Monica D. Murgia

Where art, creativity, and fashion meet

Archive for the ‘Dressing Room Confessions’ Category

January 23rd, 2013 by Monica Murgia

Stepping Up My Sock Game

It’s become frightfully cold. In an attempt to stick to my New Year’s Resolution, I’m trying to spend less. But my wardrobe is definitely lacking winter items after living in Southern California for almost 3 years. Keeping warm is a priority as I wander the windy streets of New York City. Since I teach a textile course, I’ve become really preoccupied with performance fibers. So I decided to investigate Uni Qlo yesterday to check out their HeatTech Line. If I didn’t buy anything, at least I could do a little research.

HeatTech is a line of created from specially engineered fibers that retain body heat, dry quickly, and are antistatic and antibacterial. It’s amazing, because I had just taught a lesson on manufactured fibers. Companies can actually create fibers and fabrics with those kinds of performance qualities. It’s also pretty cool because Uni Qlo has a lot of information in the store that explains why the HeatTech line works the way that it does. They even include microscopic views of the fibers! (Hello, textile nerds!)

I was sort of expecting the line to look like athletic gear. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see that HeatTech consisted of great basics and layering pieces: t-shirts, turtlenecks, leggings, and socks. Some of the garments are a nod to the minimalist tradition, and others have interesting prints. Everything in the line is super light weight, so you won’t feel bulky while keeping warm.

I decided to give the line a try. I picked up a t-shirt and figured that would be it. But I nearly lost it when I saw these argyle knee-high socks!!

Socks can be an undervalued accessory. In menswear, it’s such a critical detail. The wrong socks mess up a suit and shoes. However, for women, we tend to forget about them completely. We either wear stockings or go bare-legged. The right pair of socks definitely adds a little pizzaz to an otherwise bland outfit. My advice is to pair a similar pair of knee-highs with heels and a dress. Sexy and warm? Yes, please!

Don’t you think it’s time to step up your sock game? You can get a pack of 2 at Uni Qlo for just $12.90. But the argyle pattern is only available in stores.

GHTime Code(s): nc

Tags: argyle, heattech, performance textiles, Shopping, smart textiles, socks, uni qlo, uniqlo
Posted in Accessories, blogging, Dressing Room Confessions, fashion, fashion and the body, menswear, minimalist fashion, Teaching, textiles | 1 Comment »

December 4th, 2012 by Monica Murgia

Dressing Room Confessions: Groceries or Courrèges?

Today was my day for running errands. My career path has created an interesting schedule for me. I don’t have a normal 9am-5pm, Monday-Friday type of work week. Often, I have bizarre days off – like a Tuesday. Teaching, freelancing, and writing have their perks in this way. When I need to accomplish personal errands, I don’t have to fight big crowds that the weekends often bring.

The day started off innocently enough. I worked on some projects from home while I had my morning coffee. Then, I prepared my to-do list and left the house around 11am. Tuesdays are usually for mundane activities. Really! I swear! My to-do list was the following:

Drop some items off at a consignment store
Buy groceries
Post office
Write a post

The thing about consignment stores is that I always end up browsing the racks while waiting. And then I saw this:

Those bright orange vinyl bows caught my attention. What a fun and interesting detail. ”Well, it can’t hurt to look. I am just going to wait anyway . . .” I thought to myself. I went over to the rack and grabbed the hanger. My inner dialog of “I really shouldn’t be spending money on clothes. I need to buy groceries. It’s such a bright orange hue, anyway . . . I’m not sure if I could pull it off . . .” was immediately silenced when I saw the label.

André Courrèges! How did my day suddenly go from groceries to this? André Courrèges (b. 1923) is a French designer that contributed to the futuristic style of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

“Space age” designs were so iconic of this era. America and Russia were literally racing each other to land on the moon. Satellites and other technology were being developed rapidly. This shifted interest to the future. Could we colonize other planets? Would future generations live on space ships? How would styles change due to this environmental change?

