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In third grade, I watched with envy as some of the girls in my class joined Brownie scouts, and I imagined them learning how to tie sailor knots or weave a rug or something. In fourth grade, as an extracurricular activity, my teacher taught some of my friends and me how to crochet and knit. Moving onto high school, as one of my electives, I decided to take an “easy” class, so I registered in sewing. I think I had my fill of ric-rac, hemming, and overlock stitches. To my dismay, I think I got a ‘C’ in that class for sewing the crotch of a pair of pants wrong. I had inadvertently sewn the left rear panel to the right front panel 3 times in a row. Now, as an adult, I like to spend my free time reading novels of centuries past, where the activities appreciated were embroidery, drawing, and taking up a musical instrument. Ahhhh, I wish I were more gifted in those areas, and this outfit gives me hope that I can wear hand-crafted items or that has the look of handicraft. The ruffles on the top and the pencil skirt remind me of the sundresses and a basic skirt we made in sewing. The weaved wedges takes me back to that time I wished so dearly to be a Girl Scout. I am lusting for this Mombasa with its hand-embroidered blooms that reminds me of like fireplace screenings that would descriptively pop up once in a while in a Jane Austen novel.

Starting from left–

• Alisha Levine, Ruffled Back Silk Top in Purple, jewel neckline, ruffled at hem, open back, pure silk, made in the USA, $180, @ Neiman Marcus.
• Odille, Timeless Twill Skirt in Navy, versatile cotton and spadex pencil-skirt, triangular pocket, dainty kick pleats, side zip, machine wash, 22.75″L, made in the USA, $98, @ anthropologie.
• Henna Leaf Wedges in Carmine, perforated leather and laminated linen jute with leather trim, cutout linen peep-toes, adjustable buckle, linen, leather insole and sole, 3″ wedge, $178, @ anthropologie.
• Yves Saint Laurent, Mombasa Collector in Beige/Multicolor, canvas shoulder bag with hand-embroidered flowers and deer horn handle, 10” H x 12” W x 1.5” D, made in Italy, $1,795.
• Dsquared2, Leather Bow Bracelet in Natural, logo-embossed grained leather band, small logo-embossed leather bow, golden metal tips, secure spring ring clasp; logo-embossed leather tab on adjustable chain, total length measures approximately 11.75″, made in Italy, $125, @ eLUXURY.

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