Every aspect of New England life is impacted by weather. We have coats for each season. We have snow tires and regular tires. We have too many shoes because of all the weather variants we venture out in. Blown by the Mother Nature’s winds, it stands to reason that we all come up with our own ways to herald the turning of the calendar pages. Some celebrate with lawn ornaments and others with seasonal flags flying on the exterior of their homes. Having no lawn and a condo association controlled exterior, I do it with Ethel, my vintage dress mannequin. Rain, nor sleet, nor snow, nor hail keep Ethel from looking perfect no matter the time of year. Of course, it helps that she never has to leave the climate controlled comfort of our home.

I collect vintage frocks for her to wear and change them with the seasons. She, or I, seems have a bit of a penchant for formal wear. She recently changed from her winter gown to a lovely party dress. As I packed away her faux fur coat, I took a deep breath and welcomed in the spring. Mother Nature may have control, but does she have such a smashing fashion sense?