Do you think if I say it often enough, it will happen? If so, then "spring spring spring spring spring" is my new mantra. I'll say it while I shovel the four inches of snow expected in Chicago tonight.
I don't know what it is, but this winter has seemed terribly, terribly long, even longer since we have, thanks to an OBVIOUSLY HUNGOVER post-Super-Bowl groundhog, six more weeks of winter coming.
With all the snow and the ice and the bitter cold, and the using up of tubes of lipbalm faster than Blagojevich wears out hairbrushes, and the constant need to wear two pairs of tights (or one pair of black long johns plus black socks) to prevent the dreaded knee frostbite, and the spring fashion magazines trying to be "relevant" in the "economic crisis" by alternating offering up unremarkable $20 t-shirts with suggesting you buy a couple-grand handbag as an "investment," well, let's just say I haven't even been in the mood to look at anything springlike, not even stuff like this:
That's our friend Oscar de la Renta, who I know we've harshed on before as being a little safe, but — you have to admit — the man knows his pretty.
And speaking of pretty — oooh! have you heard? — Isaac Mizrahi's first set of designs for Liz Claiborne are about to come out:
It's worth clicking on that image EVEN THOUGH the whole Claiborne site is a stupid flashtastrophe that takes forever to load and doesn't allow for direct links. Because the new collection has about double the cuteness of the stuff he did for Target, and nicer fabrics because it's a higher price point.
Anyway, I'm not looking at this stuff now because it's just TOO PAINFUL. I need a couple of fifty-degree days in a row before I can begin to contemplate spring clothes. I'm so tired of winter that I'm even tired of Mexican hot chocolate, and friends, when you are tired of Mexican hot chocolate
I'm beginning to think hibernation is a *fantastic* idea. Somebody wake me when the daffodils are out.
A Dress A Day 
Daffodils are out in north Georgia…
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May I hibernate as well?
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brag: It’s 72 degrees, sunny and gorgeous in central california today.rant: despite the above, I’m nursing the mother of all head colds, but given the above I probably won’t be getting any sympathy from midwesterners.
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We got another 4-5 inches of snow last night. Sadly, I just LOVE winter, so it doesn’t bother me as long as it’s not really windy, and there’s snow on the ground.Gotta say, I do love that Liz Claiborne collection, especially the yellow and white raincoat.
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I so agree. I can’t even be fussed to LOOK at the spring offerings. Just want to sleeeeep.
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Those photos are the perfect antidote to winter. About this time of year I go to the library and get “picture” books and browse through them until my retinas are color-burned. You have such insanely cold, long winters…
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I know how you feel. I am in Chicago, too. And despite the bitter cold, I am hoping that wearing pink ballet flats today will make the Spring come faster. Maybe between the 2 of us we can make it happen!
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Oh, Erin. *pat*pat*I’m there with you. So. Tired. Of. This.And we haven’t gotten much snow this year (so far) so I really need to buck up. *sigh*
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I speak from experience when I say that a couple of 50 degree days are not enough. It was in the high 50s – low 60s Sunday Monday. That just made it worse when it back down in the mid 30s, complete with nice cold wind. At least the ice from last weeks storm finally melted so I can walk to the metro without risking falling on a behind.
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Love the pink Isaac you featured -must have or copy…love the Oscar….HATE the Liz site!
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Not too much snow here but it’s still too early for spring fashions. I shied away from a great pair of linen trousers in a shop last night because it made me feel cold just thinking about wearing them!
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Here in Central Virginia, it is 38 degrees during the day and 15 degrees at night. The snow partially melts and then re-freezes overnight into a thin sheet of black ice so that getting to school means slipping all over the road. Four days from now the forecast temp is 62. Then back to 15. The trees and gardens are confused. Me, too.What type of fabric is the de la Renta spring coat? I’d like to make a bright, happy spring coat like that.
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We need more dresses with big flowers! Bring it on (from snow-sodden and frigid Chicago).
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It’s cold here too. It snowed last night, it snowed this morning, when oh when will it stop snowing?Punxsutawney Phil, you are dead to me.
