Wise consuming

(In order not to offend the sensibilities of anyone, I've decided never to post ugly pictures in this blog. So for this post I'm putting an old Kate Spade ad because it's nice, not because it makes me go "huh?") Ad campaign image from here.

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Ever looked at a new clothing ad campaign and thought, "Huh?"

I have. And more often than I can count!

I'm referring to local clothing brands that have ads that seem to be undermining their purpose--which is to sell. Here's irony for you: on an ad campaign of a brand that's supposed to be selling t-shirts, a male model wearing the t-shirt is trying to pull the shirt off. What, are they saying their shirts are itchy?

And there's a brand for jeans (and underwear?) with a billboard that has the model in a weird pose, wearing some tasseled arm bands/leg warmers, jeans with the fly open... and a bra under... nothing. While I get that they want to sell the underwear, it isn't like people normally walk around with nothing over them (and with arm and leg tassels, lol)! And the jeans? It makes you wonder if the model wore them that way because the button has popped out and the zipper caught.

I have a friend who once wrote a letter to this same clothing brand company to tell them that their underwear ads are not very tasteful. You know what they told her? There's no other way to sell underwear but to do that! I'll say they're just too lazy to think of a better way.

While I would love to support Philippine brands by buying from local stores, it's difficult to stay loyal when you know that some of your money goes to the production of such mind boggling ads. I bought two pairs of jeans from a local store because I like how they fit and how they're not over my budget, but since then, I've spotted some barely-dressed ads with that same clothing brand emblazoned on them, and I can't help thinking my jeans-budget went on to proclaim that barely dressed and voluptuous is the beauty standard of today.

Call me over-acting, but must we consumers let clothing companies dictate what sort of "creativity" goes out there? To thrive, they're the ones depending on us after all.

Questions and compliments

Photos from here.

You want to help more of your friends appreciate appropriate dressing but don't know where to start? Go out with them! It doesn't have to be a trip to the shops... you can go out for pho or halo-halo or watch a movie. The point is that you see your friends. And when ladies get together, they usually put a little more effort into looking nice (do you agree with the theory that women actually dress for other women?)--I just notice it.

What could be the reason behind that? My guess is women like getting compliments. (This may seem like a 'duh' answer but let me elaborate.) It's not as much about getting green-eyed stares from other women that we want--it's more of appreciating the same things, or having things in common to bond over with and share with one's friends.

When a friend says she likes your blouse, don't you feel happy that somebody approves the choice you made? And then, won't you be planning on wearing that elegant blouse more often? The grand implication of it is: You can actually encourage your friends to don more dignifying pieces simply by telling them you like what you see.



Hence, having simple get-togethers with your BFFs (outside uniform territory, of course!) can become fertile ground for making headway in your mission to raise the standards of fashion. What may seem like a superficial practice of telling your friends what you (sincerely) like about their outfit, hairstyle or make-up can actually be a way of encouraging them to stick to positive style.

Now, armed with this idea, you might want to help me answer two questions I've been pondering on for almost two weeks now:

• If you're out shopping with a friend and she asks for your opinion on an outfit that does nothing to help others appreciate the person she is, what would you tell her?
  
• How would you make her understand if you know she doesn't yet appreciate your ideas on dressing with dignity?

Slippery when wet

Photo from here.

It's downpour season again and it's really amusing that I'm seeing more rubber slippers in the streets. Is it because people want to catch leptospirosis so they peel off their protective shoes at the mere forecast of Cloudy With a Chance of Rain? Or have shoes become so important that many prefer to get their feet wet instead of getting their shoes wet?

The slipper phenomenon may perhaps be traced to our associating slippers with walking in comfort. Which is logical, since slippers are what we use to get around the house and stroll on the beach. Unfortunately, the street (not to mention the workplace, Church, commercial spots...) is neither of these two places. In the street, slippered feet are exposed to dust, grime, cuts, murky waters, spitting habits of inconsiderate fellow pedestrians and the occasional chewed up pink gum. If you know all this and still choose your slippers over shoes, it might be time to re-evaluate whether you have come to regard your shoes with so much value that protecting them has become more important than protecting your own feet.

Besides, what's so comfortable about commuting in slippers (particularly rubber flip flops) anyway? The people behind you keep accidentally stepping on them, and you have to keep a keen grip on the thongs with your toes so the slippers don't just flip-flop out from under you. I used to walk around in slippers myself, and it left me with blisters where the thongs would rub my feet. Painful and unsightly. Finally, slippers are a surefire way to teach your toes to splay out like a fan, which is good training if only people were amphibian.

Have I convinced you yet to invest in a good pair of walking shoes for commuting? They don't have to be bulky hiking boots or galoshes. They just have to be comfortable, protective, and made of materials that can stand all the elements I have listed above. And for your peace of mind, function doesn't always cramp form: choose a pair that suits your individual style. After all, it is you who is doing the shopping and the walking!

Fashion camp invitation!

Hello Ladies,

If you believe in person-centered fashion and wish to promote it, how about joining other ladies in the GUTSY Fashion Camp on July 31-August 1?

GUTSY aims to empower young women to be catalysts of change in the world of fashion and to be the trendsetters in upholding their dignity through positive dressing, designing and retailing. Learn to take an active role in inspiring more women to dress with dignity through:

• Team building activities,
  
• Film viewings,
  
• Fashion talks, and
  
• Writing seminars

Contact Kathy Gacer (0926-674-0273) or Pia Lorenzo (0919-249-1192) for more details. It's going to be fun and classy! See you there! ;-)