outfit with a past: a bloomsbury life

If you're a long-time reader of this blog, you already know how I admire Lisa of A Bloomsbury Life. Her writing skills, outlook on life, beautiful home (which has oodles of personality to it) and of course her iconic embroidery art- I find it all so inspiring, and this outfit with a past post is no different. Enjoy! -Chedva

Okay, let's get something out of the way right at the beginning: Not all outfits with a past may represent you at your finest sartorial hour, but that doesn't mean that they don't have woven into them a lot of great memories.

Case in point: This black crocheted shirt was my favorite go-to piece of clothing for the summer of 1995 (and maybe a little beyond). I found it on a trip to London and it immediately became a staple of my wardrobe. At the time, I was living in a loft on 17th Street in Manhattan, filling my days as an advertising writer at Saatchi and Saatchi and my nights as a denizen of the downtown New York nightlife scene. As for the glasses, I was as blind as a bat and their dork-chic vibe formed a crucial part of my style armor. Growing up, my mother had always told me "Boys never make passes at girls who wear glasses" and I had rebelliously chosen the most statement-making pair I could find to prove her wrong.

Here I am having a pre-party cocktail in a friend's "World Of Interiors-ish" carriage house in Nolita. As you can see, I decided that teaming the shirt with a black sports bra, a black cheerleading skirt and a pair of black bicycle shorts was the ne plus ultra of who I was as a person (I know, I know.)  Wearing underwear as outerwear was big in those days (thank you, Madonna) and I was a proud suffragette for the cause. I remember feeling so confident and empowered in this outfit. It was part flirty, part nerdy, part sporty and 100% me. That face on the left belongs to my husband-to-be Piero who put up with every crazy fashion choice I ever made with such grace and unflappability that I had no alternative but to spend the rest of my life with him.

After a cocktail or three, we ate cheap spaghetti on Second Avenue and wound up at a local watering hole on Elizabeth Street called the M & R Bar (sadly, no longer there). That's me on the right with my arm around my friend Jane and her boyfriend Ben. Piero has his back to the camera. This night is ingrained in my memory partly because of the great time my friends and I all had together and partly because I lost my passport under that table (it's probably on the floor somewhere). As I didn't drive in those days, this was my only form of identification and necessitated three long weeks of staying in until I received my replacement in the mail. 

A few years later, I commemorated the evening with an embroidery. It took about three months to complete. I appreciate this piece even more today than I did then because it's a tangible reminder to me of a certain heady time in my life -- back when I was living on dreams and ramen noodles, when New York City was the epicenter of my universe and when walking down the street in a see-through crocheted shirt and black bra was for one brief moment a fashion 'do.' 

("The Night I Lost My Passport", 1997, embroidery floss on linen, 11 inches by 16 inches)

 

 

Comments

[Amber Bailey- Nel]

What a fantastic post, I love it. Its so nice to get to know you this way and that embroidery is amazing. What a lovely thing to have done and a great reminder. Thank you so much for sharing. ax

[ABC Dragoo]

OMGosh!

I love this textile piece. That is really an amazing work of craftsmanship! Wow. As someone who spent a lot of time in school working on embellishment and textile art, I have a huge appreciation for how much time that must have taken you. It's really inspiring!

Thanks for sharing your story.
ABCD

[Niki]

You look adorable in those photos! And how awesome is that embroidery?? I think everybody has a "signature" outfit like that...

[Noa]

beautiful post!
I love that embroidery, it's realy cool.

[Karena]

Lisa, this is such a great story tying in a huge part of who you are!Your past, your outfit, your husband!

Do come and enter my Giveaway from Fifi Flowers!

xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena

[lee]

Let me say that that embroidery piece is AMAZING. Such a great way to capture a moment in time.

[Acanthus & Acorn]

First of all to Belly Button...what a fun series!

Lisa,
This is good...I mean really good! I applaud your bravery to wear and then show it to us all years later. And, the fact that art inspired it...truly delightful Bloomsbury history!!!

[quintessence]

Love this and that you put it out there - I actually love the glasses!

[Jane Schott]

Terrific!

[Grace]

Priceless. Truly a priceless work of art. I wonder in which room The Night I Lost My Passport hangs in your home... Thank you, Lisa for sharing your story. :)

[Jessica]

Fabulous post...fabulous idea Belly! You were a poster child for 90's cool Lisa! Do you still have the skirt and shorts?

And please...not many can claim fame to having emroidered their future husband (and a special evening) for remembrance sake...most likely, only you Lisa...and it's extraordinary!
Believe it or not, I'm still wearing my glasses from that era, only at night though when I walk from the bathroom to the bedroom - contacts the rest of the time...I think your specs have stood the test of time much better than mine!
xo J~

[Alcira Molina-Ali]

What a wonderful post.
As always, Lisa rocks the style boat ;)
Gorgeous.
Alcira

nerochronicles.com

[LiveLikeYou]

That's the most unusual and great post. Don't we all have outfits with memories..That embroidery is amazing!! What a great way to remember a special time in your life.

[Jane]

Aren't you lucky to have had Fabulous Lisa weave that story. She is very special. And that see through black outfit resonates with my mid 1990s style too! xo

[Victoria]

Wonderful post, I guess we all have those less sartorial moments in life and yet these often are the most memorable ones!
I remember my all black outfits well...
Her embroidery is priceless!

[The Zhush]

LOVE this post so much, smiling, as it is so completely relatable! I too lived in NYC in the 90s...makes me miss the cheap pasta on second ave. and my old night life as well! :)

[Account Deleted]

Gorgeous! Possibly the most elegant tie-dye I've seen.

(Boston shirt) http://www.bostonshirtoutfitter.com/