OK, I've got the answer girls, to how you can "go green" and still look good. I mean, have you gotten on the bring-your-own-bag band wagon yet? I'm just laughing because I think I was bringing my own bag back in what- the 1970's? Remember when you bought health food in a church basement from a born again co-op because that is the only place you could get it? Remember when you had to make your own yogurt because stores didn't sell it? Remember when you had to grow your own sprouts because stores didn't sell them?
Way back then folks, you didn't just bring the bag to carry your purchases out of the store, no, you had to bring bags to put you bulk items in, because nothing was packaged! Now days we have packaged, pressed, remilled, frozen microwaveable health food! Isn't it amazing! Remember when- oh, never mind, you get my drift.
Any hoo- now days it's become fashionable to be green and of course corporations immediately thought of a way to make money off the whole trend. Why not sell re-usable grocery bags with our nifty logo on them? Yes, let's make people pay to advertise for us. Let's make people pay so that we can save money on the cost of bags. Let's make people pay to be green! So every store you can imagine, from Walgreen Drugs to Pier One Imports- one of the least green stores on the planet and one that nobody buys groceries in- has a re-usable grocery bag with their logo on it.
Now I don't know about you, but I'm not walking around with a bag that advertises for a drug store. A health food store, yes, if the bag is nice looking but a drug store? Wal-mart? Pier One Imports? NO. Definitely not. Am I going to carry a bag from a big grocery chain that does not have a good selection of organic and whole foods? NO. Am I going to carry a bag from a health food store that is a supplement pill pusher and way over charges for the food they do carry? NO.
And, last but not least, am I going to carry a re-usable shopping bag that clashes with my outfit? NO.
So, what's a girl to do? Well girls, let me tell you, you all know I'm a purse hound. Well, if you didn't know before, you do now. I can do without the 300 pairs of shoes, but I have shelf after shelf of vintage purses. I am constantly scanning the thrift and consignment stores for nice vintage purses. Recently I came upon a winning idea- a really large beach bag style purse from the mid-eighties. It's black leather with a nice dark brown linen lining and has bronze metallic tassels. It's as large as a big shopping bag!
So you see where I'm going with this right? That bag takes the place of two of those unsightly Wal-mart bags and looks great with any outfit. So next chance you get, hop on down to the thrift store and I'm wishing you lots of luck finding a perfect humongous vintage purse so you can grocery shop, be green, and look great at the same time!
Showing posts with label fashion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fashion. Show all posts
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Dressing Was so Much Easier Before Victoria's Secret!
Recently I was getting ready to go out with some friends. I had lost track of time sitting at the computer percolating away and typing like a fiend getting my next blog article ready. There was a phone call, “hey” my friend said, “we’ll be there in 10, you ready”?
“No, I have to get dressed, but that will just take a minute”.
HA! It took me forever! Well, not forever but long enough for the party to start in my kitchen without me.
Used to be when a girl got ready to go out for the evening she could throw on underwear (sans bra), jeans and take a few moments picking out just the right rock concert t-shirt and wa-la! Ready to go and lookin’good. No more. Now it’s a whole complicated process thanks to Victoria and her little secret.
First, you pick the blouse because that has to be determined before you can pick the underwear. You have to do this because now, it’s not just underwear, it’s a “foundation for your look”. It has to be just so. You pick the bra before you choose the underpants because they have to match and the whole little outfit really depends on the appropriateness of the right bra.
You’ve got 1001 choices.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking about the surprise-your-mate-passionate-and-slightly -kinky type underwear you see advertised for Valentine’s Day, I’m not talking about the you-have-a-hot-date-and-might-get-past-second-base style underwear, no, I’m not even talking about the I’m-gonna-dance-up-a-storm, kick-my-legs-high-jitterbugging-and-somebody-might-see-my-underwear type underwear. I’m just talking about your plain old regular everyday under the clothing underwear. I’m just talking about utilitarian underwear. I’m just talking about the underwear that lays the proper foundation for the clothing and look of today.
