Some of you may wear actual, formal uniforms for work or school, but the uniform I’m thinking of here has a bit more leeway. We’ve all got certain combinations of garments that form the foundations of our dressing practices. In winter, I do long cardigan, tunic, leggings, and boots many days of the week. In summer, dress and pumps.
What are your uniforms? Why do they work? Is it important to you to vary what you wear and avoid your uniform at times? If so, why? If not, why not?
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Current trends that I just don’t get:
Past trends that I swore I’d never wear and now do:
It never ceases to amaze me. A garment, style, or trend comes on the scene and I absolutely LAUGH at its preposterousness. And after enough relentless exposure, my eye becomes accustomed to it. And after that, eventually, I come around and actually want to wear it myself. I may hate sandal-boots now, but I know better than to say, “Never.”
What trend or item did you swear you’d never, ever in a million years wear … but then find yourself buying and sporting later on?
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This poll question actually comes from reader Anat. She posed it to me, but I want to throw it out to all of you!
Usually in stores we only see the front and side view of ourselves. I’ve often asked myself if I am making sure that the way I look from behind is good enough. So – do you check yourself out from behind when you pick up a garment, or daily when you put together an outfit? Do you have outfits which look stellar from the front, but just so-so from behind? Would you wear that, or do you expect the rear view to be just as flattering and put together as the other views?
I’ll start: I am TERRIBLE at this. 90% of the time, I completely forget to check the rear view. When I remember, I seldom find a total wreck, but it’s happened! I’m trying to get better about it.
And, overall, I am willing to wear an outfit that looks amazing in front and mediocre in back. It’s not ideal, of course, but I spend so much time seated, wearing coats, driving … I’d rather look great in 360 degrees, but sometimes I’ll let the back view slide a bit. I probably shouldn’t admit that.
How about YOU?
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About a year ago, I started paying attention to my nails. I realized that I felt more finished and chic if I had them trimmed and coated with some clear polish. It takes my nails a bizarrely long time to dry and I do NOT have the dexterity necessary to apply color, so I stick to clear.
Once I started maintaining my own nails, I somehow became more attuned to the world of nail care. And it’s a big, expensive, rather competitive world. I’d been immune to it before, but now I feel some pressure to keep my nails looking relatively fancy. Which I resent a bit. It’s not like I do a lot of welding or farming or anything that would make ladylike nails a true problem. But occasionally I’ll hesitate because I’m worried that some random task will ruin my nails. And then I do it anyway because eff that.
Do you feel pressure to keep your nails polished and pretty? What do you feel is the source of that pressure? Do you get regular manicures or do your nails yourself? Is it fun, a chore, or some mixture thereof?
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A dear friend and I were corresponding over e-mail and she asked for my input on this issue:
Can you address the pressure to be “chic” in every aspect of our lives? Between style blogs, instagram, and Facebook it seems like every aspect of our lives must now be “styled” and pretty and perfect. We used to accuse “the media” and magazines of setting unrealistically high standards but geez, sometimes it feels like regular people are doing that now too. I can’t keep up!
And I’d like YOUR input. Here’s why: I feel like, as someone who as tuned into the world of style a bit late in life, I’m not fully equipped to say if that pressure has increased over time, or if I’m just feeling it more now because I’m immersed in and aware of it.
What are your thoughts? Do you feel pressure to be and appear chic, polished, pretty, and perfect in every aspect of your life? More so now than before? Do you think some of that pressure is generated by peers or general social expectation, as opposed to experts? How do you react?
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Most of my dressing inspiration comes from pretty traditional sources: Magazines, catalogs, blogs. But since I’m such a color fiend, I am constantly looking beyond the world of fashion for color pairing ideas. Graphics, packaging, wild birds, existing fabrics and wallpapers, and decor have all sparked color combo or outfit ideas for me at one time or another.
Do you have any unusual sources of dressing inspiration? Nature? History? Specific periods of art? Do tell! And share any links you’ve got so we can see your sources!
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I’ve done a poll similar to this a couple of times already, but it always generates such amazing and varied responses that I think it’s worth retooling and reintroducing:
What is your body good at? List five things that illustrate your own physical prowess, gifts, or talents.
Here are mine:
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At my old job, I was the staff photographer. Mostly, that just meant I took photos of all the new employees with a little point-and-shoot camera. And do ya know what I found out? People HATE to be photographed. Hate it. Almost universally. After years of daily outfit photos, it doesn’t faze me at all, but I remember when it did. Being photographed makes nearly every human tense up, which is a real shame because few people look gorgeous when they’re tense.
Do you hate being photographed? Love it? Indifferent? Do you have a “good side”? Do you pose for photos,or just let them happen? Any tricks for looking amazing in photos? What’s the best photo anyone’s ever taken of you?
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