Defending your fashion interest
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Thanks dear!
and the occasional luxury goods LoveMyBoots
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I just finished reading the thread and I just want to give all of you karma. With every post, I can relate to something you guys have shared in the forum.
Now that I'm no longer forced to wear uniform daily to school and my interest in all the different aspects of fashion is growing, people are realizing that I actually have interest in clothing/fashion. For the most part, people can comprehend and take me seriously. However, around where I live what's fashionable is either Abercrombie, american Eagle, Ecko, or Southpole- not the design, marketing, and etc. that goes behind the real fashion industry. It especially gets overwhelming when I venture into discussing designers, models, collections, excess and production of trends (and replications.)
Also the fact that I have a much more mature taste in clothing than the regular miniskirts and leggings look I see at school
sick: ) makes people think that I'm arrogant or vain. I don't spend much on clothes and usually shop at cheap shops (i.e. Target, H&M) usually putting more emphasis on my entire outfit or ensemble. When I try to explain that it's not only clothes that I have an interest in some people can become so narrow-minded. They still chose to automactically dismiss my interests into whatever category they choose fit. (Definitely one of my pet-peeves: unwilling to acknowledge the other side's perspective 
.)
One particular friend of mine, yesterday she said I could almost be a "white-girl." I didn't find that very offensive since she didn't based her statement with any real fact or support, (instead with stereotypes. She doesn't even socialize with white-people.) Also, whenever I try to explain the different facets and athesetics of what I find enjoyment and pleasure in, she doesn't even bother to listen, least of all understand.
(I guess what bugs me is that it's not just with me but with everyone else and everything else, that she does this with.)
For the most part, like what Spike413 said in post #15, once people get to know me and understand the seriousness of my interest, they no longer question me.
Now that I'm no longer forced to wear uniform daily to school and my interest in all the different aspects of fashion is growing, people are realizing that I actually have interest in clothing/fashion. For the most part, people can comprehend and take me seriously. However, around where I live what's fashionable is either Abercrombie, american Eagle, Ecko, or Southpole- not the design, marketing, and etc. that goes behind the real fashion industry. It especially gets overwhelming when I venture into discussing designers, models, collections, excess and production of trends (and replications.)
Also the fact that I have a much more mature taste in clothing than the regular miniskirts and leggings look I see at school
sick: ) makes people think that I'm arrogant or vain. I don't spend much on clothes and usually shop at cheap shops (i.e. Target, H&M) usually putting more emphasis on my entire outfit or ensemble. When I try to explain that it's not only clothes that I have an interest in some people can become so narrow-minded. They still chose to automactically dismiss my interests into whatever category they choose fit. (Definitely one of my pet-peeves: unwilling to acknowledge the other side's perspective .)One particular friend of mine, yesterday she said I could almost be a "white-girl." I didn't find that very offensive since she didn't based her statement with any real fact or support, (instead with stereotypes. She doesn't even socialize with white-people.) Also, whenever I try to explain the different facets and athesetics of what I find enjoyment and pleasure in, she doesn't even bother to listen, least of all understand.
(I guess what bugs me is that it's not just with me but with everyone else and everything else, that she does this with.)
For the most part, like what Spike413 said in post #15, once people get to know me and understand the seriousness of my interest, they no longer question me.
People are just terrified of anything different. If you aren't exactly like them, they don't know what to do.ultramarine said:
The other day in my dorm, I put on some sh*tty, old, ill-fitting GAP jeans and some random baggy tee to lounge around in. When this one dude saw me, he was like, "Look at you, you look normal. You put on some human jeans." He said this like it was a good thing. Normal is what he strives for in himself and others. Sad and pathetic. I wanted to punch him (he's said stupid things many times before), but I just said, "What? These are the sh*ttiest jeans I own, and they're two sizes too big." Argh...
. People who can only think within the box: 
AARGH I go to an all boys school. This school also seems has only a mixture of nerds and rugby players. When i wear a grandad collar shirt, or skinny jeans(p.s not together) i get called "gay" lol so i used to explain how these are fashionable, yet that just encoraged physical ridicule. But some are starting to recognise my ideas now because girls we know say good things about what i wear. Its funny at the moment when some of these boys ask me what to buy atm!suckers! Btw this post had no real cause to it, just thought i would share it as im sure that many of the males on here have experienced such comments.lol.One love x
voodoo_mary
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Agree witb LoveMyBoots
I identify with all the sentiments and experiences that have been shared on this thread so far.
do i get ridiculed for dressing to emphasize my feminity - YES
do my colleagues at work make snide comments - YES
do my parents support my interest in fashion - NOT AT FIRST, BUT they'veCOME AROUND now.
