Wednesday, December 23, 2009

What is (Age) Appropriate Dresscode Part 3: For the Ladies: Suffering for Fashion...Um...Why?



Have you ever seen someone so awkward that you begin to feel uncomfortable on their behalf? Well the other day I saw a woman wearing a very fashion-forward outfit with a killer set of high heels to match (yes, I do notice these things), but sadly, that's not what held my attention. What stuck out even more than her InStyle Magazine look, was her painfully awkward, knock-kneed, slightly pigeon-toed, hunched over walk. All of this because her heels were just too high for her comfort and that of anyone else watching. Now in my mind, her altitude-induced awkwardness completely ruined the style points she was scoring with her ensemble. So my question to you ladies is, why are you willing to suffer so much for fashion? 

According to an article citing research done by the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, a survey of 2,000 women in the UK found that 37% of women will wear shoes that are too small for them if they are in style. It was also found that 40% of women will buy shoes that they know are too small. From a male perspective, this makes absolutely no sense...

To me, if you're rockin' a fly outfit but look hella awkward in appearance, doesn't that defeat the whole purpose? Isn't the point of fashion not only to make you look good but also feel good? Should an Adult-in-Training go chasing after the latest trend just because it's hot and e'rybody and their mama is wearing it, all at the expense of your own personal comfort? Let's not forget the fact that NOT EVERY FASHION IS FOR EVERY-BODY (pun totally intended).

Now guys can be equally as guilty of blindly following trends, but I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) that men are far less likely to wear something that is just plain uncomfortable, just because it's in style. A-i-T will admit to owning one pair of sneakers that are a half-size too small because they were the last pair in stock and I really wanted them...but beyond that, all my clothing and shoes fit. 

Guys pay more attention than you might think to what women wear, but what we notice even more than a well put together look is a woman that is confident about what she's wearing and above all that she's comfortable in it. Nothing is more annoying and less sexy than a woman in an outfit that she is obviously uncomfortable with, or a woman complaining all night that her feet hurt, and that's just A-i-T keeping it true...

Like Drake said, "Sweat pants, hair tied, chillin' with no make-up on -- That's when you're the prettiest..." 

So, A-i-T ladies, does the pursuit of fashion truly trump comfort? Are a cute pair of heels (3+ inches tall) really worth the corns, blisters, sore feet, and tension headaches? 

Peace,
A-i-T

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Hahaha, that's so funny... As for myself... I was a big fan of heels in high school; but believe it or not, it wasn't as much of vanity reasons, rather that while everyone was still finishing out their growth spurts, I had already been done with mine, LONG ago. Therefore I discovered, in heels, I can actually see thru the crowd to where my next classroom was. Of course, at Hamilton, I dropped that habit since we had to walk everywhere in the snow; and I had no specific desire to risk breaking my ankle.

Aftter college, it took a long time to reaquaint myself with "heels" + office-wear. It wasn't pleasant, but not so terrible since there isn't exactly an insane amount of walking to do in Boston. However, when I moved to NYC, ALL my heels gained a permanent home in my closet & only had rare appearances on nights out. Comfort became more important than ever and "hot shoes" became a distant memory. So, of course when flats came into fashion, I was very excited at the possibility my precious feet being both fashionably adorned AND comfortable. But I quickly realized I had dreamed too big... no matter how many pairs I tried on, I couldn't find anything "comfortable." When I brought this up w/1 of my friends from work, she says "Jessie, you have to break them in first." I just started at her!

I'm sure by now you're asking, 'What's your point Jessie?' I totally agree with you in that fashion is not worth it if it doesn't fit you well or if it doesn't fit you period. But one of the biggest problems is that aside from baggy sweats & sneakers, there aren't very many women's footwear or clothing that's particularly fully "comfortable" like in men's wear. So... I think alot of women just figure what's a little extra discomfort on top of that. In my "A-i-T" experience, it just takes an ENORMOUS amount of effort for women to find clothing & shoes that are both stylish & completely comfortable; as well as ALOT of money - keep in mind, female figures vary so much more than males... which makes it even harder to find "good fitting" clothing for every female individual. So, if you live outside the fashion capital, its every easy to elect the "eh, who cares" outlook on wardrobe. And when you do live in a fashion capital in NY, it's just much easier to elect what's easily avail., as well as economical, to stay in trend and deal with discomfort.