Day 22: In which Thanksgiving is redeemed, and I overshare a little.

Ok, so our second try at Thanksgiving was a raging success. Everyone went home happy, well fed, and sleepy, and there were only a few minor political scuffles (What do you get when the headstrong daughter of a die hard Reagan Republican marries the hippy-musician son of a missionary family? Chaos! And me.).  Mom got to zen out in the kitchen and lose herself in culinary nirvana, since I came over early to help out with my Grandma. She's been ill lately, which is why we had to postpone Thanksgiving in the first place. She was tired today, but thoroughly enjoyed having us all there and loved all the food and attention. One of the funniest things about my Grandma is that she has virtually no short term memory (Also, of course, one of the saddest things. Isn't that how life works?). She loves food, but has a hilarious tendency to be over dramatic and pretend she just can't eat another bite...so you take the plate away, rearrange the food slightly, wait five minutes, and put it back in front of her, and she's thrilled...until she just can't eat another bite...Its really kind of adorable. I find it strangely endearing that, even at 94, she still worries about her figure.

The coat I'm wearing today used to be hers. Its much too big for me ( Though she's tiny now, my Gram was quite a glamazon back in the day; tall, long legged and broad shouldered. I of course, am the complete opposite!), but I wear it anyway, because it is gorgeous, and well made, and part of my family history. My Great Grandmother worked in the millinery and yardage dept. at the biggest, dreamiest department store in downtown Portland, and on her lunch break she would go up to the display floor and look at the designer gowns. Then she would use her discount to buy a few yards of something lovely and take it home and whip up copies of them from scratch, sending her daughter off to school dances in frocks she knew all the other girls would squeal over.  My Grandmother picked up where she left off, making exquisite clothes for herself and my Mother. Many of them are still stored in near perfect condition. I really can't wear any of them. The skirts are laughably long and the bodices get all bunchy around my middle and the sleeves droop, but somehow I can't stomach the thought of having them altered. There's a legacy in those stitches.

I'm wearing another neglected item from my 30 today...this black top has the coolest silhouette, but I never wear it. I'm going to try a few more things with it over the next few days, so I hope you don't mind repeats! Incidentally, that's sort of how I dress normally...I get really obsessed with one item, and I remix and remix and remix it until I get tired of it or become obsessed with something else. The 30 for 30 has actually forced me to mix in a little more variety, because I'm embarrassed /afraid my blog will stop being cool once you realize that I just throw on the same thing day after day...but its true! Anyone else do that? Yes? No? Hmmm. I was really happy with this outfit, though I'm not sure it really photographed well. Check the happy little asymmetrical Hiedi braid I did! I heart having hair.

Creepy face. Sorry guys.

Interloper!

Vintage tweed coat, Grandma's; Silk scarf, thrifted; Katayone Adeli kimono top, thrifted; Ann Klein wool skirt, thrifted; Tights, U.O.; Irregular Choice boots, Modcloth; Studded belt, Target; Turquoise beads and Coral necklace, gift from Mom; Turquoise and enamel necklace, self made.

P.S. Yes, the shoes came today. And yes, they are indescribably good. And yes, they will be included in my first post-30 for 30 outfit post. The package also included the cutest little goody bag full of samples of celebrity endorsed fragrances...for men. Ahem. I think they were either trying to tell me that I bought drag queen shoes or that I need a boyfriend who wants to smell like David Beckham and likes girls who wear drag queen shoes. Awkward.