Is Comfortable a Good Thing?

You know, coming up with titles is hard. There’s that SEO to worry about as well as trying to interest readers. Anyway, I like matchy matchy things and usually wear some version of it all the time. It might be my earrings match my shoes, or my shirt matches my bracelet. It just makes sense to me to match something to another thing. Usually, though, I don’t match my hair to my clothing! This was a happy little accident. And, it has nothing to do with today’s post!

Not what I was planning…

When I bought the Primavera dress, I didn’t realize it had tiers. It’s a shirt dress, and we all know how much I love those. I couldn’t decide about this dress until it went half price. Then, I pounced. When it arrived, I noticed the colors in it matched those in this Nypon dress. I had planned to wear them together for our trip to Newfields. But, for some reason, I put the shirt dress on first. It was so hot; I decided to stop there! Later this year, when it’s cooler, look for them together.

Comfortable…

When we entered the museum proper, the docent on duty said, “Oh, that looks like a comfortable dress.” And, that had me wondering the whole time we were there. Is comfortable a euphemism for ugly? Or, “I wouldn’t be caught dead in that?” I mean, the dress is colorful. That would probably be the first thing I would say about it rather than comfortable. To be fair, it’s a bit big in the lower part of the dress. But, if I’d sized down, it would have been a titch tight in the shoulders. I hate that feeling. The docent, however, was right. This dress is very comfortable, and it has pockets! It’s also half price right now.

An ulterior motive…

Nigel doesn’t mind going to the art museum. In fact, I think he kind of likes it because we’re actually using our membership. We usually pick a specific area of the museum to explore in depth. This day, however, my only plan was to take photos! When we got there, and I asked him if he’d oblige, he accused me of having an ulterior motive. Again, like the docent, he wasn’t wrong!

The Clowes Pavilion…

One of my favorite places in the Indianapolis Museum of Art is the Clowes Pavilion. My daughter and I discovered this years ago as we were meandering through the museum. At the time, you had to work hard to find it. The pavilion was closed for major renovations in 2018. It reopened last year, but this past week was the first time we’d made it there. I’m including a news blurb about the ceiling. You can recline on comfortable cushiony seats (you can see them in the photos below) and watch the ceiling change. There was a young woman there with an infant lying back on one of the seats. The baby was lying on her back on her mom’s (?) stomach. She was mesmerized and watching the ceiling so closely. We didn’t stay as long as I could have. I was half afraid Nigel would fall asleep and start snoring! We didn’t see any of the images in the video below.

The art…

I do want to go back and explore this gallery some more. We happened to go on the last Thursday of the month which is a free day. Even though many of the schools around us are back in session, the place was packed. I loved seeing so many people there, but I’m still hesitant to take photos in front of people. Usually, they will ask if we want a photo of the two of us! This exhibition, entitled “We. The Culture,” was truly diverse. There were a couple of places where you were asked to share your thoughts on a specific piece of art. Because the day was so busy, we skipped that. This particular exhibition is open through September of this year so I’d better get back there soon.

The Lewk!

I wonder how many miles I’ve racked up on these Willow sandals. They are comfortable with a relatively low heel height once you’ve factored in the platform. The leather straps are like buttah, too. I tried so many different necklaces with this dress and kept coming back to my chunks o’ amethyst necklace. I decided to channel my inner Sally and go with a minimal “neck mess.” The amethyst necklace is from Coldwater Creek back when they had brick and mortar stores. I wore this teaching and had to be careful with it when I’d bend over a student’s desk. It could do some damage! The other necklace is from Stella & Dot. The bracelet is one you’ve seen many times and is from a little boutique in Winona Lake, IN. The earrings are an old eBay purchase. I kinda have a thing for amethyst jewelry!

Wrap it up, Marsha!

While I kinda, sorta doubted my sartorial choice at the museum, I really love this dress. It’s flowy, purple, and has pockets! It’s even a shirt dress. I mean, what’s not to love? So, can we talk? Do you think comfortable is another way to say ugly or unflattering? Do you have specific words you use or know of to describe something you don’t like? Would you worry about being comfortable instead of colorful? Please leave me a comment or two, and we can talk. I promise to respond as quickly as possible.

10 on the 10th reminder…

I hope you’ll play along with August’s 10 on the 10th! Remember, you don’t have to have a blog to participate. You can comment or email me with your answers. There will also be a link party!

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I was more interested in the mural; Nigel liked the sculpture.

