Goal #2: Style

Goal #2: Wear cool clothes STATUS: Complete-ish/Always in progress

DATE (S) COMPLETED: 2009 (after creating the Hot List) to present.

If it is not yet obvious it soon will be that I was a tad bit of an elitist in 1989. I was into literature and jet-setting, after all. The other kids (“the bourgeoisie” as I called them) (j/k, even I was not this elitist) were into kid stuff. So again, 1989, not a good year for me.

I knew I needed an outer personal style to match my inner personal style. Only my budget didn’t allow for the appliqued polo shirts and natural-fiber sweaters (tied around the shoulders, natch) that one generally associates with 1980s preppies. Besides, that wasn’t my fashion inspiration. This was:

Fashion 1989

(This article, clipped and added to my scrapbox before Pinterest was even a gleam in her mother's eye, is a page from Consumer Reports for Kids, which was an actual magazine, which I read faithfully).

My coolest outfit was this:

Emily 1989
Emily 1989

I have my doubts that this was ever cool. Except, of course, for my pride and joy: L.A Gear hi-tops with hot pink laces. Vogue.

Wearing cool clothes is an on-going project for me, one I attribute to my complete weirdness about spending money and my accompanying negative feelings toward shopping. Shopping and spending money, it turns out, are paramount to buying cool clothes. But bit by bit I'm accomplishing this goal, thanks in no small part to my friends.

Emily-and-Annie

This is my favorite dress, a gift from the uber-cool Sara Zarr, who deserves major kudos for helping me discover MAD STYLE. (I am the one on the left. On the right, my sister-in-law Annie, who is also wearing a dress and who also has mad style).

Another favorite, picked out with fashiony friend Kelly:

DSCN2503
DSCN2503

Geometric-print shirt with leggings-like skinny jeans? The only thing left to complete this look is a pair of neon L.A Gear hi-tops. Excuse me, I'm off for a Google search...