I Need A Big Loan From A Girl Zone

Women and work is one topic that's always hot. Speaking of which, I recently watched the movie 9 to 5, starring Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin as disgruntled corporate employees whose boss is a serious case of institutional sexism. The movie is a big feminist high five and a legit comedy at the same time. The ladies seek revenge on their egotistical boss, pick up some laughs along the way, and prove themselves in the company while they're at it.

Workin' 9 to 5 in 1980.

Now, the corporate male chauvinist is a pretty obvious target, and he's as powerful in 2011 as he was in 1980. But there's also the odd truth to consider, which is that in the professional world, the most powerful way females have found to cut another woman down is to remark on how she doesn't fit into the beauty/sexual acceptability quotient - like, by dismissing her clothes as matronly, slutty, or outdated. On the other hand, the way to gain another's woman appreciation or to establish a rapport with her is to compliment her hairdo, accessories, or outfit.

This ain't middle school anymore, ladies, but this is still how reps go down. When ladies diss another woman's appearance and that diss diminishes her talent, ability, and authority, the result is that women themselves are not only perpetuating but enforcing the gender stereotype that a woman's worth and power is rooted in how she looks. Now, keeping mum unless you've something nice to say may seem like an obvious etiquette lesson, but you'd be surprised at how politically loaded the language of the female compliment/female diss can be.

Is it lunchtime or hagfest?

All of this probably sounds like a weird thing for me to talk about, since I write a style blog that's based upon the premise that it's pretty cool and worthwhile to look cool and worthwhile. So, to clarify, is it dandy to dress creatively, have a rad sense of style, and to genuinely give and accept fashion compliments? Heck yeah! Is it also nifty to creatively and humorously diss, boo, and give the thumbs down to certain styles? Absolutely, as long as it's not done with the intention of undercutting a woman as a person. And that's my whole point.

Chill out, ladies. How's about you and me go back to Dolly's house and smoke a joint?

And as for the enigmatic title of this post - it's a reference to the Tori Amos song "Caught A Lite Sneeze." It's a song about a bad break-up. I know, what does that have to do with anything? Well, I've always interpreted that lyric "need a big loan from a girl zone" to mean that the song's subject needs support from her girlfriends. Or maybe it's that she's going lez because boys suck. Whatever, I guess that still works. Let's go with option A, women being supportive of each other instead of being catty.

Not that I'm advocating some kumbaya, friendship-bracelet collective sisterhood in the workplace. Just some human decency would be pretty alright. And that goes for both sexes. Turns out, a sassy attitude only flies when you work in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana.

Via hipster parks and rec.

Online Yard Sale with That Dress Isn't Pretty Anymore!

Buy my loot, please!

I am selling part of my wardrobe here, and you could be the lucky buyer, if you play your cards right.

The clothes listed for sale are totally rad and guaranteed to win you friends and influence people. What more motivation do you need?

How about this: Your support will go towards making a hungry child (me) happy! And I'm hungry now, so start spending. I accept cash delivered by your friend Vinnie, IOUs, baked goods, and PayPal.

1. New Mexico Moon People Jean Jacket, $6

This is a size large Levi Strauss jacket that a kid eager to be cool decorated the hell out of in 1985. It made its way to my closet in 2011, and maybe it'll make its way to yours before 2012? The last time I wore this jacket was on Halloween, and I got asked to a football game by a high school boy in a "Sexy Raggedy Ann" costume. Even if that's stretching the truth a little, you're sure to score with this jacket, one way or another!

2. Pumpkin Galore Chiffon Dress, $10

Orange you glad this baby's for sale? You bet your life! This happy little pumpkin has a retro '60s look to it, along with unforgettable features like these chiffon "batwings" that won't fail to amuse you (see picture). Tag says medium, but it's a bit roomy on me - so plan accordingly, all you Ms. Mediums! Whether you choose to be a weirdo like me and wear this dress with clashing green gloves and a hat made from an avocado net is totally up to you - I certainly won't judge you.

