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Oh, The Clothing Phases We'll Go Through! ♥
in I Want... Style!7 Jul 2010 | 16 Comments
For some of us, there was a ''gothic'' phase. For others, perhaps a ''matching'' phase. Or a ''punk rocker'' phase. Or a ''purple dinosaur suit'' phase. (Okay, so that was probably just Barney, but feel free to come forward!)
And speaking of dinosaurs, while I've previously learned that evolution-wise, my style has apparently only progressed as far as they ever did, phase wise, I'm convinced that I've at least entered primate territory.
Let's review!
The ''I Love Plastic Jewellery And Pink Dresses!'' Phase
Alright, so nothing's really changed there (you should see the plastic turquoise-coloured number that I bought on my lunch break yesterday at a second-hand store for 50 cents, woo HOO!), nor has there been a shift on my ''I love dogs!'' stance, but hear me out: there HAVE been other (much more drastic) developments!
The ''It Fits? I'll Take It!'' Phase
And gosh, what a spectacular, confidence-boosting romp in the park that was! Well, if ''spectacular'' means ''terrible'' and ''romp in the park'' means ''horrible changing room session'', that is, because believe me, it was GHASTLY. Things That You May Not Know About Me: my middle name is Jade. Things That You May Not Know About Me (The Sequel): (And Might Actually Be Interested In, Whee!): between the ages of 13-15, I was an Australian size 18-20 (that's an american size 16-18, or for added fun, a Czech size XL-2XL.)
Yes, upon leaving New Zealand behind (and karate) as a twelve year old and moving to Australia, I not only managed to discover the joys of snakes and hand-sized spiders, but food! Oh, the food. I heaped on the weight and unlike today where we have a plentiful array of plus-size fashion stores by the likes of City Chic and Dream Diva, when I was a teenager, there was nothing. In fact, the only choices available in those sizes were boutique garments specifically created for middle aged women, not newly teenage girls, and so I spent a good bad couple of years wandering around in oversized sports jumpers and an extremely unflattering (and middle aged) pair of beige pants. It was horrendous, and unlike everyone else at high school who positively REJOICED at the news of a no-uniform day, I would be filled with dread: because what would I wear? How could I look even MODERATELY ''cool''? I didn't know, but my mother and I would spend a painstaking amount of time the night before trying to find out, racing around shopping malls searching for anything that would fit. Invariably, nothing would, so I would usually come home with another sports jumper and pair of middle aged pants. All together now: ARGH!
The ''Oh My Goodness! So THIS Is What It Feels Like To Be Able To Walk Into A Shop And FIT Something Again!'' Phase
Tired of never being able to fit 99.9% of everything in all shops, my mother and I signed up for a weight loss program together shortly after, and slowly, we began to lose weight. In fact, I soon started losing enough weight to be able to actually walk into a store in a shopping centre and squeeze a leg into something! (Sometimes even two!) Imagine that! It was EXHILIRATING. I could buy dresses, skirts, tops and jeans with gay abandon (and did), and best of all, there wasn't a pair of beige pants in sight! Bea-utiful. This sparked the beginning of the almighty ''I love shopping!'' phase (it was also the ''dreadlock'' phase, as you can see!), which soon, post dreadlocks, morphed into:
The ''I Can't Believe It's Not Butter I Feel Like A GIRL Again!'' Phase
Yes, a GIRL! And oh, what a feeling! (Toyota?!)
I know that this may sound sound completely ridiculous, but of all the things I regularly felt like as a teenager, ''girly'' was most definitely not one of them. Or ''pretty''. Or ''hedgehog like''. (But that's probably not as relevant!) But after losing almost an entire toddler from my frame (this is no exaggeration; I lost nearly thirty kilos!), I started to dip my toes into the previously unknown - and extraordinarily exciting - pools of make-up and dresses, and as stupid as it might sound, it felt AMAZING. To be able to wear whatever I wanted! To be able to dress up like everyone else could! F-u-n. My love affair with both has continued to this day, but thankfully, my obsessive need to shop (and the hideous ''designer'' phase that accompanied it a couple of years later!) has disappeared. Phew!
♥
Unbuckling our seatbelts after our unexpected drive through Memory Lane, tell me! What are some of the clothing phases that you've been through? Crimping? Tie-dye? Spice Girls inspired platform shoes?! I promise not to laugh - hey, I just shared a photograph in which ''guess which one is the pig?!'' is scrawled - not by me! - on the back of it!
xoxo
Comments (16)
This is such a great post! Love how you title each phase. It's funny because style is certainly one of those things that evolves with us and changes as we go through the phases of life. I'm replaying my own phases in my mind and trust me it isn't pretty.
