How To Be Fashionable In The Bay Area
A couple months ago I was at a party with the other teachers from the middle school I taught at. It was kind of a shit show, to be honest, but in a good way. These people deserved to get trashed, eat junk food, smoke weed (more than I had ever seen any group of people smoke in my life) and let loose.
Amidst the cacophony, I sparked up a conversation with the community manager's girlfriend, a wardrobe curator or fashion consultant, something like that. An expert in fashion, to say the least, and it showed. She was wearing some swanky yet casual outfit, perfect for a work party but still leagues ahead of the average garb at this event.
I said the line that she was clearly tired of hearing: "Well that's a skill I certainly lack" splaying myself in my college hoodie and cargo short glory. Her response was profound, enough that I hope it was practiced because if she can come up with something like that off the top of her head I don't know what the fuck I'm doing with my life.
"You know, I get that a lot, and I don't really buy it." I'm paraphrasing of course. "I feel like my work is completely societal excess, it's not necessary for day to day life, and it's certainly not profound like what you all do. My personal philosophy is people should dress in a way that makes them comfortable and confident. If someone wants to pay me to pick out their clothes, that's fine, but if you don't want to pay for that you should just wear what you want. If you feel good in a hoodie and shorts, that's fashionable."
I told her she should be a life coach.
That brief conversation really dictated how I felt for the next month or so, and I try to remind myself of it every chance I get. Happiness, confidence, those are the things people see. They make people comfortable. If I show up to a black tie event in my spray painted t-shirt and skinny jeans, and I don't feel awkward about it, no one will give a shit. They might even admire my gusto.
People get wrapped up in their own image, and if they see someone like Justin Bieber wearing parachute pants on the red carpet they flip their wig. Those people are shit heels. Not the former, that's a personal crisis I'm all to familiar with, but the latter, the ones who critique other people on their fashion are clearly over compensating for their own short comings.
Letting go of your ego is easy advice to give, and doesn't really mean that much, but to get that specific advice from a person who has made a career out of fashion means a lot. So I'm going to keep wearing whatever and buying cheap, loose fitting shirts.
Amidst the cacophony, I sparked up a conversation with the community manager's girlfriend, a wardrobe curator or fashion consultant, something like that. An expert in fashion, to say the least, and it showed. She was wearing some swanky yet casual outfit, perfect for a work party but still leagues ahead of the average garb at this event.
I said the line that she was clearly tired of hearing: "Well that's a skill I certainly lack" splaying myself in my college hoodie and cargo short glory. Her response was profound, enough that I hope it was practiced because if she can come up with something like that off the top of her head I don't know what the fuck I'm doing with my life.
"You know, I get that a lot, and I don't really buy it." I'm paraphrasing of course. "I feel like my work is completely societal excess, it's not necessary for day to day life, and it's certainly not profound like what you all do. My personal philosophy is people should dress in a way that makes them comfortable and confident. If someone wants to pay me to pick out their clothes, that's fine, but if you don't want to pay for that you should just wear what you want. If you feel good in a hoodie and shorts, that's fashionable."
I told her she should be a life coach.
That brief conversation really dictated how I felt for the next month or so, and I try to remind myself of it every chance I get. Happiness, confidence, those are the things people see. They make people comfortable. If I show up to a black tie event in my spray painted t-shirt and skinny jeans, and I don't feel awkward about it, no one will give a shit. They might even admire my gusto.
People get wrapped up in their own image, and if they see someone like Justin Bieber wearing parachute pants on the red carpet they flip their wig. Those people are shit heels. Not the former, that's a personal crisis I'm all to familiar with, but the latter, the ones who critique other people on their fashion are clearly over compensating for their own short comings.
Letting go of your ego is easy advice to give, and doesn't really mean that much, but to get that specific advice from a person who has made a career out of fashion means a lot. So I'm going to keep wearing whatever and buying cheap, loose fitting shirts.
WORD! Couldn't agree more with this all
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