Having gone to Catholic school where we had to wear a uniform I remember the day one of my classmates who was a transfer student from public school tell us that she like that we had to wear uniforms because wearing the “wrong” clothes in public school could be a “disaster” for girls.

I didn’t really understand at the time (I think she told us that in 5th grade); but, sort of got it when I went to public high school and hear girls trash talk each other over what they were wearing.

Just so! It explains a lot about my wife. She has always been a careful dresser. Color coordinated, nice fit, well turned out. Even in her “old lady clothes” she just looks maahhvelllous. Would not think about going out if not properly dressed. She has a mental catalogue of all her outfits and whenever she is in a clothing store, she’s mentally testing everything she sees against what she owns and how they would fit together.

Me, I’m a schlub. Spent 38 years wearing uniforms to work. Now my uniform is khaki pants, and a polo shirt in summer or sweater in winter. Sandals in the summer, sneakers in the winter. I have five pair of khaki pants, ten polos, ten sweaters, one pair of sandals (well worn) and two pairs of sneakers. I own one dark suit and three dress shirts with five ties for dress up. Simplicity, simplicity, simplicity.

My only clothing dream has been the recurrent one about my old airline calling me to fly a trip. When I tell them I don’t have a uniform, the answer is always, “No problem. If anyone asks, tell them you’re an FAA pilot.” There are other versions of that dream – no license, my physical’s out of date, the airport is a five-hour drive, etc. No matter what I say, they need me desperately. 🙂 Out to pasture and feeling useless? Probably.

The men all look the same and the women all look the same.

I think it’s because the elaborate period costumes distract me. Then again, Austen seems to throw seven or eight major characters at you in the first ten minutes. At least that’s the way the films work.

There’s also the problem of cultural distance. Jane Austen’s world almost looks like science-fiction to me about an alien world with very different and elaborate cultural mores.

Anyway, it’s fun. I can now see Austen has a keen eye and the characters are often skewering each other in dialog — with the utmost refinement.

BTW, Uncle Aldous wrote the screenplay for the 1940 “Pride and Prejudice,” his only Hollywood credit as I recall. (That was partly why he left England for California.)

His P&P is more sprightly and amusing than I would have expected from his novels like “Point Counter Point” and “Eyeless in Gaza.”

“A party for a woman is like a battlefield for a man.”

What a great line!

Condolences on your loss.

Dreaming that you can fly is a very common dream as well. I used to have that dream, bu in it I only flew a few feet off the ground.

One dream I used to have was a dream in which I could fly. A very pleasant dream, really. I’ve often wondered if anyone else ever has that dream.