Things I Don’t Care About (in Fatshion)

Posted by on Apr 29, 2010 in blogging, Fatshion | 22 comments

DISCLAIMER:

I’m not saying that I think it’s bad for these things to be important to other people, or judging what people buy, I am talking about ME and also, about the new discussion in the blogosphere about the price of being a fashion blogger. A lot of people left comments on Betsy J’s post saying they often felt alienated, or like they couldn’t post their outfits because they weren’t up to par, or just felt like they had to have a lot of money and spend a lot of money to be a fashion blogger.

- Sarah

Sometimes I get fashion envy…or maybe it’s fashion peer pressure. It’s a horrible feeling. To look at someone’s style or look at a certain designer’s collection and think, “I’ve got it all wrong…I want to look like this!” And then I become dissatisfied with my wardrobe. And want to emulate all of the styles I have seen. I worry that I am not hip enough – I’m not shopping at the “right” stores or buying the “right” brands and suddenly, I am a big ball of FATSHION INSECURITY!

Until I breathe. And realize that I don’t need harem pants and a pair of 4″ stilettos and go shopping every week to have STYLE. I have my own style. So, I’ve devised my list (seriously, why do I have so many fucking lists?) of things I don’t care about in terms of fashion and style to help me remember (and everyone!) that style isn’t about brands or trends…it’s personality.

So, I don’t care about:

  1. Labels – Oh, I used to be a hardcore label shopper in my teen years. Even my very early 20s. (I act like I am 50 years old or something HA!) I shopped at the Gap, Banana Republic, French Connection, COACH (well…some habits die hard, k?) etc. But finally, I realized…WHO CARES?! If I can get leggings at Wal-Mart for $5 and an ugly floral vintage dress at Goodwill…I will. And I’ll love them both. As long as I like it and it’s affordable, it doesn’t matter where it’s from or who it is by. And I don’t usually get hung up on quality. I know, I know, some people believe in “investment pieces” – well, I don’t. I believe in getting more for your money. So if I can get two cheap dresses from a cheap label instead of 1 expensive dress from a quality or known label, guess what? This frugal fatshionista is going for the two dresses!

  2. Trends – This is what I always get caught up in – feeling like I am not “trendy” enough, or keeping up with the “newest trend.” In reality, trends don’t matter. I like big belts. We’ve talked about it before. Are they trendy? Maybe. Will they be next year? Probably not, but I sure as hell will still love them. None of my vintage clothes are trendy. But I love my Mad Men-esque, Joan Holloway suits. I think entering the fatshion community I have been a bit surprised by two things: the amount of plus-size stores I didn’t know about AND the lack of vintage-loving, thrifting fatshionistas. I LOVE vintage clothes. Anything from the 50s through the 80s and I am on it. Polyester? Sure. Pleats? Of Course. Shoulder pads? OH HELL YES.  Giant faux pearl buttons? Now, I’m getting TOO excited…

  3. Expensive Shoes – Nope, I just won’t do it. I don’t even like spending $30 on a pair of shoes. Most of my heels are from Target. My favorite pair is a set of heels made by Isaac Mizrahi…for Target. I have a pair of Michael Kors heels, but they are from TJ Maxx. I might spend money on shoes, if it is for a pair of walking shoes or snow boots. (I live in the mountains, hello!) but in terms of heels and booties, I’ll stick to eBay, the clearance aisle of Target, & TJ Maxx. Especially since I have a Chihuahua/Terrier Mix that has a penchant for high heels!

  4. Keeping Up - I don’t try keep up with fatshion blogging by shopping a lot. I would rather work with what I have – be creative with my closet. You probably have noticed I don’t post very many OOTD posts…because the part of fatshion blogging I enjoy is writing. I get bored with just looking a pictures or posting pictures. Which is probably why I use photoshop so much to make my little picture spreads. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy looking at OOTD posts, but after a while, I wonder if looking at people’s new purchases is truly style – where is the creativity? Since I started blogging, the only thing I have bought (that wasn’t from Goodwill or on clearance for under $3 haha) was a dress from ASOS – and that’s my first ever purchase from ASOS. I’m not here to be competitive or try to keep up with other fatshionistas – I’m here just to be me.

I think this all relates to the hot topic this week…What is the PRICE of fashion blogging? (which was first started at Ashe Mischief’s blog) Right before I posted this I came across Betsy J who made a lot of interesting points, she said,

“Recently, I found myself bored with bloggers who were constantly showing off their overly expensive purchases and offering nothing but self indulgent outfit posts. I love looking at clothing just as much as the next person, but I actually enjoy reading blogs for thought provoking content and creativity. Has our society really become that obsessed with consumption that these are the people we label as inspiring or allow to make us feel inferior? I’m sorry but a teenager with rich parents is not going to make me feel ashamed of what I can afford or my wardrobe.

