Day 19--Papa Don't Preach

As if wearing sweaters from the last millennium weren't tough enough, I instituted a "rule" (it's in quotes because it is subject to leniency should circumstances deem it necessary) for this Great Sweater Experiment.  The royal proclamation is this: If the sweater is good enough to keep, it's good enough to wear for the entire day.  Or, no fair taking it off when "cooler" people are around.

In the spirit of this law, I knew that today's sweater could not be simply "fine."  It needed to be offensive, atrocious, and any other adjective I could find had I bothered to keep my old Roget's from college.  If it was merely, "fine," I might have to wear it tonight, and, since I have a skating event this evening, that just isn't in the cards.

It had to be an obvious reject. For these reasons, I picked my sweater fall guy. I present to you, Exhibit A: The Priest-Collar line from the Gap.

Father, forgive me for I am wearing your sweater.

What in Heaven's name...

Of course, the fact that I actually have kept this sweater begs the question--Did I not notice this collar when I purchased this turtleneck at the Gap around the Y2K?  Was I going to a costume party in the near future?  All I can say is that I was blinded by the ski stripes on the sleeves.  Again, if I had an Achilles heel in the early part of this century it was those pesky lines.  Call it a Sun Valley fetish, call it Picabo Street envy, call it what you will, but it doesn't change the fact that this is a recurring theme in my closet. And, due to the fact that pretty much only the necks of my sweaters show through my coat for most of the day, this particular sweater is a bit of a problem.

Nobody made any confessions to me today (too bad...I am in need of some new gossip), but it doesn't change the fact that I felt like I should be reading a sermon instead of teaching salchows all day.  Perhaps if this were in a different color (oh please, oh please, don't let me unearth this in another hue), it wouldn't look so much like what a priest would wear if his parish were in Lake Tahoe.

My rating: Stephen Collins. While he is a good-looking and talented actor (mostly on television, but there's no shame in that), no matter what roles he takes on, he will forever be Reverend Camden from 7th Heaven to me. This sweater has a nice fit, kept me very warm (despite being, once again, 100% cotton...where are these designers skiing?), but cannot escape its ecclesiastical roots.  Like a sweater in a classic style, Stephen Collins has aged well, making the transition from (made-for-TV) leading man to attractive father of the leading man quite nicely.  Unfortunately, it's not so easy to shake that collar.  Off it goes into the collection plate.

Side note: Since I so handily passed on this sweater, I was able to wear one of my new acquisitions tonight...and heard those four little words that I have so missed, "I love your sweater." Heaven!