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April 19, 2002
People are really, really, really obsessed with clothes. And every time this pops into mind, I try and argue my point that it's ridiculous. But they never listen.
I won't mention names, because then I'll have to deal with that person's shit on the phone for 10 years. But the other day I was dragged into Abercrombie and American Eagle and all the other popular stores. There, on a rack, was a shirt that said "Silver Lake Track Team".
'Get this one,' my friend's mom said.
'I can't wear that! People will think I like, like Silver Lake or I go there or something.'
As most of you know, Silver Lake is an actual school, that coincidentally shares the same name as this temporary shirt style. I doubt that American Eagle came to good ol' Massachusetts, looking for a name to put on their shirts.
'____, it's just a shirt, what does it matter?' I said angrily. 'God, I don't understand how you guys can be so wrapped up in conformity. "What will they think?"'
'I don't know, shut up,' she spat.
In another situation someone said, 'Nice pants.'
I looked down at the black jeans I had chosen to wear that day. I saw nothing wrong with my selection. And this person being the way they are, I knew they didn't actually think my pants were nice.
'Yeah, aren't they?'
'That's what I said.'
A moment of silence followed, and I continued talking to the other people. I saw out of the corner of my eye that this person was talking to his/her crony. They both giggled, and looked at my jeans once again.
'Nice pants, I like em,' the other said.
'What is it with you and my pants?'
'I like them.'
'Yeah, well my pants thank you, now shut up about them.'
But what's really gotten me on this topic is the way adults react to clothes. They don't understand being comfortable. If I want to go to church in a baggy pair of pants and a skateboarding shirt, then I will. I'm not sitting on a wooden pew for an hour, and feel like I'm 30 at the same time.
'Hurley,' my cousin said one time. 'Now what is Hurley?'
I looked down at my shirt. 'Oh, it's just a clothing company.'
'Ah... funny name.'
Yeah... funny name all right... and Filenes is a normal name too. (Who thought of that one?) Today, I have to go to my Grandparent's 50th Anniversary... thing. I figured I didn't have to dress up, because come on, my gramma doesn't care if I walk around in my pajamas until 4 in the afternoon, as long as I eat.
My mom still expects me to dress up. I figured since the dinner was tonight, we could go to the mall and quickly buy something decent. But she has to sleep, so before she came home she bought two pairs of black pants, that do not fit at all. I only have blue jeans to wear now. My mom doesn't really care, but my dad'll yell for a while about respect.
Respect? Is respect forcing me into a constrained outfit so that you are not embarrassed in front of the restaurant? Is there a dress code before entering? I don't recall ever seeing one. And since when is dressing like I'm going to a funeral "respect"? (Though I don't exactly dress up for funerals, but you get my point...) I don't see how the clothes you wear is any reflection on your attitude towards a person. I think that if I say congratulations in jeans, and then in "slacks", if you will, then my grandparents will take it exactly the same. They really don't care.
And I don't either. I don't ever want to dress up. I swear, if I get married, I'm gonna wear my PJs just to prove how little clothes mean to me.
- Molly{2:26 am}
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