Fashion Sins - are they ?

I feel today in the mood of preaching to the world, so bare with me my latest newest introspections about fashion. Not that I am somebody who is regularly called by Anna Wintour ( Hi there, want my number?), but, being me, I do have opinions. Todays came up while ruminating in my wardrobe, thinking of the summer and trying to get rid of some stuff accumulated there for the last years... And I hasten to say, that I do not like strings. So be prepared.

There are several severly punished fashion sins and No-nos wobbering around in our heads. I wonder sometimes who established those? Why? Some wizzard, making the economy grow again?

Why is it a sin to be middleaged? Why is it important to look eternal 13 to be taken seriously ( ok, I get a bit over the top here, but you get the idea) Why, I ask you, is, for example, a pantyline a fashion sin?  Why is a string NO fashion sin?? Does make little sense to me, i.e. whoever invented the string was definitively a masochist. I spare details.

Another thing are those shoes. Why, for heavens good sake, a pair of tremenously ugly nonusable hyperexpensive socalled shoes are to be supposed to the the ultimate in chic and glory? Mhh? If you look at the girls face, you just want to send her to the next nursing home - or, if you are inclined to let sometimes your little witch have a breather, you just mumble in your not existing beard - schön blöd - roughly translated - not only silly but stupid as well.

Or another: Why are "cheap" shoes and handbags a fashion sin? I wonder? Does it not depend on the person taking the thing from level 0 to the ultimate superchictrick? There are in fact shoes under 150 Euros, which are nice and classy and funky and really chic. Next time you are in a childrens shop, have a look in the kids shoes department - I found the most adorable leopard ballerinas there - size 40...

No long hair after 65, which is the new 45 - why not? If it is nicely groomed and fits the personality? Miucca Prada - off with your hair ( she is not 65, I know), same to Sonia Rykiel ( she is).  Much better than the beton locks on all our mothers heads. But coloured in RED -AUBERGINE - Sonia! - now, that is a fashion sin which deserves definitively many a million years of purgatory. She is forgiven.

No red/green/white shoes - why not?? I myself boast to have a lovely pair ( now too small, unfortunately - but I hide them from my daughter!! ) of velvety and embroidered red shoes - evening shoes, bought in Ankara at a time when I had a glamourous life of cocktails and dinnerparties. Big sigh. I love them and keep them. Red shoes are great, basta.

Another apparently great fashion sin are old and stuffy shops, preferably with old salespersons. WHY I ask you? Those old stuffy dusty shops are an Aladins Cave for the one who can LOOK. And talk - I had the most interesting talks to old ladies, having been sitting for 40 odd years behind that counter and have seen it all. Ask them, let them tell their story. It is amazing what does come out sometimes. No celebrity stuff, but moving and interesting history of our time.
 Just ruminate around there and you find the most extraordinairy things starting from old-fashionend tailored white cotton boxershorts for the boys for a song, or a set of the perfect wineglasses, long forgotten, or the best knife you have ever had in your kitchen.  I bought once the most stylish douche cap, which, found in New York  or London in one of the great departmentstores would have cost a serious fortune in labels and design.

Why should be a shop like Colette in Paris be the ultra? Because it is easy to just get in, buy some stuff, get a bag written Colette on top of it and BELONG. Finally, you belong to the chic and hip and rich and beautiful. I was there, walked around, did not really find something I would have liked to have and was disappointed. Really.

But then, I am not normal, most probably. But put me in the Diane von Fürstenberg shop a little bit further up St. Honoré, I could buy half of the collection ( if available in my size. Thank you Diane for the wrap dress! It is true: every woman in every size should own one.)

Which leads me to another pet sin of mine: being to "round" is a fashion sin, a big one, literally. But looking like a walking sceleton is none, no? Why? I have already written about that size matter, will not bore you about this any longer. But it can´t be a fashion sin to be not a sceleton. One fashion sin is a real one though: Bikinis after a certain weight. But that is just one. Imagine all those people who are build (yes, that is possible!) in a 44 frame? Are they walking and living fashion sins? Ich sage, like Mrs. Merkel, no.

Last and least: Welcome in the hall of fashion-sin-fame: Lady Gaga makes millions with her look, hordes of shrieking teenagers are trying to emulate her "style". It gives me the creeps. Or Cher - brr - who wants to look like her? Or - coming nearer our "model" and age range - Madonna? Hookerstyle somebody?I do not want to look like Madonna, no thank you, very nice, but no.

But then I write this blog and I am not a follower of fashion. Just cannot afford it - not only money wise, but also I have to keep up being able to look myself in the mirror.
And I find it truly boring to run after somebody else for being somebody oneself ( difficult sentence, I know, just read it again, it does make sense)... Know thyself, drink that water and make it work.
Just do as you please.

End of sermon.