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Hi Erin and all you cold and snow phobes–I feel for ya, I really do. I know just how you feel when it’s 95 degrees and 95 percent humidity for days on end and there’s no such thing as blue sky, it’s its own color “haze” and I can’t sleep at night and I’m never dry or feel clean, not even 5 minutes out of the shower and the air quality index is “unhealthy” and…you get the idea!!! But that’s what makes the world go round, right???Love the de la Renta outfit and Isaac’s as well. Never heard of Mexican hot chocolate–what makes it different from Swiss Miss?
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I am loving the ladylike pretty of these collections. It is snowing in the Tennessee Valley. We don’t know how to handle snow. I think hot cups of spiced tea are the answer.
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Erin – I’m with you….went to meet a coworker today for coffee – 0 degrees..0 UGH!!! Even though it is sunny and clear with blue sky, it is still terribly cold. So yea, I’m with you..in Alaska. Let’s hope the volcano doesn’t blow, too. Love the Oscar outfit….very pretty!
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Erin- if it helps any, did you hear that New York City’s version of Punxatawny Phil(who lives on Staten Island, no less), BIT Mayor Bloomberg when said mayor teased him during NYC Ground Hog Day? Actually drew blood. Now, I’m not saying the groundhog (or perhaps we should call him or her the ‘eastern Metropolitan marmot’)was a Democrat, but I’m sure there are plenty of City employees who felt fairly chirked up by hearing that the pudgy little guy drew blood.As for the dress and coat – yum. As for Isaac – I am a total Mizrahi-ista and have formally switched my loyalties from Target..to Liz Claiborne.
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Yes… that is pretty serious if you are tired of Mexican Hot Chocolate. I think it is the concensus this year everyone is tired of winter and wind and cold. I sure am. I have been tired of it since November… Which isnt very good for me since I live in AK too and will be cold for a long time still. 😦 But the pretty summer dresses help a little bit even if it is way too cold to wear them. I hope your spring comes soon.k
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I love the de la Renta dress and coat! The Peter Pan collar on the coat is so adorable, and the patterned coat over the fitted dress is so pretty! I like the Mizrahi as well, but not as much as the other one.I’m up in Waterloo, Ontario (about an hour southwest of Toronto), and it’s cold and snowy here, too. I have dresses and I want to wear them but it’s WAY too cold to even think about it. Sigh.I’ve already picked out my summer dress patterns and I have a ton of gorgeous fabrics to make the dresses out of… but I can’t bring myself to make them yet. I can’t wear them, after all.I do have some gorgeous cherry-on-black Kaufman pinwale cord that’s begging to be made into a dress, but I can’t even seem to decide which dress to make. It’s too cold to wear whatever I make anyways.I’m going to hibernate in my pants and sweaters until it gets warmer. Chantelle
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Hibernation, yes… bears have the right idea. Imagine the fun you could have getting fat in the fall! Then you could wake up cranky but thin in March and have an excuse to eat like crazy again.
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My, that second pink number would so fit here in 1955, though I would need the skirt a little longer, but other than that, the skirt is BEGGING for a crinoline!
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Just love Isaacs’s new line — but then you gotta love that guy, what ever he does, it’s great….enough, the bed in the spare room is made up for any freezing, dress loving gal, it’s actually flip-flop weather in Pasadena, with rain in the forcast (here our worries are about drought and water rationing this summer)
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This is why they invented winter pastels. Last Saturday I wore a creamsicle colored jacket to synagogue because I was sick of winter.Paint huge flowes on to white wool twill and make it up into a dress.
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For real, Erin. I cannot believe how effing cold it is still in Chicago. I’m freezing my ass off here on the south side and I am desperately in need of hibernation until spring. That said, I do kind of love the Oscar de la Renta dress. Safe for sure but still just adorable.
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It’s been up to 43c (109F) here in Melbourne and I’m dreaming of winter, when I don’t sweat every minute of the day and night… anyone for a swap?