AS for others being THREATENED by fashion - i get that all the time.
i intimidate women mostly. and men assume i'm ditzy ( cos i wear pink nail polish
)
I identify with all the sentiments and experiences that have been shared on this thread so far.
do i get ridiculed for dressing to emphasize my feminity - YES
do my colleagues at work make snide comments - YES
do my parents support my interest in fashion - NOT AT FIRST, BUT they'veCOME AROUND now.
AS for others being THREATENED by fashion - i get that all the time.
i intimidate women mostly. and men assume i'm ditzy ( cos i wear pink nail polish
)PrincessImp.
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It's interesting that this thread got bumped up and I came back to re-read what I have posted sometime back.
Are things still the same - yes.
Did I ever change to conform to the norm - no.
I simply stopped bothering about what others think. Why worry? We live only for ourselves and there's just no stopping all the snide and narrow-minded people in this world.
I find it so silly that people can get so negative about fashion.
Are things still the same - yes.
Did I ever change to conform to the norm - no.
I simply stopped bothering about what others think. Why worry? We live only for ourselves and there's just no stopping all the snide and narrow-minded people in this world.
I find it so silly that people can get so negative about fashion.
This is a fascinating thread. I can identify with bits and pieces (and sometimes far more) in all of the previous posts.
I'm all too familiar with "you dress too well/strangely to be straight" bit. One of my best friends (who happens to be gay) gave me a fantastic compliment when he described a conversation he had about me with another classmate. Basically, the other person remarked that there was no way that I could be straight. My friend countered that by reminding him that I'm very open/bold with every other aspect of my life. If I were gay I would be GAY. Basically that I have enough self confidence that I would never allow myself to live some sort of lie just to remain sheltered.
Most comments have more to do with other people's insecurities than anything else. I'm a big fan of wearing suits for no particular reason. Even in the law school environment, which I assumed would be dressier than almost anywhere else, other students are shocked when I dress up when I don't have to. I get a lot of questions about whether I just got back from an interview. Nope. I just like this suit.
At first a few of the more conservative professors weren't too receptive, but once they've gotten to know me, most seem to really respect it. With some, it'll start with a conversation about how a leopard print or rubber shirt isn't appropriate for the court room. I usually respond by having them look around the room to see than 80% of the other students are in jeans/khakis/hoodies/tees or some other non-courtroom garb. Then, if I explain what I would wear to court, they realize that I'm not so much the lost lamb in need of guidance, but rather someone who makes conscious decsions about what I want to wear. Fortunately, now that I'm on the verge of graduation, I'm to the point that I've developed friendships with profs who've never taught me simply because they're interested in the clothes.
Another great compliment came from one of the judges from a moot court competition earlier this year. He talked to me individually because he wanted to be sure to let me know that although I was clearly incredibly nervous, I had a natural charisma. As I get some experience, the nerves will fade, but the assured/direct demeanor will grow. Just as an aside, I was the only person in the competion (20 teams. 2-4 per team) who didn't wear a black suit. I wore a dark grey Armani, so it was still very appropriate. I think the judge appreciated it.
That's not to say that I'm extremely confident all of the time. Far from it, but I know how to use clothing as a sort of armor, so I appear that way around the people who count. I think that's another source of discomfort. People around me know that they can't wear certain things that I end up looking more or less "natural" in. Since they don't know how else to deal with it, they dismiss it as strange/gay/crazy or any number of other supposedly demeaning categorizations.
People also like to dismiss it as a petty/vain interest. I've heard tell that certain people who know of me, but have never actually spoken with me, think I'm something of a spendthrift. They never realize that although I may have a thousand dollar pair of pants, I got it off-season for 90% off. This is especially true with suits. I'm far from my ultimate goals with the suit collection, but even my basic ones look far better and rarely cost any more than the most of the stuff that my peers show up in. Some of the prices people pay for mediocre clothes is mind boggling.