It’s no longer just about what color goes under what color so “nothing shows” or carrying a small safety pin or two so you can corral that slipping strap. Nowadays it’s about a whole lot more. The entire decision making process involves a series of questions to narrow down the field of possible choices. It goes something like this:
Now, with that blouse do you need a racer back, demi-cup, full coverage, t-shirt, wireless, wired, convertible, scoop neck or sports bra?
Do you need a miracle bra? Do you need more curves or less curves? If you want more curves, how much more? Do you want the padded, push up, gel push, up-lift or air push up? (does this sound like a basketball shoe commercial?)
Do you need the slim strap, fat strap, front cross strap, back cross strap, over the shoulders strap, around the neck strap, waist strap ( ? yes, they make a bra with a waist strap! Don’t ask me, I have no idea how it stays where it is supposed to stay.), nude strap, acrylic strap, lace strap or signature Victoria’s Secret initials strap? Do you need one strap, two straps, or strapless?
Next the fabric must be considered. Do you want satin, velour, velvet, lace, cotton, microfiber, silk, nylon, spandex, lycra, polyester or metallic thread? As well as the construction; will it be seam free, stitch free, removable or stationary straps, clingy, cling free, low cut, high cut, wire, no wire, front pads, side pads, under pads, front clasp or back clasp?
You guys out there may think this is a little crazy, but think about it, if you wore a jock strap for 10 or 12 hours a day, wouldn’t you be a little picky about the construction?
OK, we are getting close now. We’ve got the basic make and model, now we just need to iron out the options.
Now consider the color. The color depends on a number of factors such as what the blouse looks like, what the weather is like, what season it is, how much bra will be showing, what is the occasion, what current fashion trends are, what time of the month it is and what the bra-ees mental state of mind is. Basic black? White? Nude? Off white? Or will it be colored, and if so are we going with solid color or print? If we are heading to print, what theme? Victorian flowers, stripes, polka dots, big cat prints, jungle greenery, Hawaiian tropical, geometric, hearts, country fresh gingham, or the ever popular VS initial design?
It’s gotten out of control I tell you! What we have to go through to get dressed! We are being enslaved by our underwear! I’m not blaming this all on Victoria’s Secret. They are not the only ones perpetuating this crazy-ness!
I spoke to one of my sisters just yesterday and she had spent a day and a half in 30 different department stores looking at 7000 different styles of bra just to find a basic, comfortable, everyday wear model that didn’t have a price tag more appropriate for a sold gold Mercedes.
It’s insane I tell you! We might as well be strapped into corsets as strapped into this gooey, sticky, love to pick it but once I start it just won’t let go- taffy-like relationship with our underwear. OK, maybe that’s exaggerating, I once spent 16 hours in a corset and bustle- on the set of a movie- and I couldn’t breath, couldn’t sit down and I had black and blue ribs for a month after! Maybe it’s not that bad.
I thought I had solved the dilemma a few years ago when I found the perfect fit of a bra, ordered one in every color and let it go at that. But wouldn’t ya know it, they discontinued that style and I had to start all over! I still haven’t recovered from that, I’m hanging in bra limbo trying a new model each time I order looking for my Mr. Right Bra.
Meanwhile it takes me several hours to get dressed and a full 30 minutes of that is just the underwear selection. Then of course, there’s the shoes…
“No, I have to get dressed, but that will just take a minute”.
HA! It took me forever! Well, not forever but long enough for the party to start in my kitchen without me.
Used to be when a girl got ready to go out for the evening she could throw on underwear (sans bra), jeans and take a few moments picking out just the right rock concert t-shirt and wa-la! Ready to go and lookin’good. No more. Now it’s a whole complicated process thanks to Victoria and her little secret.
First, you pick the blouse because that has to be determined before you can pick the underwear. You have to do this because now, it’s not just underwear, it’s a “foundation for your look”. It has to be just so. You pick the bra before you choose the underpants because they have to match and the whole little outfit really depends on the appropriateness of the right bra.
