Friday, September 18, 2020

White Masks after Labor Day? Never!


 
RHYS BOWEN: I saw this week that someone on Facebook asked, “Are we wearing white masks after Labor Day? I want to make sure I’m doing the right thing.”

 

While I had a good chuckle this made me think of all the silly rules and conventions we humans invent for ourselves. Who made the rule about not wearing white after Labor Day?  It must have been some socialite at her cottage in Newport RI who proclaimed those cutting words, “Nobody who is anybody would be seen dead wearing white after Labor Day.” Maybe that was because her maid had forgotten to pack her white gloves! Thus everyone made sure they were not seen in white or they wouldn’t be invited to the right places.

 

This is amusing, superficial, but it all goes down to basic survival. I suppose it has a lot to do with wanting to be part of the in-group, wanting to conform, to be accepted by the tribe. I think it’s built into human survival that we want to make sure the tribe does not reject us, because for our ancestors that would mean starvation and death.

 

From childhood on we yearn to be accepted, even more to be popular, and so we do everything we can. God forbid if we wear what’s not fashionable at the moment, or even the wrong brand of clothes. Mortification. Being rejected, or being laughed at, are worse than death. One of my daughters told me that “everyone else in my class” was wearing Calvin Klein jeans. She implied she couldn’t show her face again until she too had Calvin Klein jeans. I sat outside in my car one afternoon and reported that night. Survey on the behinds of sixth graders: it turned out only seven girls wore Calvin Klein. Some even wore the dreaded Sears. Case disproved, I said. I hate you, she said. But obviously it was the seven girls who mattered. It was case of wanting to be accepted by the in-crowd.  (That particular daughter now has the most sophisticated and classic fashion sense. She worked in Germany and learned that in Europe women only a few items of clothing but they are very good quality.)

 

I was always the good child who wanted to look right. There was one very rich girl at my ballet school and I wanted to look just like her. The good thing about living in England was that we wore uniform for most of our lives. No differentiating who was rich and who was poor, except on weekends and at parties.

 

In my kid’s school there were always one or two kids who didn’t care a fig for what was in fashion or the norm. They marched triumphantly to their own drummer, wearing tie-died and flowing or black and scary and not caring that other kids mocked them. I often think that those were the kids who succeeded as adults. I bet Mark Zuckerberg had a button down shirt and pocket protector.

 

 Most of us, however, are desperate to conform: My grandmother would never go out without her hat and gloves. When I was a child men still wore hats and tipped them to ladies as they passed. Remember that? And took them off in church, while ladies covered their heads. And women were slaves to fashion: the new look after WWII with its long skirts, then the A line, Mary Quant and hot pants, flowing hippie flowery garb. It’s that conforming to the tribe so we’re not rejected again, isn’t it?

 

I confess that I still want to be the good child: I peek out of my door at conventions to make sure that what I am wearing to the banquet is neither too dull or too flashy.  I learned the hard way. When I was writing YA books, years ago, a cocktail party was given in my honor at the Frankfurt book fair. I bought fabulous emerald green silk pantsuit. AND… every single other woman in the room was wearing a black cocktail dress. I wished the floor would open and swallow me up, even though I kept telling myself that these people had come to meet me.

So now, even if I’m guest of honor, I still want to look right. I agonize far more about what I’m going to wear than what I’m going to say in my speech (at least I don’t have the fear of speaking in public, like so many people).

 

Yes, I guess I’m still insecure. How about you? Are you comfortable just the way you are, have you always been the confident rebel who wears what she likes, when she likes? Or are you more like me, wanting to look right? Are you going to keep wearing that white mask after Labor Day?

71 comments:

  1. Well, I don't believe the calendar should dictate what I wear, so if I want to wear a white mask, I shall, even if Labor Day has come and gone. [I don’t understand that particular convention at all.] I’d like to look right for that something special event, but overall for the everyday things I’m comfortable wearing what appeals to me . . . .

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  2. I've never been one to wear things I don't want to. I could care less about what other people think about what I'm wearing or when I'm wearing it.

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  3. Thank you for this, Rhys. You always look so elegant, I'm shocked to hear that you agonize.

    I'm always a bit insecure. Being short, I've always struggled with my weight, and the clothes I want to wear don't look right on me, at least when I'm out on view (at conferences). Pandemic blessing - comfy old clothes all day long. And I'll wear white and drink G&Ts after Labor Day if I want to, so I guess I'm a mix. Starting in college I've always sported more of a "crunchy granola" style, which suits me fine.

