It’s Crop Time!

Hello to all my Gal Pals.

I have been in a very ZEN mood lately. I don’t mean Aunty Acids ZEN mood which is “I got in touch with my inner self today. That’s the last time I buy cheap toilet paper!”. I have been in a more reflective state of mind. Do you ever wish you could go back and talk to your younger self? I would tell my younger self not to sweat the small stuff. However, my younger self didn’t have enough life experiences to know that what I was experiencing at that time was small in comparison to what I would face later in life. I would tell my younger self to be more assertive. I was not taught as a child that I should speak up for what I wanted. I would tell my younger self that you are stronger than you think. I learned how strong I was at 27 years of age when I went through a divorce and had to raise my son as a single parent. This is when I truly found my voice. I would tell my younger self to really appreciate your family who will help you every time you need someone to lift you up. I would tell my younger self that life will have its ups and downs but enjoy the ride because life is truly short and you don’t want to be left with regrets. I would tell my younger self that you will be OK in your senior years because you will be surrounded by friends you have made along the way. I would tell my younger self that God is always with you so you are never alone. I would also pass on the philosophy of Aunty Acid, “You can’t always control who walks into your life but you can control which window you throw them out of”. Always stand up for yourself!

In case you haven’t figured it out by the title, this blog’s topic is about crop pants. Before I did a little research about crop pants in women’s fashion, I first had to find out the difference between crops and capris. In some articles they were one in the same while in others there is a definite difference. I found one article that followed a rule-of-thumb that made sense. It distinguished between the two according to where the hemline fell on the calf. If the hemline falls between the ankle and mid-calf, the pants are considered crops. If the hemline falls between the knee and mid-calf, they are considered capris. My question is “What if they fall exactly at mid-calf?”. I choose to consider them crops and that’s that! Remember when we just called both pedal-pushers? Anyway, crops became popular in the 1950s and 1960s. They were embraced by iconic figures like Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Kennedy. They became a symbol of youth and rebellion during the era. They were known for their shorter length and were often worn as a casual and comfortable alternative to full length trousers. Crops are popular because they provide a better airflow than full length pants, they can be dressed up or down, and they make a fashion statement. For some it may evoke nostalgia reminding them of past fashion years or childhood trends. While their popularity may ebb and flow with changing fashion cycles, crops continue to be a favored choice for those seeking a departure from the conventional full length trousers.

I always like to put in a picture of outdoor design as it relates to the topic of the blog. In this section, I have given you a picture of my first crop of the season, the pansy crop.

You have got to love the strength of such a delicate looking flower. Pansies are surprisingly hearty in cold weather even surviving frosts but they have a difficult time surviving hot weather. They love full sun in cool weather. Pansies are great for containers but to keep them blooming you have to remove the dead flowers. They are a cheerful flower with upturned faces and they are edible. When compared to other flowers, they have one of the widest ranges of bright and colorful petals.

OK, time to check out the crops.

I love a good sale and I got this top near the end of the summer season for $35 marked down from $60. The top yoke is made up of a light peach eyelet material and the flowered material is so light weight. It falls beautifully over my tummy so it makes me look slimmer than I am. The dark peach crop pants match the flowers in the top perfectly. I think the sandals are more like accessories which you will see in the next picture.

The sandals have a flower with a peach stone in the center and its leaves make up the cross straps. It is hard to tell but the watch strap is green as are the earrings and one of the bracelets. I wear the rose gold lovebird bracelet on the same wrist as my watch. The stones in the rings are peach and green.

You know how much I love ponchos! This one is so beautiful with the large tropical flowers and animal prints. I bought it from Chicos for $35 marked down from $99 during an on-line flash sale. The wide leg, black crops are so comfortable because of the elastic waist. I am all for comfort! The deep burgundy red shoes go so well with the color of the flowers in the poncho.

What I love about the colors in this poncho is that the accessory combinations are vast. The necklace and jasper ring match the burgundy red flowers while the green watch and green ring bring out the color of the leaves of the tropical flowers. I hope you can enlarge the picture of the butterfly bracelet because the body of the butterfly and the wings contain stones that match the exact colors of the plants in the poncho. The cheetah earrings match the cheetah print in this beautiful pattern.

I love the color combination of turquoise and white. The jacket and blouse fall loosely over the bulge below my waist. Most of my crops are loose fitting because they are cooler. I love wearing my Barbie Doll shoes as an alternative to the typical white pair of sandals.

My favorite accessory in this grouping are the peacock bangle bracelets. I balanced the three bangles on one wrist with the gold watch and two gold bracelets on the other. The slide on the necklace is made of white and multicolored dichroic glass. The white flower ring matches the flowers in the lace of the white top. The turquoise ring and earrings complete the group.

This is where I talk about my weight and I can sum it up in three little words “Fannie Mae Eggs”. I am not talking about those little chocolate foil wrapped eggs. I am talking large cream filled eggs like the green ones filled with chocolate. Holidays are my downfall. My weight is like my life with its ups and downs. Unfortunately, my ups and downs continue to fall within the “overweight” range of the BMI scale. I read a dish towel that was embroidered with the following saying, “Calories: Tiny little creatures that live in your closet and sew your clothes a little tighter each night”. Well they have been very active in my closet! There are now a few months between holidays so maybe there is a chance I could lose a few pounds. Miracles do happen! I always tell myself that I could go and work out at the gym but I don’t see that happening. It reminds me of an Aunty Acid quote, “A part of me wants to go to the gym. And the other part isn’t a LIAR”.

Well until next time remember God loves you and so do I.