I Double Dog Dare You
BFDiva Jennifer sends along a link that reminds me of our recent conversation about fashion. Is how we feel more important than how thin we look? Is making a statement more important than looking as fashionably thin as we can? The Sartorialist comments on an interesting, androgynous outfit:
Often I read comments on this blog like “Shouldn’t clothing enhance a woman’s form and femininity? ” or something of that nature. I think this is a very narrow view of what clothing should/could do for a person…This young lady is a great example of self-expression and intellectual dressing. Nothing she is wearing really speaks to WHAT she is physically (fat or skinny, tall or short, male or female) but her look speaks volumes about WHO she is mentally.
Some of the comments are interesting, too: feel free to call out your favorite ones. Also, feel free to take up my dare in the aforelinked post. Where are the photos of your crazy outfits that speak volumes about you?
Posted by mo pie
Filed under: Fashion, Feel Good Friday, Tidbit
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“Shouldn’t clothing enhance a woman’s form and femininity?”
I didn’t read the comments in that article, but my first thought when hearing something like this is this:
Have any of the people who make comments like this seen a runway show lately? Couture (which I realize is sort of different from everyday outfits) often is not flattering even on the models walking the runways –this season I have seen a million things that I could point to as unflattering: giant bustles, bizarre headwear, leggings that conceal and leggings that reveal, weird cuts that chop 5’11” models in half and make them look stumpy. But that’s not the POINT. Fashion isn’t necessarily about disguising your flaws and playing up your physical assets. It can be art, or an expression of self (same thing?), or a political statement, or just fun.
If the best thing anyone can say about my clothes is that they don’t make me look fatter, I don’t really think that is a compliment. I’d rather hear that I look comfortable in my clothes (and in my skin) or that they love the message of my shirt, or the pattern on my socks, than that my shirt effectively disguises my belly to make it more socially acceptable.
Sadly today I am wearing schlumpy jeans and a red sweater. It’s cute and it’s me, but not so daring, so no pictures! But I almost wore my snazzy shirt that says Harmony in big gold letters across the tits. When I do wear it, you’ll see it!
So, I followed the link to the post about Beth Ditto, and then I followed the link to the pictures of Beth Ditto, and then I looked at all the commenters on ohnotheydidnt, and how overwhelmingly people are like eww gross teh fat, and that made me sad because Beth Ditto looks gorgeous in all those pictures, especially the black and white one, and I don’t understand wtf is wrong with people.
I don’t necessarily want my femininity enhanced all of the time. I’m just saying.
I happen to think I look kinda sexy in the clothes I wear to the gym – long shorts and an average t-shirt. Nothing form-fitting. About as androgynous as you can get. Maybe it’s just the fact that I feel sexy when I work out?
I’m not even sure that I know what is meant by “enhancing my femininity.” If that means enhancing my sexual parts, then, no, I don’t want to, and I think the world (well, my campus at least) would be a more enjoyable place if fewer other women did so too. If “femininity” means stereotypically ‘feminine’ characteristics like passivity, helplessness, and too-dressed-up-to-do-anything-but-look-pretty-ness, then, also, no.
I love feminine things, pretty things. I look longingly at all those “normal” clothes on the skinny girls side of the store. They don’t make them in my size – or if they do, I just don’t look good in them.
Enhancing my femininity? Basically those people who think like that think a woman needs to wear something that’ll make her look like she stepped out of Vogue everyday. Sorry, I don’t look like that but I will admit that in whatever I wear I feel perfectly female and perfectly sexy even if it’s just jeans and a t-shirt.
I aim for “fashionably fat.” :D
And, I like clothes that fit well, which means that yes, you can see my shape. But, I only aim for “sexy” under limited circumstances. Also, I’m not into frilly, flowery, or sparkly things.
I have always considered fashion, well at least for myself, as an art form rather than following a trend of some kind. I enjoy creating combinations that really show something unique about me–people know what kind of person I am (personality, mind, etc) just by my clothing choices.
It’s part of my identity. Just follow that…
Late for the party, as usual. I think I will upload a picture of me in the most fashionable outfit I own, because it says volumes about me. Of course, the fashion is from the 1300’s…. but hey :)
I regularly visit the Sartorialist for his lovely photos and interesting ideas about style, but…. BUT… I don’t think I have EVER seen a fat girl on that website. Fat men, rare but seen. Fat girls? Never. So he may talk a big game – it’s about identity, style, expression, etc. – but he apparently has never seen a stylish fat girl on any of his travels. I find this very difficult to believe. I suspect fat women register as invisible to him, as we do to so many people.