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It’s hump day. There should be more humping on hump day. In spite of sundry fencing injuries and bruises. Don’t you agree? Yes.

A N Y W A Y.

Meet my “Peggy Olson” dress. Isn’t it divine? It’s the plaid, it’s the Peter Pan collar, it’s the neat little trim around the waist like a built-in belt that mirrors the detail at the neck, it’s the demure length. I adore it. It is quite possibly the most twee dress I own!

Here are some of Peggy’s notoriously plaid looks for reference:

Side note: I bet her bangs drove/drive her bloody batty!

How are folks liking this season so far, anyway? (What on earth do I mean, “so far” – isn’t the next episode the season finale? It all came and went much too quickly!) Has anyone read the Washington Post piece on how Mad Men is television’s most feminist show? Agree? Disagree?

My first thought is how my friends and I have known for quite some time – perhaps as far back as the end of the second season – that Sally was the real one to watch for any substantial feminist cues and interest. The bits about women from that era being unable to watch it saddened me, but I think I managed to convince my mom (who is possibly Sally all grown up herself, age-wise) to start watching it on Sunday night, when we drove out for a deliciously listless visit involving grilled meats, homemade cheesy potato and ham soup, tiramisu and passionate, thoughtful discourse on current events.

Speaking of my mom, her sister and my dearest aunt would have turned 71 years old this past weekend, had she survived her very long and mostly triumphant battle with breast cancer. Let it be known that for the vast majority of my formative years, she kicked the crap out of cancer like a fearsome, beautiful goddess. She barely bat an eyelash, at least as far as I could tell, and the end was fast and vicious, quietly vicious.

She was an incredible woman. My mom sent me an email that her cousin wrote her recently – she’s 70 years old and the daughter of my maternal grandfather’s brother – and it was so dreamy that I had to share a bit with you:

Judy was born in 1939 so she was about a year older than me.  I just loved her to pieces.  She was my idol.  When I was in my freshman year, I stayed with you and your family for a week.  I had the best time ever.  That was when she was going with Rudy E.  It is just amazing what a person remembers about their teenage years.  But I started thinking about Judy and I thought I might share a few memories of our little girl days.

There’s more, but that bit is a gem. The rest is a bit wilder, believe it or not!

Dress: E. C. Star
Pumps:  Max Studio
Braided Leather Headband: H&M

There’s so much drama in this fancy vintage coat. This whole outfit is rather obviously inspired by Mad Men, because I’ve been obsessing over these related blog posts for the last two weeks. In fact, the hardest thing to decide when accessorizing it was choosing between a Joan-like updo and brooch or tying the scarf that’s on my bag around my neck like Betty Draper. I can’t remember where I got the coat, but it’s a very heavy, supple fabric and yet it’s light enough to wear on a nice day.

The single button at the navel means that a gale of wind flings the coat back wildly, in a very melodramatic way, which I do love.

Even though I’m sometimes tempted to let this dress go, it’s one of M’s favorites and I can’t quite bear to do it. I had a meeting to go to, so I wore sheer black pantyhose with this, which I don’t normally do. I can’t remember where this necklace came from, but I think I like it better paired with white and denim, over black.

Dress / Belt, H&M
Bag, Emilie M.
Shoes, Linea Paolo
Coat / Scarf / Brooch / Watch, vintage

This is what’s on our weekend agenda (happy hour starts…now):

• Seeing one of my favorite bands, Stars (listen to the new album here if you want to)
• Dancing the night away at Flourish, an ultra-chic lesbian dance party
• An after-hours private spa party with fancy nibbles and champagne for some of my closest gal pals at a local Lush

SF Pride has arrived and just keeps coming like a freight train. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS?!

CONFESSION: On our 5th consecutive day of blissful holiday PTO, M took me to see A Single Man (remember when I mentioned it here back in November?). Despite the dreariness of the day, we bravely set out on BART to catch it playing down by the water at the Embarcadero theater. I really, really enjoyed it. It was delicious. There’s an old L-Word actress cameo, model cameos, a Mad Men cameo, and one other that I cannot quite recall. It was a touch slow in places, but it’s so visually saturated that it really doesn’t matter, and it made me cry. On our way home we took these silly photos, and then it began to rain, so we hustled inside, made a big spaghetti dinner, opened a bottle of tasty red from Spain, and then FINALLY got around to the Johnnie Walker Black Label blending session we’ve been postponing forever. Dreamy.

