I know what you’re thinking about. Cleaning the house, making room in the fridge for the twenty pound turkey, and trying to decide what stuffing to make. Should you make two pies or three? Is it okay if you don’t rake the rest of the leaves? They keep falling! This is what I should be thinking about. . .
. . .but I’m not. I’m thinking about fashion: tweed coats, bronze buttons, the new books on Loulou de la Falaise and Elsie de Wolfe I would love to see under the tree, wondering how come my husband buys me pajamas instead. Truth is I’M IN TOTAL DENIAL ABOUT THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS. I’ve polished a little silver, settled on making sausage stuffing and laying a table with cream lace and yellow Venetian crystal. As for Christmas I’ve only bought two stocking stuffers. That’s it. So the Christmas list stretches out as long as a highway and my punishment will be shopping around Dec. 15, waiting in line for things I don’t want, surrounded by people who resent me and show it.
Why do I feel this way? I must be depressed! That’s it! Or does it have a tad to do with the new washer and dryer which will arrive December 1 followed by the new transmission we will be purchasing for our daughter’s old car shortly thereafter? Nah, this can’t have anything to do with the holiday blahs.
And so, Ladies and Gents, I’d rather think about fashion. The other night I went to an open house for a consignment clothing business and I bought a beautiful blue, black, brown and white tweed coat. Very Bonwit Teller shopper going to the country club for lunch – fringe trim, 1970s. I wore it the next day, feeling very smart, and right as I heard the words, “The car needs a new transmission,” a button popped off the coat and disappeared down a drain in the parking lot. Vintage buttons. And that was that ‘til I drove to a fabric shop and picked out bronzy slightly gold buttons for my new/old coat.
I would far rather concentrate on this than the 11 people coming to my house for Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. At least I have my priorities straight.
On November 22 The Wall Street Journal published their annual holiday books section and I’ve already cut out the fashion books under What to Give. A cornucopia: books on Loulou de La Falaise, Elsie de Wolfe, Halston, Haut Couture Ateliers, Oscar de la Renta, and Valentino. I put the list in my “Books to Read” file and one day I will probably own all of these. I must accept the fact, however, my husband, sweet and generous as he is, will not be plunking down $150 for Valentino: At the Emperor’s Table.
And so the November wind roars with its promise of a coldfront and here I sit in my Yves Saint Laurent ribbed turtleneck, brilliant gold cuffs at each cuff, blonde hair poofed just so, eyebrows arched, lips painted a fire engine red. Such savoir faire. Such je ne said quoi. Well, this is what I wish I looked like – it’s a photo of the late great Loulou de la Falaise, Saint Laurent muse and fashion icon. I am wearing a smart gold watch from the fifties and a peppy swing style t-shirt that flares out when I walk yet my jeans are mom-ish and even though it is before 5:00, I’m wearing slippers.
Four days before Thanksgiving, I think Miss de la Falaise would have approved.
