I went shopping yesterday for something new to wear to Baylor Homecoming. I need something dressy-ish for Pigskin on Friday night that I can feel comfortable in at the Bonfire, ie, it's all about the shoes. I also need something "cute casual" for Saturday that is appropriate for the Chi Omega Breakfast (perfumed hugging) at 7:30AM, the Homecoming Parade (curb sitting) at 8:30ish, and the game at around 2:30ish (sweltering heat). Got it? dressy-casual and all-weather-cute-casual. (All of the women reading this are nodding "Got it! Dressy-casual and all-weather-cute-casual" while envisioning what they would wear for the above activities. The men are, well, probably not reading this at all.)
Here's the tricky part:
| Fri Oct 22 |  | Isolated T-Storms | 84°/66° | 30 % |
| Sat Oct 23 | | Isolated T-Storms | 86°/65° | 30 % |
| Sun Oct 24 | | Isolated T-Storms | 86°/60° | 30 % |
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Central Texas weather, I'll translate. It's going to be overcast. The air will be thick with moisture that will hover overhead like a warm, wet blanket. Though the thermometer may read "86," it fully means "96." So, let's focus on my Saturday outfit because it is the most challenging for me to figure out. I will need an all-weather-cute-casual-96-degrees-in-October outfit. Figuring in the sultry weather, I'm also concerned about my hair. The humidity will do a number on my fine, thin tresses that have a tad of "natural curl." My bangs will roll up on the top of my forehead like window shades. My cowlicks will be mooing, "Look what we can dooooooo!"
| My hairstyle will go from this... |
 | ||||||||||||||||
| To this... |
so, I'm thinking I'm going to need one of these:
I've narrowed it down to an all-weather-cute-casual-96-degrees-in-October-that-looks-good-with-a-baseball-hat outfit. Ohh, and...well, come a little closer so that I can whisper a couple of other "minor" attributes I'm seeking in my Saturday outfit. It needs disguise the actual heft of my body while making me look younger, hip, cool, and a bit affluent. I want people to look at this outfit and think, "Now there goes a woman who has got it ALL together!"
In the years after Alan and I graduated (the "DINK" years - double income no kids), Homecoming meant a lengthy trip to Northpark. I had so much trouble trying to decide - the Katherine Conover or the Laura Ashley? What to do?! What to do!? Yes, we wore DRESSES to the parade and game. With impractical shoes, for Pete's sake! Oh, the pain of looking successful and carefree!
When the boys were toddlers, I chose their parade attire as carefully as I chose their Christmas Eve or Easter outfits. Matchy-Matchy! Cute-Cute! Perfect-perfect! Having 3 sons, I was robbed of the opportunity to dress them in the tiny cute Baylor cheerleader uniforms with giant yellow bows balancing precariously on their sweet round heads. Noooo. I had to go the extra mile to come up with matchy-matchy-cute-cute times 3. They sat on the curb in front of the Sub catching candy wearing apparel befitting a GQ for Kids photo shoot.
Back to my dilemma, the all-weather-cute-casual-96-degrees-in-October-that-looks-good-with-a-baseball-hat-flattering-hip-cool-affluent outfit. During the Homecoming parades of the 80's and 90's, I shook my head "Mm. Mm. Mm." when I saw the 50-plus set casually walking about at the parade wearing Baylor t-shirts, jeans, and tennies. Now, I am one. Maybe the Baylor baseball hat will legitimize my outfit and elevate it to the level of haute Bear couture. I will get back with you on that. Or, come Monday facebook may be all a-twitter about the 50-plus devil-may-care, underdressed lady who sat slumped on the curb watching the parade. And, catching candy. It's a fashion risk I'm willing to take.
Postscript: I actually bought 2 items at Steinmart today - a new pair of readers and a pair of sunglasses. They both fit me fine. And, they are, indeed, flattering.
Post Postscript: Bryce and Reed, if you're reading this...please try to come up with something clean to wear, and preferably, make sure it comes from a hanger and not your closet floor. I LOOOOOVE you!
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