    I wrote an email twenty-four hours ago to three close friend inviting them for a distanced garden visit before it gets too cold. Have not heard a word from ANY of them. Talk about insecure. I feel like I'm back in high school...

    So now I'm going to close my browser and dive into my book for an hour. I won't be surprised if I write a character feeling insecure.

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    1. Edith, I'm going to bet those friends are just juggling a lot and are bad at getting right back t emails (as I am.) It is amazing the chances new technology (well, new to those of us at a certain age) have to unsettle us and make us feel inadequate. Any time a cell phone dropped a call my mother was on, she was convinced she had been hung up on. No matter how many times I explained yes, I lived in an area with spotty coverage and no, I would never hang up on my mom, her feelings were bruised. Every time!

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    2. Edith, I'd have come to your gathering.

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    3. Edith,
      Perhaps your close friends do not want to risk giving you COVID 19 even with social distancing.

      As long as you are healthy, eat well and walk/exercise, I would not worry about your weight too much. If it is still a struggle, you may want to ask your doctor to test you for Thryiod (sp?( deficiencies ?

      You always dress well whenever I see you at conferences.

      Diana

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    4. Thank you Julia, Karen, and Diana. Karen, let's do it!

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  4. Junior high school was definitely the worst time for feeling awkward and insecure. I wonder now whether those girls who were leading the fashion trends felt as uncertain inside as the rest of us did?

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    1. I suspect they did, Lucy. When Youngest was in middle school, she was a very popular girl. Boys and girls wanted to be her friend, to be around her, to have her notice them. But to this day, she'll tell you she wasn't "popular," that was the junior cheerleaders. Who themselves would probably point to someone else...

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    2. Roberta, I would say they probably did.

      At our 40th high school reunion I talked to a classmate who had never been to one before. She'd been one of the most popular/beautiful of all the girls I went to school with, and I'd always been surprised she wasn't at reunions.

      I asked her why, and she said she had had a "horrible" high school experience full of self-doubt and unhappiness, and didn't care to revisit that time. I was stunned, but wow, what a revelation.

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    3. My younger son, who always seemed so popular and well-adjusted in high school, and traveled among the smart kids as easily as he did the jocks and the theater gang, recently confessed that he'd been bullied and never felt like he belonged. I was schocked.

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  5. Rhys, one thing that I love about your characters, Molly, whose stories I'm devouring now and Georgie, who is the most delightful character ever, is their awareness of and concern for clothing. Each one knows what she should be wearing, what she could be wearing, and then has to make do. Your sensitivity is reflected in these characters and that is terrific to know. I am confident that your sense of style is solid and comes through.

    As for me, the girl who wore oxfords, so her feet would have support, while all the other little girls wore loafers, boy, I get it. That insecurity continued for a long time. However, I guess that in the end, I wear what I want to wear and I know that I usually am presentable. I have very long legs for a short person and was thin for most of my life, so I really could carry off almost any styles that were not to bulky. I've always loved blue jeans, though, and have worn them constantly during the pandemic except I've done my Zooms in dresses because they're in the closet waiting for me to go out.

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    1. Judy, my mom inflicted those dang oxfords on me too when loafers were the shoes to wear. I did graduate to loafers later and Mom always claimed it was due to her intervention. I'm not convinced.

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  6. By now the only thing I care to wear is comfortable! I don't know what I'd do if I had to "dress up" but I don't think there will be any occasion any time soon. But back when I was in school of course I wanted to fit in and dress like everyone else.

    Rhys, I am sure you looked fabulous in that green silk pantsuit! I bet all the other women wished they could have worn something more individual too.

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    1. I agree with Judi, Rhys. I'll bet those women in dull black were kicking themselves!

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  7. Rhys, you always look wonderful. Your style is timeless and perfect.

    My childhood was also spent in uniforms so we missed out on much of the stress that accompanied the teen years for others. That said, once I got to college and had to dress myself daily I realized the value of clothes. Crunchy granola (I love that Edith) for my day to day, tailored preppy for work and evening. In these days of COVID-19 jeans are my uniform.

    White after labor day - heck, just wear the danged mask!

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    1. Exactly ! Reading the title of the post I also thought : wear the colour you want but wear the mask.

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  8. I don't wear white often anyway, having two dogs who love my lap. And I'm way past caring about wearing to please anyone but me. My wardrobe has gone from business to business casual to casual to WTH is it with these waistbands with buttons?