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Hmm. Anyone noticed that full, knee length skirts seem to be everywhere this year? I like the Clairborne collection, and hoping there’s something like it here (and that I can afford it!!)Anon in Ireland
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Great post, Erin! Really fun.
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Erin,My husband has long argued that we should hibernate, beginning in Janauary (so we can have a little winter while we are still excited about it) and ending early March. Of course, he also thinks we should evolve our teeth to be removable (not the same as dentures, he argues) so we can just drop them off at the dentist like dry cleaning!Erin, if you have a place to garden, I recommend planting a vernal witchazel…mine blooms late February, early March here in Chicagoland…I start looking for blossoms about now and it helps! Even better than flowers on fabric!Laura
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Erin, it’s like you were with my girls and I at Sunday brunch– same tone, same laments. We’ll all get through this together!Since I’ve been out of work for most of the past 6 months, I’ve been on forced hibernation– which is totally fine by me. I stoke my denial about the weather by going through my stash and planning my spring sewing, trying to get a little ahead of the game. You just close the curtains, put on some reggae, and you can almost convince yourself.That de la Renta look is a keeper.
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Maybe I can help. spring spring spring spring spring spring spring spring spring spring spring spring
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I don’t mind “safe” when it’s accompanied by “pretty”; I enjoy other folks’ adventures in dressing, but I happen to prefer “pretty” for my own clothes.And I love love LOVE that pink and white outfit. I wonder how long the skirt is? I wonder if I can lengthen it? And I LOVE printed cardigans. They quite often look like hell on the half shell on me, but I love them anyway.That said, while I love spring colours … not so crazed about the prospect of warm weather approaching, being locked indoors, breathing in carefully air-conditioned air. Summer + asthma = do not mix.
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It’s better here in the Czech Republic… I’m surviving well. I’ve bought 4 m of a lovely green silk and am about to make a medieval dress, made so that I can wear it outside medieval reenactions as well. I hope I’ll succeed.Besides, you putting all that spring stuff into this post proves that you actually DO look at these spring goodnesses.I’ve never had the chance to taste hot Mexican chocolate, but I can relate to what you say about it. I’m sure it must be wonderful…
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I am beyond ready for Spring to appear. It was about 18 degrees when I left home for work this morning.
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Staten Island Chuck (I assume it’s a male) didn’t draw blood; Mayor Bloomberg wisely wore gloves while teasing and tormenting the poor beastie. Just for the record!
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Auntie Shel – cayenne pepper in it makes it Mexican
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ERIN! I had to let you know – Aerosole has a BUNCH of green shoes, all different shades of green this season! There’s a gorgeous darkly shaded pump in mockadile, with a rounded toe and a heel that’s about 2, 2 1/2 inches. I don’t know about the others, but THAT shoe will be mine! (I thought of you the other day when I bought a pair of flat green boots …)
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February is the worst. I grew up in California and then lived in the South so I expect Spring to come by the end of February. Here in DC February is the coldest month every year. It is so cold today. I want to sew spring blouses and dresses and wear skirts every day again. *shakes fist at Punxatawney Phil*
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I would like the idea of hibernation, but being in Canada that would mean I’d miss half the year :o(
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I have a Mizrahi-from-Target dress in that same peony print (or, at least, a similar print). I got it from Goodwill. I love it dearly even though there’s a problem with the zipper and it takes PLIERS to get into and out of that dress.
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Thanks for the laugh re: Mexican hot chocolate, Erin. Your readers are great, too: “hell on the half shell”? “vernal witchazel”? There’s always good stuff in the comments.The worse the recession gets, and the longer it keeps being winter, the more I want to look at pretty dresses. Thanks for the fix.
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I kind of love that Oscar outfit – I hope someone comes out with a knock-off pattern for the coat so I’m not tempted to drape one. And, I’m glad Isaac is starting at Liz. Last season’s lines were not very exciting and, because of my close proximity to an outlet store, I buy a lot of Liz.
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omg, I really really want a pair of green shoes.
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