14 Jul 2010, Fajr | Stylish Thought , http://stylishthought.com
What a wonderful idea for a post! I love seeing how people evolve stylistically over time (and how their confidence has grown, as well). You were (and are) such a cutie!
I've been through some pretty horrendous phases, myself. Let's see... there was the "wear the same long black skirt and gawth Hot Topic choker every day of the week" phase in high school. And the lazy cartoon t-shirt and jeans phase in college (still wear those sometimes, though). Ugh, and I once bought these horrendous raver pants made out of Rainbow Brite bedsheets and a drawstring, which my mom actually paid me not to wear, ha ha!
14 Jul 2010, Alicia, http://misshiccup.blogspot.com
Oh gosh, don't make me think about my "phases", please!
Please?
Ok, so...
never felt girly girl at all, hated skirts ('cause whenever my mom managed to put me into one I was forbid to run, jump or simply have fun because otherwise I would ruin it...).
So I loved it when I started to be able to use my big brother dismissed clothes.
Wich led to: hey! I'm quirky! I listen to "alternative" (italian punk, oh my!) music. Read: purple corduroy trousers, some hoodie and yellow docs.
Yes.
Punk brought me to heavy metal and to goth music.
Therefore a battle between my hippie self and my goth self took place in my wardrobe.
I could dress all in black (lipstick too), or go all "nature fairy" with light blue floating floral prints anything... this one lasted very shortly.
Then there was: hey, I'm in university, let me start new and state who I am... But I was so lazy it was just jeans and a tshirt most of the time.
Now... well, I don't know, I try to wear what I like!
10 Jul 2010, Euforilla, http://euforilla.blogspot.com
I love these kind of posts, shows you how everyone grows and changes throughout life i think. Congrat's on losing the weight! I went through a protracted 'eccentric' style phase of about 7 years of the brightest colours and clahing prints all worn at once. Urrgh. I looked like a child's drawing. Now i've accepted my goth leanings, I wear a lot of black and got told I looked like Alison Mosshart at the weekend (NICE!)
9 Jul 2010, Siobhan Hanlin, www.facetsofthefabulous.blogspot.com
Haha I can definitely relate to alot of these phases, especially the "it fits i'll take it phase"
8 Jul 2010, Megan, http://www.timeaftertea.blogspot.com
So brave of you to share all the intimate details! I don't have the same courage as to put up photos of me in my uncoordinated youth. Too much unstyled hair and pink fleeces.
But since that I went through a rocker/emo phase (hahahaha), then more glam rock at night, quirky casual in the day...and now i'm moving into something a little more sophisticated but grunging it up when I'm feeling casual. Yay for style!
8 Jul 2010, Joanne Faith, http://www.joannefaith.com
I like this! My clothing phases.. hrm.. I've never been that fashionable really.
Younger days: whatever was tight and short ;-P hahaha
Little older: punk rock
Gothy I spose but I think I just liked black
Um. Then I liked dresses especially rockabilly dresses coz my hips were quite wide (I hear ya on the food phases) now I'm pregnant and I'm all about yoga pants and whatever is warm. But even before I was pregnant I liked yoga pants and singlets. Very much a jeans and singlet girl or mini skirt and singlet. I don't know if I even have a "style" I'm a bit boring. I dress rather slutty sometimes I'm told *blush* hahaha can we call that "seductively" instead hahaha
X
8 Jul 2010, Katie, http://musicamor.com/vinny/fuckhammer/blog/
I can't remember any actual phases I've been through, because all my clothes were hand me downs and still are. Right now I just throw on any old tshirt and jeans and walk out the door.
My sisters, on the other hand... one of them is into short skirts and short shorts and tank tops, and the other is into floor length skirts and form fitting tshirts.
If I had money, I'd be in a pretty skirt stage. Woohoo!
8 Jul 2010, Abby, http://lovedfromthestart.wordpress.com
Oh wow, 30 kilos! That's awesome. My sis lost the same amount a few years ago, and i was so proud of her. I am trying to lose about 6 kilos, and that is bloody hard enough! So kudos to you!
