My favorite Halloween costume
No. 62 A treat for the week and The Sunday Six!
Good morning!
Thank you for your patience as I skipped writing to you last week. Quite honestly, I needed a break! This fall, work is as busy as ever (or busier?), Seth has been traveling more than usual, and the rhythm of a packed work week doesn’t always lend itself to a “calm” Sunday where I have the time and focus available to write to you in a meaningful way. So, here we are, two weeks later.
Hi! I hope you are doing well and soaking up all that this autumn has to offer. The foliage is fantastic and I’m doing my best to not spam you with the hundreds of photos I’ve taken of trees and leaves. I’ll share a few though because I will always love this season. :)
Moving right along, this past Friday night we had the opportunity to go to an event that I’m calling my version of a Halloween party. Since this holiday tends to be my least favorite - I hate being scared - I’ve leaned into alternative ways to appreciate it over the years. Sure, I am more than willing to buy a few bags of candy to hand out to small children dressed as their favorite character, but I definitely do not lean into Halloween.
Yes, I have adorned the front of our house with various pumpkins to keep it festive. No, there isn’t one spot of “ghoul” to be found. The only type of “frightful” that I like is when the “weather outside is frightful,” but we all know that season is definitely not yet on the doorstep. Did I mention I just don’t like costumes? Or rather, I personally do not like dressing up in a costume. Please don’t unsubscribe! I’m trying to keep it real here. Can we still be friends?
Ever since I was very small, the concept of a Halloween costume, or playing ‘dress up’ of any kind, was pretty much… not my thing. I hated traditional Halloween costumes, I didn’t like to be scared, and the one time I remember my mom wearing a costume (read: she had on a regular baseball hat that she rarely wore), I was so distraught that I insisted she remove it. Charming! So costumes were just not for me. Even in the kindergarten play, I refused to wear a costume and opted for some generic character (“party girl” if I remember correctly) so that I wouldn’t have to wear clothes that weren’t my own.
My childhood Halloween costumes were more of the home-grown variety with my personal favorite being Puppy Salesman (I wore a baseball jacket and carried a large container filled with stuffed animals that said For Sale. Other kids actually tried to buy them. I was incensed that they didn’t understand my costume. Whoops!) I promise that this odd, fairly rigid behavior hasn’t fully stayed with me into adulthood. However, I still don’t like costumes. ;)
Fast-forward to now and a few decades of skirting the idea of what a Halloween costume should be, Seth and I went on Friday night to the Boston Public Library’s Night in the Stacks which was a fundraiser for the BPL hosted by the Emerging Leaders of the Boston Public Library Fund. It was really fun! We went with friends and enjoyed a night of live music, champagne, cool views of the library’s famed courtyard, and got home close to midnight. Wow! Who are we? A great time was had by all.
Realizing this event kicked off the last weekend before Halloween, I chuckled to myself on Saturday as I realized we actually went to a ‘Halloween Party.’ I got far more dressed up than usual (my favorite version of a costume), Seth wore a suit(!), and we danced the night away with live music in a cool place that doesn’t traditionally allow such excitement. Sounds like a Halloween party to me!
Truly, there is nothing better than a party that allows you to briefly ‘step out’ of reality while also allowing you to feel like your best self (read: wearing an outfit that makes you feel great, but is outside of the day-to-day norm). Of course, many of you will balk at my comparison.
In no way was this BPL event an actual Halloween party, nor was it advertised as such. But for someone (me) who has spent 39 years avoiding the traditional Halloween-style costume, this night out was the perfect blend for the season. What was my costume? Party Girl, of course. ;)
I hope you have a happy Halloween this week! It’s going to be close to 80 degrees here which seems like more of a trick than a treat. Perhaps on Thursday, when we’re handing out candy, my costume will need to be Summer Party Girl. Be safe and have fun!
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The Sunday Six
Here is the Rails dress I wore to the BPL event. Loved it! I saw someone else wearing it that night and we had a brief (awkward?) laugh. Good taste is always in style!
For a number of work events this fall, I ordered these suede Vince ankle boots. Practical, appropriate, and comfortable for the variety of professional settings.
Over in dreamland, Gucci emailed me about their new coat collection and I just had to click. OMG I love this one. A hood on a camel, reversible coat? Bliss.
You must start Shrinking season 2. It’s so, so good.
I was walking behind someone recently wearing the Clare V Moyen Messenger with an outfit quite similar to something I’d wear (neutral-tone sweater, baggy jeans, flats) and I almost had to be extra nosy and ask her about it. I didn’t, but this bag is now on my radar again.
Sometimes it’s the small things make a big difference. I’ve been loving this Anker Nano Power Bank that allows me to charge my phone while on the couch or on-the-go. Sure, it could be lighter, but it’s very reliable and a great back-up option if I’m out for the day and won’t be near an outlet.
Now it’s time get a workout done and get outside! This gorgeous weather won’t be here forever and I have to snap hundreds more photos of the leaves. :) Have a great Sunday!
Cheers and joy,
Mollie