"You've got weight"
A direct quote from my friend's wife that I haven't seen since Christmas. Ah yes Wei Wei, I have gained weight, and thanks for pointing it out.
I've been in a fashion crisis for a while now.
I've been thinking that I should make an effort at wearing something other than t-shirts and jeans, yet the only clothes I have are t-shirts and jeans. The weight gain is another reason I've been sticking with the basics of my wardrobe; you know, to hide my rolls. But earlier in the spring I went so far as to vow to myself as I walked into the Salvation Army that I would leave with something a little trashy to spice up the rotation of jeans and t-shirts. And I found trashy right there on the first rack; a red sweat shirt spelling out "strange" in gold studs. It didn't have much of a neckline, more of a shoulder line, with sleeves that ended abruptly at mid-forearm and at $1.50 it might have been the trashy bargain that would start my wardrobe revolution. I gave it the benefit of the doubt going so far as to try it on, but even at a $1.50 it was just too trashy, and I know it's hard to get too trashy. It revealed my pale belly button, something I couldn't bring myself to take a picture of, so instead of embarrassing myself with the shirt on, I settled instead for an on-the-hanger shot.
So I'm still on my clothes shopping quest, an activity that quickly loses it's fun factor as soon as I open my car door to head out to the mall. Actually, I don't usually make it to the mall, the crowds of people are just too much for me, and I usually stick with second hand and thrift stores, occasionally supplementing them with online browsing. But today I found myself in south Lincoln and went in to Plato's Closet* to see what the cool kids were getting rid of. I didn't see much beyond the racks and racks of American Eagle t-shirts and a lot of Extra-Low-Rise jeans from Hollister. Not the kind of spice I was exactly looking for. But then! Deep in the black shirts (they organize by color) I found a grey shirt with pink stripes and an EAGLE! With an olive branch in its beak. It is a little strange; with elastisized gathers on the cap sleeves and a side bow on the hem, but overall it's the kind of shirt I've been looking for.
Then, a few weekends ago I bought some Adidas Sambas to replace my red sneakers as my everyday shoes. In the store I was a little nervous that they were too shiny, making my feet look disproportionately long. Though, later that night I found a quick remedy for removing all traces of newness: take one Ukrainian, add a soccer ball, then mix in a dirt field and your new shoes will look like you haven't taken them off for six months. Perfect.
I think I'm on my way out of my fashion crisis, of course, I could just come to terms with jeans and t-shirts being an acceptable wardrobe.
*Plato's Closet is a consignment store geared toward the teenaged and 20-something crowd, seemingly a demographic that only buys American Eagle t-shirts.
I've been in a fashion crisis for a while now.
I've been thinking that I should make an effort at wearing something other than t-shirts and jeans, yet the only clothes I have are t-shirts and jeans. The weight gain is another reason I've been sticking with the basics of my wardrobe; you know, to hide my rolls. But earlier in the spring I went so far as to vow to myself as I walked into the Salvation Army that I would leave with something a little trashy to spice up the rotation of jeans and t-shirts. And I found trashy right there on the first rack; a red sweat shirt spelling out "strange" in gold studs. It didn't have much of a neckline, more of a shoulder line, with sleeves that ended abruptly at mid-forearm and at $1.50 it might have been the trashy bargain that would start my wardrobe revolution. I gave it the benefit of the doubt going so far as to try it on, but even at a $1.50 it was just too trashy, and I know it's hard to get too trashy. It revealed my pale belly button, something I couldn't bring myself to take a picture of, so instead of embarrassing myself with the shirt on, I settled instead for an on-the-hanger shot.
So I'm still on my clothes shopping quest, an activity that quickly loses it's fun factor as soon as I open my car door to head out to the mall. Actually, I don't usually make it to the mall, the crowds of people are just too much for me, and I usually stick with second hand and thrift stores, occasionally supplementing them with online browsing. But today I found myself in south Lincoln and went in to Plato's Closet* to see what the cool kids were getting rid of. I didn't see much beyond the racks and racks of American Eagle t-shirts and a lot of Extra-Low-Rise jeans from Hollister. Not the kind of spice I was exactly looking for. But then! Deep in the black shirts (they organize by color) I found a grey shirt with pink stripes and an EAGLE! With an olive branch in its beak. It is a little strange; with elastisized gathers on the cap sleeves and a side bow on the hem, but overall it's the kind of shirt I've been looking for.
Then, a few weekends ago I bought some Adidas Sambas to replace my red sneakers as my everyday shoes. In the store I was a little nervous that they were too shiny, making my feet look disproportionately long. Though, later that night I found a quick remedy for removing all traces of newness: take one Ukrainian, add a soccer ball, then mix in a dirt field and your new shoes will look like you haven't taken them off for six months. Perfect.
I think I'm on my way out of my fashion crisis, of course, I could just come to terms with jeans and t-shirts being an acceptable wardrobe.
*Plato's Closet is a consignment store geared toward the teenaged and 20-something crowd, seemingly a demographic that only buys American Eagle t-shirts.
posted by Ellen at 8:35 PM
8 Comments:
Wow, Ellen. I am impressed indeed. Next time you're thrifting, maybe you might find a pair of jeans in my size, to replace the ones that recently exploded? And maybe send them to me?
wow, and all this time i thought plato's closet was an expensive shop for little kids, good to know poor big kids can shop there too.
i like the eagle thing--and i'm way too familiar with the concept of hiding rolls by Sticking to the Basics.
how did your pants recently explode? that sounds interesting.
Ah... well... it's just when they simultaneously wear thin in multiple locations and then suddenly fall entirely apart. Plus tragique.
i've missed you ellen.
when you mentioned plato's closet, i immediately thought of a loud, laughing asian man with mismatched crocs and a large, baggy t-shirt. not the fashion look you're going for, me thinks.
and i totally loved the strange shirt. i think you could pull it off. maybe you could wear it over the top of a short dress. you know, the kind of dress that you wear with jeans. or maybe i've been in korea too long.
Nice duds, mi hermanita! I'm with Ceri...next time you see some impossibly long jeans, pick me up a pair. Oh yeah, those pinstripes we found at Dandelion...I let down the hems and they're fine now. I like them, but wool is kind of warm for Illinois in the springtime.
And I too am sadly familiar with the Tragedy of the Exploding Jeans.
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