Winter
Obsession

To put it mildly, I'm obsessed with vintage sweater dress patterns. I'm trolling eBay at all hours gazing at old knitting and crochet patterns from the 1940s through the 1970s. But not just any pattern will do, I'm just interested in dresses from those eras. Forget socks, cardigans, ponchos and scarves. Only full-body coverage will do. I'm sure this knit dress fixation has something to do with all the sub-zero temperatures we had this past week. I want stylish attire that stops the cold faster than a hot blast from a brick pizza oven. I'm tired of wearing quadruple layers of clothes that make me look like the Michelin Man. I'm a woman for heaven's sake! How can I look cute, warm and slim? The answer: a well-made knit wool dress. I'd still have to wear a slip and tights, but that's fine. At least I could move without feeling like I've got terry cloth towels swathed around my legs. I think this 1950 Minerva pattern fits the bill. Nice thick yarn, most certainly inpenetrable. See how the collar buttons up nicely? A frigid draft couldn't wiggle its way through that neckline even if it tried. And those ribbed pockets would be the perfect place to park my gloves. The skirt length also looks just about right. Long enough to cover the gams, but not graze salty sidewalks. What's more, the belt would remind me not to over-indulge in Ghirardelli's Hot Chocolate, Italian wedding soup or a frosty glass of beer. The hat with bows is a nice finishing touch although on a day colder than Barlow, Alaska, I might trade it in for something else.