart after a season. Even bargains add up if you keep buying and discarding them. Okay, lecture over??

Outfit Particulatrs:
Cashmere polo neck-Marshall Field's 80's
80's mohair sweater-Goodwill
70's knit skirt by Designer Original-Thrift World
Clogs-Goodwill
Tights-K Mart
1980's Angela Frascone handbag-Goodwill
Fragrance-Chamade

This sweater is also from the 80's. It is from heritage brand, Woolrich. The embroidered pine boughs and acorns are a nice detail, as are the small wooden beads meant to be berries. My dad bought it somewhere in Wisconsin (he was making a delivery and spotted it in a shop window nearby). He wasn't a very nice person, but he had excellent taste in woolens (I have a few Dale of Norway sweaters he bought me on whims). The sweater is deceptively lightweight, but quite warm. The back is embellished with pinecones at the yoke, but I didn't get a photo.


 The details are nicer than my photos suggest.
Outfit Particulars:
Woolrich sweater-gift
While cotton poloneck-K Mart
1970's Koret of California polyester skirt-Thrift World
Boots-Hand-Me-Ups
Canadian Tourist handbag-New Life Thrift
Pewter necklace-Hand-Me-Ups
Fragrance-Mitsouko

Now, this sweater is an oddball. Late 60's/early 70's, zip at the neck in back and the heaviest, scratchiest wool ever. Again, as with the last sweater, the hand embroidery makes it special. I remember cranberry and pink being popular when I was very young, and perhaps that's what finally convinced me to buy it after it sat on the rail at Hand-Me-Ups for months. I struggled to find something to wear it with (it overwhelmed my crushed velvet palazzo pants, which shouldn't be possible) so in desperation, I went for the poodle skirt. Obviously, two very different eras but I'm not a vintage purist. I wore my velvet boots to save it from being too twee.
Apologies for the light-it was so bright that day no amount of editing would help the photos.

Outfit Particulars:
Poodle skirt-Costume shop
Vintage Joyce sweater-Hand-Me-Ups
Handbag-Goodwill
Brooch on handbag-Goodwill
Hair bows-Tiff and Tam
Bangles-can't remember
Boots-K Mart
Earrings-estate sale
Fragrance-L' Heure Bleue

This final sweater was a gift, knit for me by an elderly neighbour in the 80's. She was a lovely woman who gave me her wedding hat to wear for mine (she also gave me her dress from the 50's but unfortunately there was no way to make it fit me. I do still have it as she insisted I keep it as she had no children). I sometimes laugh at the thought of a very orthodox Jewish old woman knitting me a Christmas sweater, but she saw the pattern and decided the penguins were, "Me." She was correct.
I have more people stop me to compliment this sweater than anything else I own. There's something so cheerful about it, and for a Christmas sweater it is on the restrained side.
Outfit Particulars:
Hand-Knit sweater-Gift
Skirt-Filene's, 90's
Hat-Fiber Arts Show
Brooch-can't remember
Earrings-K Mart
Christmas bracelet (depicts scenes from the Nativity)-New Life Thrift
Necklace-Hand-Me-Ups
Vintage handbag-Goodwill
Fragrance-Vol de Nuit

How long will sweater-weather last? Who knows?! Perhaps I can do a Sweater-of the Day feature when the brooches are done. I'll leave you with a glimpse of the bargain table-top tree I picked up at Aldi ("come for the cheese, leave with holiday decorations") and the tree-shaped bowl filled with baseballs. I'll let you guess which member of the family is responsible for that. Hint, it is the same person responsible for this...

"Hang on Santa, help is on the way. Don't let go!"

I'd better go get a ladder.







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