Friday Recommendations: The Eighth

This week I need a recommendation from you. Do any of you know anything about suits? I’m quite thoroughly lost.

I don’t want it to sound like I know nothing anything about fashion — I like to think I dress quite well. I love clothes. My wardrobe is like the closet from Zoboomafoo. Every time I open it I wait for the avalanche to smother me. But I have my own style, and it does not generally involve a suit. Button-ups, sure. But a jacket and tie? Rarely. I’m not a lawyer and I do my best to avoid funerals so I really have no use for them.

Tragically, however, Im getting to that age. You know, the one where a bunch of your friends start getting engaged and suddenly your fridge is covered with save the dates for weddings that you cannot for the life of you remember if you’ve RSVP’d to yet?

Long story short, I have a few weddings to attend this summer. Which means suits (and also, if things break bad, a conga line). The weddings range from formal Catholic Italian to casual country club vibes.

Here’s the plan: For the more formal events I’m thinking a classic fit, navy blue suit with a two-button jacket (playing it safe, I know). A straight collar dress shirt and a floral tie because I demand a little bit of fun. Brown leather shoes, brown leather belt, a watch with a steel band. Then for the more casual wedding, I’ll do the same suit, but swap to a floral button-up without a tie. I’ll nix the dress shoes for some sneakers (“who said I can’t wear my Converse with my dress?”) and I’ll do a watch with a leather band. That’s more my style, anyway.

So, please let me know your thoughts or suggestions. But be aware, my complexion does not allow for pastels or pinks. Additionally, I’m too tall for seersucker (vertical stripes, you know).

On to the recommendations!

• This week, a post from MaryAnn McKibben Dana about the Indigo Girls and leaning in to where you are rather than where you’ve been. Also, for what it’s worth, I think we’ll be seeing an Indigo Girls renaissance soon thanks to their presence on the Barbie soundtrack. Much like Kate Bush’s sudden resurgence because of Stranger Things.

• Over at Gender Mystique, Jo Paoletti has requested the input of guys about where we learned our gender dynamics as kids. Let her know where you learned that pink was girly and baseball was manly.

I’m going to cop something that That Guy From the Internet has been doing, by including a Spotify playlist here instead of just listing out the songs.

First up is “August” by flipturn. A group I’ve only just discovered, but I’m really enjoying so far. This is followed by “Psychos” off of Jenny Lewis’ new album, Joy’All. I’ve been waiting for a new album from Lewis for about four years and it’s finally here. She’s an expert on Americana and folk music. Go listen to her stuff. “Where Will I Be” is my favourite Emmylou Harris track. Beautiful song. Finally, I’ve got Kendrick’s “The Heart Part 5.” When this song came out, I got so excited for his upcoming album, but sadly it didn’t live up to this track.

Let me know what you think!

I’m not really a big collector of anything. I don’t have the passion for stamps or coins or hockey cards. But I do collect little trinkets for my apartment. I’ve got a ceramic hedgehog, a wooden cat, a gold snake statue, to name a few.

I also collect Alice Munro’s books with their original hardback covers. So far I’ve got: Who Do You Think You Are, The Love of a Good Woman, Open Secrets, Friend of my Youth, and The Progress of Love.

Besides being the greatest short story writer to ever grace the genre, Munro is the progenitor of “Ontario southern gothic” literature along with Timothy Findley. Instead of telling you all to read one of her collections, just read a story. Any story. They’re masterful. I’m pretty sure I’ve recommended Munro before, but I do not care. Read her.

That’s it for this week. I’m wishing you all a lovely weekend with hopefully clear, clean air.