The other false assumption that I have to deal with is the whole superiority thing. This is exacerbated by the fact that in addition to clothes, I know more about film, food and popular music than most people I run into. There's the assumption that just because I like Tarkovsky, that I'll look down on anyone who chooses to watch a comedy on a Saturday afternoon. I just want to have a moderate conversation about movies. I don't care if you have the same taste as long as you can justify your opinion.
The same goes for food. I never eat any fast food/pre-packaged stuff. This is mainly because I'm allergic to certain preservatives, but since I have to eat a number of meals at school, people are more aware of my eating habits than I'd like them to be. People who take a minute to talk with me realize that I don't think less of them for dressing or eating differently. I just have different priorities. If they blacked out after drinking a frappuccino, they would avoid it too. This is even an issue with my choice of clothes. I've been told that my sense of touch is hyper-sensitive, so I'm almost forced to get "nice" fabrics in order to be comfortable. I can't walk outside comfortably without shoes because I can feel every little blade of grass. Again, people who don't know me think that my aversion to being really touchy-feely is some sort of superiority thing. Not at all.
One more little story before I stop rambling. A friend had a holiday party, so I wore my red velvet pants. Her roommate (not b/f, just family friend) came home drunk during the middle of it. He went into a long rant about how I needed to start dressing like a real man. He proceeded to grab piles of his clothes and describe how people in "decent society" wear clothes like J. Crew and didn't waste their time importing overpriced freak show clothes from Europe. He promised to take me shopping in some "quality" stores. Blah. Blah. Blah. Eventually he started getting really sick, so I left.
I ran into him a few months later when I was leaving a local bar. I have a grey zip-up Diesel sweatshirt pecifically for walking to and from stinky bars in the dead of winter. There's no way I'm leaving a nice coat on an unattended hanger for hours on end. Not to mention the smell! He immediately gave me a bear hug and mentioned how he was so proud that I'd decided to be normal. This mirrors Alex's story, but I informed him that the top was the cheapest thing I'd wear in public and was bought solely to have something that could be stolen/soiled or otherwise destroyed without bothering me. I unzipped it to reveal a flash of Cavalli. He was horrified. I walked away.
Pardon the rambly paragraphs. This thread is REALLY, REALLY great for 2am venting.
I'm all too familiar with "you dress too well/strangely to be straight" bit. One of my best friends (who happens to be gay) gave me a fantastic compliment when he described a conversation he had about me with another classmate. Basically, the other person remarked that there was no way that I could be straight. My friend countered that by reminding him that I'm very open/bold with every other aspect of my life. If I were gay I would be GAY. Basically that I have enough self confidence that I would never allow myself to live some sort of lie just to remain sheltered.
Most comments have more to do with other people's insecurities than anything else. I'm a big fan of wearing suits for no particular reason. Even in the law school environment, which I assumed would be dressier than almost anywhere else, other students are shocked when I dress up when I don't have to. I get a lot of questions about whether I just got back from an interview. Nope. I just like this suit.
At first a few of the more conservative professors weren't too receptive, but once they've gotten to know me, most seem to really respect it. With some, it'll start with a conversation about how a leopard print or rubber shirt isn't appropriate for the court room. I usually respond by having them look around the room to see than 80% of the other students are in jeans/khakis/hoodies/tees or some other non-courtroom garb. Then, if I explain what I would wear to court, they realize that I'm not so much the lost lamb in need of guidance, but rather someone who makes conscious decsions about what I want to wear. Fortunately, now that I'm on the verge of graduation, I'm to the point that I've developed friendships with profs who've never taught me simply because they're interested in the clothes.
Another great compliment came from one of the judges from a moot court competition earlier this year. He talked to me individually because he wanted to be sure to let me know that although I was clearly incredibly nervous, I had a natural charisma. As I get some experience, the nerves will fade, but the assured/direct demeanor will grow. Just as an aside, I was the only person in the competion (20 teams. 2-4 per team) who didn't wear a black suit. I wore a dark grey Armani, so it was still very appropriate. I think the judge appreciated it.
That's not to say that I'm extremely confident all of the time. Far from it, but I know how to use clothing as a sort of armor, so I appear that way around the people who count. I think that's another source of discomfort. People around me know that they can't wear certain things that I end up looking more or less "natural" in. Since they don't know how else to deal with it, they dismiss it as strange/gay/crazy or any number of other supposedly demeaning categorizations.
