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So I am having a single girl's night in, watching Glee and eating frozen yogurt. Sounds like heaven, right? I know!
The premise this week, besides the Gaga stuff, is about dressing as one wishes; being bold and expressive, rather than status quo.
I forgot about the me of my younger days who loved expressing myself through my clothing. Don't get me wrong, I still do; only now, I dress appropriately.
And when Gaga says she dresses or does what she does because she can, I get bothered for my impressionable students who think that being outlandish and acting dramatic and subversive is okay.
But then I remember - I was once like that too. And then I grew up, closed my mind, forgot about my creative needs and outlets...
Is it okay to dress outlandishly? To present oneself as different for the norm? Is it okay to be dramatic and atypical for personal expression? What's so wrong about different?
I remember my dad telling me the importance of being a part of the crowd, not standing apart from the crowd.
It sounded so sheep-like to me.
Yet now, I feel like it is important to understand that everything we do, say, wear, presents us in a certain light. And no matter what, we are being judged. We are telling others what to think of us based on the way we communicate ourselves through our appearance.
But is it so wrong to want to express ourselves outlandishly, eccentrically? Why does Gaga bug me so much?
I guess because there are many levels to creativity and wearing weird things does not always mean one is creative or dramatic.
There, I think, needs to be some taste to being different.
At least a little thought.
I don't think anyone should do anything simply because she can...
Because where is the art in that? Where is the depth? Where is the drama?
I can't help but remind you of the good ol' days when you wore a corset (without anything else on top) to the semi-formal at university! Or, the devil's costume on Halloween??? It's been awhile since I saw you in those outfits ;) It's true, those days of toeing the line with clothing seem to be over for us, or at least they have changed dramatically. We can still be sexy and express ourselves through our wardrobes (and makeup, hair, etc.) but we tend to be a bit more...reserved? conservative? grown-up? I do question wearing the super-sexy stuff outside of the privacy of my own home because I understand better that people, as you mentioned, do judge and make assumptions. Clothing tells us something about a person, reflects part of the inside, and the super-sexy outfits can make people only see one side of a woman's personality...Thinking of Halloween, it's funny how that occasion has become an excuse to parade around in lingerie for women/girls. I worry about the teenagers who do so. I dunno. I think people should wear what they want when they want but, with age, I've realized that even if I am in the mood to show some skin, I don't (usually). I don't want people to see me as a sex object. So I save that stuff for the appropriate "audience." Maybe that's the important part: knowing your audience? Or, am I worrying too much about what that audience thinks?
ReplyDelete--le
ha ha! so true. I remember my ball outfit...hilarious. I thought it was quite fun! I think that we should worry about our audience: we are a social people and so we present ourselves socially daily, it is for certain that we are being judged--and often accurately--based on appearance. Oh and - sexy is subtlety - out there and blatant is not sexy. Yes, maturity teaches us that one...Goodbye blatant cleavage - hello v-neck tease!
ReplyDeletei couldnt agree more with the vneck tease! i used to be all about the cleavage as that was all i got! now im a more modest clothes wearer.. of course, the body has changed and it leaves me with no other option :P boohoo...
ReplyDeletei pray to god i have a daughter that grows up as the hoodie and jean shorts wearer rather than underwear jeans (do you know what new style im talking about?) and skin tight tank top.. ew
~anonimo