DC ladies Fashion is TERRIBLE

[Anonymous]

I love this about DC! I am a middle aged woman and I love that I can have a bmi of 26 and wear llbean and talbots and sneakers with the occasional Kate spade dress and feel totally fine and like I fit in. I agree in many other cities the women put more effort into their look and I find that to be a negative because it makes me feel kinda frumpy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't care what others wear, but the notion that a well-educated, intelligent woman makes herself look less so by dressing up makes me seethe. This attitude is so prevalent here on DCUM (see posts throughout this thread).

Guess what? Smart and successful women can look nice and that doesn't detract from their intellect.

It's prevalent because it's real. None of us thinks looking nice actually makes you dumb. But we all know from experience that it gets you treated like you're dumb - or worse, like you are looking to flirt/sleep your way up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't care what others wear, but the notion that a well-educated, intelligent woman makes herself look less so by dressing up makes me seethe. This attitude is so prevalent here on DCUM (see posts throughout this thread).

Guess what? Smart and successful women can look nice and that doesn't detract from their intellect.

It's prevalent because it's real. None of us thinks looking nice actually makes you dumb. But we all know from experience that it gets you treated like you're dumb - or worse, like you are looking to flirt/sleep your way up.

The people I'm talking about who criticize women who look attractive/well put together are other women - not men. We see this all the time here on DCUM - women attacking other women because (god forbid) those other women choose to look nice at work. There's clearly a huge element of jealousy going on here and it's very transparent. Dress however you want - and I'll do the same.

[Anonymous]

I have worked with many women over the years who were put together and intentional about how they dressed. Consultants, hill staffers, all kinds of women in senior or visible roles. If you're not seeing that, it's because you think put together and sexy/very made-up are the same thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have worked with many women over the years who were put together and intentional about how they dressed. Consultants, hill staffers, all kinds of women in senior or visible roles. If you're not seeing that, it's because you think put together and sexy/very made-up are the same thing.

Go read the OP. She wants people to look sexy.

[Anonymous]

DC is the best. But the city is perpetually down itself! Ladies in the DMV are wealthier, better educated and more fit than most other metropolitan areas.

Who cares if they’re not wearing jeans from Salvation Army, and a vintage sweater with platform sneakers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't care what others wear, but the notion that a well-educated, intelligent woman makes herself look less so by dressing up makes me seethe. This attitude is so prevalent here on DCUM (see posts throughout this thread).

Guess what? Smart and successful women can look nice and that doesn't detract from their intellect.

It's prevalent because it's real. None of us thinks looking nice actually makes you dumb. But we all know from experience that it gets you treated like you're dumb - or worse, like you are looking to flirt/sleep your way up.

The people I'm talking about who criticize women who look attractive/well put together are other women - not men. We see this all the time here on DCUM - women attacking other women because (god forbid) those other women choose to look nice at work. There's clearly a huge element of jealousy going on here and it's very transparent. Dress however you want - and I'll do the same.

Nobody said it was just men. That doesn't change the fact that lots of smart women intentionally dress in a drab way because they would not be taken seriously otherwise.
Lots of crappy things shouldn't be, but they are, and saying "dress however you want" doesn't actually solve it for anybody.