People also like to dismiss it as a petty/vain interest. I've heard tell that certain people who know of me, but have never actually spoken with me, think I'm something of a spendthrift. They never realize that although I may have a thousand dollar pair of pants, I got it off-season for 90% off. This is especially true with suits. I'm far from my ultimate goals with the suit collection, but even my basic ones look far better and rarely cost any more than the most of the stuff that my peers show up in. Some of the prices people pay for mediocre clothes is mind boggling.
The other false assumption that I have to deal with is the whole superiority thing. This is exacerbated by the fact that in addition to clothes, I know more about film, food and popular music than most people I run into. There's the assumption that just because I like Tarkovsky, that I'll look down on anyone who chooses to watch a comedy on a Saturday afternoon. I just want to have a moderate conversation about movies. I don't care if you have the same taste as long as you can justify your opinion.
The same goes for food. I never eat any fast food/pre-packaged stuff. This is mainly because I'm allergic to certain preservatives, but since I have to eat a number of meals at school, people are more aware of my eating habits than I'd like them to be. People who take a minute to talk with me realize that I don't think less of them for dressing or eating differently. I just have different priorities. If they blacked out after drinking a frappuccino, they would avoid it too. This is even an issue with my choice of clothes. I've been told that my sense of touch is hyper-sensitive, so I'm almost forced to get "nice" fabrics in order to be comfortable. I can't walk outside comfortably without shoes because I can feel every little blade of grass. Again, people who don't know me think that my aversion to being really touchy-feely is some sort of superiority thing. Not at all.
One more little story before I stop rambling. A friend had a holiday party, so I wore my red velvet pants. Her roommate (not b/f, just family friend) came home drunk during the middle of it. He went into a long rant about how I needed to start dressing like a real man. He proceeded to grab piles of his clothes and describe how people in "decent society" wear clothes like J. Crew and didn't waste their time importing overpriced freak show clothes from Europe. He promised to take me shopping in some "quality" stores. Blah. Blah. Blah. Eventually he started getting really sick, so I left.
I ran into him a few months later when I was leaving a local bar. I have a grey zip-up Diesel sweatshirt pecifically for walking to and from stinky bars in the dead of winter. There's no way I'm leaving a nice coat on an unattended hanger for hours on end. Not to mention the smell! He immediately gave me a bear hug and mentioned how he was so proud that I'd decided to be normal. This mirrors Alex's story, but I informed him that the top was the cheapest thing I'd wear in public and was bought solely to have something that could be stolen/soiled or otherwise destroyed without bothering me. I unzipped it to reveal a flash of Cavalli. He was horrified. I walked away.
Pardon the rambly paragraphs. This thread is REALLY, REALLY great for 2am venting.
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voodoo_mary
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princess imp- i feel the same way too.
when i was younger i had to fight hard to explain the way i wanted to dress. whether it was parental disapproval or my peers and their herd mentality of copying each other. it doesn't matter now. cos u can't please everyone!
i got abit of flak for dressing up to work.and always the same negative comments too! but here's an interesting twist:
i was always swathed in pashima shawls at work. (like 5 years ago)it was not merely a fashion statement. the office was v cold, and i have low tolerance for the cold. plus the shawls came in alot of nice pastel shades like lilac and cream, and i like the softness and funtionality.
and people were like " she's mad" " what IS she trying to prove" (this was a Japanese retail company). then strangely, after half a year, i saw the SAME colleagues wrapped up in shawls at work..
is this human nature? to be resistant to different ideas? or is it jealousy or a sour grapes phenomenon?
i see it happening to and around me at every workplace i go to.
OT- but i'm really mad when people
ask "Are u anorexic" . which is clearly an insult to folks who really are anorexic.
thenwhen we sit down for dinner and i out-eat them. they then ask if i'm bulimic-i justcan't win, can i?)
visconti-
"I ran into him a few months later when I was leaving a local bar. I have a grey zip-up Diesel sweatshirt pecifically for walking to and from stinky bars in the dead of winter. There's no way I'm leaving a nice coat on an unattended hanger for hours on end. Not to mention the smell! He immediately gave me a bear hug and mentioned how he was so proud that I'd decided to be normal. This mirrors Alex's story, but I informed him that the top was the cheapest thing I'd wear in public and was bought solely to have something that could be stolen/soiled or otherwise destroyed without bothering me. I unzipped it to reveal a flash of Cavalli. He was horrified. I walked away."
