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I know what area you are talking about. Everyone is proud of where they come from. I'm from NC. I was confused as to whether you were agreeing or disagreeing with her.
Don't get me wrong - I don't appreciate Americans' tendency to indulge in too much comfort and sloppiness;
Too much comfort? I'm certainly not going to wear a dress suit and shoes to go grocery shopping. I wore that getup for years to the office. Weekends I wore jeans and tees. Now that I'm retired and live in Florida, that's my winter wardrobe -- and the tee usually has a NY Yankees logo on it. Once the weather gets warm, it's shorts and tank tops. It's called practicality.
People in the Northeast wear dress shoes/heels more than the rest of the country, and also walk more than the rest of the country, and they seem to get by just fine. It cracks me up when people elsewhere in America talk about "practicality" -- yeah you really need hiking boots for the 50ft walk from the parking lot. Also I don't get the attitude that there only two extremes of wearing a fancy suit, or stained sweatpants. Nobody's saying that you have to get super dressed up for every errand, but with a small amount of effort it's not that hard to do casual without being a slob.
Too much comfort? I'm certainly not going to wear a dress suit and shoes to go grocery shopping. I wore that getup for years to the office. Weekends I wore jeans and tees. Now that I'm retired and live in Florida, that's my winter wardrobe -- and the tee usually has a NY Yankees logo on it. Once the weather gets warm, it's shorts and tank tops. It's called practicality.
OK...let's not slide towards the other extreme. It is way too evident for way too many people around the Globe that America is full of sloppy-looking, non-"put together" people. Sure, you can call this "practicality" but that is not going to change the fact that sloppy Wal-Mart T-shirts that lose their shape in 3 days, thrown over some sweat pants or blue jeans are typically eye sores; and when people have less than a tight and slender body (which the majority of Americans do), then the sight is even worse.
Of course, you can always use the quintessentially American argument "I don't give a D about what other people think of the way I look, I just want to be comfortable" - and that would be fine.
This is exactly what I was talking about. Indulgence in slop for the sake of one's own so-called perceived "comfort" (though many argue that they feel uncomfortable when they dress sloppy and not "put together").
But there is a long, long road between the "sloppy, lose T-shirt and sneakers" and the "killer spiky heels" worn even to the corner store.
Long road.
Somewhere in between, there are people who know how to dress comfortably, yet with some attention to detail, with a knack for assorting pieces (as opposed to matching), with the skill of throwing a scarf around their neck that makes them look like a million bucks even when they can barely pay their bills , etc.
Why does it have to be either slop or hot spiky heels?
Unfortunately, both of the above reflect lack of elegance and class.
Oh, well.
PS:
Quote:
Originally Posted by reni
Also I don't get the attitude that there only two extremes of wearing a fancy suit, or stained sweatpants. Nobody's saying that you have to get super dressed up for every errand, but with a small amount of effort it's not that hard to do casual without being a slob.
Yes, - that.
Should have read this before I posted. Looks like some people DO get the idea.
God, this topic is ridiculous. I think some weird foot fetish men are posting on here.
I love heels and all, but come on. I work on Madison Ave. in Manhattan and don't see many women wearing heels at all. Maybe in the office, but in the f**ed up streets and sidewalks of NYC? It's silly. I used to do it when I was young and stupid, but now I know better. Even Sarah Jessica Parker is seen running around Manhattan (in real life) in her jeans and Uggs like the rest of us.
I do live in a neighborhood that has a large Russian population, and they do tend to look "too dressed up" as in almost prostitute like (sorry to offend, but it's true). I saw a woman at the bus stop in fishnets, 4 inch spikey heels and a long fur coat. She look RIDICULOUS. Even my BF said, she looks stupid, and like she's going to fall over.
Celebs can pull off the heels because they go from their car to restaurant, or store, etc. with very little walking involved. I read once that Beyonce made her driver drive her 1/2 a block to a store because she couldn't walk in her heels.
And they do mess up your feet, I'm living proof. I need surgery on one foot due to a small bunion that started to form due to my years of wearing 4 inch, pointy shoes.
OK...let's not slide towards the other extreme. It is way too evident for way too many people around the Globe that America is full of sloppy-looking, non-"put together" people. Sure, you can call this "practicality" but that is not going to change the fact that sloppy Wal-Mart T-shirts that lose their shape in 3 days, thrown over some sweat pants or blue jeans are typically eye sores; and when people have less than a tight and slender body (which the majority of Americans do), then the sight is even worse.
Hey, nice America-bashing. Good goin'.
And you read far too much of your own agenda into my words.
I have never gone out in public looking sloppy in my life -- even when I went to the gym. I take pride in my appearance. I may be a bit over my ideal weight, but the size of my clothing reflects that. But after wearing business suits and other dress clothing for 32 years, I'm sure as hell not going to dress up to go shopping. Even though my father loved to wear a suit and tie when we went to Yankee Stadium -- his daughter prefers to dress more casually when she attends games.
And the only time I wear a Wal-Mart tee is to work in the garden, because they're cheap and easily replaceable when rose thorns grab them and rip the material. My NY Yankee tees are extremely well-made, MLB licensed material -- and believe me, you don't find them in Wal-Mart.
I am what I am -- and I earned the privilege. I dress for myself -- not other people. I did that for over three decades, and it's not gonna happen any more.
So if you happen to come down to Florida and you see me in Lowe's, or Ulta, or Barnes and Noble, or Petsmart, or Publix, or yes, even Wal-Mart when I'm wearing my jeans and Yankee tee, or my shorts and tank tops -- wave and say hello. Of course, I won't look the way you obviously expect me to look -- my clothing will be clean, and will fit well. My hair will be clean, I'll be freshly showered, and I'll be -- gasp! -- wearing makeup. Because I dress to suit myself, not you or anyone else.
And they do mess up your feet, I'm living proof. I need surgery on one foot due to a small bunion that started to form due to my years of wearing 4 inch, pointy shoes.
I had plantar fasciatis about 7 years ago. When I went to the podiatrist, he looked at the Easy Spirit flats I was wearing (one of the few shoe styles that actually fit, due to my very narrow foot), and asked me if they were my usual footwear. He told me I was one of the smart ones, because heels do nothing but ruin your feet.
I had plantar fasciatis about 7 years ago. When I went to the podiatrist, he looked at the Easy Spirit flats I was wearing (one of the few shoe styles that actually fit, due to my very narrow foot), and asked me if they were my usual footwear. He told me I was one of the smart ones, because heels do nothing but ruin your feet.
Yea, I wish I would have known that in my 20s . Now, at 35, if I wear heels more than a few hours, the bottoms of my feet KILL. I often wonder if those more pricey shoes (Christian Louboutin, Gucci, etc.) would be more comfortable but I somehow doubt it.
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. Now, at 35, if I wear heels more than a few hours, the bottoms of my feet KILL. I often wonder if those more pricey shoes (Christian Louboutin, Gucci, etc.) would be more comfortable but I somehow doubt it.
