May 6, 2022
Yes, for those of us still shivering in VERY cool temperatures, this is aspirational. I think we all have to accept that these 24 Japanese Seasons probably don’t conform to what we’re currently experiencing…
Nonetheless, aspiring to a warm summer day is a lovely daydream!
Photo – Dutch Grown
Shopping, Cooking, Celebrating Summer
The Farmers Markets are back! And she’s ready – tote bag in hand, shirt with a bit of a sleeve to keep sunburn off of her shoulders…
Never was a woman so thrilled to be going shopping!
Does she wear lots of olive and denim-ish blue?
White shell – L.L.Bean; amethyst earrings – Artisan; plaid shirt – L.L.Bean; Lily Pad shorts – Wit & Wisdom; sandals – Munro; blue bag – Lolas Bag
Of is this our heroine from Wednesday, dressed for a casual day?
Liberty Garden of Life top – J.Crew; earrings – Panacea; distant sunset linen top – J.Crew; desert tan shorts – Lands’ End; nylon tote bag – Longchamp; sandals – Clarks
A couple of hours later, she’s got her work cut out for her! Some freezing, some cooking, much removing of stems and such…
But what beauty!
Image – Lauren Conrad
Maybe our heroine is devoted to grey – all year! And a touch or 2 of pink…
these shorts come in a few lengths…
White tank top – Lands’ End; earrings- Amadeus; blush seersucker top – L.L.Bean; grey shorts – Caslon; grey canvas shoes – Keds; bag – J.Crew
Our heroine could be one of those bright and cheery women who always stands out in a crowd – in the very best way!
white linen sleeveless top – J.Crew; earrings – Talbots; floral shirt – Boden; dark flamingo shorts – J.Crew; white eyelet shoes – Keds; bag – Longchamp
Our heroine heads to her front porch, to hull strawberries and pick the stems off of blueberries… Not a thrilling project…
But who could mind working on a front porch like this?
Image – Hooked on Small Houses
Is our heroine a lover of classic navy, with a touch of minty green?
White cotton shell – L.L.Bean; earrings – Judith Ripka; seersucker popover shirt – L.L.Bean; navy shorts – L.L.Bean; sandals – Sam Edelman; tote – Radley London
Could this be a softer version of our auburn-haired heroine?
crisp peach tank top – Lands’ End; earrings – Monica Vinader; print shirt – Treasure & Bond; heritage stone shorts – L.L.Bean; sandals – Nine West
Dinnertime rolls around, and the household is delighted to find that tonight – it’s dessert dinner!
Image – Taste of Home
As I said ages ago, at least once a year, everyone should have strawberry shortcake for dinner…
love,
Janice
p.s. Eleven years ago, I was asking myself how I could be truly SURE when I purchased something… I still wrestle with that question!
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I’m thrilled that you are starting this series on 24 seasons. The weather is beginning to warm up in the UK 19-23C (low 70’sF) for the next 10 days with a heatwave forecast for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee weekend at the beginning of June.
I can see myself in these capsules, though I never wear shorts. A floral blouse or floral tee-shirt with blue, grey, pink or purple linen or cotton trousers. I’d wear coloured beads and/or a short pendant necklace.
Thanks again for the Strawberry shortcake recipe.
The look-back made me realise that the one thing that makes me unsure about a purchase is an instantly negative, ambivalent or unenthusiastic response from someone else. If that happens in the shop, you might reconsider but if I have bought it and the response is underwhelming, that can be disheartening. Or if I am unsure and someone raves about it, that makes me even more uncertain. Does that make sense? However, beware the person who says “I don’t like that?” What they really mean is either, it’s not their style/colour and so they wouldn’t like it for themselves or, worse, that you look fabulous and they are jealous that you might outshine them! I fallen into that trap and regretted it. So I now resolve to buy it and get a second opinion. The best people for an instant response are strangers who just make a heartfelt comment that makes you realise that you look great.
Hi Beth T: I have been known to go up to a fellow shopper and say “May I have your honest opinion-? How does this look?’ If they kind of crinkle up their nose and eyebrows I can tell it’s a NO. I have found that when people say ‘really nice’ or words to that effect they are spot on.
What a great fantasy story. And outfits.
This is the one scenario that I would happily wear a button through shirt for – open over vest. It was therefore interesting to realise that rather than looking art the colours or cuts, I was looking at the quite frankly bizarre patterns of some of the sorts. Definitely summer sun wear.
No spring here. It’s “warmed up” to low 50’s instead of 40’s, but rain, rain, rain. I’m just trying to figure out how to stay warm at work today – it’s been exceptionally cold there this week. Love the short sleeve shirts. Plaid, of course. Have a good weekend everyone, cheers.
I love these little outfits, but they seem to be quite a jump from the “Grain Rain” season just two weeks ago. I’ll be wearing long pants for some time yet here in VA. And some long sleeves.
Hope we can ALL warm up sooooon!
Yay for farmer’s markets. Ours starts up after the May long weekend (Victoria Day) in Canada. We usually drive, park, get coffees for adults and lemonades for the kids, and then shop. Any of these outfits would be perfect for that, but hats and sunglasses are essential.