thats hilarious. karma for u!
when i was younger i had to fight hard to explain the way i wanted to dress. whether it was parental disapproval or my peers and their herd mentality of copying each other. it doesn't matter now. cos u can't please everyone!
i got abit of flak for dressing up to work.and always the same negative comments too! but here's an interesting twist:
i was always swathed in pashima shawls at work. (like 5 years ago)it was not merely a fashion statement. the office was v cold, and i have low tolerance for the cold. plus the shawls came in alot of nice pastel shades like lilac and cream, and i like the softness and funtionality.
and people were like " she's mad" " what IS she trying to prove" (this was a Japanese retail company). then strangely, after half a year, i saw the SAME colleagues wrapped up in shawls at work..
is this human nature? to be resistant to different ideas? or is it jealousy or a sour grapes phenomenon?
i see it happening to and around me at every workplace i go to.
OT- but i'm really mad when people
ask "Are u anorexic" . which is clearly an insult to folks who really are anorexic.
thenwhen we sit down for dinner and i out-eat them. they then ask if i'm bulimic-i justcan't win, can i?)
visconti-
"I ran into him a few months later when I was leaving a local bar. I have a grey zip-up Diesel sweatshirt pecifically for walking to and from stinky bars in the dead of winter. There's no way I'm leaving a nice coat on an unattended hanger for hours on end. Not to mention the smell! He immediately gave me a bear hug and mentioned how he was so proud that I'd decided to be normal. This mirrors Alex's story, but I informed him that the top was the cheapest thing I'd wear in public and was bought solely to have something that could be stolen/soiled or otherwise destroyed without bothering me. I unzipped it to reveal a flash of Cavalli. He was horrified. I walked away."
thats hilarious. karma for u!
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PrincessImp. said:I find it so silly that people can get so negative about fashion.
definately, some ppl get so crazy criticising you'd think fashion stole their firstborn..fashion is an expression of yourself, blabla, we are all different but the same.. we all wear clothes (we are the same) but different ones (we are different).. why some have trouble accepting a choice like that can be puzzling sometimes..they should just be grateful we 'crazy self-adoring indulgers' are even wearing clothes.. hehe.. ah.. im feeling catty today..
visconti - 2am venting.. 5am delirium..
gius
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Some people laugh at me, saying that I weave and print my own fabric because it's cheaper 
The same goes for making clothing.
I usually don't say anything to them. Sometimes the ignorance is really cute and I end up laughing. Then I run away from them (or turn around, if I'm at a bus stop).
The only way that I defend my interest is by continuing to do what I like to do and not stopping
The same goes for making clothing.I usually don't say anything to them. Sometimes the ignorance is really cute and I end up laughing. Then I run away from them (or turn around, if I'm at a bus stop).
The only way that I defend my interest is by continuing to do what I like to do and not stopping
Couture_Tribe
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OOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
I adore this thread!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for bringing it on!!!!
I am extremely sick and tired of first, my parents telling me that I waste too much tme on figuring out what to wear, what's in, what hairstyle to try next, what's gonna be the next purchase, and applying makeup on myself each morning! I love being fashionable, wearing unique clothes, and change my makeup look every single day! My parents told my that it's an age thing, it's just young ppl all wants to be attractive. They told me that it's very immature to waste that much time and money on those boring physical appearance issues(clothes, makeup, shoes, bags etc. etc.)!
They don't know me, they thinks I am just another girl in the skool who is trying to fit in, attract guys, and goes to American Eagle, Holifister(sp.) to buy clothes!
In fact, I hate to be just another face in the crowd! I live with fashion in my blood, it's my passion! I want to express myself as an individual, I want others to see me as a different type of person! I see fashion as an art, an expression!
When it comes to reactions from ppl, it's a huge issue for me, ppl in my city(Scarborough, a little village in Toronto) are countrified to it's extreme!!! When you follow the latest trend and wear it around the town, their eyes says that they wants to kick you off the earth! They see you as a monster or at least a prostitute!
But anyways, I dress the way me and my soul desires, I ignore all the sterotypes, immature reactions from guys, and tacky people in my "city".
I am so glad that I can write this and let others see my opinion, and what the deepest end of my soul are feeling. I finally felt better about my vision and passion for fasion, I actually don't feel that lonely anymore!
