Oh, Anna Wintour. Bless you and your gorgeously fashionable brain, but you can’t honestly believe that Hillary Clinton’s decision to decline a spread in Vogue is as simple as you make it out to be in your Editor’s Letter in the February issue.
It’s not that the whole world has a lack of respect for the feminine, or gasps at the sight of cleavage as you say. It’s that fashion, my dear, while an amazing art form, is a frivolous concern upon which a future president should not be focusing.
Vogue is not a women’s magazine, like so many of these half-assed pieces of garbage floating around out there. It is a fashion magazine, in the strictest and most wonderful sense of the term. Despite a few interesting features from time to time that might focus on a topic that observes politics or social issues, the focus is overwhelmingly on style, and the people who make it.
Expecting a Senator who is running for President to appear in the pages of Vogue is kind of odd. Senator Clinton is not a nice backdrop for lovely clothing, or new makeup styles. She’s not a wall on which we should be hanging art. She’s the main event, Anna.
On top of that, to take time out for primping and being photographed for Vogue would mean losing valuable time during the most strenuous primary campaign in the last 55 years, maybe ever.
Be proud of what Vogue is, Anna —the best fashion magazine in the world—but don’t be surprised when a person who could quite possibly become the leader of the free world doesn’t distract herself from issues like war, the economy, and immigration for what amounts to a public day of beauty. The Senator has more important things to worry about!
Monday, January 21, 2008
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Confession: My underwear doesn't fit
I'll address that title first, because it would be irresponsible of me to leave a statement like that hanging in the air without an explanation.
A couple years ago I received a $100 gift certificate to Victoria's Secret, and I went on a panty-buying rampage (sorry, Plain Jane, that I just typed that word you hate). Oh sure, I bought a nice silky robe, but what every woman really wants to do is have all new underwear, so I bought about 15 pairs. Before that, I had worn medium size string bikini style underwear, so I felt pretty comfortable buying string and regular bikini in medium.
So for about 3 years now, I have been regretting the regular bikinis, which pinch me, do not cover me properly, and result in an awful panty line. They hurt, y'all. I always know when I need to do laundry, because I open my underwear drawer, and there are those torture devices. Today I'm wearing a novelty pair of Hello Kitty underwear just to avoid them. Sweet. Should I get in there and throw them all out this weekend? Purge the drawer, for better or for worse?
Risk having to do laundry more frequently for the comfort of my body? I think I should, but we'll see how far I get.
In better news, I am currently wearing that great sweater from the Gap that I saw on Amy Adams in Vogue a few weeks ago. I had to go get my cell phone fixed at the mall, so I figured I'd take a peek and see if I could find it. I ended up buying two, because the green one felt so nice. It's kind of weird because on the website they don't have either of the colors I bought. The one I just had to have was kelly green, and the one I'm wearing today is baby blue. I love it.
I also tried on some jeans and pants while I was there, and I think Gap pants and jeans are just not made for me. See?
A couple years ago I received a $100 gift certificate to Victoria's Secret, and I went on a panty-buying rampage (sorry, Plain Jane, that I just typed that word you hate). Oh sure, I bought a nice silky robe, but what every woman really wants to do is have all new underwear, so I bought about 15 pairs. Before that, I had worn medium size string bikini style underwear, so I felt pretty comfortable buying string and regular bikini in medium.
So for about 3 years now, I have been regretting the regular bikinis, which pinch me, do not cover me properly, and result in an awful panty line. They hurt, y'all. I always know when I need to do laundry, because I open my underwear drawer, and there are those torture devices. Today I'm wearing a novelty pair of Hello Kitty underwear just to avoid them. Sweet. Should I get in there and throw them all out this weekend? Purge the drawer, for better or for worse?
Risk having to do laundry more frequently for the comfort of my body? I think I should, but we'll see how far I get.
In better news, I am currently wearing that great sweater from the Gap that I saw on Amy Adams in Vogue a few weeks ago. I had to go get my cell phone fixed at the mall, so I figured I'd take a peek and see if I could find it. I ended up buying two, because the green one felt so nice. It's kind of weird because on the website they don't have either of the colors I bought. The one I just had to have was kelly green, and the one I'm wearing today is baby blue. I love it.
