Yesterday was the first full day of fall. It officially began Tuesday afternoon at 2:11 pm. The heat wave that was predicted for San Francisco never happened thanks to our fog. But the East Bay, where I grew up, will be in the high 80’s today. Not so unusual. We always get a September heat wave. Usually around the time kids go back to school and about the time that I have flipped my closet. That’s when the linen pants and sleeve-less blouses and sandals go to the back of the closet and the wool pants and turtle necks and boots rotate forward. Except for the transitional cottons. Never heard of ‘transitional cottons’? Neither had I until I was in my early 20’s and met my friend Bonnie. Bonnie was raised in New York City. Central Park West to be exact. Bonnie explained that in the 50’s one stopped wearing white and other light colored clothing after Labor Day. You know, summery clothing. White shoes and matching handbags. White linen pants and blouses. Seersucker. Madras. But what do you transition into if it is still 90 degrees outside? Yes. You got it. TRANSITIONAL COTTONS. Dark prints, plaids. Still light in weight but heavy in color. Cool to wear but still respectful of the change of season.
Does all of this sound just a little silly to you? Who cares if someone wears white shoes after Labor Day? Does it really matter in the bigger picture of world hunger and peace? No. But I like the ritual aspect of this change over. Summer is over. Fall is here. Seasons signal the passing of time. And it keeps me from getting bored with my wardrobe. Tim Gunn, of Project Runway fame, says it best in his book ‘A Guide to Quality, Taste & Style’: ‘Life goes by quickly. We often repeat the same thing day after day: Wake up, work, go to sleep. We humans need variety!... Because technology does a fine job of protecting us from the more extreme vagaries of your environment, you might ask, why not wear voile on Thanksgiving? Well, because then life is one long stretch of endless voile-wearing and, really, who wants that? What about the thrill of pulling out a gorgeous coat when the weather becomes crisp? Or the lovely lightness of a cotton blouse after a long winter of sweaters? … It gives our world a little puff of that all-important variety and – this cannot be overstated – it means you get a break from some of your clothing, so you do not become desperately tired of everything you own.’ Exactly.
Hi Karletta:
Growing up in the East Bay in California, since we really don't have seasons, the summer rotation for me seems to work on May 1, and because of our Indian Summers that take us through October, my winter rotation begins on November 1. I really enjoy your articles, as does my lady friend who lives in Sonoma. In fact, she has made me religiously follow what I will call "A TON OF RULES"...She has enjoyed your articles even before she knew that you and I were classmates at one time...I did remember to tell her, didn't I? Yikes!
Posted by: Douglas W. Gooby | September 26, 2009 at 04:50 PM