Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Let's Talk Fashion

Mmk... the order those three words fall in would typically never come out of my mouth. Fashion + Becca = rare combination. However, I observed and experienced multiple interpretations of fashion while traveling over Christmas break.

Let's begin with the airport. Seeing as we left my house at 6:30 AM to catch our flight I simply threw on extremely comfortable clothes for the journey. "Comfortable clothes" in Becca's world means being a great candidate on the show What Not To Wear. I was a black and gray cotton blob slugging through the terminals. Old school sweats with pockets... gray t-shirt... gray fleece... black and gray hiking boots... black backpack... even a black hair thing; let's be honest- if anyone gave me a double-glance it was out of horror.

I'll admit it... Greek women outdid my fashion just a tad. As my parents and I ascended up the stairs to the streets of Athens we officially entered the world of boots. Gorgeous boots. Whether a female the age of 5 or 60 or anywhere in between she would be rockin the boot scene, usually worn with some sassy attitude and confidence based on apparel. Not once did I observe a woman in sweats or a t-shirt. The typical getup consisted of hair down or in a creative updo, short dress, tights leading down to beautiful boots with heels, also topped off with matching jewelry, makeup, and of course: the ever-classy cigarette.

So we go from high class sexy clothing trends to modestville headquarters. Egyptian women have an elegance and grace about their long, draping clothing from head to toe. If I were Matt Nathanson making his music video for Come On Get Higher I would have incorporated Egyptian fashion- what? Let me explain. There is a line that includes the words "swing of your hips" which is precisely how the clothing flows about the women in this African country. It's a beautiful swaying back and forth of fabric down to their ankles as they move about life- Sheek is apparently the word they prefer to describe their fashion (according to my lovely sister). Even though only 4 words of the song apply to their garb the lyrics danced in my head the entire time we were there.

Also most Egyptian women do not have to fret about the status of their hair when in public because their heads are covered in scarves of all colors and designs. So as I am debating whether to rock the messybun look or curl my hair in the morning, women on the other side of the world are selecting which piece of fabric to cover their hair with to complete the outfit. Some even cover their faces with only openings for their eyes. It's a unique experience to only be able to see someone's eyes and the rest of the body being a mystery... what does their smile look like? what's the complexion of their skin like? are their ears pierced? In one sense I feel like I am missing the opportunity to experience that individual in their entirety, but on the otherhand the eyes of a person tell so much more than any other part of the body could ever do justice. Like they say- eyes are the window to a person's soul.

It intrigues me that a girl can wake up in the morning, put on her most trendy outfit, and be completely out of fashion somewhere else in the world. Even wearing my cutest clothes that I had packed in both Greece and Egypt I felt completely out of the fashion loop... and in different ways for each country. Heck, I feel out of fashion in my own country. Who decides what is trendy anyway? Once upon a time my old school sweat pants were hip and cool- now they are a clothing tragedy. Point being I think people should wear whatever they want without the pressure of fitting in or keeping up with the latest magazine. If that means sportin the sweats and t-shirt... wear them proudly. Dress and heels... feel confident. Cowgirl boots and jeans... strut your stuff. The possibilities are endless, along with your attitude so choose to feel beautiful now matter what you wear. Afterall, the people who matter are only looking at your eyes.