Written by Tamyka Bullen
I do not believe
that younger people have wide choices in clothes because I am the proof in her 30s who is still experimenting with clothes. I disagree with fashion
experts who say that young people can pull off more eye-catching outfits than
older people because all young people have different sizes, shapes, and shades
of skin colours. Particular clothes may not look good on them just because they
do not fit their shapes or shade of skin colours. Snow white never looks good on my
light brown skin and many certain clothes do not look good on me due to my small frame or just my shape. 
In my teenage
years, I was not a fashionable diva since I was just a plain home-girl who
always wore her favourite overall pants and t-shirts. I didn’t have a lot of
clothes back at that time. I had a few rapper’s clothes while rest of other
were stay-at-home. Nothing more. I had a small amount of clothes…maybe about 20
clothes. I attended a Catholic high school that required uniform and I led a
sheltered life, so I didn’t have to worry about buying clothes to impress my
peers. My parents didn’t buy me a lot of clothes. I didn’t have a lot of
clothes, pairs of shoes, make-ups and jewelleries back at the time.
My fashion
revolution had started when I entered Gallaudet University.
I never forgot my freshman year, I wore clothes I wore when I was a
teenager. I still wore the green overall pants, a childlike green and white
stripped t-shirt, and a square-shaped eyeglasses. I was a practical nerd who
only partied five times in straight three years. I was the gal who loved
museums the most. I am not so sure which in the first or second year; I started
buying clothes in the American clothing stores. Almost all my clothes were
bright colours. I still keep the green bead bracelet that I bought when I was a
student. Wow…I have it for more than 14 years now!!! But I was not that
hard-core fashionable. Do I think I am hard-core fashionable now? Not really or
perhaps not yet since my identity is still developing.
After I left my
career as a teaching assistant, I met new faces and therapy; boom…my soul
started to unfold front of me. There were so many things I had suppressed with
the annoying and suffering years of various abuses by my parents but mostly by
my mother. My mother was the one who constantly criticized my appearance and my
clothes, as they were not fashionable. My mom used to dress nicely before she had
kids ,and when I was a baby. My mom said that I had ugly teeth, bag of bones,
never compliment about my clothes. One time she decided to pick what clothes I
must wear for school when I was 13! I was forced to wear the ugly, really tight
jean because as what my mom said that the pants would show off my legs. Oh
gee…I was only 13 years old and I didn’t need to hear about that! My mom didn’t
appreciated when I didn’t want to shave my legs and armpits. She called me lazy
for that! She was so manipulative, and an emotional and physical abuser. Later
I learned her secret…she dressed to attract men for sex for money and cheated
on my stepfather occasionally. I was sexually molested by my stepfather when I
was 11 and it had been continuing in my late 20s.
I understood why I
preferred to be covered, showed less skin from shoulders to feet. And I had
come to understand that I had no motivation to explore fashion styles because
my mom criticized my clothes and appearance that made me felt I was not worth
to wear any clothes. Although when I was at the university, I let my naked arms be exposed.
After left Gallaudet University, my exploration in fashion
styles was limited as I was busy working two jobs to pay the debt off for
straight two years. After that, I enrolled in George Brown
College, I juggled with
school studies, two jobs and placements; my wardrobe was still a few but
replaced the old ones. I discarded my old clothes to the third-world countries
and bought new clothes. Eventually, it had became my tradition. Moreover, I
started to explore in jewelleries more than clothes. I don’t know why. I
explored in the fashion world a bit.
During as a
teaching assistant, students gave me a lot of used clothes they didn’t want to
keep, and I kept some of them for work as I almost had no business clothes to
wear. The employer had a strict rule was that there were no
bare arms and a bit skin from my stomach to be shown. Almost all remaining tops
and blouses I had were short that expose my stomach easily if I signed or bent
down.
Thanks to therapy
and newfound friends, my fashion sense heightened in my early 30s. Also I
suspected that to be in the LGBT world; I went undergo a massive fashion
experiment. My old rule was that I must had different colours of pants until later
I realized it was not necessary. Finally, I dived into and swam in the
adventurous and ruthless fashion world deeply. Now, I looked around me, my
wardrobe had exploded!
So many shoes.
So many clothes.
So many headgears
So many
jewelleries
So many make-ups!
Are they a symbol
of unpacking and showing my hidden treasures?
I know for sure I
am lively, I gibberish when I feel very affectionate toward someone, tell cute
jokes, laugh a lot, difficult to follow the rules, and have temper.
Anyways, back to
point, I do not know if it is true that our tastes change as we get older.
Because I wonder if I become too old and no longer look so HOT, will I wear
what I wear today? Maybe my style change but I might STILL like bright and
shiny clothes.
Generally, fashion
experts say that if old people wear clothes what younger people wear, it will
make them look ridicule. In my opinion, I truly believe that clothes are
designed for seniors should be coming in various styles and have all colours to
reflect their personalities. Unfortunately, there are not many clothing stores
for seniors. Even worst is that I have noticed that seniors’ clothing lines are
tedious and most are solid colours. Really pathetic! No wonder that old people
can’t be adventurous with their wardrobes! Even shoes for young people will
bring seniors a lot of aches. OUCH, OUCH, OUCH. I speculated at seniors’ shoes;
they all were boring! COME ON! Time to vary their clothing lines!
Sigh…anyways, here
are tips to find clothes you like!
1.
ALWAYS remember there are absolute no rules what to
wear and what not to wear!
2.
Style comes from within! When you shop, look through
clothes quickly until certain clothes catch your eyes. Your instinct knocks you
and yells at you that it is SO YOU! You grab them and try them on until which
ones look good on you. If you have a small amount of budget, so here is other
tip for you. When you see clothes you like, try them on first to see which ones
that fit you rightly. Then you compare the prices, go for cheapest prices! BUT
sometimes it is a good idea to rationalize if they look good on some of clothes
you already have. If yes, then they are worth to buy.
3.
Don’t ever think you are not beautiful enough to have
kewl clothes. You deserve to wear clothes that you like to flatter your
personalities! This tip should have seniors’ attentions as well!
4.
How many items in your wardrobes make you feel good? If
you do not gravitate to some clothes or you say there are nothing to wear when
you look through your wardrobe. It is a sign that these clothes are not right
for you. Time to get rid them off! Your wardrobe should make you feel sexy
which means it should contain amazing choices. We all have our own unique
amazing choices in fashion!
5.
Rid off clothes that are not fit you or no longer look
good on you anymore!
6.
Importantly, don’t follow trends, because you never
know you’ll find clothes you like at cheap stores such as flea markets,
H&M, vintage bargains (have wide variety of styles), or shop at someone’s
wardrobe! And if you’re a woman and NEVER shop at men’s clothing lines, I
suggest you to try to shop in the men section. Never know you will find
something you really like there. I LOVE men’s underwears!
7.
Suppose you find certain clothes you like but you want
to add finishing touches or want to revamp old items, then do it! Get a tailor
if you do not have the sewing skills.
After all, I like
the fashion designer; John Galliano’s quote: “Glamour today is confidence,
independence, not giving a damn, going for it and indulging your desires in
fashion, life and living.”
