BELTANE to MEMORIAL DAY countdown: On Biodiversity, Fashion, & Thrifting

Sometimes, cataloging our thrifting finds reminds me of (one of the most amazing places in New York City) the Hall of Biodiversity at the Museum of Natural History. The Hall of Biodiversity is a massive hall adorned with thousands upon thousands of animal specimens, from the tiniest insect, to the most massive whales. Generally, the experience of being confronted by the scale of the infinite variation of life on Planet Earth and the genius of evolution is awe-inspiring and ego squashing. Much the same, a solid day of thrift-store scavenging and a handful of finds that you could have never conjured with you wildest imagination can elicit feelings of smallness and wonder.

My #5 TOP TANK TOP is such a find, a symphonic assemblage of intuitive details, that only the genius of evolution could design:


Like the nervous system of a jelly fish, it is a delicate, simple, but perfect thing.

Firstly, the color; a pale peach. These "nude" tones are all the rage, although I will declare that I have long been a proponent of such shades, long before they were trendy. In fact, I started wearing this top LAST summer. So there. But I digress.

Next, the fantastic silhouette. It's a tank, as designated by the straps, but the body is like a fitted vest, complete with princess seams and pointed hem detail. Take a vest body and turn it in to a tank? Genius!


Then there are the lovely looped button holes and close-set buttons. It reminds me of Victorian garment details--overwrought and painstaking--in the best kind of way.


Last but not least, tightly, finely shirred back side panels, and if that weren't enough, adjustable button straps. I tempt Nature to design something so perfect.