Designers like André Courrèges and Pierre Cardin tried to answer these questions in their clothing designs. Space age clothing had the following characteristics:

use of hardware accessories
durable, industrial materials
androgynous, unisex styles

Courrèges first studied as an architect. According to the Kyoto Costume Institute, he worked at Balenciaga before opening his own couture house in 1961. His couture collections always challenged cultural rules about fashion. For example, he was the first couture designer to present pants in a collection in 1963. He also presented the mini skirt in 1965. Courrèges went on to design ready-to-wear in the late 1960s. This dress was from the ready-to-wear line. I wanted to photograph it on my mannequin, but the dress was too small. So I had to try it on. (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

The dress has some very minor flaws: the pull tab on the zipper is damaged, making it difficult to zip. The vinyl bow on the right side is attached with hook and eyes that need to be reinforced. All very easy to execute repairs.

Judging by the length, I’d say the dress is from the very early 1970s. Since the label has a style number 27051, I was able to discover some additional information. Kerry Taylor Auctions sold the same style in black in 2009. They dated the dress to circa 1970.

I must confess, if asked to choose between groceries or Courrèges I would pick Courrèges every time. But why choose when you can have both?

GHTime Code(s): nc

Tags: 1960s fashion, 1970s fashion, André Courrèges, dressing room confessions, futurism, futuristic fashion, Kerry Taylor auctions, Pierre Cardin, space age fashion, style 27051
Posted in Dressing Room Confessions, fashion, fashion and the body, fashion history, Shopping, Uncategorized, Vintage | 6 Comments »

October 26th, 2012 by Monica Murgia

Dressing Room Confessions: Label Whore?

That’s right – I said it. Label whore. I always thought this was a ridiculous expression. It’s a sort of slang to describe someone that only wears brand name clothing. While I haven’t heard the term in ages, I always understood to to refer to people that equate labels to taste. It simply isn’t true. Taste and style are all about the right silhouette for your body, and the right pairing of clothing and accessories to express your personality. Buying and wearing something solely based on a brand name is not a great strategy for developing personal style. There’s much more to it than that.

I certainly have favorite designers and labels. But there is something about the arrangement of fashion that is personal. It’s creating a composition: various elements are arranged on your body to communicate something about who you are. This can’t be dictated by a brand, but discovered through trial and error.

As I was out buying new items for the store, this label caught my eye. It was located on a brightly colored plaid scarf. The beautiful colors had already grabbed my attention, but such a beautiful label made me drop everything. Who was Herbert Gallant? I’d never heard of him before. The label sat there and taunted me. Questions flurried through my mind: was he French? Or American? And when was it from? Could Gallant be (or have been) someone important?

The scarf was included in my purchases. I was lost in thought while at the checkout. A mystery was in front of me, and I couldn’t wait to solve it. I paid and left. But somewhere in the parking lot, I wondered to myself, “Does this make me a label whore?” I had, after all, purchased a pretty scarf mostly based on a label I knew nothing about. Maybe I was venturing into the realm of fashion promiscuity.

Luckily, I checked my email when I got home. When 140 Characters Aren’t Enough was waiting in my inbox. Sometimes, I think Lizzie Bramlett writes things just for me. Her post discusses how many vintage resellers don’t include photographs of labels. How irksome! Labels give so much information about the brand and era that a garment was made. She showed us the evolution of the White Stag label, from 1955 to present day. As a seller myself, I know I couldn’t possibly write a description that covers the an entire history of a designer or brand. That is why I always include photos of any tags or markings when I list an item. Having worked in the art market, buyers demand signatures and authentication. What happens if a painting isn’t signed? Without a solid provenance (chronology of ownership) and letter of authentication from experts, the artwork is virtually unsellable. Why should a garment be any different?

The Vintage Fashion Guild has an excellent label resource, which I highly recommend. Collectors and members upload images of labels and contribute biographical entries. There is so much information on just about any designer you want to know. From their site, I was able to find out that Herbert Gallant was the son of Frank Gallant. With a quick click, I found his biography:

A manufacturer of women’s suits and coats, the company was founded by Frank Gallant in 1916. Gallant’s son Herbert joined the company in 1945 and became president in 1955. Tom Brigance was the designer as of 1951 and stayed into the 1960s. Frank Gallant died 1965. In 1965, the head designer was Martin Unger, who moved to Zelinka-Matlick that year.

Frank Gallant, Inc. sold women’s coats and suits to such stores as Saks, Lord & Taylor, Bloomingdale’s, De Pinna, and Altman’s. The company name was changed to Gallant International in 1968. They held licenses for Cardin Coats starting in 1976, and also had the Geoffrey Beene for Gallant line. Robert Gallant became president in 1998. Herbert Gallant died 2007.

