Let's Talk About Fashion

[noflyingfan]

Why? I don't know; it was Kari's idea.

[EyesSkyward]

I think it's one of Bowie's better songs. Not quite up to the level of "Ashes to Ashes" or "Changes". But much better than, say, "Rebel, Rebel".

- Jeff

[kari]

I was thinking more along the lines of
www.karenmillen.com

[JPenny]

Fashion according to me . . .

I'm raising four daughters and two sons. I am the world's biggest fashion fuddy-duddy. I go for classic, business attire and practical jeans and t-shirts. The kids can't wear anything tight or lowcut or too short.

So far so good.

Jean :wave:

[WillFlyToDisney]

Fashion according to me . . .

I'm raising four daughters and two sons. I am the world's biggest fashion fuddy-duddy. I go for classic, business attire and practical jeans and t-shirts. The kids can't wear anything tight or lowcut or too short.

So far so good.

Jean :wave:

Sounds like our house. Most of my clothes are of the preppy variety (Ralph Lauren, Talbots) but my girls like the "non-trashy trendy" clothing from Limited Too, Aeropostale and American Eagle.

[kari]

Today, a woman hacked off all my hair and then asked me for 16 pounds.

Please, hairdressers. MY HAIR IS NATURALLY WAVY. It does not suit me straight. That is why I was not given straight hair. Please do not cut my hair as though it is straight. It isn't, so it looks ridiculous when you do.

For a fleeting split second, it was looking as though she was going to use a bit of common sense and dry it properly. But, oh no, then then bloody brush came out that you know they're just going to try and iron it to within an inch of its life. She did half my hair straighter than a straight thing and then said:

"do you ever wear it curly?"

Headdesk.

When you ask how much I want you to cut off, and I tell you, I expect you to cut that much off. The usual answer of "that's short" can only be met with the response "it'll grow." I said that to one of them once. I am not paying 20 quid for you to take half a nanometre off my hair.

And when they've finished and they hold up that mirror behind your head - what is the answer? :lol:

[noflyingfan]

Alright, Kari, there's something I have to ask.

Is "headdesk" an expression, or is it kind of a word version of something like this? :banghead:

[kari]

Yes, it's a word version of that.

[AZO-FA]

I see guys all the time that wear a nice business suit...

...and then they're wearing the oldest, ugliest tennis shoes ever.



You know, for that matter....

...I am OBSESSED with shoes. I wear stilettos to work. I don't care how bad it hurts...as long as it's cute. Besides...I think my feet have kind of shaped the them and they just go numb after about 30 seconds. When I moved all of my things out of my apartment, I realized that my shoes alone take up one fourth of my car...and they're not in boxes.

When I am checking a guy out, shoes are definitely a huge factor. I'm not a big fan of athletic running shoes...at all. If their shoes are dirty...seeya later.

A guy wearing nice shoes is actually a huge turn on for me.


Alright...I'm in Toronto and now you've got me talking about fashion. It's time to get out of this hotel room and go shopping.

...for shoes, of course.

[EyesSkyward]

Alright...I'm in Toronto and now you've got me talking about fashion. It's time to get out of this hotel room and go shopping.

...for shoes, of course.

I bought a pair of shoes in Toronto once. Doc Martens, at an "Aldo". Gotta love that exchange rate.

This was way back in ancient times when everyone was wearing Doc Martens and wearing flannel shirts and such.

- Jeff

[noflyingfan]

You actually wear stilettos on the plane? Not that I have a problem with that; I'm all for cute shoes too, but I would think that comfortable shoes would be part of the dress code.

I agree about the nasty ugly shoes though. I always notice people's shoes.

I am wearing pretty hideous shoes today though. They're kind of like these (http://www.rocketdog.com/wps/wcm/resources/file/eb430c038f1e464/mixer_blk_std.jpg). But I think they're funky, and they're comfortable.

