I had a rather frustrating shopping experience yesterday, the kind where it is demonstrated to me very explicitly that what I find appealing is not, apparently, what the designers of clothing find appealing. This happens to me on occasion, most commonly when I am trying to buy jeans. The thing I was trying to buy yesterday was the opposite of jeans, and yet, the parallels are there. I shall probably be writing a Thursday Thirteen about it tomorrow.
Fortunately, I also had yet another box to open from Connecticut, yet another piece of Diana’s history to rediscover. Now, I was saving this box for last, since I was pretty sure it contained the Great Sweater Collection. The GSC was rather infamous among my circle of friends, mostly because I had a whole bookshelf devoted to it in college. What can I say? I love sweaters. Also, I never really got to wear them growing up in the subtropics as I did, so I made up for all of my sweater-deprived years by going a bit overboard in college. I had a LOT of sweaters. I had the mandatory fair-isle LL Bean zip up cardigan, the mandatory autumn-colored wool crewneck pullover, three or four cheesy/vintage thrift-store finds (including one with a flying mallard across the front), and any number of fitted wool crewnecks the virtues of which most self-respecting 50s greaser appreciated.
But even I did not remember all of my sweaters. For instance, once I saw it, I vaguely remember the red-and-bright-pink candy cane striped sweater I bought on sale at the Gap one year. I had completely forgotten about the fitted boucle black crewneck I wore constantly senior year in college (it only took four years in new England for me to learn to appreciate black). There’s a gorgeous green lambswool pullover that I have no memory of whatsoever, and a dowdy maroon chenille v-neck that I’m pretty certain doesn’t belong to me at all. And, let us not forget the enormous, knee-length bulky Peruvian yaks-wool sweater which is only to be worn when doing some sort of prolonged outdoor activity of the apple picking, snowball throwing, or carol-singing variety. But now I think it would be a perfect “bundle up and write” sweater. I shall have to try that out for NaNo.
Ah, Great Sweater Collection, how I have missed you! And of course, this is so much more fun than shopping because a) it’s free, and b) it’s all stuff that I must have liked at one time already (except for that chenille v-neck), which means that I’m much more likely to like it again.
Also in the box: the afghan my grandmother made me when I went off to college. I’m so excited about this!
Okay, off to start my NaNoWriMo project.
November 1st, 2006 at 10:09 am
Good Luck with Nano, Diana.
[Reply]
November 1st, 2006 at 10:16 am
I have one of those Peruvian jobs…but mine’s Irish wool, directly from the Isle of the Green.
I love sweaters too, and, sadly, I don’t have nearly enough of them.
[Reply]
November 1st, 2006 at 10:49 am
I must remember to lend you my shopping guru! I’ll box her up and ship her to you ASAP.
I’m not huge into sweaters. I’m more a sweatshirt fan. I have tubs and tubs of sweatshirts that haven’t worn in years, but can’t seem to part with.
Have fun rediscoving your sweaters. And good luck with day one of NaNo!
[Reply]
November 1st, 2006 at 11:19 am
I’m a sweater addict too. It’s really ridiculous, but I just love them. Realized how bad it was when I moved recently and just had bag after bag of sweaters.
Good luck w/Nano. I started today too on the commute. Can’t wait for my shiny new Neo to arrive tomorrow.
[Reply]
November 1st, 2006 at 12:28 pm
My addction to sweaters is so strong that I’m certain I was wearing one at birth.
))
[Reply]
November 1st, 2006 at 2:13 pm
Love reading about the Great Sweater Collection. I can totally see you as an all-sweater girl. Makes me wish I had hung on to more college clothes that sorority and fraternity party t-shirts.
You should post some pictures!
[Reply]
November 1st, 2006 at 2:31 pm
Yay for sweaters! I know I’ve teased you about your coat collection, but really, coats and sweaters are wonderful things. Hope you get to enjoy then outside during this lovely fall weather.
[Reply]
November 1st, 2006 at 9:12 pm
Oh you made me nostalgic! I moved from New York to Florida three years ago and I gave up most of my sweaters. I miss them! And I know the Gap sweater you’re talking about. My sister had it, and I had it in purple (no, we didn’t wear them on the same days
).
[Reply]