*deep breath*
I have a lot more to say, but I can't think of more at this moment.
I adore this thread!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for bringing it on!!!!
I am extremely sick and tired of first, my parents telling me that I waste too much tme on figuring out what to wear, what's in, what hairstyle to try next, what's gonna be the next purchase, and applying makeup on myself each morning! I love being fashionable, wearing unique clothes, and change my makeup look every single day! My parents told my that it's an age thing, it's just young ppl all wants to be attractive. They told me that it's very immature to waste that much time and money on those boring physical appearance issues(clothes, makeup, shoes, bags etc. etc.)!
They don't know me, they thinks I am just another girl in the skool who is trying to fit in, attract guys, and goes to American Eagle, Holifister(sp.) to buy clothes!
In fact, I hate to be just another face in the crowd! I live with fashion in my blood, it's my passion! I want to express myself as an individual, I want others to see me as a different type of person! I see fashion as an art, an expression!
When it comes to reactions from ppl, it's a huge issue for me, ppl in my city(Scarborough, a little village in Toronto) are countrified to it's extreme!!! When you follow the latest trend and wear it around the town, their eyes says that they wants to kick you off the earth! They see you as a monster or at least a prostitute!
But anyways, I dress the way me and my soul desires, I ignore all the sterotypes, immature reactions from guys, and tacky people in my "city".
I am so glad that I can write this and let others see my opinion, and what the deepest end of my soul are feeling. I finally felt better about my vision and passion for fasion, I actually don't feel that lonely anymore!
*deep breath*
I have a lot more to say, but I can't think of more at this moment.
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eugenius
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Oh God, these stories sound all too familiar to me..
A couple of Saturdays ago, I went to the local gaybar, which just so happens to be a hotbed for the A&F/"jockboy" kinda crowd..and here I was, all dressed up in my fitted smoking coat, my striped shirt, my polka-dot bowtie, my new plaid pants, my new shoes, my houndstooth-print hat..I remember I was particularly proud of this particular outfit, as the color-scheme flowed cohesively throughout each piece, and the patterns, while it may sound gaudy in print, all mixed well together..Its actually one of my favorite outfits, and I literally just whipped it up in a few short minutes..Anyways, as the nite progressed, some guy (head to toe in new gear from Prada spring line, courtesy of our local NeimanMarcus, mind you) came up to me and said "Me and you stick out like sore thumbs here..I guess you must be my competition." And to that, all I had to say was, "Geez, I didnt realize it was a game.."
But later on that night, some other guy came up to me and said, "Hey, do you subscribe to Vogue For Men?" And all I could say was, "No b*tch, Vogue For Men subscribes to ME! Besides, I subscribe to HarpersBazaar!"
Point is: I work very, very hard for my clothes, both the lower-priced items and the more expensive pieces..It is MY passion, it always has been, probably always will be, and I do take pride in what I wear...and Im 25 years old, Im a grown man, and Ive been dresssing myself for as long as I can remember, so you know what? I aint defending sh*t to nobody, for no reason, whatsoever! Case closed!
Besides, if "you" dont like what Im wearing, Im sure theres somebody in the What Are You Wearing Today? thread that does..
A couple of Saturdays ago, I went to the local gaybar, which just so happens to be a hotbed for the A&F/"jockboy" kinda crowd..and here I was, all dressed up in my fitted smoking coat, my striped shirt, my polka-dot bowtie, my new plaid pants, my new shoes, my houndstooth-print hat..I remember I was particularly proud of this particular outfit, as the color-scheme flowed cohesively throughout each piece, and the patterns, while it may sound gaudy in print, all mixed well together..Its actually one of my favorite outfits, and I literally just whipped it up in a few short minutes..Anyways, as the nite progressed, some guy (head to toe in new gear from Prada spring line, courtesy of our local NeimanMarcus, mind you) came up to me and said "Me and you stick out like sore thumbs here..I guess you must be my competition." And to that, all I had to say was, "Geez, I didnt realize it was a game.."
But later on that night, some other guy came up to me and said, "Hey, do you subscribe to Vogue For Men?" And all I could say was, "No b*tch, Vogue For Men subscribes to ME! Besides, I subscribe to HarpersBazaar!"