[JPenny]

My husband's a shoe person too. I couldn't tell you how many he owns. Shoes, ties, brief-cases, watches, iPods . . . his closet is accessory heaven! He's obsessive about his shoes. Shines them religiously, keeps shoe trees in his nice ones, and WOE BE UNTO ME if I rearrange them! And he always notices other people's shoes too.

And at least twice a week he puts on two different shoes and asks me "which ones should I wear?" I usually pick the wrong one. They're all the same to me.

AZO, stay away from him: he's mine! :lol:

Jean

[StPeteMark]

...When I am checking a guy out, shoes are definitely a huge factor. ...A guy wearing nice shoes is actually a huge turn on for me. ...Must be a girl thing!? Shoes are probably the last thing a straight guy looks at when checking out women...that's if we get past the ankles! :D
.

[WillFlyToDisney]

Personally, I always have exactly 6 pairs of shoes. I have sneakers, brown dress shoes, black dress shoes, brown casual shoes, hiking boots and sandals. That's all I ever have and if a new pair gets bought, an old pair gets thrown out.

So 6 pairs of shoes and a warehouse full of handcuffs? Interesting wardrobe, Sean! :tongue:

[EyesSkyward]

I have ...brown dress shoes, black dress shoes

Well there's your problem. Go with black. Or go with brown. But once you start entertaining both colors, you're sunk.

Next thing you know, you're sorting blue socks from your black socks, from your brown socks. And you've got at least two different belt colors to boot. It's just a mess.

Me, I go with just black. Black is the new brown.

- Jeff

[noflyingfan]

Men don't legitimately need as many shoes as women do. Basically, all a man needs is sneakers, brown dress shoes and black dress shoes. Depending on his wardrobe, of course -- if he wears fancy suits for his job, he'll need some fancy shoes and then some casual ones. Maybe a pair of flip flops too if he wants to go ultra casual. But since women have the skirt option, and the capri pants option, we need so many more.

We need -- at the very least -- working out sneakers, regular just-for-wearing sneakers, non-sneaker casual shoes for jeans, slightly nicer shoes for khakis (heeled and flat), dressy shoes for dress pants (heeled and flat), shoes for short skirts (casual and dressy), shoes for long skirts (casual and dressy), high boots, low boots, casual flip flops, saucy flip flops, dressy summer slides, casual summer slides and a really kick-ass pair of uncomfortable-but-who-cares FMPs. And we need each of these in at least two colors.

[StPeteMark]

Men don't legitimately need as many shoes as women do. Basically, all a man needs is sneakers, brown dress shoes and black dress shoes. Depending on his wardrobe, of course -- if he wears fancy suits for his job, he'll need some fancy shoes and then some casual ones. Maybe a pair of flip flops too if he wants to go ultra casual....Hey...we're a little more high maintenance than that! :) I'm like Jeff...all black, no browns...socks, belts, and shoes, except workout whites and greys.

Shoe Inventory: 2 workout cross trainers (treadmill and non-treadmill) for gym and jeans, casual and dress for work (plus 1 backup each), hiking and after-ski boots for cold weather, sandals and boat shoes for shorts, and old cross trainers and boots for yard and other grubby work.
.

[WillFlyToDisney]

I don't do heels - at almost 6 feet tall I would tower over most guys if I added a couple of inches with stilettos - besides I have never been able to walk in them very well.

I have a close friend who is a shoe fiend - she has TONS of Manolos, Jimmy Choos, etc... (I'm sure I probably spelled those wrong).

Me? I'm strictly a BOOTS wearing girl in the winter (have 2 well worn pair of black leather ones that need new soles and a pair of brown leather ones), Clarks type brown leather Slides, Asics workout sneakers, white leather Keds and a couple pairs of leather sandals for summer. The one pair of shoes that my 13 year old constantly swipes from my closet are a cheap pair of leather flip flops with sequined butterflies on them that I had to buy at Wal-mart on the road last summer when I tore my feet up walking around NYC in a pair of the leather sandals. I have a few pairs of basic flats in my closet but they haven't seen the light of day in YEARS! I even wear my black leather boots to the CMAs (hey, it's Nashville - that's allowed!). :thumbsup:

[AZO-FA]

I saw a woman on my plane today wearing socks with thong flip flops and a denim skirt.

