Monday, October 29, 2007

Hats and Gloves Occasions

Even when I'm not traveling, others are.
Kate and her husband Sherm, Esq. dropped into Houston while I was gone to New Orleans, and we managed to squeeze in a dinner date!
Squeezed is right word for it...Kate flies back to Switzerland on Tuesday morning, then takes the high speed train to Paris on Wednesday, then take the train again the next day to London (to see an exhibit at the Albert and Victoria Museum), then goes back to Paris for a tour of the Paris fashion houses; then she flies to Virginia, where she will be living while her husband zips between Switzerland, Finland and Virginia, (and probably Houston...)
And you thought Bernie and I had a jet setter life style!

Kate and I plotted a trip to NYC together once she gets settled. Stay tuned for that one...

Marie was with us, and her great granddaughter Zoe, who has been a member of the Houston Hat Net since birth. Here Miss Z. models Kate's newest millinery design.
The lace was purchased as the same lace outlet that I visited in Switzerland. Kate designed the hat style, and dubbed this particular creation "Swiss Chocolate."
It does look good enough to eat!
Kate promises she will release the new Beryl hat pattern once things settle down.
It is so much fun to have hat patterns that are named after our friends.
It is SUPER fun to have a hat pattern named after one's very own self.
Love that "Jill" pattern still!
Have fun in Paris gf!

You might remember that I mention that I bought two pairs of lace gloves while I was in New Orleans this visit. While I was there a few years ago with the Houston Hat Net, I scooped up this pair of lace gloves, in a nice bone/beige/ivory tone.
They are cool to wear, both temperature and style wise.
Or at least I think so.
Some people are just totally puzzled by the sight of a hand in a glove.
Even at church on Easter Sunday?
Yes.
Personally, I prefer to wear gloves on any occasion where I am going to be socially obligated to "press the flesh" with those around me.
I don't mean to be finicky, but in a warm climate, a firm sweaty handshake just gives me the yucks.
Rubbing my hand against the sides of my clothing following said sweaty handshake looks pretty rude, if you ask me.
Gloves. Gloves are the answer to so very many ticklish situations.
It used to be that every girl would scoop up her hat, gloves, fan and hankie before heading out.
It was just part of being dressed.
No big deal.

It really isn't a big deal.
So I still do.
Or at least the hat and fan part.
A pretty lacy paper fan is always tucked into the bottom of my purse.
And of course the fact that I wear a hat goes without saying.

The glove part still isn't second nature.
I own lots of gloves; kid gloves, cotton gloves, lace gloves, gauntlet, wristlet, opera, you name it.
I finally figured out to keep knitted winter gloves in the pockets of all my winter jackets.
People don't give gloves a second glance in winter.
They understand about cold hands.
I really liked the ivory lacy gloves, but so often I would put on an outfit and think, hmmm, I wish I had a pair of lace gloves in black to go with it. The ivory just doesn't look right.

The black lace gloves didn't have as pretty of a cuff as the ivory pair. Oh well, next trip, I'll keep looking.
The white ones are just perfect.
The netting actually feels very nice on the hand.
Do you own a pair (or two...) of gloves?
Do you know where your gloves are?
Are they the ones you have tucked in a drawer somewhere, the ones that belonged to someone special, or that you bought to wear to a special occasion?
Are they the pair that you keep, because you think someday you will have a special occasion again?
I have wonderful news for you:
It is today, you are alive, it is a special occasion.
Go find your gloves, make a cup of tea, put on your gloves, and celebrate!
(PS: There is so much that can be done surgically to make a woman look younger. The give away on the age is usually the hands. Those pesky age spots, and sun damage...our great grandmothers, as usual, knew what they were doing by wearing gloves whenever they were out and about. Their hands were covered against the sun, and that was one aging issue that they were able to beat. And they looked stylish while doing so too!)

4 comments:

Lovella ♥ said...

I confess, gloves are a winter part of my wardrobe here. I wouldn't dream of being bare handed in the cool weather and I couldn't agree more with the yuckies of shaking hands. Cold . ..flu season . ..I'm happy to bow, curtsey anything but shake a paw.
Zoe is very sweet and she looks lovely in her new hat.

Anonymous said...

I love the gloves! When I was younger (much younger), my mother insisted that we girls wear our little hats and gloves on Sundays, not just on Easter. To be honest, I haven't seen gloves available for purchase for years. I wasn't even sure they could be easily found. Even living here in Central Florida, I keep a pair of winter gloves in each of my coat or jacket pockets. There have been times that I've wished for a dressy pair such as these (the net gloves are darling!). I'm just not sure that they'd ever look "in place" in this too-casual, tee-shirt-year-'round town.

On second thought, two of our most famous residents wears gloves - Mickey and Minnie Mouse!

Marie said...

Our dinner visit was wonderful! Zoe had a great time; she tells her friends about her "hat adventures", but she's not sure they really believe her. I am so pleased she loves hats! And she loves the "hat ladies".

Marie said...

And......we must have a hat and gloves occasion for HHN - maybe in January after the holidays. Tea at the St. Regis?