Isn't It Simply About Respect?

I know I've ranted about clothing styles, pajamas in public, jeans, leggings worn as pants and so on. Whereas I'm not one to present myself as any kind of fashionista, I do make an effort when such is warranted. I had this discussion with both my daughter and my hubby recently.

While she was away, my daughter attempted to dress in a more formal, covered up style which is the custom in Curacao. She did this for two reasons. One was that it was her adopted country and she wanted to fit in. Despite the heat, people dress modestly. Secondly, she didn't want to be harassed in a country where females can potentially be the target of inappropriate male attention. She shared further thoughts on this.

Since this was now what she considered her temporary homeland, she actually found herself offended by tourists, some of which were getting off cruise ships, in even less than casual attire. For example, what is someone thinking when they disembark wearing little more than a flimsy bathing suit, with or without a partial coverup? Are they expecting to locate a previously undiscovered beach in the middle of downtown Willemstad? Are they making some kind of statement? That's just one example. I don't think there's any reason, particularly with modern technology, why people can't do a modicum of research about places they're visiting. It's nice to understand what's acceptable or preferred in any particular culture. On the other hand, there should be a degree of common sense, something severely lacking in this day and age. Would you wear a bathing suit to visit downtown Toronto?  It goes way beyond "I'm on vacation. I want to relax. I'm entitled," particularly when these same individuals return home only to complain about the poor service, the rude looks or the ignorance of the people in other countries.

Hubby and I talked about this further. He prefers a more comfortable look, is clothed nicely when necessary, but it's not his preference. I pointed out that I always welcome opportunities to make an effort. I suppose it's a sign that I'm getting older. What appears to have become the accepted norm doesn't sit well with me anymore. If you don't wear something other than your house and garden attire for church, for specific functions and special holidays, or at a better restaurant, when do you dress up? Perhaps the answer is never.

Again, I reiterated my point to hubby. I enjoy the more formal opportunities afforded when going on some cruise lines for example. Being retired, I wear grubbies around the house all the time and don't get many chances to dress up.  A friend of mine shared that she would never go on a certain cruise ship again. Her reasons were very similar to mine. She related that she made reservations and paid extra for a specialty restaurant while on this cruise line. She was offended, when she dressed for an evening meal and found that people with t-shirts and baseball caps were sitting at a table next to her. Are we to assume that they showered and changed into their best t-shirts and baseball caps after a day of touring, shopping, or going to a beach? Perhaps.

I certainly wouldn't want to go back to the days of  "Leave it to Beaver",  when the woman walked around the house in a dress, makeup, hose, and pearls, with her hair perfectly coiffed and the man sat reading the newspaper in his shirt, tie and suit. Those folks always seemed ready for any occasion. They could leave the house at the drop of a hat and go anywhere. Don't get me wrong, I like my casual wear, at the correct times and in the appropriate places. I have no idea how Mrs. Cleaver was able to avoid gardening dirt, bleach streaks, oil stains or food chunks on her clothing and in her hair.

Essentially, in my opinion it's all about respect...respect for others, respect for the circumstance, respect for the surroundings and above all,  respect for oneself. As the saying goes, "a lack of boundaries invites a lack of respect."

Black Jeans Blue Jeans, Old Jeans, New Jeans

I have a personal fashion peeve, blue jeans.  Why have they suddenly become the item of choice to wear everywhere? By everywhere I mean everywhere...to the theatre, to fancy restaurants, to church.

I do not wear jeans. I don't find them attractive on anyone. I've done research. I have participated in an exhaustive independent study whereby I've forced myself to walk behind a multitude of jeans wearers. Unless I'm building a house, changing the oil in the car, participating in a rodeo, or gold mining, you're not likely to see me in jeans. In fact, the only activity in which I've ever participated while wearing jeans was horseback riding in the Arizona desert about forty years ago. Since there's photographic evidence of this, I feel the need to confess my indiscretion.

I asked hubby recently, "What's with blue jeans anyhow? It's not a good look. They're ugly, often faded, either too droopy or too tight, and generally unflattering."

Here's a jeans-wearing man's perspective, concise and to the point. "They're comfortable." Again, with the comfortable argument. I disagree, but then that's another matter.

I responded with, "So are pajama bottoms and a lot of other things, but you shouldn't wear them in public." I zoned out briefly at this point recalling with fondness some of the  pajama clad folk in the town where I used to reside.

In my younger years, there was always talk of jeans. They seemed to be some sort of fabric gold in countries such as Russia where many things weren't available. It was suggested that travellers take jeans, any condition, new or used to leave behind in nations deprived of this fabulous fabric. I was baffled then, just as I am curious now.