The bloggers I admire are those who work with what they’ve got. So you wore that black dress last week with a different jacket? Your entire outfit is labeled with thrifted or Forever 21? So what? Do you love your outfit and does it make you feel good about yourself? So share it with the world. Our blogs are a personal expression of who we are, and that shouldn’t be held back because of another person’s financial advantages. I love runway fashion just as much as the next person, and I’ll drool all over magazine editorials, but I won’t risk my livelihood just to say I own something. And to be honest, if I’m going to really splurge on something expensive it’s going to be a classic piece of fashion, not a 2010 runaway item.”

I know I’ve probably outraged a giant group of fatshionistas at this point. And you can say that I won’t look as nice, because I’m not buying quality items or choosing proper designers, but hey, I’ve never been told I look cheap, I just AM cheap.

What don’t YOU care about in the world of FATshion?

  • http://www.therotund.com TheRotund

    The things you list are actually one reason I touch on my specific fatshion so infrequently on The Rotund. (Though for me the vintage thing is that I’m sized out of it, ALAS.) I’m working on it, though, because one of the things that I really love about fatshion blogs and some of the OotD-themed flickr pools is seeing what everyone is doing with interesting pieces, seeing how people put stuff together.

    • Sarah

      Definitely! I got so inspired looking at OOTD posts to see things I never would think of putting together – and then trying it myself!

  • http://buttonsbowsandbrogues.blogspot.com/ StephanieDJL

    I don’t want to go into what I don’t care about because I know to others it’s important.

    I couldn’t agree more about the frugal thing though! Don’t get me wrong if I could afford it, I’m all down for investment pieces but being broke, I’m all for being cheap and cheerful! The outfit I’m wearing now comes to less than £20, shoes and accessories included! I’m definitely not on trend either. Whilst I may buy on trend items, they will stay in my wardrobe until they die lmao

    • Sarah

      Oh, I don’t want to make it seem like I am saying it’s a “bad thing” for people to care about those things – but over time, I’ve just stopped, and really, it’s liberating!

  • amanda korzeniecki

    I don’t care that polo tees went out of style years ago. I love them and they look good on me.

    [WORDPRESS HASHCASH] The poster sent us ’0 which is not a hashcash value.

  • http://www.axisoffat.com cutselvage

    I was linked here by a tweet from The Pocket Rocket.

    Like Stephanie D, I’m not going into what I don’t care about – fashion is very much an expression of my inner identity, so I do care about things!

    It’s interesting that all your points, one way or another, touch on the spending of money. I think that there’s a lot of validity in being frugal; I love bargain-hunting, finding something for a steal, or even just not shopping for a while. I don’t think you’ve outraged anyone – people have different incomes, and different priorities; your post doesn’t denigrate people who choose to spend their income on expensive gear, but it’s borderline.

    It’s also worth thinking about people’s ability to access a variety of clothing. I live in Australia, and the only options I have for plus-sized clothing are expensive. We have no Dots, no Walmart, no TJ Maxx, no Ross, no Nordstrom Rack – zip, zilch, nada. The price of clothes here is far more expensive that North America (leggings for $5? I wish! Target sells them for $20 and up). Vintage and thrifting is harder to do here as well. So to you, I probably spend a lot of money on my clothes, but hey – I’m young, single, in well-paying job with not a lot of other stuff to pay for, I can afford it – but I also don’t have any choice.

    Thanks for a thought-provoking post!

    • Sarah

      I don’t think I am trying to denigrate people that spend their money on expensive things, but more open people’s eyes to the fact that a lot of people have noticed (like those in the two links I posted) that fashion blogging has started to seem to become about money, rather than style. When OOTD posts are loaded with designer shoes, dresses, etc., it stops being about one’s style and starts being about what you can afford.

      Does that make sense?

      • http://boombands.blogspot.com Em. x.

        I am from Oz too – and I think it is all relative. You know, when I arrived here in the UK, the dollar was still quite a bit weaker than the pound and I found it hard justifying £12 tights (over the English winter!!!) because it meant I was spending $26 (ish) AUD on tights at that time, same with the £65 woolen winter coat I NEEDED…
        Now that I live here, I know those costs are normal relative to the economy etc… I also didn’t think clothes were “expensive” as such in Australia – but just cost what they cost…
        The thing that IS different there though (you are 100% on this) is the lack of thrifting opportunities. Thrifting, whether when living in Canada, or here in the UK – has been a very new, and cool revelation for me. Now that stores are popping up more in Australia – do you venture into them, or avoid them out of habit? It took me a while to venture in…

      • http://www.axisoffat.com cutselvage

        I think that’s far from new, though – although fashion blogging (whether plus-sized or otherwise) has often included expensive/designer duds. One example is a fatshion blog that has been around for a very long while, Manolo for the Big Girl. Too Fat for Fashion is another, although I think they may be on hiatus now.