Thank you!

I want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for reading, commenting, subscribing or emailing! It truly means so much to me! If you’d like to follow me on Instagram, you can find me here.

Where you can find me:

Linking up with Nancy’s Fashion Style,  Fine-Whatever, Is This Mutton, Shelbee on the Edge, Chez MireileThe Grey Brunette, and Away from the Blue as well as Deb’s World. I also link up with This Blonde’s Shopping BagDoused in Pink, I do deClaireMummabstylish, and Style Splash. 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. I co-host Traffic Jam Weekend with Gail and Emma every Thursday. I also host Final Fridays on the last Friday of the month as well as 10 on the 10th on the 10th of the month! I do hope you’ll check out all of these blogs and link parties!

35 Comments

  1. I just heard on the news that museums are very well visited this season because of all the rain. I think that is a very pretty dress and the colour suits you very well. If I don’t like a outfit on someone, I just say nothing.

    • We haven’t had that much rain though it’s positively downpouring right now. I think the museum was extra busy this day because it was a free day and pretty warm outside.

      Thanks so much, Nancy! I love this dress and its colors. I am like you…I don’t say anything if I don’t like something…unless it’s my husband!

  2. That is the most beautiful dress and quite lovely on you. Comfortable and very stylish with divine colours imho. Actually your dress is very typical of what women wear in Lewes, my home town. However the temperature has not been good where we are – the weather’s like Autumn and 16C (61F) outside this morning!!!! Grrr, so I haven’t been wearing dresses all that much this summer.

    That looks to be a great art exhibition.

    • Thanks, Penny! I ordered this online and was hoping the colors would be as good as they are. I really love this dress though I would have loved it a bit more if it hadn’t had tiers. Oh, gosh! Have you even had summer? Last year, it was quite warm, right?

      I hope to go back next week, take a few photos and then really explore this exhibit.

  3. Lovely dress and amazing styling dear 🙂
    Beauty and Fashion/Glamansion/Rampdiary

  4. Marsha I think the docent has great taste and really admired your beautiful dress! It is so pretty and your hair looks so good with it. It was made for you!
    I feel funny taking pictures in public – that’s pretty much why all of mine are at my front door, lol! I need to get over it.
    xo,
    Kellyann

    • Thanks, Kellyann! Let’s run with that…the docent has great taste! I did want to get some photos of my hair with this dress while it was still vivid.

      I am so uncomfortable when we’re out and about taking photos for the blog. If we were on vacation, it’s no big deal. But, I feel like people are thinking, “Oh, who does she think she is?” I need to get over that one!

  5. When i used comfortable in relarion to fashion i mean just rhat but i could see people using it in the same way as saying “rhis is interesting ” when talking about a food. I really like your last picture which shows the movement of your dress. That museum looks so cool and my boys would love it.
    http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com

    • Thanks, Mireille! You have hit the nail on the head! I don’t remember her tone or facial expression, but something threw me off about the comment. I’ll just take it as a compliment. I love this museum. We’ve been members for over eight years and still haven’t seen it all. We try to spend lots of time out in the gardens, too.

  6. That is a lovely dress and while I do think it looks very comfortable I don’t think that is a dig at you; I often think cute and comfy is a compliment (at least that’s how I mean it when I say it!). I do typically try to pair comfortable with another adjective though so they don’t think I mean frumpy comfy… I can see why you’re asking if it’s a good thing as I guess comfortable can have different meanings. In this case I’d say take it as a compliment since you look lovely!

    • Thanks, Joanne! I think your approach is a good one. I guess when I say comfortable, I’m usually thinking about an old pair of sweats or my pajamas. It just struck me as funny because colorful comes to my mind first when I see this dress.

  7. I think that dress is beautiful and it does look comfortable! In all this summer heat I often reach for a loose fitting dress to keep cool. And I just love that purple. Here in the South the phrase Bless your, their, (little) heart is often meant in a negative way. As if blessing their heart sounds like they can’t say negative things but use something nice to disguise a derision.

    • Thanks, Eileen! I love this dress and have been wearing them almost all summer. It’s been so warm and humid which is something you probably deal with regularly. My friend, originally from Wisconsin, but now in Texas clued me in on the meaning of bless your heart in the south a few years ago. Isn’t it funny how we say things and mean the other?

  8. For me comfortable has nothing to do with ugly or not, but only with the way the dress feels when wearing it. It indeed looks comfortable and cozy to me, but also beautiful. And I like how it matches your hair!

