Well, day we have all been dreading is nearly upon us: the End of Summer. I know for many of you you’re staring at your screen in disbelief. “Ummm, Kara? You know it’s only mid August, right? We’ve got weeks of summer left!” Sigh. If only. Tomorrow officially marks the first day of school. It’s back to writing lectures, proctoring exams, and seeing far less of my comfy bed than I’ve grown accustomed too these past few months…
To me, there are definitely some items in my closet I just couldn’t live without. Usually described as “basics,” these are the staples of your wardrobe. It should be the pieces you know you can reach for that go with just about everything. Now, in my world, this probably doesn’t mean what you think it means. I’m not talking about black pants and neutrals. I find the basic foundation of my wardrobe include full skirts, novelty prints, bright colors and that perfect go-with-everything striped tee….
Time is such a funny thing in summer. The first half for me is always gloriously endless. Weeks of sun drenched months stretch before you, with any thoughts of autumn and all of its responsibility feeling safely tucked away in The Future. Time moves lazily forward, days blending into the next, with travel and sunset strolls and late night cocktails. Then, I crossed the invisible threshold that is July 4th. Every year, without fail, I awake after a night of BBQ and fireworks to that quiet feeling of dread. Within the span of a single night’s sleep, the fall semester suddenly…
One thing that will always be a part of my life is travel – I love to see parts of the world I’ve never been to and will always have the itch to explore. This past week I set foot on South American soil for the first time, and got to hobnob with other nerdy shark scientists in Joao Pessoa, Brazil for our twice-a-decade shark meeting. I loved every bit of the trip: the science, the Brazilian cuisine, the lovely locals who we got to meet during our discovery of the city, and being vaguely out of my comfort zone…
Back in 2011, Mr. Dressed and I made our rather momentous move to Australia. When we landed, there were 8 million details to sort out, from where to live, to driving on the other side of the road, to how to work out where on earth to buy a hammer (Bunnings, it turns out). And in the middle of all of this chaos, my tendency was to naturally seek out a place of comfort. Wondering how I would fit into this new world, with odd slang I hadn’t worked out yet and clothing shops full of things that didn’t speak…
At last, at last the sunshine is here and I can start to imagine all of the glorious sundresses and summer sandals that might enter my closet! I don’t dress seasonally most of the time, but I admit I was holding off on some cute summer styles for fear of jinxing it and having winter cackle maniacally while gleefully hanging around for yet another few weeks longer.
We are finally feeling the last strains of summer give way to autumn. I can almost see the humidity leaving the air here in NC and hear a tussle of leaves as a cool breeze starts to bring in the first strains of fall. I’m always a bit sad when summer starts to end, yet can’t wait to start busting out some cozy layers.
There’s a big part of me that gets a complete kick out of dressing in themes. And I don’t mean in a costume sense (though I can rock a Dorothy moment like nobodies’ business). I mean that if I see a seaside print I start having visions of starfish necklaces and glittery seafoam heels. Florals instantly have me reaching for a butterfly purse. Red gingham and I simply can’t help but don my apple necklace and a basket bag, just to look like a human picnic.
I must admit, the last few months of summer have been pretty blissful. Although there’s the normal stress of day to day, I’ve luxuriated in the lack of frantic lecture writing and racing between campus and my office. I think it’s so important to stop and appreciate the downtime, because before I know it, the fall semester will be greeting me with a knowing smirk.
You know how some clothing items are simply practical? You buy them for specific purposes – like gardening clothes or what you wear to the gym. Trainers for running or a business suit for work. Utilitarian and an important part of any wardrobe. And then there are other kinds of clothes. The ones of whimsy and sass. Of color and exuberance. And those dresses are pure fairy tale…