I also tried on some jeans and pants while I was there, and I think Gap pants and jeans are just not made for me. See?
Thursday, December 6, 2007
House of Style
While buying Christmas presents for my brother-in-law this week, I felt terribly jealous. Why is it that I have no problem buying stylish things for other people's homes, but I am yet to hang anything but a string of greeting cards on my own dining room wall? I think my husband and I suffer from a general stinginess when it comes to our own home. It's unfortunate too, because I think we'd take more pride in it if we liked it better. But the question of course arises - which is more important: having a nice clock, or getting to retire early.
Maybe we could do both. As with clothing, I think I just have to get a little more creative.
TIP OF THE WEEK: If you never do anything with your hair and you need to look a little bit special for a party or something like that, just blow dry it and curl the ends with a curling iron, just straight up. It results in a polished I-didn't-actually-do-my-hair-but-it-does-look-lovely look. I've done this for three holiday parties already. I do hope no one is catching on.
Maybe we could do both. As with clothing, I think I just have to get a little more creative.
TIP OF THE WEEK: If you never do anything with your hair and you need to look a little bit special for a party or something like that, just blow dry it and curl the ends with a curling iron, just straight up. It results in a polished I-didn't-actually-do-my-hair-but-it-does-look-lovely look. I've done this for three holiday parties already. I do hope no one is catching on.
Monday, December 3, 2007
The Horror
Written on paper Friday night, because I just could not contain myself:
Stacy. Oh No. Oh Stacy. I am so sorry.
I watched my first and perhaps only episode of Fashionably Late tonight, and I am so disappointed. I don't want to wax all feminist on anybody, but Miss London has done herself and all women a disservice by dumbing herself down and trying to put on a chummy air for this show.
There are many women who are loved by their girl friends naturally. I have friends like this. When they got married, people would fight over who would get to be their bridesmaids. They love being women and are so comfortable in their feminine skin. God bless them.
And then there are women like me who don't naturally interact the way women generally interact. The vocal intonations are different. There's a little less openness and sociability. There's maybe even a little coldness. We can be the nicest people in the world, and we feel things deeply, but we're never going to wear all of that in the open.
After watching that show, I think Stacy is one of these people. Despite her humor on What Not To Wear, she always seemed respectably cold and discriminating. It's what made her seem like an authority on fashion. It's something good female teachers often have - just an air of authority. I love that quality, and it's one of the reasons I was interested in Fashionably Late. Stacy is great because she has an ivy league education, and she still knows so much about style.
The concept of Fashionably Late is that Stacy is hosting a party with her mostly female audience. Instead of giving her a show where she can just interact with the topic, and maybe do an occasional interview, they have her trying to chum it up with everyday women. And oh my God it is so awkward.
She's so nervous throughout the show that her neck muscles are tense and sticking out. As she tries to banter with the audience, you can see on her face that she's so uncomfortable. They have her serving drinks and trying to get laughs, and it made me nervous just watching her.
At one point during the show, there was a bizarre sequence where she was pretending to be on the back of a moving motorcycle. Later, she told Angie Harmon that when they first met, she wished they could be roommates. She tried on a series of hats and made goofy faces, all the while making forced, awkward conversation. Where was that confidence I loved?
Why not do a show about the really intelligent side of fashion? Why did she agree to do something with this format where she's putting on the hey-girlfriend-let's-gossip BS personna that pop culture demands? Any idiot could see that a show like that is not where she is going to shine.
By the end of the show, I was feeling inexplicably anxious, like I had done something horribly wrong. I think I was just empathizing with Stacy a little too much.
I'm not going to put her down for trying to be successful and squeeze every penny she can out of what is most likely a very brief period of fame for her. But I do wish she had held out for something better.
I'll keep an eye on the show, just in case she improves with time like a lot of talk radio people do eventually, but I don't have high hopes.
Stacy. Oh No. Oh Stacy. I am so sorry.
