French Oppression

French parliament is considering a ban on burkas after President Nicolas Sarkozy told lawmakers that burkas were not welcome in France. The argument is that burkas suppress women, that they are used as an instrument to restrict their rights. In 2004, the French parliament passed legislation that banned Muslim girls from wearing headscarves in state schools. This law also banned other “conspicuous” religious symbols including Sikh turbans, large Christian crucifixes and Jewish skull caps. I suppose we can at least credit the French with being equal in their discrimination. While this issue clearly has religious and political motives, this also is the beginning of fashion restrictions and laws about conformity. Being an American, I scoff at the thought that anyone has the right to tell me what to wear, whether I wear it for religious or secular reasons. I choose to wear skirts and dresses on occasion. This does not say that I am oppressed or that the men in my family force me to wear clothing that hides my legs. I also don’t wear shorts cut up to my butt. This is a matter of modesty, not repression. Should I choose to cover my hair, or my entire being is, in a free world, no one’s business but my own. I’m not sure France is familiar with concept of irony. Though they pass laws restricting someone’s freedom to wear what they will, so that they are not restricted in what the wear. Will they pass laws banning skirts? How about hats? They could just issue a country uniform, makes laws about what religions they can practice. Of course they would have to give up the illusion that they are a free country. I have often been told that France is not a welcoming country, that the natives are rude. I’m beginning to see it.

The Issue of Size

“Do you think this jacket looks too big?”
“No, you want to make sure it fits in the shoulders and it looks like it does.”
“I think it’s cute, but it’s a large and I have never worn a large in my life, but it seems to fit.”
“You can cut the tag out then it can be any size you want, haha”
“I think maybe it is a little big”

Let’s get this out there. Brands do not size the same. Countries do not size the same. Stores do not size the same. It can vary greatly. A Chanel size 6 and an Old Navy size 6 will not be the same. Even within a brand, sizes can differ depending on fabric and color. Brands may change their formula or supplier. I had a recent experience with tights that I have loved for years. They changed something, and now the search for perfect opaque tights begins again. Fit is not a right, it is privilege that takes work to acquire. It also requires that you give up the dream that everything in your closet should have the same number on it. Cut the damn tags out and tell people whatever you want. Or better yet don’t tell them anything and let them admire your stunning sense of style whatever the size.

How to Dress like a Parisian

Paris, fashion capitol of the world? Not to my jaded and thrifty eye. The stores seemed to hold no holy grail of chicness. It had all, I am sad to say, been seen before. Though the stores lacked in inspiration, the locals did not disappoint. Their casual effortless look made me wish I were not morally opposed to leggings. Those not as morally righteous can achieve the Parisian uniform with relative ease.
Step 1: black leggings or tights. These are worn everywhere and frequently with a loose blouse or short dress that appears to have selected at random, bright colors need not apply.
Step 2: short slouchy boots. Any color, any style and frequently with no heel. Throw on a worn jacket of neutral color and your outfit is complete.
Step 3: hair and makeup. Very little of either, your hair needs to be artfully mussed. Carefully coiffed bouffants and shellacked poodle hair will not work. And the makeup should take you about three seconds.
Voila, you now have the Parisian uniform. And for the men the steps are even easier. Get a t-shirt and a pair of dark pants. Now buy them two sizes smaller than you normally would, the effect will be……eye catching. Leave the hair gel at home, and throw on Italian looking shoes and a worn jacket to complete to outfit.
Parisians have perfected a casual chic look that appears effortlessly put together. But as a woman who has tried many times to look artfully thrown together, I know this can take hours of careful planning. But the ability to say, “This old thing? I just threw this on.” to an admiring fan is worth the effort.

June 10, 2009

Humans are prone to habit. We find comfort in the familiar. We get stuck in ruts. I find that people fall into two categories: those that will eat the octopus and those that won’t. My family was at a Japanese restaurant when we ordered the octopus appetizer. Those things looked gross. They were tiny complete octopi laid out for our culinary pleasure. I had never had octopus before and gazing at the gastronomic wonder presented before me, I wasn’t sure I ever would. We can apply the octopus theory to all aspects of our lives, including fashion. If you get it into your head that you can only wear one thing or shop at certain stores, you miss out. We need to get out of our boxes. That skirt could be a dress, that bathing suit top can be a shirt, that store may have just what you need. I find the most unique pieces in junk stores. I wore a Christmas ornament as a hair piece in my brother’s wedding. I wore a bathing suit top, as a shirt, to a party just last week. You may be thinking that people will laugh; someone will think you look silly. Someone probably will. But most of the time when I wear the big feather hat or lots of sequins, I get compliments and very few giggles. You can only please yourself. Live the dream, eat the octopus, wear the red beret. I ended up trying the octopus. It was disgusting, but you may like it.

June 3, 2009

What happened to the days of dressing before you left the house? Men wore suits. Women would carefully apply makeup. Their shoes, gloves, and hat would match to complement their thoughtfully chosen outfit. Only after much preparation would they go grocery shopping, pick up the kids, or go to work. Now I’m happy if I see a middle aged woman wearing a bra at Wal-Mart, it happens so infrequently. Side note to the braless: Gravity is not your friend and we can all see your mammoth breasts hanging out with your belly button. Wear a bra. When did we become slobs? When did it become okay to live your life in pajamas? It takes just as long to put on nicer clothes as it does to put on the flannel pants with the ratty holes and wrinkles. I realize it does save time to just sleep in your clothes, but assuming you bathe, you have to change at some point. Make that point the moment before you go out. I can hear you whining about the comfort of other clothes. But I’m not asking you to strangle on a tie or lace up a corset. A clean pair of jeans and an appropriately covering shirt will do the trick, assuming the jeans aren’t tapered, but that’s a lecture for another day.

Greetings!

This is Vi’s Page to voice her opinion are anything from what to wear to a wedding to the coolness of spandex or lack there of. She will answer any questions you have on life and style, and keep you updated on the goings on at Viola’s Gallery.