We are nearing the end of the antibiotic stage of Nigel’s hip revision. Monday will be the last day I have to give them through his PICC line. That will be removed either Monday or Tuesday, depending on our visit with the infectious disease doctor on Wednesday (which is yesterday when you read this). Then, we wait until the first week of May when Nigel has two appointments. The first is with the surgeon followed the very next day with an aspiration of fluids from his hip. This will then be cultured. I’m hoping and praying that nasty bacteria won’t make its presence known. What that means is that Nigel is definitely having surgery about two weeks after the aspiration. If there’s no bacteria, he’ll finally get his new hip. It is amazing, though, what you get used to so quickly. If I thought our lives were quiet before, they are almost tomblike now. I know that’s an awful analogy, but I couldn’t think of anything else. Poor Nigel has only been out of the house a handful (as in one hand) of times since March 10th. Today, though, is the third Thursday of the month which means it’s time for another Ageless Style challenge. This month, we are styling “One Item, Three Ways” which was chosen by Joanne. Last month, Bo selected “Spring Trends.” In the past we have worn “Outerwear,” “Tweed,” “Vests,” and many other ideas. If you’re curious, you can find some of my looks here, here, here, and here. Next month’s prompt is “Scarves!” if you’d like to join us! Please do visit the other hostesses of the link party (oh, yes, there’s a link party) at their various sites!
More than one way to go…
When Joanne suggested this, I immediately thought she meant to pick one item and style it three ways. Then, I began overthinking as I am wont to do. Did she mean that? Or, did she mean pick one item and make it do three different things? We all know Jodie is the boss of her clothes and makes them work hard for their keep. I kept going over it again and again in my head. Ultimately, I decided to do one item styled three ways as you’ll soon see.
But, first…
On Tuesday, I had VTS (Visual Thinking Strategies) practice. There are usually about 10-12 of us who will attend any given practice. There isn’t a mandatory number of these you have to attend. And, they are just exactly what they sound like. You select a piece of art and practice the VTS protocol with (or is it on) it. I hadn’t planned on practicing that day so I didn’t go with a piece of art in mind. Once I was there, though, I decided to just go for it. I selected The Boot Polisher by Henri Delavallée. This isn’t a Style Imitating Art piece so I’m not going to go into any detail other than to say it’s a Post-Impressionist piece. I have walked by this painting many times, but I never really looked at it. That, my friends, is the beauty of VTS. It enables you to look more closely at a piece of art. I am almost always nervous when practicing VTS with my peers. But, this time, I felt an inner calm and just did it. I think it was because I hadn’t had any time to think and worry. I was thrilled with the feedback I received from my fellow “seasoned” docents.
Going to a museum…
I love museums and always have. My dad was a reader. He would read every single didactic and not go on until he’d read it. I’m not sure if he spent as much time looking at the actual item, though! I googled it to find out how much time people spend in front of a piece of art. Here is what I found…
The Smiths…
In 2001, Lisa F. Smith and Jeffrey K. Smith published a study about how long people look at a piece of art. This came about after hearing how visitors would rave about the art they’d just seen. “The Smiths found that visitors professed to love museums, describing the experience as ‘incredible,’ ‘breathtaking,’ ‘outstanding,’ and ‘a thrill of a lifetime.’” What they also noticed was the length of time people spent in front of a piece of art. They asked, “How can people be so deeply moved by works of art that they have viewed so briefly?” Then, they asked, “How much time were the people strolling the halls of the Met spending looking at art?” So, they began working with a volunteer and watched 150 people as they looked at six of the museum’s pieces of art, including Washington Crossing the Delaware (1851) by Emmanuel Gottlieb Leutze and the The Card Players (1890–92) by Paul Cézanne.
More Smiths…
Smith, Smith, and their volunteer discovered “the mean time spent looking a painting was 27.2 seconds. The mean is the average of the numbers. The median time was 17 seconds. A median is the middle number of a set of numbers, in this case, 1-150. The longest time was 3 minutes, 48 seconds which was how long one person observed Rembrandt’s Aristotle with a Bust of Homer. They concluded “a [museum] visit is not characterized by long looks at a few works of art; it is characterized by brief looks at many works of art.” And, this was before the age of social media with scrolling and such. In 2016, the Smiths (not the band, either) revisited the question. This time, they, along with Pablo P. L. Tinio of Montclair State University, included more pieces of art and monitored more people. This research was conducted at the Art Institute of Chicago. Interestingly, they discovered “remarkably similar” results. The mean time was 28.63 seconds, and the median has increased to 21 seconds.
