Back to Black

Now this is probably stating the blindingly obvious but my blog's raison d'etre isn't to encourage you to buy clothes.   In the main, I shop my wardrobe, or shop my charity shop as I like to call it, as so much of what I wear is old and forgotten so when I wear it, it feels like I've just had a successful day in my fave second-hand shop.  Occasionally I will wear something new and very occasionally (like a few weeks ago!) I will have a bit of a shopping splurge.

So my "fashion" posts mostly show  what I happened to be wearing on the day, rather than any showcasing.  And I hope you like me this way!  As well as helping me in how I dress, I hope this blog encourages you to look to what you have and get creative.

I just wanted to get that across because yesterday I wore an old Next black linen dress that you've seen in various guises over the two and a bit years of my blog-life.  But it's a dress that gets rolled out for so many occasions.  Today's occasion was a funeral, sadly, but it was a beautiful funeral.  Do you find that happening more and more?  Funerals seem to be so thoughtfully and beautifully constructed these days.

I am traditional when it comes to funeral dress code.  I like to wear black. Yes, I invariably do go back to black.  I really wince a little when the funeral notice states "wear something colourful".  Just for the record, I like funeral-black and I find it somehow respectful of the occasion and the poor departed's soul.  For me the black allows those mourning to fade into the background whilst the focus is on the departed whose life is being celebrated, celebrated being the stance that seems to be taken for funerals these days.

Styled simply with bronze sandals and a black/beige/brown pendant.

So, I arrived at a standing-room-only crematorium and was greeted by the modern colourful array of clothing worn for this particular celebration.  Then when all were seated, the departed's brother and family arrived.  Nieces and nephews.  The former were uber-stylish.  One niece wore a fitted black dress, the print splattered with huge red flowers, and a massively brimmed black hat.  The other wore a simple figure-hugging black bardot dress.

Crocosmia

As the funeral service played out, it became more and more obvious that it was put together with thought and planning.  The departed had often told me proudly of his nieces and nephews talents and it was clear they wanted to do him proud.

The nephews, surviving brother and a friend gave beautiful readings and eulogies.  I perhaps had at this point thought that the young ladies were there for show rather than substance and I now feel bad for even thinking so shallowly and judgmentally, so please don't judge me as I'm fessing up now on that one!

Agapanthus.

But then the Audrey Hepburn style wide-brimmed hatted lady read a piece with much sensitivity and feeling.  And then the bardot dressed niece sang a moving medley of Smile/When You're Smiling.  I understand they are now West End performers, so their abilities were huge.  And it turned out that they were even longer on substance than they were on show.  So hey, don't judge me, I got that one totally wrong!

Yes, the family had decided to do their brother and uncle proud, and that they did.  It was a lovely experience and a perfect send-off for a man who showed such enthusiasm for all he did in life.

And thus, yesterday I went back to black.

A la perchoine.