DC Suburbs Wardrobe

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Which "West" are we talking? 'Cause I'm from LA, and nobody does this. Do you mean grannies in the "Wild, Wild West" 150 years ago? Aging hippie commune members? Boomers missing brain cells stranded among mountain tops overlooking Puget Sound? I've lived in LA, Berkeley, and Seattle, and stand by my post. Very few women can manage long, "silver" and elegant before age 60. On everyone else, it is a shame best reserved for Halloween.

True, this is not a Santa Monica look so much. Because as you know if you are from there ... there is no one over the age of 40 in L.A. Fake basketball titties that bump your chin don't go with silver hair, I agree.

I had in mind women that I have known in New Mexico and Arizona (who have that gorgeous streaked-silver-and-black Native American hair) and also a couple of women I know in Seattle who are prematurely-ish grey. It's a look that works best if your natural hair color was quite dark.

Well, for those of us who wouldn't like to channel any sort of inner Georgia O-Keefe when we're over 40, we'll just put away the oversized turquoise jewelry and make salon appointments on telephones that aren't cradled next to cattle skulls... except on Halloween, when the southwestern kitsch look is a perfectly appropriate costume, and if it's mistaken for desert witch lady, no big deal.

Middle-aged professional women made no fashion impression on me whatsoever when I was in Seattle. Nothing. I don't even think there was any kind of distinct look there, though I was much younger at the time and not really paying attention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Middle-aged professional women made no fashion impression on me whatsoever when I was in Seattle. Nothing. I don't even think there was any kind of distinct look there, though I was much younger at the time and not really paying attention.

I can't believe I'm saying this to anyone who is not a teenager but WOW, you have some attitude. If you have such a goddamn issue with everyone's hair, please, for the love of God, educate us. I can't live another minute without an effing link to what you want us to look like. Shine your light upon us with photos, because I'm sure not getting anything useful from your writing.

[Anonymous]

Ah, now I recognize your holier-than-thous-who-wear-Danskos tone from other Beauty/Fashion threads. It makes sense now.

[Anonymous]

Just strongly disagreeing about the long gray hair. I know the aging hippie look very well, having grown up in California, and I don't think Gen X ladies need to copy it as we begin to confront grays. What should we do? First and foremost, we should color it when it becomes noticeable until we're actual grandmas.

I some photos recently of a silver trend among 20-somethings. It's striking for them when contrasted with their blooming pink cheeks, but doesn't have the same effect on fading ladies.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, Danskos would complete the picture, top-to- (stubby) toe.

[Anonymous]

Is this thread the work of the "we owe it to the urban landscape to look our best" poster? Because it's starting to stink of First World worries and debates about Clarisonic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get over yourselves. It is a joke that the paper even has a "Style" section. This is neither NYC nor Paris (nor Mumbai nor Shanghai). It is what it is. If you didn't want to live in a fashion wasteland, then you should not have moved here from jump. I lived in nearly all of the above. WDC has its virtures, but good style is not one of them. Wear what you want, start trends, just don't worry what the rest of the folks are wearing.

No place stays the same over time, and DC certainly is changing. We can make progress on its style, too. Even in the suburbs.

Yes, progress can be made, but by those who look forward, not sideways....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Middle-aged professional women made no fashion impression on me whatsoever when I was in Seattle. Nothing. I don't even think there was any kind of distinct look there, though I was much younger at the time and not really paying attention.

I can't believe I'm saying this to anyone who is not a teenager but WOW, you have some attitude. If you have such a goddamn issue with everyone's hair, please, for the love of God, educate us. I can't live another minute without an effing link to what you want us to look like. Shine your light upon us with photos, because I'm sure not getting anything useful from your writing.

lol

[Anonymous]

My goodness, why do the most benign posts start to resemble those horrible talking head tv shows?? Undignified posts will turn those with something worthy to say away.....