I watched my first and perhaps only episode of Fashionably Late tonight, and I am so disappointed. I don't want to wax all feminist on anybody, but Miss London has done herself and all women a disservice by dumbing herself down and trying to put on a chummy air for this show.
There are many women who are loved by their girl friends naturally. I have friends like this. When they got married, people would fight over who would get to be their bridesmaids. They love being women and are so comfortable in their feminine skin. God bless them.
And then there are women like me who don't naturally interact the way women generally interact. The vocal intonations are different. There's a little less openness and sociability. There's maybe even a little coldness. We can be the nicest people in the world, and we feel things deeply, but we're never going to wear all of that in the open.
After watching that show, I think Stacy is one of these people. Despite her humor on What Not To Wear, she always seemed respectably cold and discriminating. It's what made her seem like an authority on fashion. It's something good female teachers often have - just an air of authority. I love that quality, and it's one of the reasons I was interested in Fashionably Late. Stacy is great because she has an ivy league education, and she still knows so much about style.
The concept of Fashionably Late is that Stacy is hosting a party with her mostly female audience. Instead of giving her a show where she can just interact with the topic, and maybe do an occasional interview, they have her trying to chum it up with everyday women. And oh my God it is so awkward.
She's so nervous throughout the show that her neck muscles are tense and sticking out. As she tries to banter with the audience, you can see on her face that she's so uncomfortable. They have her serving drinks and trying to get laughs, and it made me nervous just watching her.
At one point during the show, there was a bizarre sequence where she was pretending to be on the back of a moving motorcycle. Later, she told Angie Harmon that when they first met, she wished they could be roommates. She tried on a series of hats and made goofy faces, all the while making forced, awkward conversation. Where was that confidence I loved?
Why not do a show about the really intelligent side of fashion? Why did she agree to do something with this format where she's putting on the hey-girlfriend-let's-gossip BS personna that pop culture demands? Any idiot could see that a show like that is not where she is going to shine.
By the end of the show, I was feeling inexplicably anxious, like I had done something horribly wrong. I think I was just empathizing with Stacy a little too much.
I'm not going to put her down for trying to be successful and squeeze every penny she can out of what is most likely a very brief period of fame for her. But I do wish she had held out for something better.
I'll keep an eye on the show, just in case she improves with time like a lot of talk radio people do eventually, but I don't have high hopes.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Being a Mess
As I was about to pull into a parking spot today, I saw a woman whose appearance immediately threw me. Her hairstyle and color said punk. Her jacket said Grandma. Her purse said professional, and her shoes said Korean manicurist. I didn’t analyze all of this in one fell swoop, but rather got a closer look at her when we happened to enter the same restaurant for lunch.
I’m so glad to have seen her, and noticed the many aspects of her appearance, because I know I have done the same thing a million times, and now I know better. In all seriousness, I was not judging her. I could imagine that she had just been at the doctor’s office, so had thrown on the weird little sandals to be comfortable, along with the sweatpants and somewhat frumpy/punky ponytail. All of her stuff was in the big brown leather bag she uses for work, so she picked that up on the way out the door. She forgot a jacket, so she borrowed her mom’s when she caught a chill at the doctor’s office. It happens.
But it was amazing. I couldn’t tell how old she was. I couldn’t figure anything out about her, and it was all because her appearance was so inconsistent. I bet there are some cool fashion freaks who can make that concept look good, but we ordinary folks tend to fall apart under it.
So what did I learn? Consistency! From head to toe! If I am going to wear dress pants, I must not wear sneakers, unless they are nice fashionable sneakers, and I’m wearing something casual on top that makes the whole thing work! If I am going to wear a dress and stockings and nice shoes, I damned well better do something with my hair. If I am going to look like a slob, I better work the slob thing from head to toe (but why work that hard to look bad when I could look good?). None of this pulling things together and squinting in the mirror to imagine that it looks good. No more putting on a pair of earrings that I hope will draw attention away from my wrinkled pants. Being put together is so important, and I got an in-your-face example of why today.
