Haute Thoughts by Heidi Dillon
At 55 years old, I have vivid recollections of the days when a woman never left the house without gloves, heels, matching handbag and perfectly coiffed hair. I used to adore putting on my finery, which included numerous petty coats and bejeweled patten leather shoes, for church or family gatherings. As I got a little older, I struggled into girdles and packed myself into pointed bras al a the hit TV show Mad Men. The downward spiral began in 1970 when, at my high school, we were allowed to wear blue jeans to class. The 70's changed forever our perceptions about what was acceptable public attire. We embraced the change passionately as we threw our underpinnings into the flames.
Women today are busier than ever - witness the hysterical soccer mom in her kid filled SUV and cell phone appendage. Believe me, this woman doesn't have time for the finer points of dressing. While I don't have an SUV and refuse to chauffeur more than one kid, my own schedule precludes me from getting dolled up on most days. I get up at the crack of dawn, make breakfast for my son, take him to school which is 40 minutes from my house, go to the gym and then rush home to work. I loath lunch appointments because having to make myself presentable enough to be seen in public eats up valuable time. Consequently, I schedule meetings at the house and give everyone a turkey sandwich, which I serve to them in my not-so-stylish workout attire.
This dressing down isn't just confined to the soccer mom set. I spend the summers in Malibu, one of the most laid back and expensive places on the planet. The dress here is beyond casual. You can be in line at the grocery store and the person behind you could be a Academy Award winning producer or a homeless person and there is no difference in how they are dressed or how they smell.
The ubiquitous trend of dressing down, facilitated by the desire for ease and comfort and lack of time, has taken its toll on women's self confidence. It is difficult to take someone seriously when they are wearing old sweat pants. You cannot take yourself seriously nor can you possibly feel chic, attractive or sexy dressed like a bag lady. Looking like a slob certainly does nothing for your self esteem and don't get me started on what it does for our aesthetic environment. Like my husband always says, the more you do of something, the more you want to do it. The less you do of something, the less you want to do it. My deepest fear is that eventually the neurological pathways in our brains will be permanently altered and people will completely forget how to get dressed up.
Guest Blog by Heidi Dillon. Founder and CEO of The Fashionistas. Heidi is a dear friend of mine and the newest contributor to Couture Snob, she will be providing us with insight on staying fabulous and 50 each week!
Finally, someone who understands me. Loved this post. Thank you so much for making me understand myself and letting me know I am not the only one.
Amen to that coachwife6!!
B..xo
I agree with your comments.We have become a "come as you are"society. At fifty years of age,I too remember a time when my mother would go out to the movies or dinner with my father in a dress and matching shoes and bag. How glamorous I thought she looked. Now,I too get dressed up to go out with my husband. It is with some sadness ,when I look at the people around me, in baseball caps and tee shirts. Unfortunately,it is too late to go back to the way it was. Natalie in New Jersey
I always dress-up, even when going out to get food for my cat. makes me feel better.
I agree with Lina. If I'm going out I dress up and always wear makeup. I put on makeup to go to the gym.
Loved the article...I love dressing up and find any excuse to!
loved the article! =) i try not to look sloppy, but there are those days where I just don't have the time! (but sweats are out of the question, unless i'm sleeping!) =)
http://lacouturiernyc.wordpress.com
Bag Snob/Couture Snob readers are obviously a very chic group of women. Love it! Keep it up!
Heidi
Amen! Heidi is the best, I am so glad she has joined our team!!!
I hate the sloppy look. In my humble opinion, sweats are for the gym and your house. A nice pair of jeans and a cute T-shirt paired with some ballet flats don't take anymore time than a pair sweats. A little mascara, tinted mositurizer, lip gloss and a hairbrush take another minute...Voila, a nice fresh look.
xoxo
Thank you Heidi for reminding me that looking my best shouldn't be a chore but a joy! I am guilty of sweats and t-shirts, and you are right, it makes me feel slumpy and lumpy all day long, whereas when I pull on a dress (almost easier than sweats and tee), I feel happy and together.
Love, Kelly
Most of us can't afford to dress up whenever we go out. If you can, and that's what you want to do, that's great. Truthfully, dressing up is fun, but even if I could afford it, I'd go crazy if I felt I had to do it every day just to be considered presentable. I admit, though, that I am not your typical reader and just happened to stumble by here.