        I don’t think it’s fair to stereotype those who can afford designer pieces as unstylish – it’s as unfair as saying that those of us who can’t wear expensive clothes aren’t stylish. What happens if I team a vintage dress with a pair of Miu Miu shoes? (I’ve done this, because I picked up a pair of gorgeous hot pink slingbacks on massive markdown).

        I believe that we should scrutinise fashion, and money and exclusivity are key parts of that. But to imply that people who wear expensive clothes are flaunting their money and have no style is patently absurd.

        • Sarah

          I think you are really misreading my post…I wrote things that I don’t care about…that’s ME, personally, this is MY blog.

          I didn’t classify or even imply that people who have expensive clothes are unstylish – you are putting words in my mouth. It wouldn’t even make sense to say that, so I’m not quite sure where you are getting that from. Especially when I stated myself that I have a weakness for designer handbags.

          I also wrote at the top that I am not trying to say anything about anyone else…but I have been reading what other fashion bloggers have started to become concerned about. If you read the other two articles, they say very similar things. I never said they are “flaunting” their money either – I said that a lot of bloggers are all about showing the NEW clothes they bought, instead of things that are in their closets that they creatively work with, so a lot of bloggers feel pressure to shop, shop, shop to keep up or feel good enough as a fashion blogger. A lot of the comments in both articles I linked to illustrate this concern.

          As said in Ashe Mischief’s post, one blogger noted:

          One of the things that holds me back from doing more outfit posts, embarrassing as it may be, is that I just don’t have the cash to keep up with the constant influx of new clothes, shoes, and accessories that other fashion bloggers seem to have, even if I shopped on a serious budget. I feel like, because of this, most people don’t want to see outfits that are continual reworkings of my closet favorites (although I guess the Uniform Project could be an example to the contrary).

          I’m basically just saying, It’s okay to not spend a lot of money and be a fashion blogger, which isn’t “patently absurd” at all.

          • http://www.axisoffat.com cutselvage

            It is absolutely okay to not spend a lot of money, and be a fashion blogger! We both totally agree on this. I love to see how people rework and remix their wardrobe (although there’s not a lot of fatties there, wardrobe_remix is a great flickr comm).

            However…

            When OOTD posts are loaded with designer shoes, dresses, etc., it stops being about one’s style and starts being about what you can afford.

            Honestly, this is what set off my ‘patently absurd’ comment previously. You state that when outfits are loaded with designer products, it’s not about style.

            I really appreciate your disclaimer. And I agree that it can be really disheartening to see many of the same people in new clothes all the time – I get super-jealous! :/ It’s one of the reasons I haven’t posted OotDs for awhile (the other major one being that my camera’s borked, haha).

            I try to remember though, that a number of the high-profile, high-visibility bloggers actually get sent clothes for free to review – but it still sucks!

            Thanks for the discussion.

  • Pingback: Tweets that mention What I Don't Care About (in Fatshion) | Return to Sender: A Fat Girl's Letters to the World, What I Don't Care About (in Fatshion) -- Topsy.com

  • http://missemmamm.com Mary

    Great post. I’m really into vintage stuff too. It started when I was younger & couldn’t afford anything else. But now it’s just more fun to go get something different that you don’t see everywhere.

    • Sarah

      Exactly! Vintage stuff can be nearly one of a kind – and I love “the hunt” of thrifting. I drive my husband nuts by standing in the dress section of Goodwill and going through EVERY dress to make sure I don’t miss anything.

  • http://nikstarr.blogspot.com NikStar

    Great post! I am in total agreement of this. I love looking at how people put their outfits together. I don’t knock anyone for spending whatever they choose to spend on any particular item or clothing but why should I feel bad or less fashionable because I can’t do the same? You made very good points. And I am so mad that I’m late on your blog because your content is very well written!

    • Sarah

      Thank you for not missing the point!! I am not trying to say anything bad about spending money, just that it’s okay to be a broke bitch, too! haha

      Glad you love it – I <3 our tweeting days :)

  • http://boombands.blogspot.com Em. x.

    This is a tough one… its funny, I don’t care about much stuff – but I think really the thing that helps define each of us, and our styles – is what we DO care about.

    Lots of the dresses I will wear this summer, I have had for a while from Australia. I came to the UK with one suitcase though (that’s it!!!), so in the last year I have had to purchase some stuff to actually HAVE a wardrobe – if that makes sense.

