A fantastic and uplifting book on mid-life and aging, what to wear to a reunion, and the story of Nordstrom did for San Francisco…
It’s that time again for our weekend roundup of good things with my friends Elizabeth and Juliet! How has your week been? First of all, I must share that Whole Foods has had hydrangeas for $2.97 and I decided to grab them and red dahlias to brighten things up a bit around here. I’m not ready for fall decor..but I’m ready for some kind of change. ( Though apparently pumpkin spice lattes are to be had -you PSL people know this already. )
Can we call this time summfall? It could be a mix of summer stripes and fall tones and so on..
I’ve been thinking about life …and my age a bit more this week thanks to my 40 year high school reunion this weekend. It’s hard for me to believe. I’ve gone to every reunion, even though the people I hung with at high school haven’t gone for a while. The last few, I had fun talking with peeps from elementary and junior high.. I love seeing my school people!
This will come to no surprise, but I wasn’t part of the popular crowd in high school. I had a little friend group of guys and girls and they made those years special.
I’ve been wondering what to wear and even though it’s nearby and at a cute casual place, I still want to look good! I have a few pieces in my closet that will work, but I like to consider what’s out there..
IMHO you want to look like you’re not trying too hard. Someone said you don’t want to look as if you’ve ‘let yourself go’…. An old saying I feel is very sexist. What does that even mean? Rarely have we heard that said about men ! We should just be who we are now and be proud…
So here’s a few things that made my radar for a school reunion… I’m attracted to colors right now, as color makes you feel upbeat and vibrant.. Of course you can’t go wrong with black always flattering and elegant.. I think you should look for items that make you stand out a bit, in a good way…
On My Radar – School Reunion Ideas..
Something about this FarmRio number is just fun and modern and the little keyhole is just enough sexy without being too much.
I love these drop cross earrings which come in this turquoise or navy.
This dress looks tight, but it’s the most lovely forgiving fabric and feels fantastic on. I tried a Medium on last time I was in store and it’s body conscious, but still flattering. It forgives. I should have gotten it.
I ordered this Rails dress that I meant to buy earlier this summer. It’s on sale now at Nordstrom. I love tie dye… also cute in fall with a boxy cardigan or jacket. I pick this up Saturday so I hope it works.
I love these pebble glass drop earrings! The right size and elegant/mod look.
This black cotton Anthro square neck dress is shown midi, but it’s full length on me with pockets, adjustable straps, a side zip and expanding back. I was able to pull a medium on without unzipping. A versatile dress, it could work with a t-shirt under it also. ( I don’t know why I cut my head off, but was trying to show it’s full length.)
I love bias cut dresses -everyone needs one they are so good on and feel great. This luster crepe dress also comes in navy. I’d dress this down with flat sandals and gold bangles. This is a great classic in pink that would also be super with a blazer and heels for a party or dinner later in the year.
If you want a top.. here’s a few that will pop…
I adore this floral top you could pair with linen pants in summer and later some faux leather trousers. The ombre sequin button-down comes in petite and plus also and would be cute with soft blue jeans and pretty sandals. This organza beaded blouse would be cool with black dressy shorts or flowey linen pants.
Destination Fabulous
Thanks to my Insta friend Jude, I am working my way through this fabulous book and marking so many great passages. It has hugely inspired me -especially on a week I have a 40 year reunion..
Destination Fabulous is by Anna Murphy, the Fashion Director of The Times in the UK, and I have shared her book, How Not To Wear Black before. This latest book is about rethinking mid-life and aging. It’s all about changing mindset and rejecting society’s expectations on aging. Instead of disparaging our age we should be finding what and who we really want to be. This half of life should be liberating and the best part.
She also wrote this in reaction to being one of the only fashion people in the Front Row of fashion shows that hasn’t done botox and fillers.. This is her on the Times magazine..
The truth is in America we get a very skewed view of aging when everyone on tv has unreal aging – we see it on newscasters or the Kardashians/Real Housewives/and on actors. We need to see LESS of that and more real faces. No wonder we are hard on ourselves.
Anna’s aim is not to judge people who have chosen this route, but to realize this ‘way of aging’ is being sold to us, and it’s not a long term solution… She suggests we age naturally with less invasive alternatives and find more to love and feel beautiful about in ourselves besides unlined skin.
She has great natural tips and that include face, hair, body and dressing.
In a culture where we are told we need fillers, thin bodies and hair dye to remain relevant, Anna has embraced none of that- and exudes a vibrancy and youthfulness no vial could buy. She does it through her attitude of exploration, positivity and taking care of her self, and having a hell of a good time with her clothes too.
This book will make you rethink what we are being programmed to believe about our mid-life selves. We need positive reinforcement about how fantastic this part should be -and is.
Someone said this book can be life changing and I could not agree more.
You can also follow Anna on her Instagram.. I love her exuberant style..
The closing of SF Nordstrom and its success story
Back in May, Peter Hartlaub of the Chronicle wrote a piece about the opening of the beautiful San Francisco Nordstrom back in 1988 and its lasting impact on the area. I remember it well, working for Nordstrom at the time and it was a huge deal when that incredible store opened….
For all the negative we hear about SF, this was an uplifting story that gives hope.
The closure, on Friday, can be seen as a huge failure. I think it is sad, but the retail landscape is changing. People no longer flock to malls as they once did, and so many now love to shop online. The pandemic also seemed to be the death knell of malls and large retail stores, as people learned to rely on delivered goods.
You could say the homeless issue was also part of the cause of this, but the true back story of this Nordstrom was that it was a real gamble to place it on Market in the first place, instead of upscale Union Square back in 1988. People called the area seedy even in the 1980’s and Emporium at the other end of this mall had struggled for years with the street people and panhandlers. My aunt was a buyer for the Emporium and knew the struggles.
The Nordstrom family took a gamble and bought the top floors for themselves at a bargain and later helped develop the parking garage and more. People said shoppers wouldn’t come to this upscale retailer in a crime ridden area, but they did -and how they did! The store was a huge success and beat all the dire predictions about it.
Look at this incredible photo of the unique spiral escalators that brought people to the top floors on opening day Oct 7, 1988, by The Chronicle’s Frederic Larson.. (This amazing building should not be torn down!)
60,000 people visited the first day by noon. That is not a typo. From the article:
“The mall contracted 18 valet parkers, but it wasn’t enough. The upscale store with its Champagne bar, spa, fireplace and piano player did $2 million in business on its first day. It had what Nordstrom officials later called “without a doubt … our strongest opening in Nordstrom history.”
By taking the chance, Nordstrom paved the way for others in that area, the SFMOMA, Yerba Buena gardens, Moscone Center, upscale hotels, and the Salesforce Building and park and so much more. I hope Nordstrom will continue to thrive. They just did the same in a down area of New York City a few years back..
I think nearly 38 years on, the struggles with the homeless are still in this area, and clearly the city, no matter who runs it- has to take action that works and look to others cities that have done better. The city has had decades to fix this and they still haven’t. II know there is a solution out there.
I just like people to know this has been a struggle for a long time and kudos to Nordstrom for all they did for San Francisco..The entire article here.
If you missed last week’s post, it was a walk through some of the prettiest staircases of San Francisco, what to do with your tomato bounty, cute sneakers, and a podcast you will enjoy..
That’s it for this week.. I’ll share all about my reunion next week!
I hope you have a lovely weekend,
Kim
Please stop by Elizabeth and Juliet’s blogs..
MAKE MINE A SPRITZER
PINECONES AND ACORNS
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