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Fashion: Do you love it? Or does it offend you?


msjones
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Every year there is a discussion about the clothing at the presidential inauguration -- mostly about the clothing of the first lady.

 

Every year there are those who enjoy discussing the clothing and those who find it offensive that women's appearances are discussed at such length.

 

What do you say?

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I love looking at beautiful clothing. I loved dressing my dolls when I was a girl, and I love looking at fashion magazines now.

 

I especially enjoy seeing Big Special Occasion Clothing -- like the clothing worn for an inauguration. I'm glad we still have some glamour and tradition in our very casual society.

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I love fashion! I love looking at fashion -- even weird fashion -- and I love discussing it, too, but I think it's abundantly clear that discussions on inaugural dresses aren't about fashion. At all.

 

 

I will toot my own horn and say that I am indeed capable of discussing inaugural dresses without political interest. :)

 

Really!

 

There are so few formal occasions in the USA that I can look right past my political opinions and just love the clothing. And I'm always glad when someone else will join me.

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I will toot my own horn and say that I am indeed capable of discussing inaugural dresses without political interest. :)

 

Really!

 

There are so few formal occasions in the USA that I can look right past my political opinions and just love the clothing. And I'm always glad when someone else will join me.

 

 

Well, I'm going to toot along with you! ;)

 

I love looking at it, talking about it, and watching TV shows that talk about it (fashion police, etc.).

 

As for the inauguration, I was saying all night long that I just wanted to see her dress so I could go to bed! FTR, I thought she looked great during the swearing in etc. I loved the coat, the boots, the new hair, the belt, etc. As for the gown, I have to say that I love, love, LOVED it. I thought she looked beautiful. Much better than last time (I thought her 1st dress 4 years ago looked like shredded toilet paper). The red was just perfect, and I thought she looked fantastic.

 

And I'm a republican. I loved W and supported Romney. Politics has absolutely nothing to do with this.

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It's funny, but when I saw the title I imagined a very different kind of "offended by fashion". I don't have any problem with discussion fashion per se, but I get rather offended by the provocative nature of many "fashionable" outfits. At the Golden Globes a few weeks ago, I saw WAAAAAAY more cleavage than I wanted to. When did it become socially acceptable to flash "sideb**b"?????

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I don't enjoy discussing fashion (it's just not interesting to me), but I'm not offended if people want to discuss it.

 

I do appreciate beautiful clothing, and enjoy putting together a great outfit. But that's the extent of my interest in fashion. I'm just not into knowing or discussing "what people are wearing".

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I love fashion! I think there is way to talk about, though, that isn't catty.

 

There are flattering clothes that are designed for every figure out there. There are certain colors that look good on some and not on others. Knowing how fit, fabric, and color work with each individual is interesting to me. I like looking at fashion in that sense.

 

Looking at fashion in a catty way: "She looks too fat/skinny/old to wear that blouse and jeans."

Looking at fashion in a pleasant way: "Skinny jeans are in, but don't flatter every figure. Boot cut and a longer blouse would look better on a fuller figure." Or, "Yellow is harsh with your skin tones, but emerald green and black complement your coloring."

 

I also tire of the not-so-subtle suggestions that those that admire fashion are focusing on shallow things. Should we have plain architecture that is practical but not beautiful? Should we not landscape our yards nicely as dirt and rocks are more efficient? There is nothing wrong with admiring beauty wherever it is and discussing it.

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I also tire of the not-so-subtle suggestions that those that admire fashion are focusing on shallow things. Should we have plain architecture that is practical but not beautiful? Should we not landscape our yards nicely as dirt and rocks are more efficient? There is nothing wrong with admiring beauty wherever it is and discussing it.

 

Yes! You said this just right.

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It's funny, but when I saw the title I imagined a very different kind of "offended by fashion". I don't have any problem with discussion fashion per se, but I get rather offended by the provocative nature of many "fashionable" outfits. At the Golden Globes a few weeks ago, I saw WAAAAAAY more cleavage than I wanted to. When did it become socially acceptable to flash "sideb**b"?????

 

 

OP here. I do see now that my title doesn't quite capture the topic very well. Oops!

 

And I am sometimes bothered by overly provocative clothing. I appreciate elegance and subtlety more than flash.

 

That's part of why I like Michelle Obama's style. Very classy in her own unique way!