Written by pastperfectvintage.com via The Vintage Fashion Guild

My instincts were spot on. I’m not relying on a label or brand to establish my style. However, I recognize there is importance behind a name. Labels carry a certain sense of history with them. It’s worth paying attention to them. Understanding a label and what it represents doesn’t make you – or me – a label whore. It makes us smarter consumers.

GHTime Code(s): nc

Tags: fashion, fashion labels, Herbert Gallant, label whore, labels, resources, Shopping, style, taste, vintage, vintage fashion guild
Posted in american fashion, Designers I love, Dressing Room Confessions, fashion, Fashion and Identity, fashion history, made in america, Shopping, Uncategorized, Vintage | No Comments »

September 18th, 2012 by Monica Murgia

Dressing Room Confessions: For the Collection?

I’ll make my confession right away. I’m a collector. Sometimes, I buy things just because I think they are special. Some clothing or accessories are just too amazing to wear. That’s because they have a value beyond a price tag.

While there isn’t much that I buy and refuse to wear, there are exceptions. Everything I own by Antonio Castillo falls into this category. I think he was a genius, and forever in my mind he will be on a fashion pedestal. He was the only exception, until I found shirt designed by Vera yesterday.

Vera Neumann (1907 – 1993), simply know as Vera, was an artist turned textile designer. After studying art at the Cooper Union and Traphagen School of Design, she went on to work as a fashion illustrator on Seventh Avenue. This led her to textile design.

In the 1930s, Vera met her husband George. His family has owned and operated a textile printing company in Hungary. They married in 1938, and as Vera explained in an interview:

“One day, we just decided we ought to work together in some way.” (Source: The Self-Made Man: Success and Stress – American Style, p. 300)

The couple started making small silk-screen machines in their studio. In 1946, they founded this operation as a business, calling it Printex. After WWII, Printex started purchasing surplus army silk that had been used for parachutes. The surplus silk was extremely cheap, and allowed Vera to start designing fashion scarves.

I own 3 scarves by Vera. What I love about them is that they were clearly paintings before being printed on silk. She signed everything, too. Vera herself even stated:

“I start everything as a painting first.” (Source: The Self-Made Man: Success and Stress – American Style, p. 300)

I’ve come across lots of scarves designed by Vera, but never any clothing. The first time I had seen a Vera shirt was back in May. My friend Emma had an apple print shirt by the designer. Lizzie Bramlett wrote a great summary of the clothing brand:

In the 1960s a clothing line was added to the scarves and household linens. Blouses and dresses were made from the Vera textile designs. These garments are quite interesting, as the fabric was engineered, or designed with the idea of the finished garment in mind. The starting place for each design was always the 36″ scarf. The earliest Vera clothing was made with either 100% cotton or 100% silk. Later, items were made from nylon and polyester.

But I was never able to fine one that I could purchase myself until yesterday. I vowed I’d never wear it, because it was just too special! How could I risk ruining a shirt with such a great history? Plus, it didn’t seem to fit into my own personal style. Well, that idea sort of changed after I tried it on . . .

So cute! So I have to ask: should this be for the collection? Or should I wear it? Decisions, decisions. . .

GHTime Code(s): nc

Tags: american textile, american textile designer, textiles, Vera, vera clthing, Vera Neumann
Posted in art, artists, artists i love, Designers I love, Dressing Room Confessions, entrepreneurship, Fashion as art, fashion history, fashion influenced by art, made in america, Shopping, textiles | 4 Comments »

September 7th, 2012 by Monica Murgia

Dressing Room Confessions: Surface to Air

Sometimes, you find that dress that makes your heart race. My pulse definitely skipped a beat as I walked by Surface to Air in Soho this week. In the window, this grey jersey dress beckoned me in. It’s pull was almost magnetic on my weakened little heart.

Surface to Air is a French label that specializes in minimalist fashion. The store has all the minimal trappings: sleek decor, an achromatic color pallet, and masterfully tailored clothing. While the turn dress got me in the door, I had quite a bit of fun perusing the racks.

Minimalism is a style I’ve naturally gravitated towards since it’s so practical. But Surface to Air really makes this style irresistible with it’s attention to detail and sumptuous fabrics. The designs are so artfully executed, it made me venture outside of my comfort zone to try on metallic & suede leggings. I felt like a total rockstar.

The dress was still more “me”. I tried it on again. It just made me feel so beautiful. I didn’t want to take it off.