Speaking of being a mess, I was thrilled to learn yesterday that one of my favorite TV personalities, Stacy London of TLC’s What Not To Wear, is now hosting her own show called Fashionably Late. I’m of course fashionably late in realizing this, since apparently it premiered last week, but I’m all set up to record it. It’s on Fridays at 10/9c on TLC. Sweet! I have Stacy (and her WNTW co-host Clinton) to thank, in large part, for my realization that I sort of have been a mess as far as fashion goes. Monday, November 26, 2007
I Love Vogue: December 2007
Another issue so soon? I guess maybe my last one was a little late. This time I have my new Vogue well in advance of its cover date.
1. This is not so much a Vogue note as a general observation, but does anyone feel comfortable (or decent) in tiny minidresses that barely come down past the derriere? Some of the dresses I see on women in several different magazines look like they would pop
up around your waist if you dared to sit in them. If I had awesome legs, I might try it out, but to me it really looks like a look for teenage girls.
2. Go red, go now? The issue has a feature on RED, and lots of ads with lots of red to back it up. Many with red nail polish, when we only saw one set of colored nails in the entire magazine last month.
3. Dolce & Gabbana has a rather disturbing ad toward the front of the magazine. Some lovely resort wear (because I always wear underwear and knee high boots on vacation), but the model in the center is disturbingly thin. I did a little research, and besides realizing that a lot of the Dolce & Gabbana models look alike, I guessed that it might be either Katarina Ivanovska or more likely Tatiana Lyadochkina. It might be neither. But I have to wonder if this photo is stretched out or something. I am all for attractive models, but besides her gorgeous, luminous face, this poor dear looks ill. It doesn’t appear as if she could draw a full breath with such a tiny torso, and her arm calls to mind starving refugees. Come on Dolce. Quit it with the Photoshop, or encourage this girl to get some medical (or nutritional) attention. She’s clearly not at optimal health. The girl on the right, though, looks great. She’s got some sweet curves (I think I even note some fat on her thighs. Gasp! Very sexy, actually.), and wears the aforementioned ridiculous outfit with confidence.
4. p. 155 – Jennifer Connolly as the “It Girl” in Balenciaga. If not looking like that is wrong, I don’t want to be right. I think I just hate Balenciaga, but seriously? Those (hideous) shoes with that (hideous) dress? Maybe it’s just too high-minded for my FashionNoob brain to bear. Jennifer is in Vogue two months in a row, though, and despite the get-up, she is glowing and beautiful as usual.
5. AAAH! Natalia Vodianova is in the exact same Balenciaga outfit on p. 88… slightly different shoes, actually, but similar horror.
6. Gosh, who is the senior stunner in the Rolex ad? A lady with grey/silver hair who I want to be when I grow up. Gorgeous!
7. Is anyone else annoyed by Hayden Panettiere all of a sudden? I am an animal lover too, but ever since that whale story came out, I cringe when I see her. I actually think what she did was awesome, but I think she’s getting a little bit overexposed at the moment.
8. There’s a sample of Estee Lauder’s fragrance called Pleasures. Normally I rip fragrance samples out and throw them away because they're giving me a headache already, but I actually walked back to my desk sniffing to figure out where the lovely smell was coming from. So I’m trying it out for the day. It was too strong when I first put it on, but it’s nice now. I’ll see if I get any comments from my husband. He almost always notices if I’m wearing perfume of any kind. Gwyneth Paltrow is in the ad too, with puppies.
9. There’s a spread of ads for the Gap, with holiday fashions in great jewel tones. I went right to Gap.com to look for the green sweater (The Color V) they had on Amy Adams. The sweater is on the site, but not in green. Must find green sweater in store. I’ll report back on my effort.
10. p. 164 – another hideous Balenciaga ensemble. I think my hatred is official. Guys, I just developed an opinion of a designer! Am I all growed up yet?
11. I want a black and white houndstooth coat. Badly. Thank you Banana Republic.
12. OK, now I’m getting nauseous from all the perfume samples. Horp.
13. p. 326 - There’s a great little article on hair extensions, which has me almost convinced that a keeping a few temporary pieces around the house might not be a bad idea. Would that be so awful?