    • Thank you so much, Mie! I rarely think of comfortable as being ugly or unfashionable. But, I don’t think comfortable as the first word when I see this dress. I think that’s what threw me.

  9. I don’t think it is a dig to say that dress is comfortable! I think we have all worn things in the name of “fashion” that were not comfortable. The air flow with that dress would be amazing! Especially on a hot day! I just however cannot wear that style. I am already big and would look even bigger in that dress. I love how you colored your hair to match the dress!

    • Thanks, Linda! I wanted to get photos of this dress with my hair this color before it fades away (which it’s already doing). Oh, I hear you…I used to wear pencil skirts and heels just to look good. I was so uncomfortable. I probably should shy away from this style because they do tend to look a bit like a muumuu on me!

  10. The dress looks very comfortable – literally. Comfortable is good and . . .comfy!

    • Thanks so much, Lisa! It really is comfortable…I think it’s mostly linen with cotton…so nice and cool on a hot day!

  11. We always love a trip to the museum especially when we get to tour with a docent.
    As for the comfortable quip, I would be amused. Who knows what they really meant, but I just decide to take everything as a compliment if they smile and are nice. There have been times when I wonder why I said something to someone, when I really meant something else.
    XOOX
    Jodie
    http://www.jtouchofstyle.com

    • Thanks, Jodie. I need to quit overthinking things! And, it is a comfortable dress! We usually don’t tour with a docent because I never remember to see what times they’re there. The people in the galleries are always so knowledgeable so we just ask them. I need to look into the docent program again, though. Maybe things have changed over the years…everything else has!

  12. Love love your dress and you look beautiful! That painting in the last photo is beautiful too!

    • Thank you so much! I really do love this dress. If you’re talking about the painting with the boat on it, that was an entire wall. I’m sure it was probably vinyl as it wasn’t a permanent display.

  13. I adore this pretty dress on you! The print and color is beautiful. I wouldn’t take offense to comfy. Love where you took this photos!

    https://www.kathrineldridge.com

    • Thanks so much, Kathrine! It just occurred to me as we were walking through the museum. Then, I couldn’t unthink it!

  14. This outfit is gorgeous – I absolutely love it in its entirety! The color and print of the dress is spectacular and yes, it looks wonderful with your hair; I too love some matchy goodness. I think I’ve mentioned before that I love these sandals too. And the #neckmess? *chef’s kiss*

    I know what you mean about the “comfortable” observation. But because we can all see that the dress is magnificent, I think it’s safe to interpret that her comment wasn’t mean negatively. My first thoughts were “oh that dress is so gorgeous and it looks like it would be so cool and comfortable in the summer heat.” Most larger flowy breezy dresses don’t look this great on, but this one is beautifully constructed and has enough structure to counterbalance the volume. Rolling the sleeves was also a spot on styling choice.

    I’d say, Wear the heck out of this combination during the hot summer weather. You look amazing! If the docent has any sense, she probably envied how your outfit combined style and comfort so perfectly. 🙂

    • Thanks, Sally! You know how to make a person feel good! I think the structure comes from the high linen content combined with the cotton. It’s twirly but not swirly if that makes sense. I almost always roll my sleeves. I should have tried that J Crew sleeve roll thing!

  15. You look great! That clip of the gallery is spectacular!! I might try to do the 10 on the 10

    • Thanks, Lydia! I hope you do, but there’s always the September 10 on the 10th if you miss this one!

  16. I love your dress, the print is gorgeous! It looks amazing with your hair! Thanks for linking up!

    Emma xxx
    http://www.style-splash.com

  17. Marsha, I freaking love this dress! And yes, it does looking really wonderfully comfortable. I am believing that the museum docent really only meant a compliment. I think most people don’t go out of their way to say unkind things. Especially a person working with public. If I were to compliment a stranger wearing this dress, I might include the word comfortable. I would also say it is a very striking color on you with a beautiful floral pattern and a million different styling options. It is a really, really great dress and I look forward to seeing how you style it as a duster!

    Shelbee

    • Thanks, Shelbee! I cannot tell you how many times I looked at that dress before ordering it! I saw a woman wearing it on Instagram with the matching pants. She looked fabulous, but I don’t think I could carry off that much of this print.

      I didn’t think of it that way…you’re right…most people don’t. And, she didn’t say it in a snide way. I guess I was just feeling a bit loud between the dress and my hair!

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