The phrase "getting old and set in his way" is something I've heard, it seems, all my life. Usually it means someone resistant to new ideas -- for instance no computer, still using a typewriter or even a pen to write; still eating Wheaties and horrified by sushi -- that sort of thing.
I think some "set ways" have me in their grasp. For a few years now I've been horrified by four inch high heels. Long slender legs are gorgeous but walking around tip toe seems masochistic to - and I notice here, far from the centers of fashion, not many people wear any kind of high heels. I'm glad I live here and can always wear flat shoes.
Lately especially, I've been thinking about hair -- because I need either a cut, and soon! or about two inches more so I can do an old fashioned French twist or a bun of some sort -- now THAT is old fashioned! I've also always sort of wanted a long white braid laying neatly along my spine. In the lsat week I've noticed two of my most fashion conscious friends are doing their collar length hair with that straight, wispy-ends waif-like style. It's fairly subtle on them and note unattractive -- they are very attractive women in the first place -- but I'm appalled. That wispy, sometimes uncombed look (my friends look combed, I must say) seems unkempt and childish. And unless the wearer is very attractive, women look messy. I can't wait for this style to disappear and for more women in more parts of the country to rebel against those high, high heel (and I hope there are a lot of orthopods being graduated from medical schools because they are going to be needed).
Style is mainly for the young, always has been, I think, but even the fashion magazines do their token issues displaying styles of various decades although after 60 all fall in the same category: old and very conservatively "stylish". I suppose that's how it should. We want to look nice and at least a little stylish, but, gee whiz, so many other things are more important and most of us know what's comfortable for us. Often it's very short hair, flat shoes (too often sneakers, but that's my prejudice), soemtimes bright colors or interesting jewelry, one friend has a signature pearl necklace, a few have signature bright red lipstick. We have style -- although it may reflect how we've become set in our ways.
2 comments:
Yes, I agree, fashion is for the impressible young. I don't see that the young are really themselves when they replicate what fashion houses dictate. I look at dress as reflecting the personal attitude of the wearer. To follow fashion dictates to me is the same as following any other dictate in our culture -- just surface and not reflecting the inner being. I think that 4 inch heels are certainly a male designer's idea who don't wear 4 inch heels and I'm sure never will. But the 4 inch idea is titillating to male chauvinists. For those that wear them -- they are certainly after titillating the opposite sex -- not concentrating on themselves and their liberation.
Thanks, Barbara. On thinking more about it, I think fashion is for those who haven't yet learned to think for themselves and feel they must follow what others are doing.
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