[EyesSkyward]

I saw a woman on my plane today wearing socks with thong flip flops and a denim skirt.

Okay, that's it.

I propose that, right after the metal detector at security, there should be a fashion detector. It would be set to detect socks-with-sandals-or-flip-flops, any form of Crocs, sweatpants of any kind, white after Labor Day, pleated pants with no cuffs, etc.

If the fashion alarm goes off, you either change, or take the bus.

- Jeff

[JPenny]

HEY! I agree with you on everything except the CROCS!! Those are the best invention in a long time. Yes, I thought they were the dumbest-looking shoes when they first came out. But then I tried some on.

Have YOU ever tried them on??!! They're perfect shoes for your back (says my chiropractor), and you will feel energized as soon as you put them on. They're breezy and cool, sturdy, easy to put on and take off, they wash clean, and they last virtually forever. Last, but not least, they actually FLOAT. My 5yo son likes to float his in the bathtub for boats with his army guys. He has a red pair, a navy pair, and a camo pair. The non-brand ones are nearly just as good as the name brand Crocs, and they come in nearly every color. My kids each have at least 2 pair, and I have 3 pair: white, lime green, and white/red Alabama Crimson Tide pair.

Jeff, you gotta try some on. Really.

Jean :wave:

[EyesSkyward]

Jeff, you gotta try some on. Really.

Jeff's fashion axiom: Just because something is comfortable doesn't necessarily mean it should actually ever be worn in public. :tongue:

- Jeff

[noflyingfan]

I don't know, Jean. I've tried them on, and I don't find them comfortable at all. They don't really seem to support the foot.

[WillFlyToDisney]

My kids have them and loved them at first but the thrill of having them soon wore out and they never wear them anymore.

I tried them on but didn't find them very comfortable. I have friends who work at hospitals in nursing who swear by them though.

[AZO-FA]

Hey, Crocs came out with a new style of shoe and it's pretty cute and PERFECT for a serving shoe.

It's made out of that Croc material stuff and that junk can take as many coffee, soda and juice spills you can imagine! They're indestructible!

[kari]

Tomorrow I'm going to Paris (and I'm nervous). Prior to goading me with the fact that she can get in places cheaper because she's 25 or under (less of the "under", girl!), Tabs came to me with a minor wardrobe crisis ... saying that she doesn't want to arrive in the fashion capital of the world looking like an English tourist ... or some such.

It's alright. We're not going to Milan.

[Rebecca]

We have been told by the fashion powers that be, whoever they are, that if you just wear flats (not trainers) and skirts or slacks (not jeans) and don't order low-fat or non-fat anything, you will not stick out in France. I think you are supposed to stop shaving your legs for a month or so ahead of time, too.

:cool:I am meaning for ladies here, so no smart alecks posting about men wearing skirts and shaving their legs.

[kari]

Well, I'll be wearing ballerina flats, trainers the rest of the time though otherwise I'll need hospitalising with blisters/bunions so bad they'll consider amputation just to stop the pain .... and I will be wearing jeans some of the time as well. Oh well. And you might have told me about the don't shave your legs thing before this morning when I cut myself to shreds (not paying attention). Oh my God I'm bleeding! :lol:

[noflyingfan]

Kari, if you have shoes that give you blisters, take this advice. (I know I'm not Ken, but I do know a few things).

Wherever the shoes rub and make blisters, put a very thin layer of super glue on the area before you put the shoes on. Then the shoes will rub on the dried glue and not your foot.

I learned this trick from a colleague of mine in my Renaissance Faire days. We walked all over in uncomfortable shoes for hours on end, and since I've been doing the super glue thing, I've never had a blister. It takes awhile to wash the stuff off, but it's not like it's an eyesore; it's just clear and shiny and under your shoes anyway.

