stalking the wild Gardenshade

About a year ago I mentioned that I'd captured the J.Crew Gardenshade Pencil Skirt - well, two GSPS's -  a heavy cotton in a murky blue and green floral which I love because there are no orange flowers. And the fabric is strong-minded enough to de-puff the tummy! I now admit that I have a third.

This skirt was another of those obsessive afterthoughts - long after it had disappeared from stores and website, it dawned on me that I should have it. My mom was a glorious natural redhead, milky complexion, wedgewood china blue eyes, and she insisted that her little brown-or-hazel-eyed brunette children would look just as great in redhead-clothes as she did. Um, not. Or perhaps only in the case of deep, swampy blues and greens, and basics like clear black and navy, otherwise even things that were made for us tended to look like hand-me-downs in the wrong color. But because of all the blues and greens, I held off and was late to the gardenshade party.

Speaking of wrong color, doesn't that bright green sweater with the soft tones of the skirt make your teeth hurt?

from a not-so-recent appearance
on eBay...
I challenged a bemused helper formerly known as a Personal Shopper to find me the vanished Gardenshade skirt. The Personal Shopper was polite but dubious, made no promises, but about two months later I got a call from a store across the country - someone had gotten around to checking the We Will Find It email notices, and We Will FOUND IT! was I still interested, she wondered? Well, yes, and when we discussed the price, there was 40% off the last markdown price and the skirt was mine for under $20. I didn't have the nerve to ask about the student discount. I have my limits.

And still later, it arrived, and then another one arrived, also quite cheap, and then in another month, when the third arrived, practically for free, I figured I had a lifetime supply. I have one in my regular size, one in my "slimmer" size, and thanks to the mysterious people who put size tags on things, the third skirt is in a size that is between the other two when tried on, and not a size 2 as labelled. Which is fine with me. I don't even bother to aspire to a size 2, although it's interesting to think that someone in WWFIFY recognized that it was not a 2 and decided it might fit that odd lady in New York.

So, going forward, now no matter what happens I will be adequately Gardenshaded.  I was afraid to tell the WWFI people to stop, because it's like contacting the government - they only read part of the message and they get that part wrong, and that's what stays on your record. I could just envision the notation "Take no action on future WWFI requests" permanently attached to my account number. So I figured that if necessary I could return any additional arrivals or give them to similarly complected relatives, but I haven't had to. The supply stopped as mysteriously and inexplicably as it began, and I put the skirts on a shelf in the closet and thought no more of them.

Time passed, and now I'm thinking about travel in what looks to be a warm fall - and while madly looking in my armoire for the lightest-weight twinset (thank goodness I had remembered to leave a reminder taped to the inside of the door when I reorganized at the end of last summer -- cotton Missonis are in box under bed!), I remembered that I had at least one GSF skirt that would fit. What joy! the skirt goes with so many things. For instance, these Everlane silk blouses...

It's grand with pale pink, too. I thought this DVF top in a more emphatic shade of pink would be cute, but I didn't read the label till it was home - all poly. Back it went. The skirt will probably go with many more things, which is a good thing, considering that I'll be The Girl in the Gardenshade Floral Skirt for years and years to come. And yes, when I finish the sleeves on that denim top, the skirts will go with that too.
Here is a recent post on Ruth's blog in which she is wearing her Gardenshade skirt. Her new shoes are pretty cool, too.

Do you still love your Gardenshade skirt?

21 comments:

  1. I stupidly bought the gardenshade floral skirt in a size 4 when I was at a very low weight for me. Now, I need an 8! Argh! So I am under-gardenshaded. I think that is pretty hilarious that you couldn't turn off the WWFIFY. I would have done the same, just let it run its course and see how many skirts I ended up with.

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    1. hi, cate! JC's ways are mysterious and unpredictable so if a size 8 shows up, I'll post it here.

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  2. Now I'm obsessed with that skirt too. Gardenshaded obsessed, Have to get through Homeland and then I'm allowed another obsession. Now we need to see it on you!!!!yes loving the three dimensional gloriousness of it - and agree - why have they teamed it with that harsh summer green? sometimes stylists just do that 'let's look as ugly as we can shall we"

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    1. well, I just started the get-ready-for-fall diet so it will be a while before personal photos are allowed on the blog. Everyone else seems to diet to get ready for summer, but to me summer is billowy floaty beach dresses, and dashing for the water so fast that the thighs flash by in a second and you wouldn't believe what you just saw.