Cell phones…
Now, I would have thought cell phones would have made a big difference in their results. They did, and they didn’t. What the researchers found were “arties (named this by the Smiths).” These are selfies taken with artworks. Originally, the group hadn’t planned to study such things, but when it happened on the first day of tracking, they decided to track it as well. This blows my mind! Of the 356 observations, 35% involved arties. In fact, two people were only taking arties and not even looking at the art so they were excluded from the study. In 2017, in “Art Perception in the Museum: How We Spend time and Space in Art Exhibitions,” Claus-Christian Carbon decided to look “at how much time visitors spend looking at art in a smaller exhibition space that bans photography. After all, visitors to the AIC and the Met are often out-of-towners who are keen to see the collection highlights before catching a flight home or booking it to another tourist destination.”
“People are often in a ‘Met mode,’” as Carbon, a professor of psychology at the University of Bamberg, said to me. “They want to see a lot of things.”
More Carbon…
Carbon’s study focused on six paintings by Gerhard Richter. Observers measured how long visitors spent with those six works (out of a total of 28). Unlike the Smiths’ study, Carbon measured if “individuals returned to spend more time with a work after they had already looked at it. He also measured the viewer’s distance from the work.” He discovered the median time visitors spent was 25.4 seconds (longer than both Smiths’ studies). Carbon also discovered a 51% probability a visitor would return to a painting at least once. Now, get this…those returning visitors had only spent 12 seconds less, on average, looking at the piece the first time compared to others who only looked one time. This returning increased the overall time spent in front of a piece of art in Carbon’s study. Carbon also studied viewing distances. His findings aren’t really all that surprising. People adjusted their distance depending on how large or small the art was. That makes total sense to me.
Slow looking…
I’m linking an article from the Tate in the UK. It’s about slow looking which is not the same as VTS. It’s a fascinating read so I hope you’ll click through to read it. All of this to say there is no right or wrong way to look at art. Nor is there a right or wrong amount of time, but if you spend more than a minute, you’re better than the average! Art is open to interpretation and depends on what you bring to it…your lived experiences, your memories, your likes and dislikes. You don’t have to like Impressionism just because so many people are gaga over van Gogh. Nor do you have to like contemporary art because it seems like all the cool people like Andy Warhol. Art is yours to interpret, dissect (figuratively, not literally, of course), and ultimately decide if you care to look at it once, twice, or never again! That’s part of its beauty!
The outfits…
I started with this Smocked Waist Midi Skirt from Old Navy. I had discovered some merchandise credit cards in my wallet and decided to visit my local Old Navy. I had been looking at this skirt online for a while, but the reviews weren’t great. But, when I tried it on, I fell in love! I really like the smocked waist; it has pockets; it’s striped; and it’s baby blue! I hit at least two, if not three, trends right there. I had gone in to see if I could find Amy’s ON top she’s been featuring a lot lately. I did find it, and surprise, surprise! It matched the skirt. Now, I didn’t really intend to ever wear them together. When I started thinking about this challenge, however, I thought, “Why not put them together to create a “dress?” I actually kinda love them together! I might wear a belt or not. I really need to dig out Nigel’s old ties and make an obi belt. The next outfit was going to be just a plain white tee (no reference to the band intended). Then, I spotted this fun cropped tee from Loft (last year or the year before). Nigel liked it better out rather than tucked. I’m not sure. There isn’t the 50/50 proportion going on, but it seems a little shapeless to me. I think my first instinct of a plain tee (even black) would have been better. The final iteration is this beautiful Signature Eco Merino Wool Cardigan from Garnet Hill. I had a coupon code for 40% off and free shipping. I have many of these cardigans, and they wear like iron. But, boy howdy, has the price increased on these! In theory, I like these together. I think someone needs a bra fitting, though!
Sources…
The Lewk!
I really need a pedicure! These are my pink Shay sandals from Miz Mooz. I have them in black as well as sage. Again, I took a page out of Jodie’s book, and intentionally wore shoes and other accessories that didn’t match my outfit. The green sandals are very old and are by Born. The last pair of sandals are my Eileen Fisher Willow espadrilles. They were definitely a splurge when I bought them, but I am pretty sure I’ve gotten the CPW down quite a bit. Next up is jewelry in the same order. The necklace is the Parker Spice Round Bead Wood Necklace, and the earrings are the Assuta in Fuchsia. The jewelry with the green Born sandals is all from Brighton Meridian collection. I am not linking to all of them because I’m running out of time! The jewelry with the Willow sandals are also from Sylca. The necklace is the Grey Curved Circle necklace and the earrings are another pair of Assuta. The bracelets are just wooden beads that I picked up here, there, and everywhere!