    Fall is upon us here on the tundra, with a light frost expected tonight. I don't have any sweat parts, but I have these cords from Land's End, stretchy, elastic waist, comfortable and warm. Several pairs in black, gray, and brown. That will do. Jeans when I want to dress up! Lots of sweaters, cotton mostly, lots of long sleeved thermal henleys to go under, wool socks from LLBean, fleece lined slippers from same, and I'm good to go.

    Also, I'm usually wearing at least one dog, often two. And today is the day to put the clean duvet cover on the down duvet, change out the sham covers to match, and I'm all ready for winter.

    Tell the truth. How many of you will be wearing bras under all those bulky sweats and sweaters?

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    1. I wear those same corduroy pants. Most comfortable clothes I own!

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    2. I will, because taking it off in the evening to put on my lounging wear is the best moment of the day!

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    3. No bra here, although sometimes I wear a bra-cami.

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    4. I live in bra camis, summer and winter, and think I've only worn a proper bra twice in the past six months. You forget how uncomfortable those underwires are...

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    5. Spanx bras are the best invention yet! All the comfort of a sports bra with a bit of jiggle. I'm never wearing anything else.

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    6. Let’s hear it for a festive bra burning!

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  9. Green silk sounds marvelous! I always wear a LBD travel dress with a major scarf or shawl.

    Last summer we had a getaway trip to NYC. When we asked the concierge for restaurant recommendations, I threw in another question: would it be appropriate to wear dress slacks to a not fancy or outrageously expensive restaurant near Times Square?

    I will treasure the look of disdain on his face forever. "Madame, in New York City women must wear dresses to dine." When we entered the restaurant, I checked. Dresses all around.

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    1. Margaret, green silk sounds beautiful! Glad you can wear a LBD. Black is Not my color and when I "have" to wear Black, I wear dark navy color, which is closest to black. Glad the concierge recommended wearing a dress to dine.

      Diana

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  10. I remember one small conference I went to (only once). I was a nominee for one of their awards and was told their banquet was similar in style to the Agathas. So I wore a nice cocktail dress and my hubby (who never attends these things but DID on this occasion) wore dress trousers and a nice sports jacket. Almost everyone else showed up dressed for McDonald's. I was mortified.

    Which is possibly why I've never gone back.

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    1. Oh, my goodness, Annette! Had any of them been to the Agathas? Showing up at the wrong level of formality is the thing that bothers me the most, and there's nothing you can do but put your chin up and carry on while you're dying inside.

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    2. Is it worse to be overdressed or underdressed, I wonder.

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    3. One of the benefits of not being able to go to book conferences that have awards banquets is that I don't have to worry about being underdressed. I wear what I wear and don't dress up for anyone.

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    4. Annette, I had the opposite problem once. Steve took me to a daytime cocktail party when we were dating, meant to honor his longtime friend and his fiancee. I'd asked ahead of time how to dress, and Steve said it was casual. I wore a button-down tattersal shirt (it was about 1980, prep was in) and khaki pants. We got to the door of the party and just inside was a coat rack full of fur coats. I was ready to clobber Steve. But I just squared my shoulders and carried on. I figured no one would pay any attention to me except the bride-to-be, and even she didn't remark on what I wore.

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    5. Mostly nobody cares what you wear. I’ve started doing something amusing. After I’ve seen friends, I try to recall what they were wearing. I rarely can do so. O

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  11. As a kid, I wanted the Jordache or Calvin Klein jeans or whatever else was fashionable. I never got it, so I spend a good bit of middle school being mortified, then high school not caring, and finally I got to college where it didn't matter. I liked college. Nowadays, well, I like nice clothes and I like to look good, but comfort is more important than what's in fashion.

    The Girl went to Catholic school for 13 years, so it was all uniforms all the time. Not that the girls didn't find ways to "personalize" their uniforms. When she got to college, it was a bit of a challenge. "I have to decide what to wear every day." She went through the buying lots of cheap clothes phase, but has settled into the "have a few pieces, but they are all very nice" phase. For now.

    The Boy, well, he's a boy. One pair of jeans and a t-shirt is just as good as another. But he had to wear a shirt and tie every day for high school, so he was always on the hunt for really cool ties. :)

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    1. Oh, and my mask is black, so I guess I was out of fashion all summer! LOL

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    2. Liz, same thing here with the Maine Millennial, who wore Catholic school uniforms from 1st grade to high school graduation. She's gotten over the college phase of NEVER wearing skirts or dresses, but she still won't put on plaid. :-)

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    3. Julia, it is funny how I love plaid now. Go figure!