When I got home, I did a little research on the brand. Know what makes them even cooler? The Paris branch has a private collection of my favorite street artist Banksy’s work. Really, you’re making it hard for me to breath with all this beauty.

Not in New York or Paris? Shop Surface to Air online. And stalk them on Facebook and Twitter for cool informations and events.

GHTime Code(s): nc

Tags: french fashion, minimalism, minimalist fashion, Shopping, soho, surface to air
Posted in Dressing Room Confessions, Fashion as art, fashion influenced by art, minimalist fashion, Shopping | No Comments »

August 8th, 2012 by Monica Murgia

Dressing Room Confessions: Pauline Trigère

Chances are, I was a pirate in a past life. I have an incessant desire to travel the world, and love searching for treasure. The perfect treasure hunt is finding vintage clothing. Most of the time, I search alone. But when venturing into uncharted territory, it is useful to team with other vintage enthusiasts. One of my favorite treasure hunters is Lizzie Bramlett. We found some serious gems while scouring Atlanta. I’m also never disappointed by my travels with Ashley McAleavy of Remedy.

Ashley took me to a secret vintage paradise this week. While it required some serious digging, I came across an interesting dress. The construction and design of a navy wool tea-length beauty caught my eye. I thought it looked decidedly modern. Confused, I unzipped it to search for a label. I nearly passed out with excitement as I saw this:

Pauline Trigère (1908-2002) was born in Paris and became an iconic fashion designer in Post War America. Her mother was a dressmaker and her father a tailor who had made military uniforms for Russian aristocrats. Trigère learned quickly from her parents, and designed her first dress as a teenager. She never sketched her designes, but worked by draping right on the mannequin.

Pauline Trigère with model Beverly Valdes, 1961. Image courtesy of elspethbrown.org

She married in 1937. Shortly after, they left Paris for America and opened a tailoring business. Trigère also was employed by Hattie Carnegie, where her job was to turn the sketches into dresses. After separating from her husband in 1942, Trigère created an 11 piece collection. She was quickly recognized for her sophisticated designs, impeccable tailoring and being her own best model.

The wool jersey dress I found is a prime example of Trigère mastery of design. While jersey can be clingy and unstructured, the geometric details and top stitching give this dress shape.

Trigère was completely self-financed. Her only help was from her brother Robert, who assisted in getting her first collection off the ground by traveling America with the samples via Greyhound bus. She was also fiercely loyal to America, saying:

”People always say to me, ‘Aren’t you French?’ and I say, ‘No, I am American,’ ” she said. ”I found in this country everything I wanted. This country made me Pauline Trigère.”

Trigère’s also created scarves, accessories, and had a fragrance. She actively designed until 1994.

The only time I’ve ever come across one of Trigère’s garments has been in a museum collection. They are difficult to find. It was so great to be able to examine the garment. You can see how the lining was hand finished. Look at that stitching!

You can imagine how happy I was to find this immaculate dress. And it just happened to be my size.

Dressing room confession: Who needs gold or buried treasure when you’ve got a Trigère?

GHTime Code(s): nc

Tags: American designers, dressing room confessions, Pauline Trigere, vintage, vintage fashion
Posted in Designers I love, Dressing Room Confessions, fashion, fashion and the body, fashion history, Shopping, textiles, Vintage | 13 Comments »

July 5th, 2012 by Monica Murgia

Dressing Room Confessions: Making Waves

On Monday, I found this amazing vintage dress. It was homemade in the 1950s. But look at that textile print! It reminded me of sound waves. If you’ve been to my blog before, you’ll know my interest in synesthesia. Anything that visually references sound fascinates me.

Delighted with the fit, I purchased it right away. When I got home, I realized that it had been altered slightly. The neckline was now straight across, while originally it was a sweetheart neckline. The hem had originally been scalloped to mimic the print, too. Now the hem is straight across. (It is a printed cotton piqué)

I couldn’t help but think of Lucienne Day (1917-2010), a British textile designer known for her Post-War abstract designs.

0a6c879e1550518e098d60984c1103ee-magnetic_red

Magnetic Fabric by Lucienne Day. Printed linen union fabric. Image courtesy of pallantbookshop.com

Day used lots of abstract and geometric patterns in her textile designs, reminiscent of Wassily Kandinsky and Joan Miro. (And Kandinsky had synesthesia!)