An announcement…
Many of you may have linked up with Jill and Kellyann for the Fashion Files. When both decided to move to Substack, they discontinued the link up. With their gracious permission, Amy and I are starting it back up next Tuesday.
Wrap it up, Marsha!
I’m sure you all have days when it seems like you don’t have a minute to spare, right? That describes the day I took these photos. Add in the wind and a wonky tripod stand, lots of user error, and you get even wonkier photos! I had an appointment for an injection in my knee, Nigel had a video visit with the infectious disease doctor, and an occupational therapist in-home appointment. I wanted to get these photos done before I went to the my appointment because I knew the wind would absolutely wreck my hair! This is the result of rushing and a goofy stand that won’t stand up straight. It was just one of those days! So, can we talk? Which outfit do you like best? Would you tuck the tee in or leave it out? Or, would you replace it with a plain white or black tee? Do you think I got this prompt completely wrong? Please leave me a comment or two, and we can talk. I promise to respond as quickly as I can.
Thank you!
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Where you can find me:
Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style, Fine-Whatever, Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez Mireile, Suzy Turner, and Away from the Blue as well as Deb’s World. I also link up with I do deClaire, Mummabstylish, Style Splash and Elegantly Dressed and Stylish as well as the Senior Salon Pit Stop (Esme’s Salon) and Slices of Life. Please check out these wonderful ladies and their blogs! I also am a co-host for Ageless Style on the third Thursday of the month and Songful Style on the last Monday of the month and the Global Writing Challenge on the second Thursday of each month. I co-host Traffic Jam Weekend every Thursday with Melynda, Lisa, and Sue. I also host 10 on the 10th on the 10th of the month. I do hope you’ll check out all of these blogs and link parties!
Amy ~ Amy’s Creative Pursuits
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Bo ~ Bo’s Bodacious Blog (Bo is taking a short blogging break right now.)
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Jodie ~ Jodie’s Touch of Style
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Mireille ~ Chez Mireille Fashion Travel Mom
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And, now, it’s your turn!
Please link up your favorite posts about denim, DIY, baking, gardening, fashion…you name it…as long as it’s family friendly! Here are links to all of the lovely ladies in the Ageless Style collaboration. Please do visit them on their various media. Link up with us, visit a couple of others, and leave a comment or two! No worries if you don’t have a blog, just look around! You may find a new blog just waiting for you!
Nope…it looks like a tent or parachute.
Thanks, Nicotiana! You may have a point, but sometimes, you follow your husband’s advice! After asking, I didn’t feel like I could do the opposite!
Clever matching, I thought the first outfit was a dress not two pieces.
First off, sending lots of healing thoughts and prayers.For your husband. I hope things go as planned this time.
Second, thank you so much for all the shout outs… It’s just so nice when we realized that our closets aren’t as limited as we used to think.
And I love the skirt and how you made it look like a dress with the matching top.
Of course, I like the non matching ones also!!
Ps…don’t listen to the tent lady…style is personal.
Xoxo
Jodie
Thanks for the prayers, Jodie! We are very appreciative of them. You are so welcome for the shout outs. I mean, it would be rude not to mention you, right? I thought there was a slight difference in color in the store, but at home, they were a perfect match! I also love the non-matching ones.
Thanks, Rosie! I really didn’t intend to put them together, but it seemed like the natural thing to do!
I hope all goes well with Nigel’s hip!! I like all 3 of these but I think my favorite is the matching top. I honestly thought it was a dress. And this is exactly what I had in mind with this prompt.
Thank you, Joanne! I am very hopeful he will get his hip. We had our virtual visit with the infectious disease doctor, and she was very confident the bacteria would be eradicated. I was surprised how well the pieces went together. In the store, they seemed a slightly different color. I’m glad I understood correctly!
I also thought it’s a dress and that one’s my favorite.
Thank you for the links! For me, it depends on the person I’m with. Do we have the same taste, i.e. do we stop for the same pictures? Are they willing to put in the time or do they just want a quick walkthrough? Do they just want to look or also talk about it?
The ex and I loved museums and we tried to walk through them slowly, but it can be really hard to do if it’s a big one (and you tire easily as I already used to back then). If we liked an artwork, we could spend much longer looking at it, though. It helped me if they had a bench or something there as I can’t stand for very long (and the Tate agrees “Find a place, bench, stool or space on the floor that gives you a good view of the work.”!). Two examples come to mind first, 1. my favorite painting, Sargent’s “Lady Agnew of Lochnaw” for about 30 minutes and I came back to it for a second time for about as long, 2. Delaroche’s “The Execution of Lady Jane Grey” which I have seen twice, both times we spent quite some time there, one with a five year old who was fascinated by the painting!