    I like dresses and floral prints and cardigans/boleros/shrugs. I like those things and have never looked at something in a shop and bought it because it is on trend – I only buy what I like. My favourite posts I do (besides the “I love Australia” posts), are the change room review posts. I push the boundaries of what I might try on usually because I am JUST trying things on. I loved playing dress up at Anna Scholz – I put on a Kaftan(!!) I can’t wait to play in Elena Miro either… those things look so pretty to me, and I guess that is what I might like/care about now. I have mentioned on other blogs that I like femininity mashed up with some scuffed boots etc. I LOVE my scuffed boots. I like feeling pretty. I love my benefit makeup and Curls Rock hair cream… BUT what defines me as pretty to me, may seem frivolous or perhaps cheap/expensive to someone else. I bought two of the same biker jackets recently (different colours) but will agonise over buying cheap tights – which I need… My favourite skirt cost me about $40 AUD, on sale – did I mention I LOVE sales?

    Like yourself, I rarely look at other bloggers and feel jealous of style/items they may own… I mostly look at them and think – damn, she looks fierce today. I honestly, don’t care if someone has a brand on or not – what I like and care more about is how they are wearing their style – I care more about seeing their fierceness, comfort and happiness in what they are wearing. One of my best friends and I were in LA last year and we rocked some stores, my purchases aside (#kanyeshrug), she bought amazing Hermès accessories and an LV bag – it made her happy and she looked fierce and awesome… That’s what I like to see. So whether she was rocking her Hermès bangles or the ones she bought on sale at H&M – so long as she was happy, comfortable and rocking her style – that’s what I loved about seeing her outfits each day and that’s what I care about with fashion really – for myself and when I look at other people.

    Fuck – I can rant, huh?

  • http://polkadotrainbows.wordpress.com Liz

    I agree with you – it’s not to say that if someone has the money, they can spend it on what they want – but at the same time, a lot of what I see on fashion blogs in general (not just the fatshion community, I mean) is that they are very consumer led. I like trends if they are actually something I like and that fit into my current wardrobe. If I can’t pair something with stuff I already have, then there’s no point getting it.

    Part of the issue for me is that I am operating on a limited budget anyway and like to wait for sales and discounts. With Evans, for example, I like a lot of their stuff but have to wait for 20% off sales because otherwise I just can’t justify spending £39 (UK) on a tunic or dress. I love seeing all these new clothes on fatshion bloggers and think it’s fantastic that there is a real community who are fostering self acceptance in various ways.

    I think working with what you’ve got takes real creativity and style savvy. I’m guilty of not always working my wardrobe sometimes and caving in to impulse buys, but then, I guess we all do occasionally! I am in total agreement that text rich posts are thought provoking and interesting – not that I don’t also love picture based posts. I feel that there needs to be a balance somewhere :) I also think that compiling wish lists can be fun, even if you don’t buy what you’re drooling over.

    I started my blog mostly with text rich posts; it’s only recently that I’ve started to use a lot of pics and photos. It’s a big deal for me to post photos of myself because it is helping me to come to terms with my own body and style. Ultimately I just feel that anything that helps women to accept themselves – warts and all – is positive :)

    • Sarah

      Oh I think OOTD posts for the fat community is great – and I still love looking at them. Especially the girls who have all out photo shoots in pretty places – I’m still working on getting a new digi cam lol

      But thank you for getting the point – I am criticizing society more than anything else!

  • http://bargainfatshionista.blogspot.com Annissa

    I really enjoyed this post, very thought-provoking. I agree with the majority of what you say here.

    Since I’m so passionate about photography, I love to include lots of photos in my blogging. In a way, I think it helps with body acceptance for people to just *see* larger people who look like them doing normal things. Wearing cute clothes, wearing dumpy clothes, painting their nails, going to the grocery store.

    Most of my posts are not OOTDs, because I dress rather similarly every day. Hearing that people like to see pieces re-worked makes me want to start posting my everyday outfits though!

    http://bargainfatshionista.blogspot.com

  • http://bigsuitblog.blogspot.com bigsuit jen

    amen to all of this! i think most of the stuff that goes down the runway is boring, ugly and downright horrible at times. i don’t think there’s anything original about dressing head-to-toe in labels… it says nothing about the person’s personality and it’s not inspiring in the least.

  • http://fatheffalump.wordpress.com Kath

    I have a very similar approach to fashion as you do.

    I cherry pick bits I like, don’t care about labels or how much the pieces cost (if it’s cheap and cute, yay!) and wear things in the way that feels good and that I like the look of. I’m not into fatshionista stuff much other than to look at pretty pics of ladies with bodies more like mine.

  • http://the-brave-new-girl.blogspot.com Rebekah

    I think I love you. For posting this anyway :] I’m a fairly new fashion blogger and have already decided to throw in the towel (then take it back out again) multiple times because I felt I could never keep up or be good enough, which is totally NOT COOL and not what I wanted out of blogging. You, along with a few other financially conscious, vintage and thrift loving, creative ladies are really inspiring and encouraging

  • Pingback: Blogger Link Love « Polka Dots and Rainbows

Get Adobe Flash playerPlugin by wpburn.com wordpress themes