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Blogs by Wendi L Richards
Fashion and procrastination 5/28/2008 4:27:09 AM
What do you do when you're not writing? I tend to over-think things.
Lately, I've been feeling a little blocked in my writing. It all started when my toddler stopped taking his morning nap. That was my official writing time and now it's gone. I feel off-balance and off-track without writing. I'm not sure what other writers do in this situation, but I shop.
I sent a goal, perhaps it's the perfect t-shirt (that doesn't look like every other one in my closet) or a tent, after all, I do go camping once a year.
This brings up thoughts about style, what do you want to say to the world? What do you want to project? Who are you? See the over-thinking...
Being a mom in Maine is much MUCH different than being a model in Guam. If I wear a skirt or designer anything here, I usually get asked, "Why are you so dressed up?" Maine is the height of casual dressing.
This doesn't matter too much to me. I don't follow fashion, regional or fads. I once decided that shorts were unflattering, so I wore skirts all summer. Then I discovered capris the next year. I think like most people, I just want to buy clothes that flatter, which is not at all easy when you have the shoulders of a linebacker and the biceps to match. Frills, ruffles, empire waists, baby-dolls, puffed sleeves are all evil. I also loath anything sleeveless.
Once, I took a feminist-type class on the unrealistic expectations of society and the media on the female physique.
Let me say something about being that type that is considered unrealistic. The magazines may have lots of advertisements featuring these women, but magazine articles on dressing do not cater to them. I can find "Dressing for a Big Bust, Big Hips, Big Body, No Curves, and Petite Frame" but I can't find any articles for really broad shoulders, not much bust, little waist, and no hips. If they think that people designed in this unrealistic manner don't deserve any articles, because they are the lucky few who fit into everything. Well, excuse me for laughing myself onto the floor, but it doesn't work that way. No body is perfect. I couldn't resist the pun.
Now, let's talk about sizes. Talk about unrealistic. Studies show that the smaller the number on the tag the more of a "rush" shoppers feel and they are more likely to make that purchase. Now, I haven't changed shape much over the years, I'm still a 10 in pattern sizes. Yet, at Eddie Bauer I've been falling from a 6, to a 4, and this year I'm a 2! Will I be a 0 next year? Even I don't believe these numbers. They already have 00 and 000. Will we have negative number soon?
I was looking at patterns from the 1950s and I was a size 14. Of course, women were smaller then. I would be a giant in medieval times, but when walking by modern teens, I can feel downright short. So, shouldn't sizes be getting bigger? Will consumers ever learn that size doesn't matter? It's all about fit.
Hmm, this didn't go at all in the direction I thought it would. Oh, well. Thanks for musing with me.
