Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Further Rants From a Fashionville Refugee

(Just a note: while it was an interesting 'coincidence', the posting of these fashion related posts was not intended to collide with my presence at last night's B'nos Melachim Tznius presentation. The post was written before I saw it, and not intended to be a recap in any way..)

There are aspects of fashion I get, and aspects I don't get. For example, I get why someone would be very excited to buy a sweater they like because it is in style. But I simply can't figure out how it's possible that someone can buy a sweater that they like, and then stop liking it the minute it goes out of style.
And while it is within my comprehension to refrain from buying a skirt that you dislike, which also happens to be out of style at the moment, I can't for the life of mine figure out how a person can rationalize the purchase of a skirt that they dislike-when it comes back in style. And if someone mocks a particular style (which they dislike) when it's considered 'nerdy', I get that. But I just don't get how a person can buy that very same style when it becomes the height of fashion.
So apparently, my belief in these rules has permanently disqualified me from taking up residence in fashionville. But I must confess, it gets worse.
Firstly, realize who you are dealing with. My mode of dress has been described as "underwhelming". I wear the same black skirt every day of my life. Accompanying that is a solid top, usually black. In the winter, it's a cable knit sweater, in the summer, it's a collar tee-shirt. Sometimes it has three buttons in the front, and sometimes it has a small zipper. Once in a while, when I'm feeling daring, it's a v-neck. But honest that's as much variation as you get. The shoes don't get much more thrilling either. They are always flat, round-toed, black loafers. In short, I capture attention by my personality, not my clothes.
The next thing you should know about my clothes is that shopping gives me a headache. And I try to avoid activities that give me headaches. Therefore, I generally shop only when I absolutely can't avoid it. So, my clothing doesn't get replaced with the shifting of the styles. Rather, I wear it until the holes can no longer be patched and the permanent stains start attracting attention.
Are you getting the picture? Basically, to sum it all up, the shopping styles of MP and SD are polar opposites. We simply can't get each other. I think the system is dumb, and she thinks I'm dumb. That works. Perhaps I am.
Because the big thing that I have yet to figure out is brand names. And the big thing that MP has left to figure out is my lack of fascination with brand names. It just makes no sense to me. If you like a tee-shirt, does it matter what animal it has in the corner? Is an alligator really better than a horse? And are either of those really better than a hippo or something? What if, for variety, I want to sew a picture of a canary into the corner of my shirt? Is that un-cool? Why? Just because I didn't overpay for it? And what if I have a picture of a horse, but instead of Ralph Lauren's horse, I have a picture of Shloimy Klein's horse? Did I lose my coolness?
And while I'm on a roll, perhaps someone can explain the following concept. While I don't understand the thought process involved in overpaying for a name-brand object, I've sort of accepted it. Not as rational, sane behavior, but as evidence of the stupidity which is so prevalent in our society. But there is one aspect of it that I just can't accept. It is so mind-boggling, and so ridiculous, I hope there is someone who can explain this to me.
Why in heaven's name would a normal person, who is in full control of a normal and healthy mind, go out and overpay for a COPY of a brand name object? And even worse, I hear (correct me if I'm wrong) that they walk out of the little back room of some booth on Canal Street, clutching their oddly shaped plastic bag which, of course, has a triangular shaped tag with a poor replication of a prada logo, and they actually feel like they found a bargain. Why? Because it looks so real that nobody can tell the difference, but, since it is fake...it's cheaper.
Seriously. Does anyone have any sort of explanation for me?

22 comments:

frumcollegegirl said...

:) my sentiments exactly.

we were explaining the concept of buying knockoff items to a rabbi in seminary, and he was both astounded and horrified that a Jew would pay so much for a copy. he said Jews are supposed to be able to get the real thing for cheap because they know a cousin of the manufacturer...

Anonymous said...

BTW buying knockoff's that have the real designer's logo is stealing their name. That's why the police are always arresting & shutting down the knockoff distributers.

nmf #7 said...

Anon- they all have a sign up in their stores that what they are doing is illegal. They have to put it up!

MP said...

First of all, you're in luck -- black on black is usually acceptable. Though it would be better shorter, and skinnier, and cleaner. And the round-toed flats are OK, for now at least.

But if you sew a canary onto ANYTHING, I am going to disown you. (The homemade canary imitations are SO obvious.)

Bas~Melech said...

NMF -- They HAVE to put it up? The way they HAVE to follow trademark regulations? lol

And Anon -- Most of them are not quite matched to the original. They just imitate the style. The better quality ones are craftier about it. (I do not know this because of any great attraction to knockoffs. It's all about working with the right people and listening to them compare their knockoffs, which imho totally defeats the purpose...)

Scraps said...

