209. My mandate of heaven/ the places I’m going / our imaginary home
November 24th, 2009 § 17 Comments
Yesterday was one of those unexpected warm November days, so warm I think I was having febrile dreams all night–the kind where I’m bounding across inflamed terrains searching desperately for water and I keep finding huge gallon jugs of water everywhere and pouring it over my face but not a single drop makes it down my throat! How nice it is to wake up to sun and my Mandate of Heaven playsuit that I’ve been nuzzling every morning and night since it arrived in the mail (…just kidding?) I had to take it out for an outdoor romp, seeing as how I’ve already been needlessly traipsing about indoors (which reminds me of the time I kept confusing ‘trapezing’ with ‘traipsing’ and told my friend Anna that I was ‘trapezing’ all around Europe with pretty boys, and one day, she finally corrected me. Which reminds me to give a big hearty congratulations from both Meggy and I to our dear friend Anna, who just sold her amazing novel to a wonderful publisher! Congratulations! I won’t spoil the details just yet, but I can’t wait for her novel to come out.)
Michael and I ended up driving down Prairie du Chien road, which is my second favorite street name in Iowa City after B’jaysville Lane, which I will only refer to as ‘Blowjobsville Lane.’ My last blog post about city names was a angry one, but I have only the most wondrously marvelous feelings about the towns of Intercourse and Blue Ball in Pennsylvania’s Lancaster county.
Puerile hyuks hyuks aside, we ended up parking the car by some cornfields that were engulfed in billowing smoke from a combine harvester. Michael made a mildly panicked joke about us being destroyed by a combine while snapping vanity photos.
Mandate of Heaven playsuit, F21 flower headband, red peep-toe wedges from Minnie Wilde, heart tights from Miss Selfridges
I thought the combine was still pretty far away.
We reconfirmed I’m a clumsy walker.
Which was only exacerbated by walking backwards.
At one point, the billowing smoke behind us seemed to be creeping nearer and the sound was getting louder, and I wanted to make another joke about about being eviscerated by a combine, but then felt too lazy to make this joke (does that ever happen to anyone else?) Of course, SECONDS after we climbed out of the cornfield, we saw the combine demolishing the rows of corn I had just tripped my way through. Oops.
So I give you my risked (and Michael’s) life in order to share my Mandate of Heaven playsuit with you! Next, I’ll lay down next to a tree that’s about to be cut down, and jump up and down next to a building that’s about to be razed to the ground…
But first I have to show you the best part of this playsuit: the heart pockets in the back!
They remind me of this dress from the Luella 2010 Spring collection:
Even though Luella gets a bit of a frothy rep (is it rap or rep? Anna, help!) for being a celebrity label, I’ve always loved Luella, and am a little sad that this collection won’t be appearing in any stores. I wonder if it’s really the end for Luella? I hope not. I loved these pieces from her Spring 2010:
How amazing are these silhouettes? I love especially the polka dot cropped pants, puff blouse and high updo with a bow look. My little stumpy legs could never look good in such an ensemble but I love love love the cropped pants and heels look.
All screencaps from style.com
Oh well, I wouldn’t have been able to afford any of these pieces anyway.
I don’t really want to mention Thanksgiving or any other holiday, because I don’t love celebrations, and I don’t love holidays, and I don’t love rituals and ceremonies, especially ones that obscure the violent histories behind their origins, but I am happy to have this entire week off from school, and I am happy to have the opportunity to visit my beautiful cousin in Chicago tomorrow! We’re going to a ‘swanky party’ first thing, so I’ll be bringing along my capulet, and probably a thousand other outfits for her to photograph with her fancy camera and her amazing photography skills. Then it’s back to Iowa City for two weeks before going to New York, (can’t wait!!) and then Michael and I will be in Lisbon for two weeks, staying with our good friend and amazing poet/writer/teacher Geoff—hopefully writing up a storm, taking lots of trips, and eating all of the good food that Lisbon has to offer.
I’m especially excited for Chinese food in Chicago, and every kind of food in New York, because not only do I miss ethnic food in general (Midwest: can you please learn what SPICES are?) but yesterday, Michael brought home a cookbook filled with recipes of street food around the world. Like chaat with green chili and pomegranate, hot and sour quid and green mango, summer rolls with prawn, crab, ginger, and mint; coriander marinated fish, and chard soup with rice and turmeric! Can you tell I’m also really craving some fresh seafood? And I’m craving southeast Asian food more than ever. Like this penang assam laksa for example (hot and sour noodles in fish soup!)
Photo and recipe (if you are lucky enough to live somewhere that has all of these ingredients, in which case, I’m insanely jealous) from rasamayalsia.com
Anyway, I wish you all the best for the upcoming holidays, even if it’s slightly antithetical to my grumpy nature to do any well-wishing for the holidays. The last thing that moved me was the last line of Bolano’s short story, “Dance Card:” “our imaginary home, the home we share.” See you all there.
Love, Jenny
Long live Luella! You look adorable love the playsuit
And yes, I totally get too lazy to make certain jokes. I also agree with your plea to the midwest to learn what spices are. I live in Pittsburgh which isn’t exactly midwest, but close enough to lack spicy food. Enjoy your Thanksgiving, I like to think that it is about family and not the mythical pilgrims we learned about in elementary school. It makes it much more worth celebrating that way.
Thank you so much! I hope you had a great Thanksgiving too.
You’re stunning in that playsuit! Love it. And I’m totally with you on the Thanksgiving thing.
Thank you so much!
my gosh, it must have been warm. It was here too, but not shorts and tights weather sadly. this look is so adorable for spring and summer too.
It was freaking warm! Thanks Eyeliah.
Ooh, I love these pictures and that playsuit is ADORABLE! The hearts on the back are an amazing detail.
P.S. Thanks for your sweet comment! I’m really happy with the way my childhood went, I mean I wore a lot of crazy things, made some bizarre choices, but I was able to do them in a “safe” environment and luckily there isn’t too much record of it…it’s good to blossom in private.
The hearts is my favorite part too! I’ve been loving your posts & photos so much lately….
been reading this blog for ages, finally thought i should make a post. Great post, interesting info. Keep up the good work!
Thanks!
Ahh I bet taking those photos was so much fun! Your playsuit is adorable
It was super fun! Especially knowing that it’s about to be miserable and cold soon..
[...] 15, 2009, 4:16 am Filed under: Uncategorized I have a long story related to this dress. (All of my stories are long, sorry.) I found this dress on Ebay for 3.99 during my freshmen year of [...]
[...] 15, 2009, 4:16 am Filed under: Uncategorized I have a long story related to this dress. (All of my stories are long, sorry.) I found this dress on Ebay for $3.99 during my freshmen year of [...]
haha, I would love to send you some spices to cook that assam laksa! I live in Singapore, which is not that far off from Penang. They sell lots of spices in packets now, which is not as great as the real thing, but some are close enough! Oh PS, when I saw your playsuit on chictopia, I had a positive fashion heart attack
And if you do want those spices sent over, let me know! haha 
and pps, yes I do love luella but I’ll never be able to afford them too.that spring collection is fab!
A beautiful shoot, well done! And t’was very nice to meet you at the store yesterday.
[...] For example, how did they know to make a denim playsuit with kitty pockets and plaid shoulder ties? Or a powder blue halter playsuit with heart pockets? Mandate, you’re [...]