Sequins Lead to Faded Grey Memories

After I donned that J.Crew drapey sequin piece of magic (seen here) it was over for me.  Of course when I went to put on the tank style version it had a big ol' series of sequins missing from it.  I cannot be held responsible for this negligent purchase:  I was under the spell of sequined madness during the in-store experience.  Thankfully the kind store folk were able to exchange the lovely tank and the delay on shipping was only one month of sheer torture.

For that entire month I envisioned it, for some strange reason, with grey (and bell bottoms, but that's a different post for a different time).  Maybe because grey and pink are best friends.  Maybe because grey makes things less girly.  Or maybe because pink breaks the black and grey addiction that plagues me whenever it gets cold.  Whatever the case, as I scanned the closet I came face to face with a Martin+Osa garment bag housing my last big purchase last winter before AE announced they were pulling the plug on the division.  I took one look and realized it was time to let present meet tragic past - and so the introductions began.

Martin+Osa (RIP)-Wool Moto Jacket, JCrew-Sequined Tank, Foley+Corinna-Mid-City Tote

Can you feel the sparks going off?

Martin+Osa (RIP) Grey Skinny Denim, Joie Refugee Boot (also seen here and here)

Expect the unexpected

  From the side you'd never expect the tank...you would be

be too caught up loving the perfect grey denim 

or the fab shape of the jacket.

Maybe even both.

What on earth was American Eagle thinking when they dissolved Martin+Osa??

 But then I'd turn around to check if there was any time

left on my metre and you'd see the shimmer beneath the jacket.

 And we'd strike up a conversation around grey and muted

shades of pink and the elusive M+O logo on the jacket's zipper.

I would have to break the news that M+O is no more, and 

you would feel horrible.  We would commiserate about being up the 

creek without a paddle not knowing quite where

to finish start our Christmas shopping seeing as a LOT of it

had been done there.  Not to mention all the leather coats

and boots we're being robbed of.  And cashmere.  

And candles. 

Sequins to the rescue! 

But we'd both walk away wondering what might have been if some angel investor had saved the division.

As kooky as this tale is, it is truly how I feel about Martin + Osa.  It was a place you could find everything.  I was all hopped up to write this post about the sequined tank (that I fully intend to try to wear after the holidays, but is that feasible?), but then when I pulled the jacket out of the garment bag and put the jeans on with it - suddenly it was an ode to M+O. I mean I shopped there so much that when my main store was closing they called me to come and get first dibs on a set of custom made leather chairs and cubes I'd loved since day 1 - now that is loyalty.  And a friend of mine was there when they closed the doors on the last day.  It was seriously like the loss of a faithful companion. 

Did any of you shop there?  (Alli, Ashleigh? you out there??)  What has filled in the gap for you since then?  Throw out a rope - I'm rationing the denim for life!!

One more day til FRIDAY!  YAHOOOO!!