14. p. 352 – The editors must have been getting sleepy. The headline for this article is “Big Love”… they used the same phrase to title a caption for a photo in an article about a Mormon woman who is a society writer. Very funny, Dr. House.
15. p. 406 – I love this spread of photos of the supermodel Gemma Ward doing everyday things in high fashion. Very reminiscent of Us Weekly’s “Stars, They’re Just Like Us!” page. Also, I think "near the recycling bins" might just be the appropriate place for those Balenciaga horror show boots.
1. This is not so much a Vogue note as a general observation, but does anyone feel comfortable (or decent) in tiny minidresses that barely come down past the derriere? Some of the dresses I see on women in several different magazines look like they would pop
up around your waist if you dared to sit in them. If I had awesome legs, I might try it out, but to me it really looks like a look for teenage girls.2. Go red, go now? The issue has a feature on RED, and lots of ads with lots of red to back it up. Many with red nail polish, when we only saw one set of colored nails in the entire magazine last month.
3. Dolce & Gabbana has a rather disturbing ad toward the front of the magazine. Some lovely resort wear (because I always wear underwear and knee high boots on vacation), but the model in the center is disturbingly thin. I did a little research, and besides realizing that a lot of the Dolce & Gabbana models look alike, I guessed that it might be either Katarina Ivanovska or more likely Tatiana Lyadochkina. It might be neither. But I have to wonder if this photo is stretched out or something. I am all for attractive models, but besides her gorgeous, luminous face, this poor dear looks ill. It doesn’t appear as if she could draw a full breath with such a tiny torso, and her arm calls to mind starving refugees. Come on Dolce. Quit it with the Photoshop, or encourage this girl to get some medical (or nutritional) attention. She’s clearly not at optimal health. The girl on the right, though, looks great. She’s got some sweet curves (I think I even note some fat on her thighs. Gasp! Very sexy, actually.), and wears the aforementioned ridiculous outfit with confidence.
4. p. 155 – Jennifer Connolly as the “It Girl” in Balenciaga. If not looking like that is wrong, I don’t want to be right. I think I just hate Balenciaga, but seriously? Those (hideous) shoes with that (hideous) dress? Maybe it’s just too high-minded for my FashionNoob brain to bear. Jennifer is in Vogue two months in a row, though, and despite the get-up, she is glowing and beautiful as usual.
5. AAAH! Natalia Vodianova is in the exact same Balenciaga outfit on p. 88… slightly different shoes, actually, but similar horror.
6. Gosh, who is the senior stunner in the Rolex ad? A lady with grey/silver hair who I want to be when I grow up. Gorgeous!
7. Is anyone else annoyed by Hayden Panettiere all of a sudden? I am an animal lover too, but ever since that whale story came out, I cringe when I see her. I actually think what she did was awesome, but I think she’s getting a little bit overexposed at the moment.
8. There’s a sample of Estee Lauder’s fragrance called Pleasures. Normally I rip fragrance samples out and throw them away because they're giving me a headache already, but I actually walked back to my desk sniffing to figure out where the lovely smell was coming from. So I’m trying it out for the day. It was too strong when I first put it on, but it’s nice now. I’ll see if I get any comments from my husband. He almost always notices if I’m wearing perfume of any kind. Gwyneth Paltrow is in the ad too, with puppies.
9. There’s a spread of ads for the Gap, with holiday fashions in great jewel tones. I went right to Gap.com to look for the green sweater (The Color V) they had on Amy Adams. The sweater is on the site, but not in green. Must find green sweater in store. I’ll report back on my effort.
10. p. 164 – another hideous Balenciaga ensemble. I think my hatred is official. Guys, I just developed an opinion of a designer! Am I all growed up yet?
11. I want a black and white houndstooth coat. Badly. Thank you Banana Republic.
12. OK, now I’m getting nauseous from all the perfume samples. Horp.
13. p. 326 - There’s a great little article on hair extensions, which has me almost convinced that a keeping a few temporary pieces around the house might not be a bad idea. Would that be so awful?
