What people wear, or don’t wear, has been on my mind as of late. It started when I was in Jamaica during April break with my daughters, and wondering if I was pushing it by still attempting to pull off a bikini at my age. Three minutes by the pool told me no. I have to admit I was quite amazed by the incredible number of people lounging in less fabric than I, dressing for what can only be described as “the bodies they wish they had.” By comparison I was feeling a bit like Pamela Anderson in her Baywatch prime. And trust me, I’m not.
While I’ll admit my first thought was “What the hell are you wearing?,” my follow on was, “That’s pretty awesome body confidence.” (Except for the guys my dad’s age trying to rock a Speedo. I don’t care if you are from Europe and I’m going to appear shallow. That’s just not okay.)
Shortly after my return, I was set up to meet what was described to me as a pretty amazing guy. Super interesting, smart, nice-looking, talented, the works. The catch? I went to meet him for the first time. He was waiting for me in the bar and…wait for it…he was wearing a purple SATIN shirt. I think the words “holy s*it” came out of my mouth. But I sat down, and we talked. For three hours. And then we moved bars and talked for another two hours. I was able to look past the shirt and focus on the man. Later in the evening we did have conversation about “the shirt” and ultimately agreed to disagree on its appeal. I’ve got to admit I totally dig his reason for wearing it though. When asked what he was thinking when he chose it, he simply responded, “I like it.” When somebody holds that much confidence, how do you not respect it?
A male friend from work has enough swagger to carry a “man bag.” I give the guy mad props for attempting to pull this off. He’s a senior leader in the company. He’s respected, he’s kind, and he’s a really good guy. And you can poke fun at him for carrying a nicer purse than you and he’ll take it. I adore him for that.
Where am I going with all of this? Fashion is in the eye of the beholder. I love clothes, and do my best to pull together what I think looks good. My version of edgy is “purple shirt guy’s” version of conservative. It’s all relative. But ultimately, who cares? When I was younger, I dressed for my friends…we literally called each other to dress alike. Now I have a style all my own. If people like it, great. If not, does it really matter? If what you put on makes you feel your best and like you can conquer the world, wear it proudly…no matter how shiny or potentially emasculating it might be :)
No comments:
Post a Comment