3. Dawn Weiner Nostalgia Sweatshirt, $5

Old lady or hipster? Don't worry, this sweatshirt will make the decision for you! Be the nerdy star of your own life (if your life were Welcome To The Dollhouse) with this comfy cotton pullover. Comes with a fake collar and a mockingbird/flower motif. Junior high angst not included.

4. Swedish As Fuck Mustard Yellow Cardigan, $12

That's right, S.A.F! This is an H&M cardigan that I purchased in San Francisco because I was cold in the summer once upon a time, and now I'm over it. But I hope you're into it! It's an angora button-up cardie with a tie waist. It's pretty darn sassy.

5. Math Is My Jam Sailor Sweater, $7

This darlin' little polyester number here is all decked out with navy blue stripes and gold buttons. Guess you could call it sailor-themed, but it also reminds me of graph paper. One button is missing, but little flaws just give a good-girl sweater like this one some street cred!

6.  So 2006 Burgundy Party Dress, $15

This is a strapless burgundy wallpaper-patterned dress with a black tulle skirt. Comes with its own matching belt, which is so 2006, but just think - in another, like, ten years this will be a vintage item, and you'll be kicking yourself for not owning it (and so will I!) I think this was my homecoming dress, in which case I probably spent most of my time in this dress requesting music that no one wants to hear at a high school dance (like Zlad), hiding in the bathroom with my fellow coterie of troublemakers, and drawing penises in the sparkly confetti. Win-nerrr.

7. Hey There Cool Thing Black Bubble Dress, $6

This isn't a Sonic Youth "Kool Thing." But it's cool, yeah? Sigh. How do I justify owning this dress? It has a turtleneck collar and a bubble hem. Maybe there are times when a girl wants to keep her upper half warm while showing off her legs, okay? If you feel the same way, then you should go for this snuggly black dress. All the prom-age boys will be all up on. I swear I'm not advocating anything untoward here. Go fer eeet!

8. Modesty Is Okay Floral Skirt, $8  [RESERVED]

Remember in the '80s when girls used to wear long skirts with baggy sweaters on top? Even if you don't remember this, it happened. Featured here is a Ralph Lauren floral skirt, size 4. I like to pretend it fits but sometimes I'll, say, eat a burrito while I'm wearing it, and it's like God reminding me ... I don't know, not to eat the burrito? Anyways, this skirt is super cute and looks good with anything from a lingerie top to a baggy sweater!

9. Alpha Female Acid Wash Jean Skirt, $7 [RESERVED]

Hey there alpha females, this is your must-have: a gorgeous acid wash jean skirt. It's a size 12. Now, I know sizes don't mean anything because they vary with the brand and have changed throughout the decades thanks to vanity sizing. But! Long story short, this little cutie is a bit too loosey goosey on me.  I bought it in the hopes of using DIY remedies to shrink it so's it would adhere to my waist. Well, my friends, when it comes to DIY desperation, there is no smell quite like boiled denim on the stovetop in the morning. In other news, this skirt is yours for seven (count 'em) one dollar bills.

Remember, by buying anything from this list, you are helping to pay for my platelet-rich plasma facial rejuvenation next meal!

I apologize for the lack of photo quality! If you've any questions and/or are interested in purchasing any of these fine threads, you can leave a comment on this post or contact me at thatdressisntpretty [at] gmail [dot] com. 

Looking Dumb, Keeping Warm

Wearing ridiculous clothing items to keep warm is one of my favorite things to do, and is one of the guiding principles of this blog. After all, since I buy most of my clothes secondhand, I've made it a habit to traffic in bizarre and outdated styles.

But how about when commercial fashion comes up with silly garments for keeping warm? Even better!

To me, the prime example of a ridiculous winter clothing item is the fur vest.

Would you invest in this, fur real? Via instyle.com.

Fur is classy. It's classic. But when it's just a vest, I don't see the point. It's gotta be a gratuitious fashion item, because there's no way a fur vest keeps a person all that warm. Gratuitious but classy? Actually, that sounds like my bottom line.