Although I had some vague notion that Levi Strauss invented this garment back in the gold rush days, I researched further to discover that he and a Latvian tailor collaborated, putting rivets in the pants for strength. The patent date was May 1873. Later, these became popular pants for factory workers, cowboys, mechanics and of course, plumbers.

Why have jeans become so popular? Some say it had to do with James Dean and the teenage rebels of the fifties. I say if that's the case, it's a trend that should have been immediately halted at that time.

I read an article which states that North Americans own an average of eight pairs of jeans. Once again, I'm in the minority. Apart from the non-esthetic appearance, there are also drawbacks. For example, jeans do not keep you warm in winter. Nope, no insulation. In fact, they do just the opposite retaining the cold.  If jeans get wet, well, they not only weigh as much as a small child clinging to your legs, but they don't dry. Wet, heavy and chafing. For men, there's been some concern about potential personal damage caused by jeans which are too tight. I need not elaborate. For women who actually manage to squeeze into a pair of painted on skinny jeans, good luck trying to sit down.

Whether faded, shredded, acid washed, flared, boot cut, mom jeans, or straight cut, jeans cause a huge impact on the environment. Many people don't realize this. According to Wikipedia, (the source of all essential info), 919 gallons of water are wasted used during the lifetime of a single pair of jeans. This includes water to irrigate the cotton crop, water to manufacture the jeans and then there's the one gallon when someone finally decides to wash their pants. The acid wash and sandblasting to create that worn look, not only cause damage by using a potpourri of chemicals, but has been proven to sicken and kill thousands of workers in the textile industry.

So next time you prepare for a function and begin to dress up in your fanciest jeans, why not take some time to check your closet for alternatives. If you don't want to think about the environment, at least you can imagine me, walking behind you, staring at your ugly pants and making faces.

Old Woman, New Look

I missed the hippie years. I missed them by only a few, but I missed them nonetheless. I was not a participant in Woodstock although I remember the music...brown cover, two record LP. I'm not certain whether the correct spelling is hippy or hippie. I suspect the former is more likely a body shape, the latter, a description of a participant during a memorable era.

Recently, I informed hubby that I'm going to change my "look". After all, I'm old now and can do whatever I want. Nobody will think it's weird. I'd barely be noticed in a big city. In this small town, they'll just label me eccentric. On the other hand, I doubt I'll fall into the category of the fellow who walks around in the wizard costume or the jogger with the knee length Santa beard and long hair.
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I showed hubby the look that I'm going for after seeing a similar outfit in a magazine. He gagged, sputtered briefly, bit his tongue in restraint and informed me that it would be fine, "around the house." Nope. Style is style. Once I commit, it will have to be all the time.

So where do hippies fit into all this? I can only imagine that the "look" I'm going for will be a combo of hippie, gardening diva, shabby chic and just plain...Annie Hall meets Iris Apfel. I would have been a wonderful flower child. I feel deprived.

I'm excited. Long gone has been the need for thematic socks, earrings and shirts. Gone also will be the senior retiree tees, yoga pants and polyesters. Sandals, baggy dresses and covers, harem pants, handkerchief and car wash skirts, layers of fabric, linens and perhaps even the occasional hat will become the norm. I'll work with items already in my closet, and although it's a look better left to the long and lean of the population, I don't care. I want to dress this way. I've never been long and lean...not at the same time anyhow. I never will be.

Think I won't do it? In the immortal words of everyone named Trudeau, " Just watch me!"

I found a few Canadian garment sites to model myself after. The official look is called "avante-guard". Rather than Hildegard, perhaps I'll change my name to Avanteguard. 

                                              http://www.kaliyana.com/eng/2013-ss/  

                                              http://www.daniellenault.com/en/scrapbook.html

Oh....and lets not forget these shoes. Wonder if they come in shoe box widths?

                                              http://www.fluevog.com/

She's Not Getting Older, She's Getting...

Iris Apfel is my hero. For those of you who don't know who she is, this is Iris.

Photo by Martha Camarillo taken in the 70's

Iris Apfel is a 91 year old New Yorker and long time interior designer. Her wardrobe is so eccentric, flamboyant and memorable that parts of it have been displayed at the Metropolitan Museum. During recent years, I have been impressed by interviews with this very vibrant and intelligent woman. I am also awed by her daring style. She has become so well known in her later life that she refers to herself as a "geriatric starlet." Her best fashion hint for anyone is to "accessorize". She clearly doesn't believe that "less is more", but rather, the bigger, bolder and brighter, the better. 
I suppose what appeals to me most about Iris is her zest for life. I'm reminded of a quote by Loretta Laroche, "life is short, wear your party pants." Iris always seems to wear her party pants. She lives life more fully than some people half her age.  

