Tess

"As Tess's own people down in those retreats are never tired of saying among each other in their fatalistic way: 'It was to be.' There lay the pity of it. An immeasurable chasm was to divide our heroine's personality thereafter from that previous self of hers who stepped from her mother's door to try her fortune at Trantridge poultry-farm."

Here are my photos for our Pickwick Ladies Book Club January choice, Tess of the D'Urbervilles. If any of you have Tess inspired photos please post them on our facebook page and I'll add them to an album.

Tess of the D'Urbervilles is a tragedy unlike any that authors these days seem to dream up. The story follows Tess as she is plagued by wicked Alec D'Urberville, who eventually is the cause of the breakup of her marriage. It is very fitting for cold winter reading, that's for sure!

I thought this vintage trench would be perfect for Tess inspired wanderings. It is lined with the most beautiful wool, which is also the same as the scarf on the hood. I think the scarf/hood arrangement is so unusual, I have never seen another coat like it. It is one of my last vintage finds from Brooklyn; I bought it a few days before I moved.

Boots, Shorts, Silk Blouse, Coat: Thrifted

Tights: Marks and Spencer

Other than reading Tess, I have been learning how to Telemark ski! It's so much fun and requires much more thought than regular Alpine skiing. After practicing so much I'm pretty sure I'm going to have thighs of steel - for those of you who have never seen anyone tele-ing, it's basically lunging all the way down the hill. I'm looking forward to practicing some more and then buying a beacon and some other avalanche gear so I can go skiing in the backcountry.

Not much other news here - just skiing all the time! I hope some of you read Tess too so that I can see your pictures. Let me know if you need help posting them on Facebook!