one closet, one year!

I was getting dressed for a friend's birthday party and I didn't know what I was going to put on my body. I looked in my closet and it seemed empty, unpromising. I've had these moments before; everything was old, ill-fitting, or blah. I thought to myself, "Ugh! I have NOTHING to wear!" Then I began rifling through my closet and saw a forgotten shirt I loved and many more, and I realized I was crazy. I had plenty to wear, and plenty to choose from. My closet was FULL of treasures! At that moment I decided I would take a year to explore my closet and to add NOTHING new to my wardrobe.

I would create a NEW outfit for each day in order to maximize my wardrobe and shake up my style.

Basically, I would try to "snap out" of my fashion rut, and appreciate what I have.

It was my New Years' project:
One Closet, One Year.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Ou est Logique?!

This morning as I was driving to work, a story came on NPR about France. Apparently they are having their fourth strike since September. It seems that union workers are upset about a government plan to increase the age of retirement from 60 to 62! When I heard this, I chuckled.

First of all, as people are living longer, this increase seems completely reasonable. Second, does anybody think of 62 as "old" these days? Third, I am sure that France, just like California is going to have difficulty keeping up with the payment for all these pensions as people DO live longer, and, in the case of many California's state workers, retire earlier. The numbers just don't add up. At some point it will be fiscally impossible to pay these pensions. But hey, let's not think about fixing it. Let's protest and complain until we can't afford to pay anybody.

I am amazed, that in the face of our ever-changing world, logic rarely wins.

Outfit:

Plain dress: Many years ago, my friend came over one day with a bag of clothes her boss gave her. I plucked a few items, although this is the only one I still own. Ann Taylor. First time I've worn this as I just got it out of the dry cleaner not too long ago!

Floral dress: Goodwill. Limited. When this project is over, I am giving my talented Aunt D this dress so she can turn it into something lovely.

Sweater: Cousin hand-me-down. Forever 21.


Shoes: Mossimo. Been wearing these a lot. They seem to match everything!

6 comments:

  1. I too chuckled when I heard their disdain for raising the retirement age by 2 years but it's also due to judging the French from an American perspective.

    Being that Americans works the most out of any industrialized nation (http://20somethingfinance.com/american-hours-worked-productivity-vacation/), we're definitely on the high horse about work and what we think other nations should be doing.
    When I think of it from that perspective, I'm positive plenty of other nations are chuckling at us.

    And to hear some of the protesters comment, some are upset about having to clean up the Government's mismanagement while none of the powers that be are taking pay cuts, restructuring with longevity in mind, etc (sound familiar?)...along with simply not liking Sarkozy and this is their way of saying so.

    So yeah, I agree that everyone involved needs to be flexible and adjust, that the current systems in place need reform but I don't think the American perspective about France is quite as black & white as we make it. Unrest is happening everywhere.

    In fact, you or I really don't know what our "logic" would be unless we were born and bred in France. Same with outside cultures asking Americans where our logic is with what we've allowed to happen in this great nation of ours.

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  2. Layna: Great, thanks--the next time that we see the floral dress it will be on Hollis, with a little petticoat peeking out from the hem. I would say that she will also be wearing tights and Mary Janes, but Hollis does love going barefoot, and I say more power to her in that pursuit. D

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  3. Thanks for the other perspective from both of you.

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  4. Freshmaker, I always appreciate your critical analysis of the facts. However, I would say that it is logical to expect that France, and many nations (ours included) will be in trouble as people live longer post retirement age. They will therefore need to be payed longer, which will be difficult, if not impossible to fund. One site put it succinctly:

    "The number of pensioners will rise significantly due to the combination of two factors:

    the baby-boom generations will start to reach retirement age from 2005 onwards. Whereas there are currently 600,000 new pensioners every year, the figure will increase to over 800,000 from 2005; increasing life expectancy is extending retirement periods. Whereas a person born in 1910 was retired for an average of 10 years, a person born in 1940 is retired for an average of 20 years. Life expectancy at birth is likely to go on increasing."

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  5. Oops, HaHA pushed return! Sorry. Anyway,these pension programs were created when people lived shorter lives, and they were actually designed to only pay a few people versus many!

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  6. Totally agree which is why I mentioned "we" are going to have learn how to be flexible and adjust as the current systems in place need reform.

    I see you, HaHa. LOL.

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