      It's a great print and I think it would be immortal as a shirt.

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  3. I love mine, WFF! Glad you were able to snag a couple (or three) of this great skirt. I have worn mine with the celestial blue tippi, the pink charley, and with a champagne cami and a byzantine blue (I think, it was byzantine blue, but may have been a cobalt blue) cardigan. It's a very versatile piece.

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    1. I just had another look at the Blouse Collection Wing of the closet, there are lots of shades of blue and green that I haven't tried yet. Also noticed that closet is suffering from the urban blight of overcrowding and is due for some urban renewal.

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  4. Ooh thanks for the mention, WFF! I feel quite famous!
    Had a good chortle that you've now got three!
    I've got 2 pixilated houndstooth skirts, as I was too lazy to return one. It has actually worked out well, as I have one for winter (the shorter, tighter one that is worn with opaque stockings to hide the middle-aged knees), and one for summer (longer, slightly looser for wearing without tights!)
    I wonder if the JC personal stylists will keep sending you garden shade skirts?
    It's a beautiful skirt, and I am glad I got one. It was my first ever JC purchase, soon after they started shipping internationally.
    It's sad that they seem to have abandoned the lovely prints.... At least on wearable skirts. All those bloody mini skirts are driving me mad.

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    1. I may have exhausted the supply, although I'd welcome another. I wish they'd bring back this print. There was also a short dress and a sleeveless top with ruffled neck, neither of which are my looks. When I saw the skirt on your blog, my first reaction was "Mine! Mine!" and I'm glad you didn't dispose of it at the end of its first season. It's become a family friend.

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  5. I so enjoyed your funny tale, everything from your mom's view of color and how you came to three GSPSs. Would you believe I don't remember if I have a Gardenshade skirt but I am certain I have a sleeveless silk top in Gardenshade, that would be lovely with your coloring too. ;)

    That is quite impressive, the work of WWFIFY.

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    1. Thanks, tr!
      I looked seriously at the sleeveless top, which sometimes pops up on eBay, but the neckline is not for me. Sigh.

      I generally find the WWTF system to be slow and obscure, at best, this experience was a rare and delightful exception.

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  6. I think mine is in the "to consign" bag or has been consigned, though I still have the blouse. I just over-saturated myself in 2012 and 2011 in pencil skirts and then promptly quite my job! I do think it is awfully pretty and I am glad to think of you and your three out there! Gee - wish they could have ever found me the Giverny skirt!

    I will check Cate - if I still have it - but I think it was a 6

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    1. If it's not too late, you might want to try the skirt with your latest rose pinks. You might rethink the consignment issue.

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    2. Thanks WMM but there is no way I can fit into a size 6 pencil skirt at the moment, sad face! lol!

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  7. I don't have it, because I rarely wear pencil skirts, but I think the colors are gorgeous. Sometimes you find an item that really calls for multiple purchases(even if unexpected). That is really trans seasonal. Another trip? That is wonderful!

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    1. Hi, KnitYarns, trans seasonal - precisely!

      in our house someone is always planning a trip.

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  8. A fabulous tale- I hope they keep coming...! I finally got mine this past winter through the trade forum- I love love love it!

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    1. Oh, I'm so glad there's another Gardenshade devotėe and happy ypu found one. I think the catalog styling put a lot of people off from ordering it early, including me, but as reviews and blog pics came in, I was won over.

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  9. oh gosh, i didn't get it but i wish i did! such a lovely pattern!

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    1. hi, Laura, that's exactly the feeling that led me to take a chance on the Personal Shopper.

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  10. Hi WFF, I have been stalking that skirt on EBay and just lost out on one in size 4, not sure if it came in petite which would be the best. I have the sleeveless blouse in the same print and love it for all the colors you can wear it with. With the depressing lack of prints from J Crew this spring/summer within my non-collection price budget. I am now looking at prints I missed out from previous years and stalking them on Ebay and JCA

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  11. I truly love some of the old prints, JRSConifer! I'm sorry to hear that you missed out on this one, but as we both know the most amazing things appear on eBay, so maybe you'll get another shot.

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