This is your last stop for the 2012 Chick Lit Author Blog Hop! Let's give Tracie Banister a huge round of applause for making this possible. Tracie, take a bow! On behalf of Tracie, and all the other authors you have met along the way, we hope you have had a blast. Don't forget to collect the italicized secret word at each blog you hop to, and email them to CLABlogHop@aol.com ASAP. We DO NOT want you to miss out on that $150 Sephora gift card!
What we Wear
My closet
and I have a love/hate relationship. On
a bright and cheery Tuesday morning, I check out my image in the full length
mirror that hangs on the back of my bathroom door. MAN! do I look good! Lilac cropped sweater with a white tank top
peeking from underneath, khaki pants, and my favorite patent leather, purple
loafers are the finishing touch. Did I
tell you that I look really, really good right now?
A week later, I put on the exact same outfit, look into the mirror, and the
reflection staring at me reads nothing like last week. This time it reads utter disaster. So I return to stare blankly at my closet,
attempting to find something else to wear. It’s all downhill from that moment on. This example of clothes behaving badly is
what I define as the clothesfit.
A
clothesfit is when you try on every outfit in your closet, that you previously loved
when framed upon your figure, yet your desire at this moment is to lovingly
fold every item you own on hangers, into neatly piled stacks, and then drive a
Zamboni right over the crest of your jeggings and capri pants. In your brain’s current condition, that cute
sundress reads Hawaiian Mumu, your oversized sweater could cover you and every
member of your Bunko club at the same time, and what were you thinking buying those
neon, peep toe pumps? I am with you; I
feel your pain.
Although
we experience moments of clothing discomfort, digging through our closets can also bring bliss. You rediscover the
little black dress you wore when you met your boyfriend at a friend’s wedding. Your mom
happened to save your letter jacket from high school even though you rolled
your eyes at the time; now you have a conversation piece at your next 80’s
party. You never could put a finger on
why you saved that raggedy t-shirt you wore while bringing your first baby
home from the hospital, but you’re so glad that you did. These are the little walks down memory lane
that we happen upon all the time. We reflect
while digging in our junk drawers, perusing over photo albums, and even when
the D.J. spins our favorite songs from days gone by.
Recently,
I met a fabulously timeless woman named Ilene Beckerman. She likes to call herself a “Post-menopausal
Cinderella.” I like to call her
friend.
Isn't she gorgeous? Next time we are together in NYC, we're getting tattoos!
Ilene wrote a book in 1995
titled, Love, Loss, and What I Wore,
chronicling items of clothing she wore through the decades. She lovingly sketched each illustration, from
stockings to hair styles, and married them with lovely words about the
importance they played in her life.
Ilene also discloses personal events taking place while wearing her treasured
goods. Her words and art empower readers
to muse over the fabrics of their own lives.
While immersed in the pages, I would constantly drift off remembering my
own revolving closet over the years. The
Shawn Cassidy surfer shirt I wore as often as possible in first grade; the
puffy sleeved, polka dotted dress I wore to my senior banquet in high school,
and the checked blazer I purchased from the Gap which finished off my look the
night of my first date with the man I would eventually marry. Clothing affects us. Clothing may not define you; however it does
give us some definition for the times and moments in our lives.
If you think this book looks darling, check out Ilene's other books here
Ilene
Beckerman’s little book of clothing sketches was something she created for her
daughters and two best friends to treasure. It was
never meant for publication, yet it was destined to happen. Ilene’s best friend sent her copy to a
publisher. The publisher gathered the
women of the office around the sketches where they all confessed the little
book evoked their own personal memories of beads and baubles. The publication of Love, Loss, and What I Wore lead to its birth as an Off-Broadway
sensation in the hands of super sisters, Nora and Delia Eprhon. This “little book that could” also had a
cameo appearance on a show you might remember called, Sex and the City. All of
this beginning for Ilene at the tender age of 60.
Jen, Ilene & Angie Klink at the 2012 Erma Bombeck Writer's Workshop
I am
curious what item comes to mind that references an important event in your
life. Whether you share your first
purchase of a “big girl” purse or maybe your favorite pair of pink toe socks, tell me
about what you have worn and loved over the years that made you smile; perhaps
even cry. I cannot wait to hear from
you!
BLOG
HOP PRIZES: By leaving your comment AND
email address
here at my blog, you could win an ebook copy of my book, The Day I Wore my Panties inside Out. Make sure that you hop on over to the other
author’s blogs who are participating for a chance to win a copy of their books
as well!
BLOG
HOP RULES: Please read ALL rules and instructions!
*Each of the 34 participating
authors has written a special Chick Lit-centric piece and these posts will go
live on Monday, May 14th. At each blog hop stop, you
will have the opportunity to enter to win a FREE
Chick Lit e-book from that particular blog's owner/author. All
you have to do is leave a comment on the blog post, including your name and
e-mail address, and you're automatically entered to win. If you
visit each blog hop stop, that means you have the chance to win 34 different
e-books!
*The blog hop will start at Natalie Aaron & Marla Schwartz and
end at Jen Tucker. You will find a list of all the stops on the
blog hop at each author’s blog. Authors' blogs will be listed in
alphabetical order according to last name.
*In each of the author's blog
posts, there will be a "secret word." This word will
be italicized, so it will be easy to find. All you have
to do is make note of this secret word at each blog hop
stop. Collect all 34 secret words and submit your list to CLABlogHop@aol.com before midnight on Sunday,
May 20th and you will be entered into the Grand Prize
Drawing! The winner of this drawing will receive a $150 Sephora gift card! $150 to
spend on make-up, fragrance, bath and body goodies, skin care, and hair
products! How fun is that? This gift card can be redeemed
online, or at any Sephora store in the US.
*Winners of each of the
participating author's e-books, as well as the Grand Prize winner of the $150 Sephora gift card will be announced
on Monday, May 21st.
*Contests are open to residents of
the United States only.
CLICK HERE for the link to the other author's blogs!
Good luck and don't forget to leave your email and comment below!
XOXO
Jen
