OK – it is time for me to break my silence and come out of the closet (pun firmly intended). I have been bitching to my friends and colleagues for months and now it is time to share my thoughts with the world. I am sick of people walking around looking like slobs in public. There – I have said it. Why is it that people will follow stringent rules of dress at jobs that they hate and then walk around looking like crap during the time when they can be/do/have whatever they want? Is it a rebellion of sorts? Or is it utter apathy? I have been traveling on planes like crazy these past 6 months and I have noticed that most air travelers look more like they are going to a slumber party than to the Caribbean. I have had enough of the sweatpants that are 2 sizes too big and the scrunchies (wince!) pulling back as much wet hair as they could grab with one hand severely. Yes ladies I am talking to you… No one wants to see this! Take the time to do your hair, put on a little makeup and at least wear some nice jeans or cotton pants. They are comfortable and the material breathes at high altitudes. Pair this with a sweater or cute t-shirt and you’re good to go. I promise you’ll have a better time.
If you know me, you know that although I am generally modern about life and relationships, I am a traditionalist about fashion. I yearn for the days of Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant, when women wore dresses and hats and men wore suits (even when they weren’t required to) and took off their hats as a sign of respect. People dressed for every occasion: dinner, the theatre, the opera, travel, etc. I think I got this appreciation of the past from my mother, who to this day does not leave her house without lipstick on. I realize people need to be comfortable, especially in cities like New York where we walk everywhere. However, there are ways to have both comfort and style. I see it everyday on the subway. And it does not require and should not ever include Crocs. Here’s my other bold statement: Unless you are under the age of 10 or you actually wear them to do gardening, Crocs are not cute, attractive or in any way, shape or form a fashion statement. End of conversation. I have had countless conversations with people who agree with me about this and finally just found a website (thanks to my colleague Sarah's husband Jeff) that speaks to this bane of my existence. Check out: http://www.ihatecrocs.com/.
Here’s the deal: dressing well is actually quite simple. However, so many people have no clue. I guess I should be grateful for this because herein lies the need for image consultants. Conversely though, being fashionable comes easy to some people, especially in Europe. (A gross generalization, I know, but there is significant evidence to support this). For numerous examples of finding the inherent style in the everyday (mostly in Europe), check out: http://www.thesartorialist.blogspot.com/. But I don't live in Europe - yet...
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