Thank You, Good, and Good Enough

The proper response to a compliment is, "Thank you."  I've taught this to my students year after year.  I hold regular class meetings where each child compliments the one next to her/him in order to practice seeing and speaking the good in everyone.  I teach kids how to give good compliments (the best ones are about a person's heart or ideas or abilities not their looks) and how to respond appropriately ("Thank you.")  And yet, I consistently fail at this!  My friend just dropped by, told me I looked nice and I said, "Mweuh." Oops. Ellie, if you're reading this, "Thank you."

Today's outfit was inspired by Katie Holmes' hair.  Is that weird?  I was reading the Katie Holmes interview in the latest Elle magazine.  My favorite part of the article is the beginning when Katie lets the writer try on her coat...

"It's a sort of haute barn jacket, made of the kind of lustrous black suede that you have to stop yourself from reaching out absentmindedly to stroke... The coat is lightweight but enveloping, velvety outside, and inside, silky as a rabbit's ear, with a charmeuse lining the color of ballet shoes..."

This description of an obviously well made coat reminded me of one of Elizabeth Cline's questions in Overdressed: Is the quality of your clothing good or is it merely good enough?

The magazine helped me better understand the book's message about quality garments... While Katie's coat may be on a whole different level of opulence up from "good" this paragraph certainly gives me a goal: to find/keep only the items that make me swoon a little.  Off the top of my head, only a few items in my closet have that quality and texture that makes me want to pet them (hello handmade silk charmeuse wedding dress...). The next time I'm out shopping, I'll definitely be looking for more luxurious fabrics that are very well made, not just good enough or cheap enough.

What's the BEST thing in your closet?

Daily Details:
- weather: awesome
- location: community garden where none of the nine people there gave me a second glance!
- dress, so old, approximate current cost per wear (accpw) $2
- blue flats, Melissa (I just learned that Melissa shoes are made in factories that create ZERO waste!) accpw $1
- bag, old, accpw $1
- bracelets: watch, old, old gift, old, old, gift
- ethical ensemble evaluation: A

ps This is what I wore yesterday. Word to the wise: A high-low skirt is not for shy bunnies who don't want to be noticed. I felt like people kept looking at me yesterday!

old top accpw $10 / consigned belt accpw $10 / skirt accpw $6 / old sandals accpw $5 / zebra tote gift / e.e.e. B+