Actually, the ones the police really want to catch are the people who produce/import the fake bags. For every seller they shut down, there are dozens, if not hundreds, more. The sellers are the nobodys trying to scrape by; the manufacturers are the big fish. That's why they don't aggressively pursue the people who sell fake bags. Everyone knows you can buy a "Gucci" or "Coach" or "Prada" (etc) bag on Canal Street for $20 (maybe even less if you bargain really well). The cops don't shut them down cuz those people aren't worth shutting down - they'll just open up around the corner or down the street anyway.

As I mentioned, if you bargain with the sellers, you can get a pretty good price. Dunno about the knockoffs of things besides purses, but in general you can get good deals and "handel" with the knockoff sellers. What's the point of getting a knockoff, you ask? Because if it's a good enough fake, it'll look to others like you can afford the real thing, and therefore afford you the status conferred by having the real thing.

Something Different said...

FCG- LOL! But we don't have cousins in china.... ;-)

Anon- Yeah I have seen it. It's really cool actually. Crime scene tape...somewhere I have a picture, I must post it.

NMF- HUH?

MP- Ok, firstly, cute joke but you so didn't fool me. If the REAL MP would be able to overcome her computer illiteracy and find my blog, she would not react by putting up a nice little comment. She would come banging on my door, yelling at me that I am disgusting and how in the world do I think she will ever find a shidduch if I talk like that and what in the world was I thinking and she is telling on me and....

B~M- I am not going to ask you why you were commenting on blogs and panicing about lack of time simultaneously...
And yes, most are not perfect imitations. And comparing their knockoffs is really silly. I guess you don't hang around with MP and her buddies...

Scraps- Good point. I don't think they can really get it licked that way...
I think that is why people take me along. I am a good bargainer. And I get a kick out of it.
And you explained the fake, but you further deepened the mystery of the real ones.

Can't ANYONE explain it to me??

halfshared said...

Hey, regarding the mystery of why someone would wear something that a year ago was considered nerdy, it's because it takes time to get used to styles. Things grow on you. I remember when the open-toe shoes came out, I thought they were hideous, grandmother shoes. Now, about 1/4 of my shoes are open-toe. And I like the look now. I just got used to it.
Do you feel more enlightened now?

About brand names, I'm also clueless as to who cares about the animal or symbol or label inside that nobody ever sees. When I purchase something, it's based on whether I like it and if it's good quality. I'll have to talk to my MP to try to get it explained to me...unless maybe the brand names are really much better quality?

EsPes said...

i didnt read all the comments, so sorry if im being repetitive.

i think part of liking something one minute and then hating it the next, is trying to fit in.
also styles can grow on u, so if u dont like something but then it becomes in style, it can change ur opinion about it because ur seeing it all over.
i can think of a million examples of this- not liking something but then after a while u "realize" its not so bad.

and hon, u REALLY need to switch up ur wardrobe more! ill take u shopping :-)

chanie said...

Honestly, SD, I'm nearly as bad as you. I have the same favorite skirt (black) from the time I was thirteen. It started getting threadbare, so I went to geula to buy another like it. Then I got convinced to vary and buy a brown skirt in addition.

And I wear blouses- different ones, but it's mostly "as many as you can that aren't exactly the same", and have one v-neck. Oh, and I wear sneakers. But it's fun to make fun of fashions, and point out why they're dumb...

chanie said...

EsPes- don't take her shopping. For my sake. Shopping is awful, except if you're shopping for food or books.

Something Different said...

HS- I hear you, but that wouldn't justify stopping to wear something when it goes out of style.

SP- you will? does that mean I am invited to this mysterious "out of town"? :-p

Chanie- you are probably worse. I am not wearing my clothes from when I was 13 anymore. Then again, it could be because that stuff no longer fits me... ;)
And WHY wouldn't me and EP go shopping??

chanie said...

SD- Well, mine do fit- just not all are a style I'd wear. This skirt is pretty classic/basic, so I still wear it. But if I'm worse, then so be it.
Only because you said you hate shopping.

Something Different said...

Chanie- I actually have a suit from 9th grade that I wish I could wear. Who cares if it is not in style? It probably never was. As soon as I lose a few pounds....

chanie said...

LOL, isn't that the complaint of us all....but yeah, who cares about the style?

Something Different said...

Chan- not I.

harry-er than them all said...

check out my new post...

http://ayeshivishharry.blogspot.com/2009/05/individuality.html

chanie said...

SD- "Not I" what?

Something Different said...

Chanie- You said "who cares about style?" I said: "not I"
:-)

chanie said...

Ah, I see. Okay, thanks. ;)
Nor I.

Something Different said...

Chan- hee hee. :-)

chanie said...

Ho ho!