Sorry for the lack of writing over the past couple of weeks – but these giveaways are taking up most of my blogging time. So for the next couple of weeks, I’ll be pulling some old posts from the archives.
Starting today with…
Style Stalled in 1996
Recently – my Aunt Jan and I had a conversation about style and how we don’t actually see it changing. Or maybe people like Tim Gunn and Nina Garcia see it changing – but people like me don’t notice that we’ve fallen behind until we look in the mirror and see styles made popular by the original cast of Beverly Hills 90210. Hey – at least those girls were wearing mom jeans and comfortable shoes. There’s no way I could keep up with this new emaciated generation of fictional Beverly Hills high school students.
Seriously though – I’m NOT still wearing baby doll dresses with t-shirts (and never did since I thought this made my hips look big) or roomy overalls (didn’t buy into that one either – just made me look like a giant toddler). My current style is fairly up to date…in a conservative, make-it-last investment suit plus cheaper trendy accessories sort of way. But I do think that you can often lose track of how styles are changing for periods of time, and find yourself stuck in a rut with one that got just a little too comfortable.
This is easy to do since each style era spends a significant amount of time being the basis for a progression of more specific trends. When you are in the middle of one of these eras, the styles you see around you become the standard for “normal.” I was in high school in the late 80s, and if I ever saw ANYONE in bellbottom pants, I would probably have raced right over to peg the legs for them. But then when I entered college in 1990, I discovered boot cut jeans. Within just a couple of years, my standard for normal looking jeans had completely changed. And of course, several years later, those jeans were looking decidedly flared. Did I notice this progression while it was happening? Of course not. But I was young and automatically kept up with the changes.
Aunt Jan remembers being right smack in the middle the polyester and afro haired glory of 1972, and thinking that there wasn’t really a “feel” for the 70s. Not like there was for the 60s and 50s. No – with the emerging 70’s styles, “everyone just looked normal.” A thought that probably flew into her head at the sight of a white man using a pick to fluff up his globe of permed hair. Right…no feel…
But I remember having the same thought in the mid 80s. I was probably reading a Seventeen Magazine article on how neon is the new black and listening to the Footloose soundtrack when I came to the realization that after several colorful decades marked by distinctive styles (the poodle skirts of the 50s, the miniskirts of the 60s, the bellbottoms of the 70s…), my skin tight Guess jeans with the zippers at the bottom were so plain (hmmm…and my hair was feeling a little flat…time to poof up those bangs with some more gel).
Now I’m smarter – I KNOW that in about ten years were going to look at old pictures and see a bunch of…well….I don’t know because of course it all looks so normal right now. But I’m guessing that my Lucky Brand jeans with heeled boots will not be au courant.
Here is my fear (and the point of all of this): As a generally overworked, underpaid suburban mom of three, I don’t have a lot of time or money to invest in fashion. What if I get lazy? What if I get stuck in a rut? What if everyone around me is wearing micro minis with moon boots and I’m still wearing boyfriend jeans with flats? Of course I don’t think that particular scenario is likely as I’m not loving Katie Holmes’ look of pegged boyfriend jeans (famous last words…) – I’m just illustrating my point.
Interestingly enough, I can pinpoint the exact moment that this idea of style stagnancy took root. I was just a couple of years out of college and sitting with friends as we watched women ten years older than us file in to the room looking like a throwback to our older sisters’ high school graduation pictures.
I’ll have to stop now and get back to that tomorrow, as this post already quite long. Come visit me tomorrow to hear the rest.
This was a two part post, so I’ll pick up part two tomorrow (which does eventually get to 1996).
And don’t forget to enter today’s fab giveaway at As Good As Cake!
i think jeans and ballerinas will never go out of style… right?!? but i see your point… p.s. your posts never seem too long! besos!
My 'style' (ha!) stalled somewhere along the way, too… Not 1996, maybe 2003… I think I've just come to the age that I don't really care anymore. I'm lucky to get out of the house with CLEAN clothes.
I'm so glad you re-posted this, Kate. I can completely relate to the feeling that CURRENT style is boring and without any distinctive markers. We're too immersed in it to see!
What kills me, is that for SO long – I've heard all the style experts talk about how you have to have a certain body type (like a teenage boy) to pull of tapered leg jeans, and basically all the rest of us should stick with the boot cut or flare. And NOW, it's all about the straight leg…I can't keep up.
I love jeans and flats too…I hope that sticks around. I remember being so excited when those cute ballerina like shoes started replacing those thick chunky-soled shoes. I was all, God really does love me!
Great post, Kate.
Oh, I dunno. The minute "skinny jeans" came back "in," I thought – keep your head down, S, and just wait 'til this nightmare goes away.
Unfortunately, they've stayed a bit longer than I originally hoped. Maybe it's more obvious to see the "trends" and movement when one is watching from the outside?
(c'mon stovepipes, you can do it! It's time for a renaissance!)