You'd Think I Could Resist...

...but you would be so, so wrong.

In the deep dark of Winter, I wear over-sized, cozy flannel shirts that I've bought either in the Men's department at a regular store or a thrift shop.  My objective is to stay warm; they are roomy and easily fit over my thermals and long-sleeved tees.  I used to wear expensive Italian suits and 4" heels and hang with the big boys.  Now that I don't do that anymore, I find my style has become more...comfortably casual.

That's not to say I can't muster the flash; I have fancy dresses for most events, and the shoes to match.  It's just...I'm living on a mountain in a very small town with not many--okay, zero--occasions to play dress up.

But then. When the weather changes and the heat rises and it's time to shift the flannels to the back of the closet...ah, my heart skips a beat.  The beauty and color and feel of my Hawaiian shirts beckon as I lovingly hang them in place of the warm flannels.  Now I want cool and silky, air flow and ease.

I have an inordinate variety of these shirts.  Some go back years, to my tropical adventures, those days of sailing the South Pacific, where I learned loose and free is the only way to survive in certain climates. Then, as time passed, I've added more shirts, some found in unlikely places (a small shop in the Scottish Highlands on a freezing cold afternoon in July); discovered another by chance (Schiphol airport in Amsterdam), and was completely surprised (at a small open air market in Positano, Italy).

My collection is wonderful...not just because these are great shirts, perfect for the scorching heat of any Summer's day, but more because they are wearable memories.  I love each and every one of them.

You would think enough is enough, wouldn't you?  HA. You know nothing then of the allure, the romance of these shirts.

I had to pop into the store this morning because I forgot something whilst shopping yesterday.  I took a shortcut through the Men's department which is normally way off the beaten track in my usual circuit of this store.

And what do I stumble upon, in this unexpected detour?

Hawaiian shirts.  On sale.

Of course, they are way more beautiful in person, with the vibrant colors, the silky feel of the fabrics. Joy hums through me as I add two more to the mix.

Sigh.  I'm telling you, peeps, resistance is futile...