      Liz, since I was always "medium" sized, "fashionable" jeans NEVER fit me. I also inherited the "Viking big bone structure" and these jeans were NOT designed for that. LOL. It is funny because many of the models came from Scandinavian countries.

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    4. Julia, The Girl prefers skirts, but she didn't wear plain for a couple years. :)

      Diana, my thighs were always too heavy (despite the fact that I too am "medium" sized). My aunt once called me "thunder thighs" (an unkind thing to say to a kid in middle school). And the skinny jean thing? No way.

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  12. Oh gosh, this has me thinking back to ALL of the IN clothes that all the popular kids at my high school. Shoes, in particular. There were the pink ballet flats with a t-strap and little flower-petal cutouts over the toe. I remember for my daughter the must-have were Doc Martens. Green DMs. Theyre still on the floor of her closet. Maybe I should turn them into planters? My masks right now are paper. Disposable. I'm wearing them a lot.

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    1. One of our daughters had to have Doc Martens, Hallie. Ugliest thing ever

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    2. Hallie, I remember asking Penny Warner what Doc Martens shoes looked like and we were having lunch at Nordie's. She and I walked to the shoes department and she showed me the Doc Martens.

      The only way I could wear ballet flats was IF they were wide enough for my toes.

      Diana

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    3. My daughter wore Dr. Martens, too, and I would bring them back from London for her. Talk about adding weight to your luggage!!

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  13. For the greater part of my life I've wanted to please, to be loved. It is a good thing we wore uniforms at school because I've never been "in ". I often perceived myself as a marginal and as the years passed , it mattered less and less.
    For many years now I preferred comfort to sophistication , not that sophistication was ever part of my life but I tend to please myself first now.

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    1. Comfort is the key. I wear what is comfortable. It is possible to wear comfortable clothes that looks good on you.

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    2. Be true to yourself Danielle. And you are in no way marginal!

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  14. I found this post especially resonant, Rhys. We moved a lot in my childhood, so I was the new kid quite a few times. I've been somewhat peripatetic in my career, too. So it is almost second nature to me to look around my surroundings and gauge what to wear to fit in. It has been my experience that in most workplaces, there are just a few women whose looks really matter. It's not always the ones of highest rank -- I guess it is more the ones whose opinions everyone respects. But I could usually identify those women quickly, and I knew if I emulated their level of dress (not their look, just their level) I would be fine. This was done unconsciously at first, though I eventually realized that I did it.

    Now I've reached an age where I would say what I wear is a balance of what I'm naturally drawn to with comfort with suitability for the occasion with just a soupcon of concern for age appropriateness.

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    1. Susan, back when I was in the 9-to-5 world, I heard you should dress for the job you want, not the job you have. Seems like you discovered that instinctively.

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    2. Julia, I have heard of "dress for the job you want". That makes sense.

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  15. Rhys, I'll bet you looked fabulous in that green silk pantsuit. You were the dazzling emerald against the dull black setting. And you were the guest of honor, so why not? Just own the fact that you're amazing and sail on!

    I suppose, at this point, nobody will be surprised to learn that I was always that weird kid? The one with her own sense of style, and no particular concern for what the "cool" kids were wearing? Of course I felt dorky, but I was happy in my dorkdom because I knew I'd never win a "let's all look the same" contest with the cheerleaders. Weirdly, when I hit my senior year in high school, I discovered that some of the underclassmen considered ME the cool kid.

    For those of you who dare not step a toe outside your door unless you know you'll fit in, I offer you the Song of the Week: Hideaway. It's a Freddy King song, but this version is by Stevie Ray Vaughan. https://youtu.be/3F0dSPqPnpU

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    1. Gigi, I would bet some people thought you had the self confidence to wear the clothes that you wanted to wear, right?

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    2. Love the Stevie Ray Vaughn, Gigi. That'll get people out of their chairs, no matter what they're wearing!

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    3. I was a theatre nerd, Diana. If I didn't have the confidence, I could pretend I did.

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    4. Gigi, theater people always look like they have tons of self confidence!

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  16. Rhys, I bet that you looked beautiful in emerald green!

