Friday, August 7, 2020

Dear Marion,

Remember when I first started traveling? It felt like coming home because it was so natural and comfortable like an old shirt. I’m not sure when I discovered this love for a white shirt but a few moments come to mind. It’s as classic, effortless, and yes chic as a chocolate chip cookie.

My first memory of The White Shirt is that of you and dad going out for an evening. I can still smell the Old Spice aftershave and see him slip on his plain gold wedding band with the inscription “Forever Yours” alongside your wedding date. He would wear a proper collared white shirt with cufflinks (initials engraved on the surface) and his silver banded watch. The tie and suit would change but always a white shirt. As dad was a dock builder, his daily attire was a definite contrast. Everyone has always commented how attached I was to you, but on those evenings I didn’t mind having a babysitter because you both looked so happy.

The next memory is that of your Norwegian folk dancing groups and the beautiful silhouette of you dancing alongside your partners. The costumes of both men and women were elaborate, colorful, detailed with handwork and usually completed with a beautiful, crisp linen or cotton white shirt. As early as I can remember and through high school I danced in the children’s group you and a friend taught. Of course, I complained, but once we began performing in those beautiful costumes, I would forget that I hadn’t wanted to participate.

There was a moment on the Oscars red carpet when Sharon Stone wore her partner's men’s white shirt with a beautiful skirt. It was a first for that type of venue and it was stunningly effortless. The white shirt can be the perfect backdrop to show off you and possibly a piece of jewelry to show off the personality of you. A collared shirt open at the neck can be highlighted by a chunky necklace, a choker, or an elegant fine piece of jewelry and create a purposeful statement of how you want to be seen in that moment.

The white shirt could be a great t-shirt made from the perfect weight and equally perfect hand which could be heavy and coarse or perfectly fine and soft. For me, it was slim fit not tight fitting. Sometimes I wanted it to fall at the waist especially if I were choosing a high waisted pant or skirt. With a low riding silhouette, I preferred a longer length.

On a work trip to Paris, my boss at the time, suggested I check out Anne Fontaine and I fell in love with a whole other level of white shirt. I followed her progress and her shops as they opened in Manhattan and even met her once during an opening. She was larger than life, much in the way her designs felt to me. Those shirts that I wore to work or a special evening or hanging out at home with my family made me feel good, special, myself.

The white shirt followed me to the shore, raising a family where I appreciated the wash and go style of a cotton collared shirt at a more moderate price. Much in the way I loved shirt dresses while I was pregnant, I grew to love the ease of an unstructured shirt dress with a detail of some sort (ie. ruffle, etc.) to throw over a bathing suit.

The white shirt has earned a spot in my life that references confidence, comfort, and joy. It’s effortless. I feel that when your granddaughter and I bake chocolate chip cookies. We share that when we indulge in that first bite right out of the oven. Similarly, when we would take a walk and spot a beautiful deer or a peek through the trees surprised by a breathtaking view of the river. I can count on the white shirt to instill a moment of stability...even in a pandemic.

Talk soon,
Forever Yours

Quote

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”

Maya Angelou
Civil rights activist, Poet, Award-winning author
1928-2014