Alright then. I also used the powers of the Internet to look up some upscale department stores and scoped out what a whole gamut of fashion lines are carrying for their winter apparel. The absurdest of the bunch? The definite winner (in a not-really-fair contest) was Ralph Lauren's menswear collection for Winter 2011. Ch-ch-check out all dem silly swettas:

It is a genuine art, okay, to look this manly while wearing a sweater emblazoned with a lobster, or a reindeer, or whatever the heck that thing is. Via ralphlauren.com.

Well, color me plaid, if sex appeal doesn't wear a bowtie and knitwear, then Ralph Lauren took a helluva risk on their ad campaign this season. Via ralphlauren.com.

All I want for Christmas is a Mongolian lamb vest and a fox fur capelet, and a Ralph Lauren model snuggled up in a holiday sweater and sprawled in front of my fireplace. Just kidding, what I really want is a pony.

Funny Looking

This is a blog about style, but it's also a blog about things that I find funny.

My friend Camille recommended that I check out a book by Mindy Kaling, the actress from The Office who plays Kelly. I didn't know who Mindy Kaling was, so I looked her up and found her website, where I stumbled upon this post about funny women and their looks.

Of course, the lady is on to something. Really good looking people are supposed to be too preoccupied with their looks to crack jokes, and people cracking jokes are supposed to be too funny to care about their looks. This is especially true for women. So, I made this list. I'm going to steal a line here from the movie Clerks - these rules aren't broad generalizations, but rather generalizations about broads!

The Funny Looking Rules for Women

1. As a woman, if you want to be taken seriously at being funny, then you can't be too attractive.

2. If you are attractive, make sure that everyone perceives you as incidentally attractive. This is because good looks distract from your sense of humor. Looking good is for pageant queens, not comedians!

3. If you're not so good looking, be sure to point out your physical flaws and mock them whenever you can.

Lookin' good but not too good: Tina Fey.

4. Whether you're a looker or not, anticipate critiques of your body, and always be the first to say that you're a fat ho with Cro-Magnon hands! This is something that Tina Fey does, and also Amy Sedaris, and look how successful at being funny they are! 

5. Never be serious about being sexy. If you're just a few crumbs away from being a total sex muffin, joke that you used to be a gargoyle before the prosthetics.

6. Make fun of female beauty routines. Be sure to mock your own weekly eyebrow thread/Brazilian wax/mani n' pedi.

7. It's a challenge to ride the wave of social acceptability, meet the beauty quotient, and be funny all at the same time! Just remember, ladies, you gotta take some hard knocks when you want to succeed in comedy.

Looks aside, I love books by funny women. I once read the entirety of Tina Fey's Bossypants in a Barnes & Noble's. I didn't buy it, though, because I didn't want to cough up $25 for the hardback. (Sorry, Tina!) Amy Sedaris' cooking/entertaining book is a winner too. I once read it cover to cover while my friend was cleaning her apartment before a party. There's an irony there!

Treadin' the fine line between straight up sexy and comically sexy: Amy Sedaris.

And one of my favorite books by a funny woman is How To Catch A Man, How To Keep A Man, How To Get Rid Of A Man by Zsa Zsa Gabor. I found a copy of this book in a train station in Seattle, and it now holds a special spot in my book collection. The title sounds pretty dumb, but you'd be surprised!  Zsa Zsa is a clever and sharp-witted lady, and has some strong opinions - so you bet I'd invite her over for some gin and tonics!

Now who you callin' funny looking?

Je Suis La Bloggeur Girl

If your morning didn't look something like this, then obviously you are not living in a Serge Gainsbourg film. Too bad.

"Roller Girl" is a musical number from the 1967 TV movie Anna starring Danish actress Anna Karina. It was directed by Pierre Koralnik and co-written by everyone's favorite skeezy Frenchman, Serge Gainsbourg.

Anna: Looks like this lady lives in a greenhouse. I know I'm jealous.

The "Roller Girl" video is pretty great because it features Anna Karina, garbed in naught but knee-highs and a blouse, busting out a solo dance party - which of course is what women do all the time when they're home alone, so it works real well as a movie trope. Unfortunately, I  haven't been able to track down a copy of Anna, so I can't give a compelling review of this movie musical, but I'm sure it's a delightful little cotton-candy film.