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I could be in the mood for it as a light-hearted discussion sometimes. Mostly I'm not interested. And there are some things I really dislike about it.

 

I hate the fact that women use "fashion" and other superficial excuses to attack (or support) each other. I hate that at times like this, a woman's clothes are more important than what's in her skull or on her resume. I hate the way it makes our sex look stupid and petty.

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I can't say that I love it. I don't have the money or figure to dress up/fashionably, but it's not offensive. I like to look at clothes and see what I think of them, how they look, and what I like or don't like. It's just fun. I don't care for discussions that turn to discussing women or their bodies in an insulting way or the fashion police things on E!, but otherwise it's no different then vicarious house tours on HGTV.

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I love discussing fashion. Go Fug Yourself is one of my favorite sites. But I agree with the others, I don't like to discuss people's body weight, or their personalities. Just leave it to what looks good/bad. I, for one, really like Michelle's hair style. I think it suits her well.

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I have loved Go Fug Yourself for years! It's more light hearted than mean. Joan Rivers? Is mean.

 

 

 

I think Rivers is revolutionary, & intellectually spot-on.

 

I am often freaked by her real commentary, but I appreciate her as an artist.

 

Not to mention that she has taken her fair share of wrong & nasty hits.

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I think Rivers is revolutionary, & intellectually spot-on.

 

I am often freaked by her real commentary, but I appreciate her as an artist.

 

Not to mention that she has taken her fair share of wrong & nasty hits.

 

 

 

Fair enough. I think she goes overboard when commenting on women's weight. Or at least she did a few years ago. That's a sensitive issue for me though. She does get a lot of flack and it's often cruel as well. I can agree with that.

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So can I comment here that I loved the swearing in outfit. Golly that was regal. The outfit for lunch I thought made her look larger than she is. Now she's a strong, confident woman and if she doesn't mind more power to her. I for one will do I can [with my weight and finances taken into consideration] to look as slim as possible [which is no small task let me tell you] Whew! Didn't feel like weigning in on a 3-page thread. As for woman's fashion why not? I enjoy it well not all of it, some of it is pretty weird, but classy stuff like the first lady wears, I like.

 

 

 

 

ETA: I'm conservative politically [can I say that here?] but I do not believe it taints my opinion above. Joan Rivers, wow how much her her won't decompose? :p

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In answer to the question in the title of the thread: Neither.

 

I have little interest in "fashion," although I do occasionally enjoy looking at clothing and refreshing my own "wardrobe."

 

I am not offended by other folks being more interested, except when it gets to the point at which clothing seems to be more important than anything real. I do get twitchy when I see tremendous amounts of time and money devoted to superficial stuff instead of things I find more meaningful, but I'm sure I'm guilty of some of it, myself, from another person's point of view. (Not with clothing, but other things.)

 

Mostly, I'm just uninterested.

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I like looking at the fashion pins that show up in my Pinterest feed, which give me ideas for how to put together items in my own wardrobe. I enjoy seeing outfits on awards shows occasionally, but mostly I don't care. I do like poking fun at the wacky outfits that show up in fashion shows, like this:

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I sew, and so fabric and clothing are of huge interest to me. Looking at a beautifully designed and sewn article of clothing is like looking at art, only I'm good at it and can understand what's going on. I don't wear fashion myself--I am a plain dresser--but a good dress makes me happy.

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I don't mind one way or the other. The only people I really watch (casually) fashion wise though are Michelle Obama and Kate Middleton-Princess-whatever though. Those two women are the best dressed women in the world.

 

That said, I only watch to live vicariously through their fashion. Since I was bringing in firewood this morning in cotton pyjama pants and a knit cotton skirt (a surprisingly warm combo on a day that -20 or so Celsius) then I can't claim any of that interest translates into what I actually wear. :D

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Guest inoubliable

I'll admit to noticing the latest fashions when they're pointed out, but I don't watch TV or read magazines to actively seek out what the latest fashion in. I notice, by far, is someone is classy rather than fashionable. FWIW, I saw what MO wore to the inauguration and thought that she and her girls were fashionable and classy.

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I neither love fashion nor am I offended by it. I'm not even particularly interested in it. It was fun to see what the first lady would wear last night because she is a normal woman and it was a ball to which she could wear any dress she liked, so it was fun seeing how she would handle that. I don't take a lot of pleasure in seeing 22 year old super models in ball gowns that no normal woman could ever wear.