Personally, life is never black and white and fashion sense should not be as well. There are many types of grey hair. On the down side, it becomes harder to wear and does tend to make women appear older. But on the plus side, there are shades that hair types in which it can appear gorgeous. My own mother went grey from blond - a beautiful sterling silver and women asked her where she got her hair colored. Look at Stacey London who has always had that silver streak of grey in her hair.

Grey can look great if it is a clear (not muddy or yellow) shade and if the woman has a flattering modern cut.

[Anonymous]

For those who poo-poo DC style, I will say that fashion is much better in the suburbs than in the city. The no-style stories are now old hat. Reports for the past year or so indicate that the best place for fashion, especially higher fashion, is the Washington, DC area. We spend more on fashion than any other city - including NY. You may not always see it during the work day but go out at night or on the weekends. It's there.

The Neiman's in Tysons is only one of 4 "A Level" stores in the country. Proof positive that fashion sells here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Which "West" are we talking? 'Cause I'm from LA, and nobody does this. Do you mean grannies in the "Wild, Wild West" 150 years ago? Aging hippie commune members? Boomers missing brain cells stranded among mountain tops overlooking Puget Sound? I've lived in LA, Berkeley, and Seattle, and stand by my post. Very few women can manage long, "silver" and elegant before age 60. On everyone else, it is a shame best reserved for Halloween.

True, this is not a Santa Monica look so much. Because as you know if you are from there ... there is no one over the age of 40 in L.A. Fake basketball titties that bump your chin don't go with silver hair, I agree.

I had in mind women that I have known in New Mexico and Arizona (who have that gorgeous streaked-silver-and-black Native American hair) and also a couple of women I know in Seattle who are prematurely-ish grey. It's a look that works best if your natural hair color was quite dark.

Well, for those of us who wouldn't like to channel any sort of inner Georgia O-Keefe when we're over 40, we'll just put away the oversized turquoise jewelry and make salon appointments on telephones that aren't cradled next to cattle skulls... except on Halloween, when the southwestern kitsch look is a perfectly appropriate costume, and if it's mistaken for desert witch lady, no big deal.

Middle-aged professional women made no fashion impression on me whatsoever when I was in Seattle. Nothing. I don't even think there was any kind of distinct look there, though I was much younger at the time and not really paying attention.

Speaking of Halloween (says the poster who wants to see more long gray hair and intends to sport it), I've noticed that things I would just wear out and about in Chicago are deemed worthy of a Halloween get-up in this straight laced town.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those who poo-poo DC style, I will say that fashion is much better in the suburbs than in the city. The no-style stories are now old hat. Reports for the past year or so indicate that the best place for fashion, especially higher fashion, is the Washington, DC area. We spend more on fashion than any other city - including NY. You may not always see it during the work day but go out at night or on the weekends. It's there.

The Neiman's in Tysons is only one of 4 "A Level" stores in the country. Proof positive that fashion sells here.

Tysons? Seriously? You brag that you shop at a suburban mall?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I'd like to see more women sport their gray. I'd like to see more women sport LONG gray hair.

Dame Helen Mirren!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those who poo-poo DC style, I will say that fashion is much better in the suburbs than in the city. The no-style stories are now old hat. Reports for the past year or so indicate that the best place for fashion, especially higher fashion, is the Washington, DC area. We spend more on fashion than any other city - including NY. You may not always see it during the work day but go out at night or on the weekends. It's there.

The Neiman's in Tysons is only one of 4 "A Level" stores in the country. Proof positive that fashion sells here.

This poster is 100% correct. And for the PP who poo-poo'd the "suburban mall" -- get over yourself. Tysons' Corner is where the fashion-forward tourists go for the best designer fashions...NOT DC proper.

Many young and up-and-coming designers have chosen to work out of DC because it is cheaper than NYC.

And have you ever walked down the street in NY outside of the super-trendy areas? I would hardly consider the majority of NYCers fashion-forward.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:...but I don't care anymore!

It's really liberating.

I'd like to see more women sport their gray. I'd like to see more women sport LONG gray hair.

EEEEEWWWWWWWWW.