    With my Celtic fair colouring, Black is NOT a good color on me. My grandmother, whom I look alike, happened to have olive skin color and Black is a good color on her. I inherited her beautiful custom made dress, which is Black, and I always wear it with a scarf in a color that looks good on me.

    As a 4 year old kid at Catholic school, we had to wear a plaid uniform. Believe it or not, I HATED wearing Plaid tartan or perhaps I found it tiresome to wear the same thing everyday? Now I LOVE wearing plaid tartans. LOL. Go figure.

    My Mom always bought me new clothes at Sears and second hand shops. As a kid, I could not tell the difference. I was NOT a fan of the clothes that were fashionable at that time. The only clothes that I liked were clothes that I saw in my storybooks like the Cinderella ballgown or the Snow White dress.

    In high school, there were many students at my school who lived in "poor" neighborhoods and they were always well turned out. Somehow they always had beautiful clothes. They also had after school jobs or borrowed clothes from older siblings who had after school jobs. I remember being scolded by another student for wearing "old" clothes. I just wore what fit me and I did not really care about wearing what other people wore. I remember wanting to wear designer jeans for a while, then I discovered that they were NOT cut right for me. They never fit. So I just forgot about it. I was NOT tall enough for the jeans that fit me so I always had to roll them up. Now they have jeans that fit me. There is a new brand that is not popular but I LOVE their jeans. NYDJ ?

    In college, a long sleeved white shirt and a pair of jeans was the "IN" look among my college crowd.

    As a kid, I was Not interested in clothes. I remember my Mom went shopping and brought home a beautiful denim dress when I was 7 years old and I loved it. I was fine with Not having to go to a clothes shop and having someone bring home clothes for me.

    By trial and error, I learned which clothes look good on me.

    Never thought about the color of my mask. If it is going to be a hot day, I like to wear light color mask. If it means wearing a white mask that fits my ears, then great!

    Speaking of England, I remember when I lived in England for two months, people thought that I was English because of the clothes that I wore. I copied the styles that the ladies in the Royal Family wore.

    A few good quality clothes is WAY better than lots of cheaper clothes. I was just reading about "fast fashion" and how they decimate the environment. My grandmother's Black dress was created before I was born. I still wear it on special occasions. I still have clothes that I wore in college.

    Always love how Lady Georgie makes do with what she has. I love how the Duchess of Cambridge often wears the same clothes again and again. Most of her clothes are beautiful.

    Great post as usual!

    Diana

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  17. I want to fit in. Do I ever want to fit in. Accept me, please. Let me be one of the cool kids for a change.

    As to white after Labor Day, I've always wondered about that as well. An idea popped into my head as I was reading this. Is it because you are more likely to get caught in bad weather after Labor Day, and white is see through if it is wet? Just a thought. No idea if it has any relationship to reality. It's probably what you were suggesting - someone forgot white so they invented the rule to cover for themselves and here we are decades later still not wearing white after Labor Day.

    (Actually, I will wear white after Labor Day - white shirts at least. I want to be accepted as cool, but I want to do it will following my own rules.)

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  18. Clothes are what Mom and I fought about up through junior high. Her taste and mine were very different. We made it through though. Shirtwaist dresses, culottes, wrap skirts, surfer styles, Madras, Carnaby street. It was an interesting time period. My work wardrobe was whatever I thought looked good and was on sale. I was a master at mixing jackets, skirts, and dresses. Once I retired that all flew out the window. My dresses are almost nonexistent. I haven't worn one in years. The last family funeral we had my sister and I both wore nice pants. I don't buy fancy outfits on sale anymore because I'm not attending fancy anythings! And I don't miss it.

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    1. We must be the same age. We all wore those trends. Who ever looked good in culottes??

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  19. What a fun essay today, Rhys. You always look so stylish, so I don't think you need to worry about fitting in. Growing up for me, it was always a battle between my hippie inclinations (love Crunchy Granola, Edith) and my mom's very tailored aesthetic. Now I find I'm drawn to things that are a little more "arty", but being short makes it hard to carry off "statement" clothes. And although I do put a lot of thought into what I wear for professional things like conferences and book tours, I must say I'm very happy these days in my comfy clothes.

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  20. White looks terrible next to my face, so no worries for me on that score. I did put away the white jeans last week, though. For one more year, I successfully navigated eating meals in white jeans without stains. Yay, me!