 

Would dislike it very much if Mrs Obama were subjected to constant scrutiny over what she wears. She does not owe it to the public to look fabulous every time she takes her daughters out, attends a charity event, or reads to school children. I think women who are trying to work and do serious things (think Sarah Palin, Nancy Pelosi, Secretary Clinton) should not be subject to constant criticism about their weight, hair, clothes, etc. Remember the "it's tough to be a woman" thread? I do think that these women face a type of pressure that men don't face. Part of it is that women have so many choices about what to wear and are held to a standard of attractiveness that can be difficult to meet.

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Would dislike it very much if Mrs Obama were subjected to constant scrutiny over what she wears. She does not owe it to the public to look fabulous every time she takes her daughters out, attends a charity event, or reads to school children. I think women who are trying to work and do serious things (think Sarah Palin, Nancy Pelosi, Secretary Clinton) should not be subject to constant criticism about their weight, hair, clothes, etc. Remember the "it's tough to be a woman" thread? I do think that these women face a type of pressure that men don't face. Part of it is that women have so many choices about what to wear and are held to a standard of attractiveness that can be difficult to meet.

 

I notice if a man looks sloppy or inappropriately dressed. I certainly don't say anything, but I do notice -- just as I do with women. I think I have the same standard for both genders.

 

And I don't think women or men should be subject to constant criticism, but I think anyone who steps into the limelight (political or otherwise) ought to be prepared to dress the part.

 

Palin, Pelosi, Clinton are all women participating in high-profile politics -- if they're going to participate, they need to present themselves as capable, presentable and respectful of their audiences; I think that includes looking their best.

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I've been trying to come up with a way to explain how much I love fashion without sounding like a brainless idiot. It's not working.

 

Fashion (good fashion), is an art form. It's beautiful to look at, and enhances the beauty of the wearer. Any woman, regardless of size (trust me, I know from experience!), can look beautiful in a well-designed garment. Fashion can help you express your personality and mood.

 

I love it. I love looking at fashion on others (my favorite inspirations are Queen Elizabeth, the Duchess of Cambridge, and Mrs. Obama, because they always look appropriate to the occasion, age-appropriate, beautiful, and, most importantly, themselves), and I love wearing fashion (nothing too expensive, though!).

 

Maybe it makes me shallow, but it is a top interest. I didn't always feel this way, but I learned first-hand (and not necessarily in a good way), just how important fashion can be!

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I hate it. I like to look nice, so in that sense, I do care about clothing - I'm not sloppy and want to look intentionally put together. But I hate the assessments of what somebody wears or wore. I hate it in the media and I hate it more on this board.

 

In the media, one thing I find the worst is when they report with shock and hysteria, "Michelle Obama wore a dress from TARGET! Off the RACK!!!!" OMG. Who freakin cares? :glare:

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It doesn't offend me. I think we all need something fun to discuss, and fashion trends are something that many people spread across a large distance can discuss. Most of us interact with the larger culture to some extent, so that makes fashion an easy thing to talk about. It is something that we can experience 'together' even though we are apart. I don't see it as much different from discussing a film, television show, a book, a painting, a piece of music etc. My family doesn't watch sports, but I think sports fills the same function for lots of people.

 

I like hearing what other people see in fashion and what they think about it. For example, I am not a fan of Mrs Obama's style but I can appreciate that she does it very well. I just don't get it. What the heck is up with those belts? I know they are fashionable but I don't understand them. If I am wearing jeans and a t shirt and a cardigan, why would I put a skinny belt over the cardigan? I really don't get it. Why would I wear a belt with a dress that doesn't need a belt?

 

I am guessing this is a tall girl thing. I am hardly 5' tall and my waist is as short as can be. If osteoporosis sets in and I shrink, my ribs are going to be sitting on my hip bones.

 

But I love it when people can tell me why an outfit works or how the person wearing it did something that 'pulled it together' because I can never see that.

 

I like knowing who other people admire when it comes to fashion. For example, my friend and I had a wine fueled moment where we both confessed that we both are totally in love with the outfits that Tina Fey wears as Liz Lemon. Now that is a look I could rock! But, everyone else rolls their eyes at me. I don't see what the problem is! She looks amazing and comfortable.

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