CLOTHES-ING IN
DISCLAIMER: This entry is both girly and superficial. Deal with it.
A while back, Kim and I had a chat about the subtle yet significant differences (in my opinion) between the many adjectives that we use to describe attractive women. I think that there are many gradients of positive attributes, all valid and complimentary, such as "cute" versus "hot" versus "sexy" versus "beautiful." "Alluring" and "stunning" have their specific applications as well.
I think Hayden Panettierre and Hilary Duff are cute. I think Charlize Theron and Jessica Biel are hot. I think Kim Kardashian and Beyonce are sexy. And I think Eva Mendes and Scarlett Johansson are beautiful, Victoria Beckham is alluring, and Heidi Klum is stunning. While I am open to argument and supplement on any of these, I think you probably get what I'm going for here.
The reason this was on my mind today was because I feel that I am constantly trying to negotiate the best self-presentation possible given the physical, financial, social, and situational boundaries in which I find myself. When I'm training I like to feel/look strong and powerful. When I'm TAing I like to feel/look professional. We're heading to Vegas in less than a month, and I want to find a perfect couple of dresses that make me feel/look...something.
Every time I think about an outfit or series of outfits for an occasion, I also think about the image I am trying to project with that outfit. There are always limits to my fantasies. For example, if I was actually trying to pull off a "gangsta" style, it could only be successful to a point (and that point would likely be very cheap and pathetic). For better or for worse, we are constrained in certain ways by the way we look, and what our egos let us "pull off."
In my recent dress-shopping quest, as I've discerned among the sea of raging 80s trends (sequins! leather! minidresses! animal prints! bandage dresses! one shoulder tops!) while maintaining a focus on my body type (broad-shouldered, narrow-hipped, good legs), I've found that there are so many more factors to take into consideration when you're dressing yourself for actual adult life (versus college, or a single event, or a job).
I just want to be excited to get dressed each morning, and satisfied with my choices each night.
A while back, Kim and I had a chat about the subtle yet significant differences (in my opinion) between the many adjectives that we use to describe attractive women. I think that there are many gradients of positive attributes, all valid and complimentary, such as "cute" versus "hot" versus "sexy" versus "beautiful." "Alluring" and "stunning" have their specific applications as well.
I think Hayden Panettierre and Hilary Duff are cute. I think Charlize Theron and Jessica Biel are hot. I think Kim Kardashian and Beyonce are sexy. And I think Eva Mendes and Scarlett Johansson are beautiful, Victoria Beckham is alluring, and Heidi Klum is stunning. While I am open to argument and supplement on any of these, I think you probably get what I'm going for here.
The reason this was on my mind today was because I feel that I am constantly trying to negotiate the best self-presentation possible given the physical, financial, social, and situational boundaries in which I find myself. When I'm training I like to feel/look strong and powerful. When I'm TAing I like to feel/look professional. We're heading to Vegas in less than a month, and I want to find a perfect couple of dresses that make me feel/look...something.
Every time I think about an outfit or series of outfits for an occasion, I also think about the image I am trying to project with that outfit. There are always limits to my fantasies. For example, if I was actually trying to pull off a "gangsta" style, it could only be successful to a point (and that point would likely be very cheap and pathetic). For better or for worse, we are constrained in certain ways by the way we look, and what our egos let us "pull off."
In my recent dress-shopping quest, as I've discerned among the sea of raging 80s trends (sequins! leather! minidresses! animal prints! bandage dresses! one shoulder tops!) while maintaining a focus on my body type (broad-shouldered, narrow-hipped, good legs), I've found that there are so many more factors to take into consideration when you're dressing yourself for actual adult life (versus college, or a single event, or a job).
I just want to be excited to get dressed each morning, and satisfied with my choices each night.