As for style, i too went through a "i love plastic jewellery" phase. At uni, haha. (i've never been mature). At school i went through a hippy phase, then when i hit 14 i discoverd punk and hairdye, then i went through a brief goth phase 9 which has been revisited several times since i must admit), and a raver phase, complete with multicoloured dreads, fluoro fake fur bikini tops (i fucking kid you not !) , mesh armbands, UV reactive glasses, and flared multicoloured vinyl pants. (BLECH!)
Now i love bits and bobs of everything, but am in a decidedly boring "i haven't bought anything new for aaages, and i need a makeover because i look like a boring frumpy mum with crap hairstyle because it's growing out and makes me look like a nanna" phase. Damn.
8 Jul 2010, Asylum Dolly, http://dollyasylum.wordpress.com/
- Denim and denim
- Corduroy pants (Ewwwww)
- Butterfly clips
- Those ugly Umbro pants and jackets!
7 Jul 2010, Amy
I always admire people who do style evolution post with photos! Plus I love seeing someone's trip down memory lane
I would never be brave enough to post photos for all to see haha.
I think most distinctly there was a wearing the hand me downs stage (and since I was a runty wee thing consequently never wearing anything that fit properly) and mix and matching looking a bit crazy because I could finally dress myself
Then the stage where I should say I dressed to "attract boys..." which was how most of the girls at my all girls catholic school were dressing.
I think I got to where I am now when I first discovered op shopping and I'll wear whatever the heck I want (kinda reminiscent of my 5 year old self... maybe my style is de-evolving...haha)
7 Jul 2010, Geek Girl, http://www.imabitofageek.blogspot.com
Julie - Now that's a whole lot of phases! And you're welcome, Julie! It was fun to read your answer :)
Jen - The long denim skirt! How could I forget? I totally wore one of those, too. Did yours have a super sexy, weird half-split thing down the middle like mine did?!
Raquel - Aww, thanks Raquel. A little voice (Is that the voice that you have to start calling people when you hear?!) said ''why the HECK are you putting that horrific picture of yourself up there?!'', but then another voice (again with the voices!) said ''ah, shut up - clearly it's because I have no shame!'' And wow, what a transformation you've gone through! Bright colours! Goth! CRAZINESS! Brilliant. And whereabouts did you live in Sydney when you were here? (In a non-stalkerish way!)
Kat - Thanks, Kat! And I always wanted a pair of those darn Spice Girls shoes..
7 Jul 2010, x Corrine/Frock & Roll x, www.frockandrollonline.com
Wow Corrine you are unrecognizable in that second picture!! Well done. I have been through so many clothing phases including the Spice Girls platforms (I think they were Skechers??), those skinny hair braids with the colored band things, crimping, goth - heaps!
7 Jul 2010, Kat
Wow well done on your weight loss! I went through some phases...
1. Influenced by my mother's flamboyant sense of fashion phase. From ages 10 - 12. This involved a lot of BRIGHT colours. We lived in Sydney at the time.
2. Goth Girl. Oh man I was a teenage goth. Clothes included long black skirts, eyeliner and scary-looking earrings. Actually, I still love a lot of goth stuff :-). That was ages 13-15.
3. Ya know what? Imma wear crazy shit and I don't care... phase. From ages 15 to...present? Haha I've toned things down a little recently, but stare-inducing clothes were my staple during this time. Especially fun during my last year of high school when we didn't have to wear uniform! I got a lot of stares :-).
7 Jul 2010, Raquel, http://misschiaroscuro.blogspot.com
Haha. I did spice girls shoes AND crimping. In fact, put those two together with a long denim skirt and you've got my first high school dance outfit. Damn, I was soooooo cool...
7 Jul 2010, Jen, www.the-paperdoll.blogspot.com
Ok, so I went from the.
"I want to be able to play in the mud in everything I wear" phase - loads of jeans and old t-shirts, mostly hand me downs from my cousins and sister
"I'm super girly girl" - Frilly dresses all the time when I was like 8 and 9
"I want to wear what my sister wears" - It lead to a lot of oversized clothes from when I 12 until 14
"Emo phase" - I'm so embarrased XDDD but yeah, I discovered eyeliner here and it laste until I finished high school
Quick note, I went to a catholic, all-girls school and had to wear a uniform everyday and I rarely went out with friends so I had very little clothes because I wouldn't wear them. Or at least that's what my mum told me when she refused to buy me something.
"I don't have to wear a uniform" - which lead to jeans and a t-shirt during my first two college years, yeah, I'm kind of a slob
"Wow, fashion exists" - which is where I am now
This exercise was super fun! Thanks Corrine!
7 Jul 2010, Julie, http://juliettemaxwell.com
