Overnight it turned into summer in Santa Barbara, as it does every year (spring? what’s spring?), even though every year I forget it happens like that. So after many long months of holing up at home and eating the same four stupid dinners night after night and fighting about whose turn it is to clear the table versus whose turn it is to wipe it BECAUSE THERE IS A VAST AND APPRECIABLE DISTINCTION in case you didn’t realize, we happily found ourselves at dinner at our friends Jon and Kelly’s house on Friday night.

It. Was. Heaven. 

“I’m loving your blog,” Kelly said, handing me another margarita. “But seriously, where are you getting all of those awful clothes?”

“From my closet,” I explained. I was confident that Kelly wasn’t actually reading my blog at this point, but Kelly was in the middle of tossing a delicious looking salad* that I couldn’t wait to eat, so I wasn’t about to call her out or anything.

“I know that’s what you’re saying on the blog, ” Kelly said, shaking her head, “but really, where are you getting them?”

“They’re mine,” I promised, shoveling more guacamole that was homemade by somebody other than me into my face. “I bought them.”

“No way,” Kelly insisted. “I’m like, ‘I see Jenna all the time. She’s a stylish dresser. There’s no way she bought all of that stuff.'”

Oh really, Kelly? 

I feel like I bought this for a costume party, but if that’s true what could the theme possibly have been? Lattice Entertain You? Come as Your Favorite Picnic Tablecloth? Newspaper (“What’s black and white and re(a)d all over?“)? I couldn’t tell you. But I sort of like the way it fits, and it is strapless, which you may recall is my weakness. Also if you peer down closely near the bottom hem, you’ll see that this dress has a cute little tulle crinoline poking out, which might have felt nostalgic at the time? (Although the one I got from the Sears catalog for my tenth birthday was made of layers of rainbow pastels and not black, SWEAR TO GOD.)

So yeah Kelly, I bought this dress. I currently own it. I will probably keep it in the Halloween tub (although I welcome your theme-ideas because frankly I’m at a loss). And I know you won’t judge, because you were the one who begged your husband to trot out his admittedly impressive collection of vintage, kaleidoscopic Olympic clown costumes ski wear for everyone to enjoy. (Thanks for that BTW. Made my night.)

XO
Jenna

*that salad turned out to be even more delicious than it looked–it had cabbage and jalapenos and rice vinegar and that’s all I remember but I’ll post the recipe if Kelly will share it because it came from some famous chef she knows and everyone should seriously make this salad immediately. Oh, and let me know if you need a tablecloth.