Monday, August 13, 2012

Is Putting Clothes On the same as Getting Dressed?


I recently had a baby. Well, is 36 weeks still considered recent? Really, I have had some time to adjust. There are many things about having a baby that have affected/changed my choices in clothes:
  1. My body has changed.
  2. I expect to be spit up on multiple times in a day.
  3. I don't want my son to be held against scratchy or hard fabric/materials.
  4. I have to take my top off all the time to breast feed or pump.
  5. I'm tired, so I really want to be comfortable now and as my own boss, I often indulge that impulse.
The list goes on, but those are my top considerations. But are these considerations or excuses? This past Saturday, I saw the iconic Bill Cunningham at the Union Square Farmer's Market. Each of the 5 times prior that I recall seeing him on the street, he has always pointed his camera in my general direction. Granted, I've only seen my picture in the New York Times once (many, many, many, many years ago), but if he shoots in my general direction, I can pretend to myself that he sees something of interest, if not on my person, then at least in my general direction. On Saturday, we made eye contact and then he turned away. My general direction was completely shunned.  

Below is my uninspired Saturday lewk, sharing space with my awe-inspiring little man.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Age Appropriate

I work in fashion. I live in New York City. I'm nobody's style icon, but most people who know me consider me to be fashionable. Some of those people might not actually like what I wear, but maybe because I work in fashion and have worked in fashion for many years they would accept the idea that I am well-dressed. But well-dressed can be held to so many different standards.


Something I've begun to consider (but have not acted upon) is dressing well for my age. I feel my age a lot more now as a new mom. And I think about it every now and again when I see friends and acquaintances from my old life as a magazine editor. They look much more pulled together and polished and in some ways alien. 

My current lifestyle makes heels, dry-clean only fabrics and well-thought out accessories feel indulgent and unnecessary. Anything tricky or cumbersome (and I'm not just counting molded neoprene and statement clutches, that description also includes things like simple jewelry my son will yank on and anything that requires a bra) is unwelcome. But pared down and "easy" has somehow morphed into sloppy fast fashion mixed with clothes from my own line. 

This point was driven home recently by the appearance of a new intern in my office. 16 year old Lilli from Los Angeles wore a hand embroidered, 1920's silk kimono to work with an ease and elegance that defied her age. I, on the other hand, wore on the same day a pair of $9.99 American Eagle denim cut-offs and flip flops.