14. p. 352 – The editors must have been getting sleepy. The headline for this article is “Big Love”… they used the same phrase to title a caption for a photo in an article about a Mormon woman who is a society writer. Very funny, Dr. House.
15. p. 406 – I love this spread of photos of the supermodel Gemma Ward doing everyday things in high fashion. Very reminiscent of Us Weekly’s “Stars, They’re Just Like Us!” page. Also, I think "near the recycling bins" might just be the appropriate place for those Balenciaga horror show boots.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
What Ever Happened to Dressing Up for the Holidays?
Remember when you were in high school, and the question you asked your parents when there was a family event was if you had 
to dress up? Like putting on something nice was a major inconvenience for you between all the lying, complaining, and generally feeling sorry for yourself that you had to do? If you could go to Grandma's in jeans, a T-shirt and your Chuck Taylors, it would almost be bearable. Almost.
"God forbid you should look nice," your mother would say (not mine, because she was a hippie and had similar feelings about dressing up).
I kind of wish all of the mothers and grandmothers had stood their ground on that, because now, it sort of just feels half-assed getting together with frumpy looking family, and being frumpy myself. My husband and I will be at my in-laws for Thanksgiving, and my mother-in-law will make the delicious meal, but everyone will be dressed casual. Aside from the extra (and extra-delicious) food, what makes it any different from any other dinner I have with my in-laws?
Now I realize that the black stockings and heels, dark skirts and sophisticated sweaters, and the ties and button-down shirts all my relatives wore to special occasions when I was growing up added to the special feeling of holidays. It was a way of respecting the holidays, respecting each other, and respecting themselves. I miss it!
Well, this year I'm taking matters into my own hands. I'm going to dress things up a little. Instead of conforming to the usual casual dress code, I am going to kick it up a notch and wear a skirt, stockings (not nude color, because even FashionNoob knows better than that) and heels. I am going to carefully do my hair, apply makeup, and wear light perfume. I will accessorize. I will be pulled together. I will try to convince my husband to wear a shirt and tie.
Why bother with this when the rest of the family will be casual? Maybe everyone will feel a little underdressed (or, like I would in their position, a little frumpy) in the presence of such a lovely couple, and next time they'll kick it up a notch too. And it might feel like Thanksgiving again. After all, it feels good to look good!
to dress up? Like putting on something nice was a major inconvenience for you between all the lying, complaining, and generally feeling sorry for yourself that you had to do? If you could go to Grandma's in jeans, a T-shirt and your Chuck Taylors, it would almost be bearable. Almost."God forbid you should look nice," your mother would say (not mine, because she was a hippie and had similar feelings about dressing up).
I kind of wish all of the mothers and grandmothers had stood their ground on that, because now, it sort of just feels half-assed getting together with frumpy looking family, and being frumpy myself. My husband and I will be at my in-laws for Thanksgiving, and my mother-in-law will make the delicious meal, but everyone will be dressed casual. Aside from the extra (and extra-delicious) food, what makes it any different from any other dinner I have with my in-laws?
Now I realize that the black stockings and heels, dark skirts and sophisticated sweaters, and the ties and button-down shirts all my relatives wore to special occasions when I was growing up added to the special feeling of holidays. It was a way of respecting the holidays, respecting each other, and respecting themselves. I miss it!
Well, this year I'm taking matters into my own hands. I'm going to dress things up a little. Instead of conforming to the usual casual dress code, I am going to kick it up a notch and wear a skirt, stockings (not nude color, because even FashionNoob knows better than that) and heels. I am going to carefully do my hair, apply makeup, and wear light perfume. I will accessorize. I will be pulled together. I will try to convince my husband to wear a shirt and tie.
Why bother with this when the rest of the family will be casual? Maybe everyone will feel a little underdressed (or, like I would in their position, a little frumpy) in the presence of such a lovely couple, and next time they'll kick it up a notch too. And it might feel like Thanksgiving again. After all, it feels good to look good!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)