As I mentioned, I’ve been tempted to do the occasional fashion-blog of my own outfits, as the dashing ladies of academichic and Already Pretty do, so here we go!

Because the focus of this blog — um, yes, this blog does have a focus, thank you very much! — is social behavior and how we live in the world, I think I’m only going to do this when I have some larger point to make besides “Dig my cool new belt!” So here’s the story on this outfit.

Every Wednesday during term at Harvard, the Rev. Peter Gomes of Harvard’s Memorial Church holds a tea from 5 to 6 at Sparks House, and about once a semester, I am invited to pour.

I poured last Wednesday, when it had been pouring outdoors (that Ugly Wintry Mix, remember?) for most of the day. I’d also been indoors writing for most of the day, swathed in layers of leggings and socks and sweatshirts. So I was very much of a mind to dress up a bit. In my writing about style, I’ve mostly focused on clothing and grooming as a way of communicating ourselves to others. That’s certainly important, but how we dress and fix ourselves up affects our own mood, as well. My mood wasn’t exactly an ugly wintry mix, but it was … foggy, shall we say. So I needed an outfit that would get my energy up, make me feel ladylike (as an etiquette columnist should while pouring tea at a minister’s house!) and playful.

I like to dress against the colors of the season, when the season is getting on my nerves. On a steamy August day, a black shift dress matched with a black sunhat and sunglasses makes me feel more like a sexy Mediterranean and less like a schvitzy pig. On the ugly winter days, springtime colors lift the mood. Try it sometime!

I’d also gone against my usually conservative makeup style and picked up a teal eyeliner — which looks surprisingly good on us hazel-eyed gals! — so an upbeat “Aprille with his shoures soote” green was to be the theme. Here’s how it looked. (We need to get a bit better at the photography; you can’t tell so much from the picture, but my tights are a sprucy green that complements the cardigan.)

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Earrings: Utso Tibetan Boutique
Necklace: eBay
Tank top: Chico’s Travelers, eBay
Cardigan: J. Crew, eBay
Skirt: Leather, designer unknown, eBay
Bracelet: Victoria Tane, purchased at local art fair
Tights: We Love Colors
Boots: Dav rain boots from Designer Shoe Warehouse

What do you think? Would coming in from a cold dark night to fireplace-lit room and seeing a woman dressed like this, offering you a good hot cup of tea, lift your spirits into something better than an ugly wintry mix?

P.S. Those of you with experience in close textual analysis might notice a theme when it comes to the source of my clothing. Here are my tips on how to successfully shop for clothes on eBay.

P.P.S. Those books I’m using as a doorstop? Stephen King’s Desperation, The Regulators, and Nightmares and Dreamscapes. I needed a doorstop for that door, because my ironing board lives behind it, and I thought, “Y’know, people who hate on Stephen King always say you could use his books for doorstops.” Turns out they’re right.