NPG x126627; Lucienne Day (nÃe Conradi) by John Gay

Lucienne Day. Photo by John Gay. Image courtesy of The National Portrait Gallery

Day was interested in pragmatic design. An artist in her own right, she always considered herself a textile designer. She explained:

“I’m very interested in modern painting although I didn’t want to be a painter. I put my inspiration from painting into my textiles, partly, because I suppose I was very practical. I still am. I wanted the work I was doing to be seen by people and be used by people. They had been starved of interesting things for their homes in the war years, either textiles or furniture.“

Textile designs by Lucienne Day. Images courtesy of thelittlenestbox.blogspot.com

Interestingly enough, I also came across artist Louisa Bufardeci. A contemporary artist that works with needlepoint, Bufardeci has a series of work that explores taped phone conversations.

1 of 13 Captured Telephone Conversations by Louisa Bufardeci. Image courtesy of the artist.

The series are machine embroideries of the sound waves over the phone. Bufardeci’s artist statement sheds some light on her source of inspiration:

Warrantless, wireless, telephone tapping – how does it affect the sanctity of the domestic space? 13 captured telephone conversations – all one minute long captures the sense of paranoia generated by the idea that anyone could be listening in, anytime. These particular thirteen conversations are sourced from a mixture of conversations from history known to have been tapped, conversations from my private home, and conversations between abstract people.

13 Captured Telephone Conversations by Louisa Bufardeci. Image courtesy of the artist.

Obviously, I’m not the only person interested in the visual quality of sound waves. But I think it’s time to make a Dressing Room Confession: Great clothes do all the talking for you.

GHTime Code(s): nc

Tags: 1950s fashion, abstract art, abstract design, kandinsky, Louisa Bufardeci, Lucienne Day, Miro, sound waves, synesthesia, textiles, vintage
Posted in art, artists, Designers I love, Dressing Room Confessions, Fashion as art, fashion history, paintings, Shopping, textiles, Uncategorized, Vintage | 5 Comments »

June 22nd, 2012 by Monica Murgia

Dressing Room Confessions: The Doctor Is In

Sometimes, going to a physical location for shopping doesn’t fit in my schedule. The last 3 months has been really hectic for me. However, I always take the time to go hiking with my dog Rudy.

Rudy and I are very serious about going off the beaten path. We often go through the woods, in water, and on gravel. Our adventures called for some serious hiking shoes. I wanted a pair that would last a long time, and that covered a good portion of my legs. I knew Doc Martens recently launched their Liberty of London collection, so I decided to take a look.

Doc Martens makes fantastic boots. I have the Darcie in black and brown. I was disappointed that the Liberty of London collection only came in the 1460 style, because I just LOVED the strawberry thief print. The 1460 was just too short for my purposes.

After a little searching, I found the 1B99 in the most darling floral print! I was so excited when they arrived. It felt like Christmas.

I eagerly laced them up and put them on. They are so comfortable, and also have an inside zipper. This makes it so easy to put them on or take them off. The height of the boot is great for covering my legs while hiking in tall grasses. And the print just makes me want to go outdoors.

Rudy even liked them. He immediately wanted to go for a walk after I put them on.

Dressing Room Confession? If your dog likes the shoes, you have to keep them. Just hope that he doesn’t like them enough to eat them!

GHTime Code(s): nc

Tags: doc martens, dressing room confessions, floral boots, hiking, hiking boots
Posted in Dressing Room Confessions, fashion and the body, Shopping, Travel, Uncategorized | No Comments »

June 14th, 2012 by Monica Murgia

Dressing Room Confessions: Jessica Rabbit in Atlanta

My close friends and I often joke about Jessica Rabbit. She was a character in Touchstone’s 1988 film Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Jessica is a sultry, voluptuous singer in the film. She always performs in an iconic red dress that leaves little to the imagination. She claims, “I’m not bad, I’m just drawn that way.“

Jessica Rabbit. Image courtesy of imdb.com

Some dresses just make you look so sexy, it feel downright obscene. That is a Jessica Rabbit dress.

Two weeks ago, I was in Atlanta for the CSA symposium. I arrived early to meet with Lizzie Bramlett and do some vintage shopping. The following days were reserved for me to perfect my presentation on Antonio Canovas del Castillo. While Lizzie went to the Atlanta History Center excursion, I was finishing labels and layout for the exhibition proposal. Lunchtime rolled around quickly. I stepped out for a bite, and stumbled upon Revolution 11 Vintage Market. How could I pass it up?