You are taking me back to my childhood because we are quite the berry growing area here in the PNW. I grew up working for 8 years in the berry fields, picking strawberries, stacking flats, working on the raspberry picker and in the cannery for both berries. My kids still help me pick strawberries in June and yes, we eat shortcake, but we also try to make enough freezer jam to last the year. It’s hard to believe it’s almost that time again as it’s still rainy and 50 degrees! I love the flamingo shorts!! I don’t have any short sleeve button down shirts, but I have a shopping trip coming up and am going to try a bunch of styles of clothes out so I have a better idea of what I might like. I used the triple top secret again last night… it’s my go to for evenings that are a little cool when I need to run errands and don’t want a bulky jacket. Last night I wore a short sleeve tee, with a flannel button up over the top and a sweatshirt blazer over that. It was perfect!
Me too! Spent years as child picking strawberries, raspberries (which take forever to fill up a flat) and blueberries. Lot of the fields gone now – business parks. Always wore a light weight long sleeve shirt and hat – to avoid sunburn. My mother would make freezer jam and my grandmother would make scones which we could have the the fresh made jam. Thank you for the memory!
We love jam in the UK. Excusecmy ignorance but what is freezer jam? My Mum used to make jam by cooking the chopped fruit with sugar. My job was to stir so it didn’t stick.Then it was bottled, labelled and put in the pantry.
HI Beth, it’s been a long time, but I think you process the berries the same way – with sugar, water, berries, etc.. only instead of then canning it you put it in baggies or plastic containers and freeze it.
Pretty much what Sheila said. Freezer jam sometimes uses a slightly different pectin so make sure you get the right one. Usually you don’t have to cook it on the stove top. Just blend up the berries, stir the sugar and pectin in for a certain amount of time and then put in freezer containers and put in the freezer. Enjoy all year!!! :)
Native Oregonian here. I picked all the berries as a kid, too. Strawberry shortcake was on the dessert menu nearly every night in season. We had raspberry cobbler and marion berry pie in their seasons. My mother put up jam in all flavors including apricot and plum. And I shouldn’t leave out peach crisp, rhubarb crisp and apple pie. But strawberry shortcake remains one of my top memories, or fresh strawberries for breakfast. We went through so many flats of berries fresh from the fields right down the road.
Weather here (Idaho) is still way too cool. So the transition to summer wear is slow indeed.
It’s interesting to see the tanks styled with lightweight popover or blouse tops over them. The button up shirt as jacket idea comes naturally to me, but I would not have thought of the other layering idea. Not sure if I’m sold on it or not!
In Summer (winter approaching in southern hemisphere) when inside at home I wear the singlet top by itself. When going outside in the sun, I put the long sleeved shirt (sometimes short sleeved) on to protect me.
These are cute & I feel a pull to the bag in the 1st group and the colours in the 2nd. However, I don’t wear shorts much. Capris are a bit more me…especially when I can pair with a ditsy print crisp button up. Sleeveless is more comfy outside & I add a cardigan for indoors. Plain white anklet socks and white tennis shoes with a vintage 50s type feel. Might look a bit different, but it feels good for me. I’m currently debating if I should look for a 50s style ‘playsuit’ with matching button-up skirt and a basic wedge sandal. The Mr enjoys our state fair & I usually do the capri outfit…but the skirted playsuit would look so much better with my sunhat which is a true must have. Every year despite being careful to seek shade, my skin ends up quite lobster toned. The look back…I only end up unsure when I get pushed into a purchase that just doesn’t quite feel me from the moment I see it. My mom and the Mr are good at picking pieces that make sense at the store, but in the closet don’t feel right. Anyone else end up buying to please someone else & regretting it later? I end up with things I hate every minute of the wearing…then look for a way to donate them away. I’m trying a new closet cleaning trick. Each time I reach in, I pull an item for a may donate pile. Every few days, I try on and make the decision. It’s more work to put back than to remove, so most are going in the get rid of bag. Taking a while to whittle down the pile, but I’m planning to celebrate at the end with a set of nice wood hangers.
Hi Kari: I’m with you…good thing the Lands End shorts come in “Bermuda style” lengths. I am a just-below-the-knees capris kind of girl.
I have had my share of lobster-red sunburns in the past so it’s SPF 50+ for me.
I am also a one in/one out shopper/organizer. It really makes me think about wearing what’s in my closet first before thinking I need something. If I have an item that just doesn’t seem to blend w anything TVF is great for looking at color combinations a different way.
Sorry I can’t reply within, but for Beth T…freezer jam is a no/barely cooked fruit jam that is set with pectin & stored in freezer containers. Since it goes in the freezer, it isn’t processed to be shelf stable. Usually lasts about a year.
I was also unfamiliar with freezer jam, that’s very interesting! Canning is hot work, so being able to make jam without cooking is a nice alternative.
Strawberry shortcake for dinner?! Janice, I do believe you are my spirit animal. I will have to try your biscuit recipe. Best way to serve strawberry shortcake in my opinion.
This was exactly what I needed to read today. It definitely feels like summer here today, even including summer storms and a tornado warning! I had planned to wear just this type of outfit, but discovered that I am seriously in need of short sleeved button down tops. I love how you put colors and patterns and lovely accessories together in these outfits – very inspiring. I think the charcoal and light pink was my favorite, but I tend to lean towards bright, deep colors year round.
Hi Janice and Everyone! I’ve been thinking about more short-sleeved shirts so thank you for the ideas.
Strawberry freezer jam is the best!!!! Especially when there’s a foot of snow and I’m just dying for something home-grown and sweet 😊