Sunday, May 23, 2010

Frivolous

Today was my first real fashion day. This is all good and well, except for the fact that it was Sunday, I had nowhere to go. Seventeen Hair Calendar Girl had Sunday blocked out for a backyard BBQ, but all that I had scheduled for today was writing a paper for school, an activity that I usually do in clothes with elastic waistbands.

Anyhow, I ended up going to DSW this morning so I'd have an excuse to get dressed. The real me has been avoiding the ordeal that is shopping for prom shoes, but the Seventeen Me loves shopping and especially loves prom (!!!!).

Today I tackled the "Glam Camp" look from the magazine.

This outfit seemed like a good point of entry since, save for the heels and socks, it isn't that fashion-ey. Socks and heels are not commonly paired here in suburban Pennsylvania, but I thought DSW might be a good place to give it a chance since it seemed probable that the people there might understand fashion (at least from the knees down).

I also tried the "Shine Down" summery makeup look with the "Mermaid Braid" from the "Special Guide for Girls with Thick Waves, Frizzy Curls, or Poufy Hair." I will address this guide in more depth at a later day, because I've got an entire post worth of thoughts on it. For now, here are my efforts...

The general thinking behind magazine makeup seems to be "pack shit all over your face so it looks like you don't have pores." This seems bizarre to me, but I won't claim to "get" fashion. I can appreciate good design, but the notion of adorning yourself makes me feel a little like a commodity.

My mom seems to like this project because it means I am dressing less like an independent bookstore employee/NPR listener and more like a Normal Teen. People in public seem to be pretty receptive to the look too. I definitely felt attractive, but I also felt stupid, because I am not sure what sort of rational person goes to a giant shoe warehouse in heels. Seems frivolous.

I bought three pairs of shoes at DSW..... something about being frivolous also makes you fiscally irresponsible I guess.

7 comments:

  1. I really like your hair in this article :), and your eye makeup looks really good on you

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  2. Saw you on Jezebel... awesome blog!

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  3. But but, indie bookstores and NPR rock! =)

    Love love love your idea. Heard about you through Feministing.com. Since you're shipping off to college, though I'm not sure what your intended major is, consider this (what you learn, what you write/analyze now) for a potential project in your senior year? I worked on a thesis about the now-defunct Sports Illustrated for Women, tackling similar issues that you delve into here with Seventeen.

    Keep writing!!

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  4. This is an excellent project- I've been reading all your posts, and your insight and commentary are impressive. Your writing is also clean and interesting, sharp, focused and fun to read- I am seriously jealous of your talent (particularly frustrating since you are half my age)

    Also- I'm a Brooklyn-living, NPR-listening, Strand-shopping "east coast liberal" who doesn't wear makeup or shave my legs, so I feel a bit traitorous saying this: you look really cute in this picture :) The hair and makeup suit you quite well in the photo!

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  5. "something about being frivolous also makes you fiscally irresponsible I guess." The greater the mass, the greater the inertia - necessary to keep the perpetual motion machine moving. That is how they get you. Genius! And I'm sure you know by now you've been boingboinged.

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  6. Oh man - forgive this very "Seventeen" question, and I promise to comment more substantively on your wonderful posts in the future, but where the heck'd ya get that necklace? It is glorious.

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  7. totally random question but what brand are those awesome black boots that I'm assuming you got at DSW in the first picture? SO good.

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