I know this because YouTube is usually a good indicator of quality (what am I saying?). Also, I should 'fess up to the fact that Anna Karina is one of my favorite actresses of '60s French cinema. I think she's just as adorable, expressive, and funny as Audrey Hepburn. It also helps that the costume departments in her movies always treated Ms. Karina right. Feel that little tremor of style inspiration I'm hinting at?

You bet you do. And now I'm going to proceed with this style inspiring moment. Not as awesome as Anna K., but I do pretty well in a pinch:

I've got a long carnation pink blouse, Ben Franklin's bifocals, and not-quite-knee-highs. My favorite part of this photo: it looks like my pins are seriously detached.

Now, you may be wondering: what's the point of taking style cues from a character outfit that you can't exactly wear in public? Well, that's a silly question! Why wouldn't I wear just a large blouse and some socks out on the town? But I guess sometimes you can't get away with being too eccentric.

So, let's make this classic morning-after ensemble into the sort of stylish outfit you could wear to a Bar Mitzvah, a baptism, or a ballgame (I dunno, ran out of alliterative ideas there).

First step, belt that blouse:

And dispense with the socks and add leggings! 

And what do we have here ... uh oh, looks like I'm wearing the furniture. Devo hat (slash '70s-era lampshade) optional but definitely recommended. Sticking to the theme was boring, I hope you make a statement at your next event like this:

Well, that was fun! Tune in next time. Or don't. I'm all about democracy.

A Look That's Well-Seasoned

Winterizing your summer wardrobe is what's in these days.

I know this because I have a subscription for Harper's Bazaar. Oh yeah? Oh yeah, and that means a glossy mag shows up in my mailbox each month, just like a period. Getting a mail-ordered copy of Bazaar is just as femme but obviously more of a highlight than getting your period. I always learn something new and exciting about commercial femininity from Bazaar.

Like, it's all about being sexy and pregnant these days, thanks to Beyoncé. You can't be just plain sexy anymore, or just plain pregnant. You have to be sexy while you're cooking a bun in the oven. Motherhood isn't for everybody, though, so I'm trying out other style trends from Bazaar.

Like taking summer clothes and making them fall/winter appropriate!

Exhibit A:

From the October 2011 issue of Harper's Bazaar.

Heartwarming story: Big Bird from Sesame Street and Clifford the Big Red Dog had a love child, and when this kid grew up, they sent him off to the fur factory, where he was made into the red Michael Kors jacket you see in the photo above. This jacket (retail value: $5,995) looks good chillin' poolside.

From the November 2011 issue of Harper's Bazaar.

And guess what, furry red jackets also look good in the Arctic tundra! Don't get confused, this animal here is actually a Chado Ralph Rucci coat. Being able to recognize details is extremely important if you're going to succeed in fashion as a hobby! This Rucci creation costs $8,000. You know what I would do if I had $8,000? Not buy this coat that Mr. Snuffleupagus died to make.

As always, thanks for your services, Harper's Bazaar. So, I decided to style today's post after this summer-is-the-new-fall motif.

Exhibit B:

A romper is prime for the summertime! Pair it with a summer-looking hat, and you're good to go! I got this romper as a gift. I usually wear it with a skirt thrown on top, but sometimes I like hanging out in just a playsuit, like I'm five.

Well, now I'm getting chilly! So I'll throw on a black velvet blazer, a black mink hat (don't worry, a real animal died to make this vintage heirloom, not some fictional one), and a stuffed polar bear. Now, I know I should be an enlightened fashion blogger who rails against the big bad fur industry instead of laughing it off, but I like fur. It keeps me warm.

The romper is a very poetic garment and looks great in black and white. It's also a token hipster item, but sometimes you have to deal with the stereotypes of your age demographic and wear whatever the heck you like.

Recommendation for the week: try winterizing your own wardrobe and see what happens!

I Like Lace + Some Thoughts on Race ... Double Feature!

What can I say, I like lace. Sometimes simplicity is where it's at. What else is where it's at? This David Bowie ode to mysterious girls like me and you.

