COUTURE CURIOSITY
"I'd rather spend time with someone badly dressed but smart and funny and engaging than someone perfectly dressed and boring,..." Calvin Klein
When I knew that I would be writing about fashion today, I went searching for a relevant quote to use as a subtitle for this piece. I read quotes from fifty designers: from Coco Chanel (“I make clothes, women make fashion”) to Gianni Versace (“Don’t buy much, but make sure that what you buy is good”). Many of the quotes were quite fitting, but when I hit on the quote from Calvin Klein, I knew I found my subtitle. It spoke to me. I definitely prefer being smart, funny, and engaging rather than boring, regardless of what I am wearing.
By no stretch of the imagination would I be described as a fashionista ~ a term commonly used these days to define a woman with a penchant for shopping and a natural flair for combining both current and vintage fashionable trends. [www.urbandictionary.com]
First, I detest shopping; always have. Second, when I left the big city and professional arena of law, where conservative and uncomfortable business attire were de rigueur, and moved to a small town in the woods of Northwest Michigan, my big-city wardrobe was deep-sixed in favor of comfy casual wear - lots of Eddie Bauer and Sketchers, cashmere scarves, leather gloves, and snow boots.
As you can imagine, I do not spend my time lounging around eating bon bons while leafing through fashion magazines. Today’s poem is a bit about that.
VOGUE
Yesterday I went to my mailbox,
the sentry stationed at the end of my driveway,
as usual.
As usual,
it was filled with ads ~
interest-free credit card ads,
local sub-sandwich shop ads,
”Are you paying too much for car insurance?” ads ~
and, unusually,
Vogue magazine.
I do not subscribe to Vogue magazine.
I have never subscribed to Vogue magazine.
I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone who subscribed to Vogue magazine.
So, I was not surprised that the mailing label
on this Vogue magazine was not addressed to me.
It was not even addressed to anyone on my street.
This did not surprise me either.
No one on my street looks like someone who would subscribe to Vogue.
None of us looks like a mannequin ~
all gleaming eyes
and blinding teeth
flawless skin
and shimmering hair
with a sculpted figure as comfortable in couture
as I am in a robe and slippers.
I almost want to search out the lady on the label
to see exactly who around here does subscribe to Vogue.
Who around here has a self-image that isn’t tarnished by this glossy mag?
But, instead, I just threw it in the trash.
This gives me pause as I look back how i wanted to look perfect never wearing the same outfit when i was working. Now that i am retired nothing of this matters and I certainly feel embarrassed how shallow i was then.