With Thanksgiving 2009 in the bag and my feeling a bit more like one, I have had a precious moment to reflect.
The fete commenced Wednesday night with the requisite - if you’re a New Yorker, a bit whimsical, and have a brood of kiddies – visit to the Macy’s Parade balloon blow-up headquarters on the perimeter of the American Museum of Natural History. What a blow out! Indebted to a playful Blogher contributor and friend Suzanne Reisman who hosted a party for the event, the hubby and I experienced our first rain-soaked, festive gathering of thankful Manhattanites who, like me, worship Papa Smurf.
Big Daddy Smurf
Arriving home late, we shifted into pack-for-the-6am flight-to-the-in-laws-in-Chicago mode. In an out of character move, I gave no advanced thought about what to wear for Thanksgiving. Game plan: go with the gut. After all, that’s what a good part of the holiday centers on. Amongst an abundance of dresses, tops, shoes, tights and accessories, I stuffed the luggage full of whatever seemed right. With the last zip of the London Fog travel gear, we were off.
As dawn broke outside the window of seat 24B, it, well, dawned on me that something unusual had happened. I turned to hubby, poked his shoulder, and shouted with a fusion of awe and glee that I think I had dressed like a turkey. Huh, he says?!
What-if holidays we dressed the part?
Thankfully it was not a literal interpretation, rather a mere channeling of the Thanksgiving spirit, but it was a significant “coincidence” that warrants an extra forkful of sharing.
* The layered ruffles of the J.Crew dress with iridescent purple and chartreuse hues look a tad like the plumes of feathers on the turkey’s bodice, right?
* The striped turtleneck could be mistaken for the wings or tough dark skin on its legs, no doubt?
* The patent leather brown oxford shoes with the talon heel, could they not be the bird’s feet?
* And, c’mon, the rose scarf hanging loosely around the neck? Is that not the turkey’s wattle?
When the ensemble that emerged from my suitcase was fully arranged, I and my wattle had a glorious gut-busting laugh.
On this What-if Holiday, I continue to be thankful for the freedom to express and the abundant ways that one can go about it.
My muse
A turkey impression that I can't believe I am posting
Displaying my turkey flair
It reminds me of a recent visit with mom to see the exhibit “Rare Bird of Fashion: The Irreverent Iris Apfel” at the Peabody Essex Museum. Iris is a rare bird, summoning the spirit of her interior life and making it visible to the world. Her audacious expressions rejuvenated my spirit, leaving me with that extra boost of chutzpah to go out into the world with all my feathers splayed.
Click on the links above for an amazing application that allows you to curate Ms. Apfel’s wardrobe for yourself! A perfect opportunity to play What-if I . . .?
14 Responses to “What-if Holidays”
Well, I must say that you are perhaps the most adorable turkey I’ve seen, Lydia!
And I hope you didn’t miss spending Thanksgiving with your lovely parents too much.
By the time I got down to your comment about the red scarf looking like a Turkey’s wattle I was laughing so hard. I’m sure all of my co-workers were wondering what was going on in my cube.
~C
Ha, that’s so funny, I love that you posted that impression! And yes, with the help of the imagination, I guess you could say that it’s just one step away from the real deal.
OMG, this made me laugh out loud.
You ARE a character. I guess, as your mother, that I give thanks for your freedom of THOUGHT…that your “free-ranging” mind sees the relationship between you and THE TURKEY, your “muse”; that you see the relationship between Iris Apfel and her bold dress and the blessings of abundance and freedom that Thanksgiving commemorates. Forget your drees, your mind is a ‘rare avis’ indeed!
Dear Lydia, you are soooo adorable! and i love your what-if holidays read and love that your posted that impression. I love papa Smurf too thank you for sharing a picture of him! Sooo cute! Have a lovely merry happy day and love to you!
Hmmm–that’s a turkey to keep under glass! Great ensemble. And I am envious now that I realize you saw Iris A’s exhibit at the PEW. Such, such, such a cool museum.
OK–why did I say PEW (which I think I’ve done before, BTW)? PEM bien sur!
Thanks for sharing about the fashion exhibit! I did the dolled up thingy and had a blast having my dolly wear all pinky stuff.
Why is the Beaujolais nouveau mediocre… well, it is a new wine and wine needs maturing to get that full, multi-faceted taste we all love. It has just been marketed so well that is has become famous but the French themselves don’t place Beaujolais nouveau very high. I mean, it is pleasant to drink but it is like comparing Champagne to Ginger Ale. Both are good in their own league;)
I dont think you look like a turkey! But I guess you are what you eat!! Hope your weekend was fab!
You are one chic turkey!
An adorable, chic turkey??!! You must all be as clueless (in a totally self-loving way) as I am. I mean, look at those gnarled claws I’m trying to form with my hands? Yuck! Jane, I love being a “rara avis”! How many of you think you are? Show of hands! I know my mum in-law would say she is. Why? Because she agreed to take these pics of me WHILE cooking Thanksgiving & preparing for guests!
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/rara_avis
Displaying your turkey flair, you crack me up :-)
Sounds like you had a wonderful holiday!
This is the funniest thing I’ve seen all day. I LOVE the turkey get-up. Delish.