[kari]

Thanks, although that might not work in this circumstance. You see, it's not the shoe rubbing that gives me blisters, it's that it makes two of my toes rub together. For obvious reasons, I can't put superglue on my actual toes. :lol: I still have my Atlanta blister, which has now turned a satisfying shade of orange. Was that too much information?

[Rebecca]

WHAT?

Are you referring to Super Glue that has massive lethal warnings all over it saying NOT TO COME IN CONTACT WITH SKIN???? Listen, I've ACCCIDENTALLY got Super Glue on me and getting it off meant losing skin. Plus, that stuff is toxic! Your skin is an absorptive organ, and anything you put on it goes into your bloodstream.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGHH!!!

Kari names her blisters?

[noflyingfan]

Oh, pooh, Rebecca. Everything is toxic, and we're talking about a little bit of toxic in exchange for a lot of fashion. :rolleyes:

Kari, you can still use it between toes. You just have to hold your toes apart till the glue dries. It only takes a few seconds.

[StPeteMark]

Women don't shave their legs in Paris???
Are the armpits ah natural, too??? :(
.

[Barb-SAN]

Women don't shave their legs in Paris???
Are the armpits ah natural, too??? :(
.

So I've heard....just had to query Google...so here's a link to all you ever wanted to know about removing body hair...http://www.4to40.com/health/index.asp?id=19

[noflyingfan]

After reading Chelle's post, it is my considered opinion that most footwear trends are based on making the most expensive product out of the cheapest materials possible. And they're always ugly.

Remember jellies?
http://www.vintageblues.com/the80s/jellies.jpg

I think I actually had a pair like this.

http://www.therunwayscoop.com/uploads/Jelly%20Shoes-thumb.jpg

I know I had a couple of pairs kind of like these, which I loved, because they had a teeny weeny heel, and at age seven, I thought that made me very very grown up.

[EyesSkyward]

You see, it's not the shoe rubbing that gives me blisters, it's that it makes two of my toes rub together. For obvious reasons, I can't put superglue on my actual toes. :lol:

Here's a distance runner's trick: Get yourself some BodyGlide (http://www.bodyglide.com/). (Or the closest British equivalent.)

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/B000GFCOV2.01-A282YC41QUNSEU._SCLZZZZZZZ_AA250_.jpg

I swear by the stuff. Works on places other than toes too. Yes, after 20+ miles, it is possible for one's nipples to actually bleed due to chaffing against one's shirt. I've seen it. It ain't pretty.

- Jeff

[noflyingfan]

Anyone who has the gall to run 20+ miles deserves all he gets. :tongue:

[JPenny]

Crocs rock.
Stiletto heels are insane.
Jellies are dumb.
Jogging is . . . for other people, not for me.
Super glue on blisters is brilliant.
Flip-flops are for the beach and pedicures.

Thank you very much.

Jean :wave:

[AZO-FA]

Flip-flops are for the beach and pedicures.
Totally agreed.

It really bugged me when I was in Orlando a few years back...with NO BEACH around and all of the girls were wearing foam flip flops. I looked at my boyfriend and said, "What is with this?" and all he did was shrug his shoulders and say "I don't know any girls down here that wear heels.".

When I went to Puerto Rico at the end of January and was staying right on the beach, I had to go buy flip flops becuse I only had heels. Ad they were nice ones...made from leather and fabric...not foam.

[noflyingfan]

I like flip flops, but I have issues with people who wear them with nice clothes. Flip flops do not go with dresses or nice slacks.

[noflyingfan]

With a casual dress or capris, maybe. But a nice dress with flip flops of any sort is unacceptable.

[EyesSkyward]

And, of course, wearing flip-flops to, say, a meeting with the President at the White House (http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2005-07-19-flip-flops_x.htm), is a fashion "don't". :tongue:

- Jeff

[noflyingfan]

See? That's what I mean! Put on some real shoes, ladies.