We’re at an interesting crux in our ever-so-fashionable lives where we’re torn between “being grown ups” and giving into the You Only Live Once mantra. After all, we will only be in our twenties once, so why not live it up while we can?
This might sound ridiculous and hedonistic but, after all, we’re talking fashion here darlings. It’s the nature of the fashion world that all of the really fun clothing items are designed for the younger ladies of the fashion world. Yes there are variations upon every look, and there are bits of ideas sheared off to put into looks for other generations. But, those crop tops and skater skirts probably aren’t going to be included for the golden oldies. They’ll be phased out along with our stiletto heels, shimmery short dresses, and patterned fishnet stockings.
A person’s style is a unique expression of their inner self, and a daily picture of any background drama unfolding behind the smoky makeup, floral dress, or perfectly coiffed hair. So maybe that’s why I feel a stab of nostalgia when I see my wardrobe inevitably upgrading to that of a workaholic adult. Sometimes it feels that the dramatic times that called for wearing that daring cut-out dress from Modcloth with those platform heels, passed me right by while I was busy preparing for adulthood with school, internships, and summer classes.
There is a level of sentimentality for those short-shorts that my mom always yelled at me for wearing, but that I wore anyways because my legs looked fabulous. Remember when spaghetti-straps were a type of tank top and not just the straps of the camisole that we demurely drape our cardigans over? Or when we first saw Jenny Humphrey in “Gossip Girl” rocking the fishnet stockings under her shorts (but blue and black together, ew) and we were inspired? Are the good times of pushing the boundary between classy and sultry at an end? Are we already settling down to the hum-drum life and hanging up our dancing shoes for good?
I say, hell no.
Instead of sending off the fashion items reserved for parties, bars, and clubs off to their imminent doom at Goodwill , I think that we can merely revamp our approach. You see, we’re wiser now than we were at 18 when we tried to slip into work in our jeans, even though the dress code required black pants. Or when we weren’t quite sure what the meaning of business-casual was and so erred on the side of too casual and got written up.
We know how to work the system.
Darlings, we aren’t caught in sartorial purgatory; we are at a glorious point in our lives when we can have our cake and eat it too. By all means, figure out how to weasel those fun tights and bright colors into your work clothing. If sometimes your pants are a little bit tighter than necessary, and you can get away with it, then by all means go on with your bad self. But, it’s outside the office that we can have the real fun.
We’re young, gorgeous, unique women and we’re in an awesome decade (give or take a little) of our life. The grim reality is that our skin might never be as bright and glowing, and our ability to flawlessly pull of a crop top (and not have to work out much) will never be the same 20 years from now. Yes, money is tight, but each and every outfit is overflowing with past, and potential future, memories, romances, dances, and dates. We will have a vast majority of our lives to be straightlaced and wear one-piece bathing suits, low heels, long skirts, and cardigans over our tank tops. But for this particular decade of our lives? When we’re not at work—I say we let our fashion selves run a little wild while they can.
Are you as loathe to hang up your crop tops and dancing shoes as we are? Let us know in the comments below or @litdarling!
“I feel a stab of nostalgia when I see my wardrobe inevitably upgrading to that of a workaholic adult.” YES. It would be a shame if we all entered careers and immediately stopped having light-hearted fun and wearing colors other than grey, black, and white.