Obnoxiously Seeking Susan: Check. I was trying to look as obnoxious as possible here, and I'm pretty sure I succeeded.

Acid wash denim and lace, a match made in sartorial heaven. Also, check out my lace batwings. 

Yeah, I admit, in a lot of respects, I'm more of a trend-follower than a trend-setter. Ladies have been wearing black chemises under white lace tops since 1979 (that's a totally inaccurate wild estimate). This is a size large Guess brand lace top that probably belonged to an older woman who also wears cashmere sweaters and capris. That's fine, one day I will be that lady. Except for one thing. Cashmere's cool, capris are dumb.

Sometimes I wear vests. What's this one's story? I don't know, but the pattern looks like it's been inspired by (or is a copy of) an indigenous folk pattern. The brand is Central Falls, and ... the Internet will not help me out here, so this vest's story is your guess.

In the past, I said that one day on this blog, I would talk about gendered clothing material. Why is denim seen as masculine, and lace as feminine? Well, I sort of talked about the first part of that question in an earlier post. But the idea of broadly labeling a vest as "indigenous" or "ethnic" without identifying that ethnicity - yeah, I'm critiquing myself, how meta and post-modern of me - reminds me of something else I wanted to talk about.

And what's that? Cultural appropriation in fashion. (Boldface: making things super important since 1400-ish.)

Lately, I've been reading some of the anti-racist discourse in the style blogosphere (really, that's a word). And what struck me was a blogging backlack against cultural trending in American fashion, along with common threads of a debate on cultural appropriation.

This is a broad term, but the definition that these blogs focus on (and thus what we'll be looking at) is this: Cultural appropriation refers to a hegemonous culture taking on the symbols of a historically oppressed or minority culture. The oft-cited example of this is a white person wearing a Native American symbol, such as a Native headdress. Many of the blogs I've read take white (read: non-Native) hipsters to task for engaging in racial drag and, in doing so, performing unconscious racism - which, by the way, is still racism.

Hold up, says the devil's advocate. Isn't a lot of fashion based on borrowing and blending styles from other cultures? How do you decide, okay, this is paying homage to or showing a respectful interest in another culture, but this is an example of a hegemonous culture saying: Cute symbol, guys, lemme put that on a t-shirt/coffee mug?

No Doubt it's cultural appropriation: Gwen's bindi, circa 1990s.

These are actually fair questions, in my opinion. And I'll get to them in a moment. This skeptical side of the cultural sensitivity coin also argues that all clothes in the typical American wardrobe have been culturally borrowed, and so everything we wear has arrived at our closets through cultural appropriation. This line of reasoning acknowleges that every style of clothing has a cultural past - from jeans to cowboy vests to feather earrings to rosaries worn as necklaces - but doesn't go further. All of these items could be considered culturally appropriated, depending on the identity of the wearer. Sure. But as always, context counts.

Look at it this way: is a non-cowboy styling herself as a racial other by wearing a cowboy vest or jeans? I'm gonna go with A, definitely not. When American mainstream fashion borrows a style from a white American subculture (i.e., cowboys), this isn't at all the same as, say, an American wearing an Indian bindi as a fashion accessory. In that last example, the person with the bindi is misusing a symbol from another culture, exoticizing the other culture (or relegating it to kitsch), and in the process denying the symbol's original meaning. So, cultural appropriation becomes problematic when you plug it into this formula: majority culture/imperial nation dabbling in minority culture/colonial nation.

But of course, sociology is not math, and this topic is pretty fascinating (or at least I think so), because it always yields more questions. Some other questions to chew on: What are the implications of a non-Native person of color wearing Native costume? What does it mean when a punk wears a crucifix as jewelry - is this a form of cultural appropriation, too? Does my Norwegian sweater make me look fat? (Okay, maybe not that one).

If you've gotten the feeling that this is a pretty nuanced topic, then I've done well and I encourage you to read more about it. My intention here was just to scratch the surface, so if I've piqued your interest in the subject of cultural appropriation, read this article. On a related note, also check out this article on racial drag in high fashion.