This experience does give me an excuse to post this Gemma Correll cartoon that I love, however:
2. INFINITELY worse was my attempt to Google something like "shorts length for over 40". I mean, not that I think my recent 40th birthday pushed me over some invisible line for how long I should wear my shorts. However, I was planning to make some shorts this summer but couldn't find any images of shorts I liked that weren't on ultra skinny late-teens-early-twenties women. This sucked me into a black hole of reading "Style for the over 40s!" blogs, which I have to tell you is a niche heavily colonized by women whose lifestyle is very unlike mine. It's a lot of "I like to wear this look to the country club/church/our annual trip to Bermuda!". I thought the whole Country Club thing was only a punchline to a joke in American 80s movies, but no, apparently it really is a thing for some people.
At any rate, I can inform you that the most common refrain among You Can Be Stylish At 40! bloggers is that shorts length depends entirely on the answer to the question of whether your knees are "still good". At no point does anyone define "good" vs "bad" knees. Personally, I can honestly say I have never looked at anyone's knees and thought "she should really not be showing those off, those are BAD knees". I am not trying to be holier-than-thou on this, I just... don't look at other people's knees in a judgmental sort of way? I'm not even sure what there would be to object to. Maybe you get issued with knee-related standards when you join the country club, I don't know.
For myself, I have concluded that my knees are fine, for both moral and aesthetic definitions of "good", but yet I am no further on in determining how long my new shorts should be.
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In which I model my one pair of leggings and a dress I have belted strangely in order to approximate a tunic length top |
4. Someone explain to me why I chose to work on a shirt using a pattern full of gathering when I dislike gathering (the action of, rather than the outcome) so much.
5. Do you ever get absolutely caught up in the idea of buying totally unsuitable fabric? I have put 2m of a blue and white floral viscose print in my online shopping basket and taken it out again about 10 times in the last two days. The sensible half of me is all it's a floral! you won't wear it! it's VERY BRIGHT! you won't wear it! but the rest of me just wants it, OK, shut up sensible half.
Despite knowing, intellectually, that no good comes from Googling how to dress my body type and despite my deep suspicion of any discussion of the concept of "flattering" clothing, I've fallen down that rabbit hole so many times. I also like to drive myself loopy by Googling reasons people shouldn't wear black (a good 80% of my wardrobe is black) or looking for professional wardrobe tips for women when I'm feeling insecure about work. It's a special kind of masochism!
ReplyDeleteI too am highly suspicious of this whole "flattering" malarky. Whether they say it or not, the upshot of all "flattering" definitions seems to be: this will make you look smaller and more dainty and above all, thinner. And just no, I can't get behind an overarching philosophy of telling women to take up less visual space if at all possible.
Delete"Whether they say it or not, the upshot of all "flattering" definitions seems to be: this will make you look smaller and more dainty and above all, thinner."
ReplyDeleteThis.This.This.
It ticks me off. Flattering almost always *ONLY* means that you don't look as fat as usual. And to that I give major side-eye!
Don't buy the fabric. You won't sew it and then it'll become an annoyance even though it's pretty. I bought a studded ponte that I "just had to have" and now I laugh every time I look at it because I can't imagine what I'd make and where I'd wear it.
That body type collage is my favorite. Pierogi especially! Hahahahaha
I am with you on side-eyeing all "look less fat!" advice.
DeleteYou are totally right about that blue and white fabric being something I shouldn't buy. It is so pretty, but it's not my style at all and even if I made it up, I'd never wear it. *clings by fingernails to non-fabric-buying resolutions*
I just found your marvelous blog...I confess I am a sewing machine amateur... not quite novice but working it out on my own.
ReplyDeleteShorts that are tasteful are getting rare. I am thinking spandex should be against the law! Shorts...a tad above mid thigh...not to tight! This blogpost has a lady with nice shorts...
http://www.jolynneshane.com/fashion-over-40-daily-outfit-inspiration-2.html
Thanks, that's an interesting link! :D
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