carpet bag shoulder bag

the look:

shirt - salt valley (uo)
tie - old gap
knit dress - old american apparel
sweater dress - susan harris design (a/w 2012)
vest - h&m
coat - old uo
hat - old lillie & cohoe
boots - old, from an army surplus store
bag - tlc bags (by tracy crandall)

the tale:

four things are on my mind today. first: now i am done with post-christmas shopping. after all the purchases that i described the other day, i splurged and bought three awesome pieces by a local artisan, who selectively felts rescued knits or creates new clothing pieces from felted knits. i was specifically looking for a dramatic cardi/jacket. i found two very striking pieces, and, when i couldn't choose between them, i decided to get both. the shop-keeper showed me a dramatic vest and, of course, i fell in love with it and couldn't leave it behind either. i will write more on these "works of art" when i wear them. second: i can't remember whether someone "real" said this or whether some fictional character in a book, film or tv show said this: sometimes, when you are getting dressed to go to a funeral, you are conscious of the fact that whatever you select may well never see the light of day again, because, forever more, you will associate it with the funeral and not want to wear it. third: it is one thing to just wear black. it is another thing entirely to put on black, even if you wear it on a daily basis, knowing that you aren't just wearing black, you are wearing black to a funeral. finally: as i slung this "new" shoulder bag across my body, i thought how it sort of resembled a carpet bag (a true one of which i would love to get my hands on): made of fabric (wool that is felted), large and somewhat floppy. but a shoulder bag carpet bag!