Y’all can have special insider pics of the super elaborate scotch whisky blending set-up, because I love you like that:

CONFESSION: Gah! Too busy, kittens, for a proper confession! So much excitement and busyness. Not only does FFAF have an exciting new partnership with a delicious new partner, I am party-planning for work and up to my ears in laundry. The latter is not so exciting, unless you consider that it contains FIVE NEW DRESSES I got earlier this week whilst thrifting, all for between $3-$8 apiece, all fabulous. Two remind me of French 1940s dresses, one is a ruffled black velvet number handmade of AWESOME, the Mad Men-esque sheath dress I keep teasing y’all about and one other that I can’t quite remember…hm. Basically, I’m assuring you that I’ll make up for this wan week very shortly.

Enjoy this entry and my soothing hallway in meantime, and have a fantastic weekend!

PS. Oh, and this song, which I am currently 84,000% obsessed with (as some of you may have noticed):

PPS. I got the name of this subject from a random book title generator, because I couldn’t think of one. Cheeky!

Confession: OK, OK. I didn’t really smoke inside of the loft, settle down. That’s so against the law. The rules. You know. ALRIGHT, SO IT WAS ONE MEASLY DRAG, but it was totally by accident, I swear to God. I was channeling Monica Bellucci in Malena (or maybe Joan Holloway from Mad Men, does it really matter which?) and got a little carried away. The entire unsmoked cigarette is in the trash under my sink if you don’t believe me. Where was M? At her monthly poker game, winning us some monies, bless her heart (she always wins). If it’s of any consolation, I sat through 17 Again this afternoon at the movies (yes, with that Zac Efron douche), eating free popcorn and squeezing some joy from the sad 80s references spattered like roadkill throughout the movie. I also overcame great technological odds and mastered my newfangled new special DJ box thingee all by myself before lunchtime, so there!

PS. Yes, I know it’s very bad and naughty, but to be perfectly honest I can’t remember the last time I smoked a cigarette the whole way through, much less several in a day. It very seldomly happens anymore!

When: Monday, Sept. 29th, 2008.

What: Silk blouse by Chelsea Flower (I recently discovered them and love their pretty, floaty tops and dresses. Find your own here or here!). Purple velvet tiered skirt with embroidered flowers by BCBG Max Azria. Belt from modcloth.com and hot pink pumps by Chinese Laundry.

Confession: I had total gay arm in the photo with my pretty chestnut leather Hobo Int’l clutch. Anyway, here it is. The gay arm and the clutch! Pretty, right? The clutch, I mean. Not the unfortunate positioning of my hand. I blame all of this on Mad Men. I noticed it earlier this evening when I was buzzing myself into the building. “Petite,” I said, “is my hand always like this?” She glanced at it and started giggling maniacally, but eventually she said no. See? TOTES BIRDIE’S FAULT.

Speaking of, she is kind of bad ass, so YES PLEASE:

Here are partial photos of the Badgley Mischka dress I have decided to reject as a candidate to the grand old soirree coming up in a few weeks. I am DJing a dear friend’s wedding. Of course, I need a dress that is both flattering and very comfortable. This one was lovely, but the winner was lovelier! It just wasn’t meant to be.

Besides, I’ve already got the perfect shoes to go with the winner! (Alas, I am in dire need of the perfect strappy, elegant silver heels. Suggestions?)

When: Sunday, Sept. 28th, 2008.

What: Dark grey trousers from Laundry by Shelli Segal. Blue chiffon tank by Persaman (the dress version is available, apparently, here). Blue patent and leather Mary Janes by Linea Paolo, who has some serious, bitchslappy Oxfords out right now, actually. Teal bracelet by H&M. Vintage scarf, Guess watch (with new diamond-studded band, seeing as how the puppy nom-nom-nommed my old black leather one).

Confession: I really can’t talk right now. After a few episodes of Mad Men Season I last night, I had to go to bed early, because I had to be at a “retreat” this morning at 7AM. Vom. The only positive was the baby cannolis at the lunch buffet. Oh, and the gorgeous dahlias I ordered for centerpieces. Two of which are livening up the loft at this very minute. I, on the other hand, am pretty much a zombie right now.