Point is: I work very, very hard for my clothes, both the lower-priced items and the more expensive pieces..It is MY passion, it always has been, probably always will be, and I do take pride in what I wear...and Im 25 years old, Im a grown man, and Ive been dresssing myself for as long as I can remember, so you know what? I aint defending sh*t to nobody, for no reason, whatsoever! Case closed!
Besides, if "you" dont like what Im wearing, Im sure theres somebody in the What Are You Wearing Today? thread that does..
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seeing_double
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Great thread. I myself have given up on taking into consideration what others have to say about my wardrobe. I am lucky enough to live in an enviornment where judgement on clothing is a bit less, but it is still an issue. Usually when someone on the street gives me an odd look or makes a comment I just brush it off, and find it rather laughable...as the reactions are usually coming from one in a NYC sweatshirt or a woman decked out in Flouis Vuitton. My style is not that outrageous to begin with...although I do occasionally break out some crazy pieces
Belle Princesse
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I agree with most of the people here, it's assumed that I'm materialistic, stupid, vain etc because I have a huge interest in my appearance. I see no problem in spending alot of money on a pair of shoes if I can afford it or if I need to save up, I don't why it seems to bug people so much about my personal choices.
I just continue to move forward in a way that makes me happy whether it's shopping everyday or spending my last pound at the MAC store!
I just continue to move forward in a way that makes me happy whether it's shopping everyday or spending my last pound at the MAC store!
Conversely I feel unremarkable as a gay man who likes fashion, it's almost expected that gay men either do fashion, makeup or hair, that's it, that's all we're good at. Some days I try not to do the fashion, just jeans and a tshirt, because Im not in the mood to be stared at. I just want my own look, thats all I want!
I feel cliched whenever I put fashion down as an interest. I know theyre expecting a True Religion, Ed Hardy, Prada sneaker clad gay man spewing drivel. They see a gay man who is interested in fashion as something who is interested in LABELS, who wants Chanel because its Chanel, not because it's a handmade Haute Couture boucle suit made of chiffon and a mile of threads.
In high school, everyone tried really hard to be "fashionable" around me, discussing the latest Vuitton store opening or whatever, not really knowing what fashion is, and my biggest test is "do you know what Haute Couture is?" And some people surprised me, the more artsy people were totally obssessed with Dior S/S 04 HC along with me, Id bring in my Alta Costura mag and we'd discuss the looks over lunch, other people would come up and stare at the shoes and makeup and think it's pointless. I recall my Bible teacher asked me what I wanted to do for a living, I said "Anything involving fashion" and he was like "will you really be happy doing that?" I was like YES, I will be because I have the capacity and direction that I will make it happen.
In response to well dressed men being taken more seriously, it's that men normally (in societies POV) dont pay attention to thier looks, so if they're well dressed then it must be because they're so successful they can afford the best and they have the time to shop...When in reality they have TASTE and the patience to wait for something gorgeous to come along.
I feel cliched whenever I put fashion down as an interest. I know theyre expecting a True Religion, Ed Hardy, Prada sneaker clad gay man spewing drivel. They see a gay man who is interested in fashion as something who is interested in LABELS, who wants Chanel because its Chanel, not because it's a handmade Haute Couture boucle suit made of chiffon and a mile of threads.
In high school, everyone tried really hard to be "fashionable" around me, discussing the latest Vuitton store opening or whatever, not really knowing what fashion is, and my biggest test is "do you know what Haute Couture is?" And some people surprised me, the more artsy people were totally obssessed with Dior S/S 04 HC along with me, Id bring in my Alta Costura mag and we'd discuss the looks over lunch, other people would come up and stare at the shoes and makeup and think it's pointless. I recall my Bible teacher asked me what I wanted to do for a living, I said "Anything involving fashion" and he was like "will you really be happy doing that?" I was like YES, I will be because I have the capacity and direction that I will make it happen.
In response to well dressed men being taken more seriously, it's that men normally (in societies POV) dont pay attention to thier looks, so if they're well dressed then it must be because they're so successful they can afford the best and they have the time to shop...When in reality they have TASTE and the patience to wait for something gorgeous to come along.
voodoo_mary
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eugenius said:Oh God, these stories sound all too familiar to me..
But later on that night, some other guy came up to me and said, "Hey, do you subscribe to Vogue For Men?" And all I could say was, "No b*tch, Vogue For Men subscribes to ME! Besides, I subscribe to HarpersBazaar!"
..
hahahhaah
karma.
