The Following

No one noticed that I wore one blue and one black sock this week. It wasn’t planned. That’s what happens when you get dressed in dim lighting. One time, after a busy morning, I accidentally wore mismatched shoes to an event. Again, no one noticed. In my own defense, both pairs of shoes were identical, except for the color. In college, I sported mismatched earring—on purpose. It was my attempt at unconventionality. Apparently, a well-known fashion magazine now calls it a new trend. Fashion is a weird thing. Sometimes what seems so different at first winds up becoming popular, like these:

                                         https://youtu.be/BspA-FF7wAo 

Maybe you’ve seen these on the street. Don’t laugh. I heard they’re making a comeback, and before long you might own a pair, too. Once a group of high profile people latch on to a trend, we’re more likely to try it.

What trend did you decide not to follow, and still won’t?   

Shunned, But Not Forgotten

It’s over. For more than twenty years, I boycotted a designer. I passed on purchasing coats, pants, shoes, and all kinds of cool apparel. Here’s the back story:

For years, I’ve enjoyed art and advertisements. I worked at an ad agency, and usually pay close attention to magazine ad campaigns. One day, while browsing through a fashion magazine, I noticed one designer’s ad for apparel or perfume. Over time, I forgot the particular product, but the use of nude models stuck with me.

Nudity in magazine ads, in films, and on TV feels like an artistic cop-out. If a product or project is fantastical and compelling, does nudity need to be part of the picture? It feels like a cop-out for a lack of creativity. And so, without circulating a petition or making a scene, I started my personal boycott of a fashion designer.

The designer has suffered long enough. It’s time to end the boycott. Let bygones be bygones. These days established designers manufacture apparel for all price levels, and so I finally bought a dress by the designer whose products I had avoided for so many years.

Boycotts have a place whether public or personal, short or long-term, silly or serious. You never know what people will want to boycott:

                                          https://youtu.be/kasj3IXuAT4

Every morning people flock there for a morning fix. When we’re on vacation, we’ll visit that establishment about five times a week for breakfasts, beverages, snacks, or restroom breaks. I’m against genetically-modified products, too. I sympathize with Mr. Young’s position, but another boycott? It’s too soon! I’m not ready to make that sacrifice. 

That’s the problem with protests. Despite your best intentions, there will be non-supporters. Regardless of how other people feel, what position would you defend for twenty years or more?             

Still Relevant

While watching TV, I spotted a young girl on the show dressed in an “unusual” outfit. After spending a lot of time with a relative, Jasmine began dressing like her family member. The clothes looked so awkward on her that I remember mumbling, “What is she wearing?” That’s when I realized two things: she was imitating her grandmother’s style and I owned a similar outfit.

Here’s my backstory. I received that outfit about five years ago. These days it’s my “house outfit,” which means I only wear it outdoors if I’m taking out the trash or making a quick grocery store trip. Even though I saw the outfit in a store this past winter, I don’t think the style caught on again. These styles might catch on faster than my old outfit:

                                              https://youtu.be/unwCVLNE8Lg

Who doesn’t enjoy a colorful outfit? Styles change over time. One day your pants are in style and the next year you’re willing to donate them or wear them for a laugh. If we bought a pair of shoes last year, we’re ready to throw them out this year. If you do decide to keep them, you’ll have a hard time getting the heels fixed. Although people rarely get shoes repaired anymore, I still own several pairs of shoes that I’ve had for decades, including snow boots from middle school that I wear every winter.  Sound and sensible things last. What’s something you thought might not last, and then realized that it’s still useful and relevant?   

   

Those Special Eyes

When’s the last time you had a thorough eye examination? I’m referring to the exams where the eye drops dilate your pupils causing you to cower from the sun like a vampire. During my recent eye exam, I heard about the “yellow” drops and I thought that meant the medicine had a yellow color. It did. After I dabbed the liquid from the corner of my eye, I saw that the medicine was more than yellow—it was neon yellow. Moments later, waiting for the drops to work, I looked in the mirror and discovered that the white part of my eyeball had turned yellow, too. That’s when I saw the potential for a new product. Remember the contact lenses that changed the color of your pupils? Why hasn’t someone marketed a product to color the whites of your eyes? Young people and trendy fashionistas would love it.

Eyeball tattoos are not as foreign as they might sound. Several creative folks have already forged ahead and tattooed their friends’ eyeballs. Let’s take a look at their handiwork:

                       

I’m back-pedaling. I thought people would love eye tattoos, but they’re far too risky to be a widely popular trend and the possibility of infection and blindness outweighs fashion. One comment from the inmate caught my attention: He might be one of four or five people in the world with eye tattoos. His statement sounds like a yearning for uniqueness. News flash! We’re all special and unique; unfortunately, too few people realize it. 

Given all of the things that make you unique, what’s the one thing that makes you feel extra-special?