off to grandma’s (with a basket of thoughts)
i wore this to work and a male colleague commented that i looked like i was going to little red riding hood’s grandma’s cottage in the woods. i laughed appreciatively, because a) i had the exact same thought before i left the house and b) it knew it was his way of hitting on me. HAH.
floral dress – thrifted
strappy shoes – thrifted
bag – from mom
charm bracelet – gift
after he said that, my female boss went next and said (or rather, shrieked), you look like a doll!! everyone, look at her shoes, she’s like a babydoll.
granted, it was a compliment (and those are elusive enough from her), but i felt myself turn a bright shade of crimson as everyone in the news room turned to have a look at me – and my shoes.
when i left to go to a coverage i suddenly felt so exposed, waiting for the next person to take note of how i looked. and it got me to thinking, is it really possible to go out into world, dressed in something you completely love and are comfortable in, and not care how everybody else perceives you? can we (and must we) truly be unaffected by the little comments people so generously give us?
by the end of the night, a man i had just met had given me the rudest, most sneering passive-aggressive insult i think i have ever received. because of what i was wearing. i actually just stood there for a couple of seconds, transfixed and completely at a loss for what to say. i thought, how rude — what an ass! but then i couldn’t get over it for the rest of the night.
i actually re-evaluated all the aspects of my outfit, my head swimming in thoughts like “what went wrong?” “what should i change?” “is it the whole look, or just a part of it?” “why the hell do people care so much? it’s just a frickin dress and shoes!“.
so. when you are completely YOU in the outfits that you choose to wear, and you love it and are happy with it, will nothing else matter? when someone shares his ‘opinion’ of it, can you not care?
when looks (or indeed, vanity) are concerned, are we capable of just shrugging things off?
August 31, 2008 at 12:23 pm
I want so bad to not care, but I’m human so its inevitable to feel a pang of hurt when someone says rude comments about my outift. Oh well, that still won’t stop me from wearing the most ridic outfit in Manila 🙂
Just shrug it off, they know nothing about fashion 🙂 Tehee.
August 31, 2008 at 3:05 pm
I've been following your blog and I personally think that there's nothing wrong with how you dress up. In fact, I admire you for having the courage to dress what you like, be fab, and stand out (in a good way) from the rest. It's so doldrum the others wear at work and etc., they're just boring . I bet 'ya those who don't appreciate your style would have wanted to be like you, but don't have the courage like you do. They just envy you. And oh, I like you're shoes. Where did you get that, it's a unique gladiator & ballet flats combo.
August 31, 2008 at 5:17 pm
I think it varies, depending on who the remark comes from…, but yeah, even if you started out being completely comfortable in your outfit, snidy comments probably affect you whether you want to or not – to a certain degree anyways.
either way, I think you look adorable today.
August 31, 2008 at 11:04 pm
I know exactly what you’re talking about. i also have the same experience. but i really don’t care with comments from others (be it a good or bad comment), so long as i’m happy with what i wear. BTW, love your style. mind if i link u?
August 31, 2008 at 11:16 pm
It is human nature to say something and make comment about everything (good or bad) and it's also human to get affected with what you hear. I do get a lot of flack with what I wear too and mostly from my mother. Hahaha! but yeah, I get hurt but I just shrug it off. What's ugly to another maybe really pretty for you. You can't really please anybody. I say wear whatever you like to wear and try not to care.
And you look really nice today. Love the dress & shoes. Wish I have a pink pair like yours. 🙂
September 1, 2008 at 12:28 am
People comment and (try to) embarrass us because we actually put effort into choosing an outfit. Most people just go, pants, top shoes, you know?
September 1, 2008 at 1:20 am
Why are you so gorgeous?!
September 1, 2008 at 2:32 am
i LOVE the outfit and the adorable shoes. i’m definitely in the group of people who care too much about what other people think. D:
September 1, 2008 at 2:33 am
so i just browsed your entire blog and i find nothing wrong with your outfit. actually, it's cute, preppy & trendy. reminds me of gossipgirl, asian fashion which I totally love.
But unfortunately for us, since we are living here in the Philippines. If it does look a bit "different", it's perceive to be weird.
Linking you okay 🙂
September 1, 2008 at 4:29 am
I love your shoes so much! Red riding hood is a good inspiration.
I always care what other people think, I can’t get past it, it is human nature. But I feel better in myself when I like the way I’m dressed and I’m dissatisfied with my appearance when I do dress for others.
September 1, 2008 at 11:38 pm
love this dress. So cute.
September 2, 2008 at 12:11 am
I think you look marvelous! I think it’s impossible for us not to care about what people say about our outfits. But don’t change a thing 🙂
September 2, 2008 at 12:14 am
I’ve been reading your blog too and well I guess as soon as you hear comments like those enter your ear, you should quickly just let them out through the next ear. 🙂
Sucks for them, they don’t have your creativity!
September 2, 2008 at 12:40 am
my mom & titas always ask me why i`m so 'dressed up', like i`m supposed to save my dresses & heels for important events. then they make fun of me for it. i also get a lot of flak for wearing lensless glasses, but you know what? it hurts a little sometimes, cuz the jeering can get mean, but i still do it because i figure that eventually they`ll have to get used to it! besides, just because people are too scared to rock the clothes i do, doesn`t mean i have to be. i think that everything you wear is really pretty, & completely awesome, so you should keep on wearing the stuff & ignore them! 🙂
September 2, 2008 at 9:09 am
good god, men and their zero style knowledge. here in the PI, only 10% of people know about real style. and men comprise of what, 1% of that 10%? he is downright immature and obviously “baduy” saying an insult about your clothes. don’t you wish you could just shut them up?
September 3, 2008 at 2:04 am
I love this dress. It is really really beautiful and you wear it very well!
September 3, 2008 at 11:37 am
The ribbons across the bodice really make this so lovely. And your shoes are darling, too.
September 4, 2008 at 9:21 pm
Don’t listen to people! You look stylish and interesting and cute… More people should dress like you and break up the sea of officewear.
September 5, 2008 at 3:05 pm
i’m a 30 year-old mom to be who loves creative people 🙂 i believe you express your creativity via your clothes and shoes which are absolutely adorable (your shoes most especially)!
don’t let “them” bring you down!
September 7, 2008 at 2:55 pm
just found your blog thru eleh of Come thrifting with me. nice to know a blogger from my own city