I’ve often wondered why so many writers –poets in particular– are so freaking depressed. I mean, take Emily Dickinson. Cute girl, nice family, beautiful house in the Pioneer Valley…maybe she didn’t date much, but honestly what did she expect with the severe center part and lack of volume at the crown?
But instead of getting up early and banging out a few rhymes about pearls and girls and then spend the rest of the day banging inappropriate men on behalf of the war effort –which is what I’d do if I were a poet– she spent her life writing morbid stuff about public frogs and angels with curious ideas towards haberdashery. Why?
Turns out it was the clothes.
Behold the Style & Co “poet shirt.” Who knew?
I can’t help it. Whenever I read an Emily Dickinson poem, I sing it in my head to the tune of The Yellow Rose of Texas.
Comment by Cat — May 20, 2008 @ 11:49 am
Wow, this one combines the less-than-flattering volume of the traditional poet’s shirt with a rather strange seam that rides atop the bust, the better to make one look as if even this voluminous garment is too big for one’s mighty rack. Emily D. would be hard-pressed to have Death stop for her in this outfit.
Comment by Crinklish — May 20, 2008 @ 1:18 pm
Wow, that’s really an awful top. Unless you’re pregnant.
The colour is lovely, mind you. But the matchy matchy trousers? Make it look like a uniform you might see someone in a hospital wearing. Probably someone in the kitchen.
Comment by Wendy — May 20, 2008 @ 1:37 pm
The yoke seam is either too high or far too low, but its biggest problem is that the fabric is far, far too stiff. One of the hallmarks of a poet’s shirt is the way it flows and drapes into and out of the gathering at the yoke, shoulders and cuffs–this one sticks out in angles and sharp folds.
Comment by rabrab — May 20, 2008 @ 1:50 pm
@Cat: I sing it to the tune of the Gilligan’s Island theme song. Which is now stuck in my head (thanks, Plumcake).
Comment by Nemtynakht — May 20, 2008 @ 2:37 pm
I admit publicly: I kind of like it. I am a sucker for smock tops. I have no idea why. I think it’s because I get tired of all the form-fitting stuff we are supposed to wear 24/7 like baby tees (god how do I hate that term? Let me count the ways (in keeping with our poetry theme). I’d like to see the seam higher, too. I’m especially a sucker for smock tops or tunics with pockets in the bottom.
Hangs head in shame.
I don’t like the shortish sleeves on this one.
If rabrab can have and love moon boots I get to like poet shirts and smock tops.
Comment by Chaser — May 20, 2008 @ 3:04 pm
Nemtynakht: Holy smokes, that works, too! And it is now stuck in my head, as well.
Comment by Cat — May 20, 2008 @ 3:09 pm
Actually, when you examine structure, diction, and punctuation (especially punctuation, the difference between “I’m nobody” and “I’m nobody!” read in context is astounding), a lot of Emily Dickinson’s stuff is optimistic and sweet. She wrote a lot of poems for her friends, and sent them with letters.
As for poet shirts, proper ones (light, flowy material) worn with the proper attitude are lovely. This one is neither the right material nor the right attitude and fails.
Comment by calixti — May 20, 2008 @ 3:45 pm
I wanna bang inappropriate men to support the war effort! Go Plumcake…u always rock!
Comment by jen — May 20, 2008 @ 4:00 pm
Oooh, an unexplored avenue of patriotism. Maybe it’ll wipe the memory of this shirt from my head… *goes to find inappropriate man she has in mind*
Comment by Sara — May 20, 2008 @ 4:57 pm
Beautiful color. Linen, I think, is probably too stiff a fabric for a poet’s shirt.
Comment by OCCaliAKA — May 20, 2008 @ 5:04 pm
Chaser, I have and love poet shirts, too! But like calixti said, they must be light, flowy material, and they do require a certain type of attitude.
Comment by rabrab — May 20, 2008 @ 5:35 pm
And the sleeve is at least 2 times too small and does not have the ruffle at the bottom (because of the wrist ties, duh!) Poet shirt sleeves are suppose to be humongous. Linen is fine but only if it is the lightest, unstarched of linens. Muslin or silks work well too. And the length…I’m not sure. The whole problem is ratios.
Comment by Jennie — May 20, 2008 @ 8:00 pm
Perhaps there are other things to focus on.
For instance, while you all are in discussion, I will quietly steal away with all the accessories.
Comment by littlem — May 21, 2008 @ 12:16 am
OCCaliAKA, linen in and of itself is not too stiff for poet shirts – it was certainly the shirt fabric that poets were wearing up through the early part of the 19th century, when cotton became an acceptable substitute for linen in shirts (and other underpinnings). It’s the weight of the fabric; a lightweight linen can be a lovely, drapey, fluid delight. This … not so much with the drapey, fluid delight.
Comment by La BellaDonna — June 12, 2008 @ 12:40 pm