I really only stopped to peruse the racks. (I swear!) The store was so well merchandised: amazing clothes, great atmosphere, and even period details like vintage radios and record players adorned the space. There was even an atelier for custom made garments! I drank in the atmosphere with total delight. As I made my way through the racks, I suddenly stopped. There it was. The Jessica Rabbit dress! (Quite literally! The hang tag even said Jessica Rabbit dress on it.)

The waist seemed impossibly small, but I decided to try it on anyway. And it fit! How could I pass up such a find?

The staff was just as elated as I was. They happy to see it on a real person, and joked that someone should pick me up by the waist and fly me around like Baby in Dirty Dancing. I hadn’t considered that before!

Dressing Room Confession? I REALLY want to re-enact that scene now! Someone take me dancing, now!

If you’re ever in Atlanta, please visit Revolution 11 Vintage Market. I’m sure you’ll find something fantastic, like I did.

GHTime Code(s): nc nc

Posted in Dressing Room Confessions, Ongoing Project, Shopping, Travel, Uncategorized, Vintage | 9 Comments »

June 1st, 2012 by Monica Murgia

Dressing Room Confessions: I’m too busy shopping to write

Right now, I’m in Atlanta for the CSA annual symposium. It’s THE conference for history of fashion enthusiasts. I came down early to meet Lizzie Bramlett, author of The Vintage Traveler, to do some shopping. We’ve gone to some amazing places. And I can’t seem to stop. This week, I’ll be too busy to post. But enjoy this photo of some of my finds!

GHTime Code(s): nc

Posted in Dressing Room Confessions, fashion history, Shopping | 4 Comments »

May 25th, 2012 by Monica Murgia

Dressing Room Confessions: Occupational Hazards

I’ve mentioned before how much I love what I do. My work constantly exposes me to beautiful artwork and fashion. What’s not to love? I can be in the most obscure place, and be inspired or make a new discovery. This is mostly because I have invested a lot of time studying fashion and art history. But another skill that has trained my eye is my love of vintage shopping. Between these disciplines, I’ve become a sort of walking encyclopedia of fashion and art.

This knowledge brings all types of occupational hazards. The first is that I find it nearly impossible to dress down. The second? My wallet can become a bit thin when I find something perfect. This happened on Wednesday, when I was out on the road for work. I stopped at an antique dealer, and found this gorgeous sweater.

Nestled underneath a wool coat and some dusty accessories, I saw a little sparkle near the neckline of this mannequin. I removed the layers to unearth this cardigan. It was in perfect condition. All the beading was intact. It honestly looked like it had never been worn.

Unable to resist it’s charm, I nearly tore it off the mannequin. It fit perfectly! What luck that work brought me this vintage find. Dressing room confession? I love my occupational hazards.

GHTime Code(s): nc

Tags: antique store, dressing room confessions, vintage, vintage sweater
Posted in Dressing Room Confessions, fashion history, Shopping, Uncategorized, Vintage | 3 Comments »

May 18th, 2012 by Monica Murgia

Dressing Room Confessions: Subconscious Reference

When work gets too overwhelming, a trip to the store always soothes my mind. Being a creative person, I’ve noticed that I require many breaks while working on a project. These breaks allow me to process information in a different way. Often times, these breaks lead to better ideas than I had while working.

A few months ago, I took a break from writing and went to South Coast Plaza. All my troubles dissolved as I looked at the endless racks of clothes. Sequins, lace, and vivid colors enveloped me. In that magic moment, I had no more deadlines. There was just me and an infinite supply of amusement.

There is no specific thought in my mind when I shop in this way. All I want to do is have fun and, perhaps, create something beautiful. I pull garments off the rack that interest me. Certain colors or fabrics speak to me, so I grab them. Then, I try to make an interesting combination.

This particular trip was a surprise. I created a beautiful outfit. But I was stunned when I had it on – it reminded me so much of Degas paintings of dancers.

Dressing Room Confession: The subconscious mind works in mysterious ways. Even though I had literally forgotten about work, it resurfaced in the most unusual reference. I went back to writing refreshed, and with a new perspective. Who says a shopping trip can’t relieve writer’s block? It certainly helped me finish my work before the deadline.

GHTime Code(s): nc