You’ve got 1001 choices.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not talking about the surprise-your-mate-passionate-and-slightly -kinky type underwear you see advertised for Valentine’s Day, I’m not talking about the you-have-a-hot-date-and-might-get-past-second-base style underwear, no, I’m not even talking about the I’m-gonna-dance-up-a-storm, kick-my-legs-high-jitterbugging-and-somebody-might-see-my-underwear type underwear. I’m just talking about your plain old regular everyday under the clothing underwear. I’m just talking about utilitarian underwear. I’m just talking about the underwear that lays the proper foundation for the clothing and look of today.
It’s no longer just about what color goes under what color so “nothing shows” or carrying a small safety pin or two so you can corral that slipping strap. Nowadays it’s about a whole lot more. The entire decision making process involves a series of questions to narrow down the field of possible choices. It goes something like this:
Now, with that blouse do you need a racer back, demi-cup, full coverage, t-shirt, wireless, wired, convertible, scoop neck or sports bra?
Do you need a miracle bra? Do you need more curves or less curves? If you want more curves, how much more? Do you want the padded, push up, gel push, up-lift or air push up? (does this sound like a basketball shoe commercial?)
Do you need the slim strap, fat strap, front cross strap, back cross strap, over the shoulders strap, around the neck strap, waist strap ( ? yes, they make a bra with a waist strap! Don’t ask me, I have no idea how it stays where it is supposed to stay.), nude strap, acrylic strap, lace strap or signature Victoria’s Secret initials strap? Do you need one strap, two straps, or strapless?
Next the fabric must be considered. Do you want satin, velour, velvet, lace, cotton, microfiber, silk, nylon, spandex, lycra, polyester or metallic thread? As well as the construction; will it be seam free, stitch free, removable or stationary straps, clingy, cling free, low cut, high cut, wire, no wire, front pads, side pads, under pads, front clasp or back clasp?
You guys out there may think this is a little crazy, but think about it, if you wore a jock strap for 10 or 12 hours a day, wouldn’t you be a little picky about the construction?
OK, we are getting close now. We’ve got the basic make and model, now we just need to iron out the options.
Now consider the color. The color depends on a number of factors such as what the blouse looks like, what the weather is like, what season it is, how much bra will be showing, what is the occasion, what current fashion trends are, what time of the month it is and what the bra-ees mental state of mind is. Basic black? White? Nude? Off white? Or will it be colored, and if so are we going with solid color or print? If we are heading to print, what theme? Victorian flowers, stripes, polka dots, big cat prints, jungle greenery, Hawaiian tropical, geometric, hearts, country fresh gingham, or the ever popular VS initial design?
It’s gotten out of control I tell you! What we have to go through to get dressed! We are being enslaved by our underwear! I’m not blaming this all on Victoria’s Secret. They are not the only ones perpetuating this crazy-ness!
I spoke to one of my sisters just yesterday and she had spent a day and a half in 30 different department stores looking at 7000 different styles of bra just to find a basic, comfortable, everyday wear model that didn’t have a price tag more appropriate for a sold gold Mercedes.
It’s insane I tell you! We might as well be strapped into corsets as strapped into this gooey, sticky, love to pick it but once I start it just won’t let go- taffy-like relationship with our underwear. OK, maybe that’s exaggerating, I once spent 16 hours in a corset and bustle- on the set of a movie- and I couldn’t breath, couldn’t sit down and I had black and blue ribs for a month after! Maybe it’s not that bad.
I thought I had solved the dilemma a few years ago when I found the perfect fit of a bra, ordered one in every color and let it go at that. But wouldn’t ya know it, they discontinued that style and I had to start all over! I still haven’t recovered from that, I’m hanging in bra limbo trying a new model each time I order looking for my Mr. Right Bra.
Meanwhile it takes me several hours to get dressed and a full 30 minutes of that is just the underwear selection. Then of course, there’s the shoes…
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
