The Third Eye

K., the personal shopper at the Lovely Boutique Where I Work, has two fully functional eyes. But the other day she became my "third eye" and was it ever a help.

1 + 1 do not equal a match

I had just bought a pair of flowered summer pants and was wearing them for the first time. A restrained floral, they were still very "Granny's drapes". I cobbled together the outfit with a ruffled ivory camisole and cropped beige jacket. So far so good. At work I caught sight of a new peasant blouse. It had a nice vibe; summer is always a little bit "Summer of Love" for me. The colors would blend well with the flowered pants. On my lunch break I tried it on.

Something wasn't right. I had that slight feeling of betrayal when what you figured would work together didn't. But I couldn't think why. Usually one to trust my own judgment, I called out to K. (passing by), "What do you think of these two together?"

Like a hummingbird settling in on a tasty flower, she sweetly but succinctly said, "Well, they don't really go together. The pants are too romantic for the blouse." She was so right! I was mixing metaphors, trying to morph disparate sensibilities with the Boho top and the vintage tea shop bottom. While a jean jacket harmonizes with everything, and a chambray shirt/brocade skirt combo sings, these two elements didn't make beautiful music together. I hadn't seen it before, but of course...

T'was an ah-ha, could've-had-a-V8, why-didn't-I-think-of-that moment. It proved that even those of us wildly knowledgeable about the subject sometimes need help dressing ourselves.