Strip the Willow | Poppy's Style

For the past few years, every October we have made the trip to nearby Stone Mountain for the Stone Mountain Highland Games. Today was no different and after a hectic morning of swimming lessons (managed by MM while I beat the rush at H&M at 10am!) we headed East to the base of the huge rock of granite that we climbed just the other week.

As we entered the park to the sound of bagpipes and drums my eyes filled up immediately. I am no different from every other woman (or man if you include my Dad) in my family – we cry when we hear live music – especially bands, be they brass or pipe, and especially if there are children playing in those bands. Pipe bands are particularly evocative for me, probably down to the years of Scottish holidays, memories of the Edinburgh Tattoo, and the happy years I spent in St. Andrews (though it can be argued that St. Andrews is more English than Scottish with the number of ‘foreign’ students there). It’s actually a bit weird that I ended up in Atlanta as Emory and St. Andrews have really close ties due to the Bobby Jones scholarship. I’ve attended both universities and have never played a round of golf in my life – the shame!

After straining to see the mass pipe band over the crowds, I legged it for the greatly anticipated highlight of the day – fish and chips for lunch! Then off to watch the highland dancing which both the kids LOVED, though I feigned ignorance at any knowledge of how to ‘Strip the Willow’! Historically it was always very late into the University Ball when this dance was undertaken – a shambles I tell you, a shambles!

Me at the Andrew Melville Ball back in 1990:

Friends:)

And how it is done properly:

One day I’ll show them the photos lol – this was the children today awestruck!:

So we’re all worn out now – the children are in bed, I’ve soaked in my new tub and I’m now being punished for something I’ve done as I’m watching Spurs vs. Chelsea.

Here’s the outfit I wore today – I did get my Hunters on at the park but I started off in my new Ash Alex sneakers. TOTALLY adore them – not as chunky as the Steve Madden Hilight, and the Alex has great colors – love the black, coral and bordeaux. I am between a 38 and 39 in Euro sizes and went for a 39 in these – very glad I did as they fit much smaller than the Thelmas. I opted for comfort with my Zara t-shirt and camouflage pants. Interesting to note that I lived in a pair of camouflage trousers back in 1995 that I bought from Kookai. I remember wearing them with my Caterpillar boots all the time and feeling very cool at the Notting Hill Carnival. This could be a bad case of mutton dressing as lamb that I am not prepared to accept quite yet, but surely if Emmanuelle Alt can do it so can I?:) I’ll just put it down to a clothes obsessed woman enjoying a little experimentation…