Once I went with a friend and we discussed several paintings, some because one of us like one, some because we didn’t understand them.
Fingers crossed for Nigel and no bacteria!!
Thanks, Cat! I really didn’t think it would work as the top and the skirt didn’t seem to match in the store. I’m glad you enjoyed the links. I just love to learn as I think you do, too. Those are all very good questions. What interests one person bores another completely. Before I was a docent, Nigel and I would pick a gallery or two to concentrate on. The museum has an amazing collection of Asian and African art. I’m not as familiar with those galleries, yet. Once upon a time, I would have just plopped onto the floor. These days, I’m not near that flexible. We have chairs that can be moved around as well as lots of benches and a few upholstered chairs and sofas. I’m going to have to look at both of your favorites! I think it’s wonderful you went with a five year old who was just as entranced as you. I think that’s part of the joy of observing art…talking about it with someone else. It’s fun to see how your views align and differ.
Thanks for the good wishes for Mike!
No one who would ever see me getting up off the floor these days would want to see that in a museum! 😂
Hahaha!!! I’m sure that would be the same for me! It’s funny but not really!
Well I am praying that bacteria is long gone and Nigel will be another step closer to ending this chapter! I am praying for you both!
Love this skirt and top – I am inspired. I think I need it in the dark blue color. You and Amy are making me wanna get to Old Navy!
xo,
Kellyann
Thank you so much, Kellyann! Prayers are much appreciated. I bought the top on clearance, but the skirt was part of the half price sale last weekend. I thought I wanted the floral, but it was too busy…even for me! As wonderful as your stores are, I bet your Old Navy is very well stocked!
I don’t do fashion or baking, so I left a blog post about a visit to a car museum. And it was fascinating. We recently visited the Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, TX, paying extra for a private guide. While he was knowledgeable and passionate, at times I wished he would just let us wander around on our own. There was so much memorabilia on these veterans, I wanted to closely review each item.
Thanks, Aletha! We like appreciate all links. One of the things we can do at the museum are gallery conversations. We are taught to “read the room.” Perhaps, since you had paid for the tour, he felt he had to stay with you. Hopefully, you can visit again sometime.
Oeh, I hope the bacteria is gone! And that we’re only making plans for Nigel( you probably think I’m nuts and don’t understand it, lol. ) can have the hip replacement. On the outfit, I love the floral blouse look a lot. Fabulous skirt. I’m a quick art looker, and Gerben a long like looker. Lol. So when I’m ready, he’s halfway.
Thank you, Nancy! You’re right…I don’t think you’re nuts…but I don’t understand what you mean. That’s my favorite look, too. I completely forgot that I bought a tee shirt to go with the skirt and didn’t wear it! I think Gerben and I would get along quite well while you and Mike were enjoying a drink in the cafe!
I love it! I just started tucking the bodice of a dress into the waist band when it is possible if I don’t want to wear a tee or a sweater over it so I can tuck the blouse in and it works really well with your dress!
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
Thanks, Mireille! That’s a genius idea! I’ll have to try it!
Hello Marsha,
I love that skirt, it’s so versatile. I thought the first outfit was a dress.
Personally I would tuck the tee in to show off your waistline.
I must say I’m rubbish at styling and shopping. I often see an item I like – including shoes. I pick them up, put them down, think about it and then don’t buy what ever it is. And then regret it as by the time I go back it’s out of my size.
I hope all goes well with Nigel and it’s the outcome you are wishing for.
With best wishes.
Thanks so much, Linda! I really hadn’t planned to wear the two together when I bought them (the top was on clearance), but I think I will now. I try to wait a bit before buying things, too, and sometimes, I miss out. I just tell myself it wasn’t meant to be. I do think I should have followed my instincts and tucked the tee in. But, after asking Nigel’s advice, I felt I needed to take it. Thank you so much for the well wishes! I will definitely keep you all up to date on him.
I hope Nigel gets the all clear like he needs. This has been such a long haul for both of you!
That painting is cool and I found myself really looking at it which is interesting considering how you next talked about how long people look at art in art galleries. I find myself getting tired or dizzy in art museums because of my health conditions so I really like the ones that have a bench or two where I can sit down and really take the piece in. You really have me thinking, though. The next time we go to a gallery I am going to pause and admire a painting or piece for a longer amount of time. It will be a challenge for me.
Thanks, Lisa! It seems like he will. The home health nurse draws blood every week. The infectious disease doctor said all his numbers were good, and she was confident he would have a new hip rather than having to do the whole antibiotic thing.