"In The Gloss", January 2012, quoted Iris as saying, "Getting older ain’t for sissies...You have to push yourself when you’re older, because it’s very easy to fall into the trap....I think doing things and being active is very important. When your mind is busy, you don’t hurt so much."

Words to live by.

So now, Iris is "pushing herself" with lines of cosmetics and eyeglasses, by lecturing at a university and by selling jewellery on a home shopping channel. Way to go Iris!

Some time after retirement, I disposed of my thematic shirts, socks and jewellery. The style I once had could best be described as "early primary teacher" and was now no longer appropriate. Gone are the penguin socks, the scarecrow shirt, the carrot earrings, the duck necklace....well, maybe not the duck necklace. I noticed that my former fun and playful clothing items were being replaced by somewhat dismall looking dark and dreary clothing. Short of running out to the dollar store, buying a red boa and tossing it over whatever I wore, (something on my bucket "to do" list), I began to consider. How could I become more trendy, if not vivid? How could I better present myself in a way that matched what's inside my head?

I looked around at some young people in the hopes of finding direction. The droopy drawer pants style wasn't for me. Neither was I interested in becoming ***" The Illustrated Man" or in this case, woman, despite the overabundance of local tattoo parlors. Spikey moussed blue hair was a possibility, but why push it? It'll be that colour soon enough. Piercings? I have some those and I'm not good with unnecessary pain. Besides, these are fads which masses of people follow, all the while claiming that they are trying to express their individuality. As Iris says, "If you don't dress like everyone else, you don't have to think like everyone else."

Finally, I made a decision. I will make over my wardrobe one piece at a time. I will adopt the Iris Apfel "rules"...do not go sleeveless when you're older, mix, match or mismatch everything, add texture. Cheap clothes are just fine BUT you MUST accessorize!
  

Thanks Iris. I believe I have found a new me. What do you think?

Hilde Von Apfelkroft

***a book by science fiction author Ray Bradbury, penned sometime around my birth year

Carrying Coals to Newcastle

I remember reading that one of our Canadian clothing designers, Linda Lundstrom, went bankrupt by trying to keep all her production in Canada. Then one afternoon a few months ago, as I worked at my volunteer job at the hospital thrift shop, an original three piece gold coloured Lundstrom pant suit arrived.... in my size. I immediately laid claim to the ensemble. For a mere $25, I picked up a stylish and stunning Canadian made formal outfit valued at close to four digits and suitable for wearing to my next red carpet gala event. I was thrilled as I stashed my find in the closet. I was also saddened, knowing that this label was now extinct.

I have heard that Germany has a strong economy because of their industry and manufacturing. Most of the items sold in Germany are in fact made in...Germany. How alien is this concept to people like us who love nothing better than to get our bargains? Most of our discounted treasures however, are made in countries that are able to manufacture items with cheap materials and inexpensive labour. Many of our Canadian companies are having their wares produced further afield in order to keep prices in line with the competition.

I recently needed to purchase a new dress for a wedding, so I decided that I would try to buy something Canadian. Since the wedding is in Manhattan on a Saturday night, I wanted something unique. I wanted something unfamiliar in New York. I wanted something affordable. I wanted something I could wear often. This time, a Value Village sale was not going to satisfy my fashion requirements.

I sought out reasonably priced Canadian designs and stumbled across some unusual, multifunctional outfits from a Vancouver based company called "Simpli". I then made up my mind that nothing but the Simpli V-necked sleeveless dress with the uneven hem, plus a small covering jacket would do for the wedding. Besides, Simpli clothes were made of some kind of miracle fabric that could be rolled into a ball and tossed in a suitcase without wrinkling. I then toured several stores in a futile attempt to locate this particular dress. First, I discovered that the fabric was some type of knit, fairly heavy, not suitable for a New York summer, but possibly more for a Canadian winter. Then I learned that any colour other than black, which seemed to be what all the stores carried, would require 4-6 weeks for delivery. My disappointment resulted in procrastination.

This week, I was under pressure. With only a few dress hunting days remaining, I went to a well known boutique-like clothing store in a small town not too far from here. Most of what I tried on either didn't meet my body covering requirements, made the saleslady guffaw in laugher, or was too ugly to wear beyond the privacy of the change room curtain. I finally found a two piece purple crepe number which met my criteria...stylish, interesting uneven hemline, no obvious bulges, small covering jacket, not black. Below is the dress. That's not me in it.
                                                                         

Purple dress is a much lighter, prettier colour in real life

In my desperation, it did not occur to me to ask about or look at the label. When I got home, I "Googled" the tag, "Ursula of Switzerland", to see what I would be transporting to Manhattan. 

"Ursula of Switzerland...a New York based company with a showroom on Broadway." Thanks Google.

Perhaps I just ought to wear my $25 Linda Lundstrom Canadian treasure to the wedding.