    Being married to a wildlife photographer, I think I've gotten away with more in social situations than I otherwise would have. No one expected me to own a fur coat, for instance, back in the good old days when all my friends were acquiring theirs. (I once took a photo of six girlfriends wearing full-length furs after a party. Titled "The Fur Pieces".) People who live most of their lives out of doors just don't worry about dressing up much. A recently deceased friend of the family was just such a woman. Her husband had been a judge, and Helen was from one of Cincinnati's wealthiest families, and they were very active both politically and for charitable organizations. But Helen always dressed as if she was going straight from the dinner party to stroll in the woods, even when she was the guest of honor. She might wear a scarf to dress herself up a bit, but otherwise she wore slacks and sensible shoes.

    On the other hand, when Sara Paretsky was the guest of honor at Malice I so admired her hot pink silk taffeta jacket and ballgown skirt (? is that right, or was she wearing silk toreador pants?). You could spot her anywhere in the room and she glowed. Rhys, I'm quite sure the other women also admired your emerald green for the same reason.

    Clothing can be performance art as much as it can communicate many other things. I say anything goes these days.

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  21. I spent high school in combat boots, a Peacoat from Navy surplus, and wore my my hair dyed a toxic shade of blonde with the sides shaved. No one else was dressing like this, but I didn't care. This helped when the Hooligans each went through their blue hair phase. My mom laughed herself silly over that - payback, you know.

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    1. Jenn, do you have a photo?? Post it if you do!!

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    2. Jenn, you have always been your own person and you sort of radiate fun to be around

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  22. Rhys, I'm imagining you in your emerald green pants suit in the sea of black cocktail dresses, and I think you were the one who shined like a jewel. And, as others have noted here, you always look elegant and stylish.

    I can't say that I've ever been overly concerned about being stylish, although I don't want to end up wearing the wrong sort of clothing to an event. Right now, weighing far more than I should or want to, clothes aren't much fun, and luckily I don't have to worry about having a going-out wardrobe right now. But, on the whole I think clothes have the ability to lift your mood and make you feel good about yourself when you find that special item. And, I do enjoy seeing others in their stunning outfits. Sometimes, a beautiful jacket or dress can seem like a piece of art, with its colors and designs.

    I do adhere to the no white rule, but it's not tied exactly to Labor Day, just Septemberish. My father, who was quite natty about his appearance, wore hats, and he had his summer hats (from Memorial Day to Labor Day) and his other season hats the rest of the year. He bought his hats in Cincinnati, and he also had them cleaned and blocked there. He had his suits made at a place in Newport, near Cincinnati. I told you he was natty. My mother just made sure she had on something decent, as four kids usually took up her time from caring about fashion. There's only one thing that my mother used to get after me about and that was my shoes. She said that I never looked down to worry about what was on my feet. I've gotten better about that.

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    1. Kathy, your dad no doubt bought his hats from Batsakes! They were famous for their hats, and for taking care of them.

      There used to be lots of very good tailors here, too, including the ones that created the iconic green jackets for the winners of the Masters Tournaments. I can't think of a tailor in Newport off the top of my head, though.

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    2. I wish I could remember the name of the tailor. It might have been more Cincinnati than Newport. It was so long ago. Would have been in the 60s the few times I went with my mother and him.

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  23. When I was younger I did care more about fitting in. My friend talked me into black high heels when I was in high school. I wobbled around for a few weeks and then gave them to my grandma. I've always valued comfort over fashion. It's been nice just wearing shorts all summer and now jeans but I kind of missed wearing my nicer clothes that I used to wear to church or lunches with friends.

    Rhys, I think your green dress sounds lovely. Hopefully they came to hear you speak instead of critique your clothes. Stay safe and well.

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  24. Oh, the horrors! I well remember the plight of my grandmother, and later my aunt, about white after Labor Day and never considering going to the “City”, aka San Francisco, without gloves or matching handbag and shoes.

    I grew up in a home without money for most things. I recall a craze of cashmere sweaters with a
    box pleated wool skirt both in the same color of blue or yellow. EVERYONE had them in 8th grade. I think the entire outfit cost $5. so one can easily figure out this was a long time ago. Somehow my parents wrangled an outfit for me, and I went to school and looked like everyone else. Today, that would freak me out. I’m into comfort now and SO glad. I don’t color my gray hairs, I wear Under Armour bras, comfortable t-shirts, and Gloria a Vanderbilt stretch jeans. I eschew all shoes except for Merrill’s hiking sandals of boots. I live in Alaska. That’s basically the next step down from black tie.

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