It really is a beautiful painting. I love the Impressionists and need to look into the Post-Impressionists. What I really like is the expression on the boy’s face. I think most museums have chars you can move around. If you don’t see one, I’d ask a guard if they could find one There are some paintings I can look at for a long time, and others that leave me feeling meh!
Hi Marsha, I really like the skirt and matching top and thought it was a dress too. The white tshirt looks good for a casual outing and you’ve shown a great way of styling 3 ways – well done.
I do hope all is mending as it should for Nigel and improvements happen fast for you both.
By the way you always look so lovely – fresh and confident!
Thanks, Debbie! I was very happy to discover they matched when I got them home. In the store, the colors didn’t seem the same. I had fun coming up with three different looks. We had a virtual visit with the infectious disease doctor, and she feels the infection would be gone. The home health nurse draws blood every week, and Mike’s numbers all look good. Thank you for the compliment! I really appreciate them as I was feeling a bit rushed that day!
I also assumed it was a dress! Love all the ways you styled this set. Praying that all goes well with your appointments with Nigel. Thanks so much for starting the fashion link up again!
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Thank you, Kathrine! I was really glad it looked that way when I put them together. Thank you so much for the prayers. And, I hope you’ll link up with us!
Really nice combinations dear Marsha. And I love those sandals too. This time I took part in the link party..
Have a good time
Violetta
Thanks so much, Violetta! I am glad you like the combinations! I had to work hard for the third one!
Such a fun post! I always love seeing one piece styled multiple ways—it really shows how versatile our wardrobes can be. Each look has its own personality, but still feels so true to your style. It’s such a great reminder to get creative with what we already own!
Thanks so much, Laura! That is a high compliment coming from you as you are the queen of styling multiple ways! I’m so glad you enjoyed the post!
I really enjoyed this post, my friend. When I visit museums, I look at some pieces for much longer than a minute and quickly pass by the pieces that don’t necessarily strike a chord with me. I do often go back to look at some works a second time, particularly if another work down the line prompts me to compare or contrast or something like that. I do much prefer smaller museums where you can see everything they have to offer while larger museums tend to stress me out because I have to pick and choose the areas to view because you simply can’t see everything in one day. I loved this prompt of styling one thing three ways. It is nice to see the versatility of wardrobe pieces. My favorite of the three outfits is the one with the matching top. I adore your necklace and sandals with that one! But I do like all three as they all suit you so well! I also love that you and Amy are starting up Fashion Files! I need to remember to come visit.
Shelbee
Shelbee
Thanks, my friend! Oh, but that’s the way it’s supposed to be. You look at the pieces you like, and then you look at another, then maybe go back to the first one. Newfields has some contemporary pieces mixed with pieces from different eras and places just to foster that comparing and contrasting as well as striking up conversations. It’s a fairly big museum, but the galleries are nice and small. I really didn’t think I would pair the top with the skirt because the top seemed a different color in the store. When I got home, I realized they were exactly the same so I decided to use the skirt for this challenge. Oh, I do hope you link up with us! It’s just a baby link up…for now!
I found the Smith study fascinating, Marsha. I thought my 1-2 minutes looking at a piece of art would be on the low end. I haven’t been to a lot of museums, but I truly enjoyed the ones I visited in New York and France. I need to see what is available to me locally. As always, you look great in all the styles your shared.
Thanks so much, Christie! I was really intrigued by their findings, too. I also thought the other article talking about arties was interesting. I haven’t been to many art museums. I love the National Portrait Gallery in London because so many of those paintings are familiar to me. I love history documentaries. And, of course, the art museums in Washington, DC are good. I hope to make it to France and New York (I’ve been there just not to art museums) some day!
I love those green flowery shoes. I used to have a burgundy pair, similar but long gone now….#TrafficJamReboot
Thanks, Lydia! These are probably 15 years old. I also have them in black and yellow. I wish I would have snagged them in pink. Once upon a time I could have walked in them forever. These days, they’re more like short little walk kinds of sandals.
I have been thinking of getting a skirt like that and you’ve convinced me! It’s so versatile and all three stylings are so cute!
Thanks, Laura! You should definitely get this one. It’s really forgiving and has pockets! There’s a green/pink striped version, too.
That is such a great skirt and so versatile! This is such a great example on how you can stretch your wardrobe! All of these outfits are fabulous!
Sending healing thoughts to your husband. Hope everything goes smoothly the next few weeks!
Jill – Doused in Pink
Thank you, Jill! I am cautiously optimistic! The funny thing about this skirt was that I had been looking at the floral one online, but when I saw it in the store, I really didn’t like it. I then noticed the blue one and tried it. I fell in love with it. It was just a happy accident that it matched the top!