MPJ- I started to reply this morning to your comment/question... but had too many thoughts running through my head.
"Wow, people really don't want to be modern classic! I'm starting to feel bad!
Is modern classic/preppy really a fashion cop-out?"
Now that I have pondered this all day I have even more thoughts. Here is where I, personally, am coming from on this....
Remember in Grease, when Sandy, the cute, sweet "modern classic" was mocked by the Pink Ladies for her "goodie-two-shoe" ways? Then in the end, she went through a transformation of style (and behavior) that suddenly deemed her one of the cool girls. Not that I have a huge need to be "cool" but I guess having spent my whole life as a goodie-two-shoes, prim and proper gal, there is a part of me that wants to flirt with the other side of the coin.... funky, edgy, unexpected, etc. But, reality sets in and I realize that is just not me. I can play with those elements, but at the end of the day, I am a boring 45 year old housewife who needs to dress accordingly. *** Note that I"m exaggerating to make a point here.
I wonder too if there is some leftover middle child syndrome at play. My older sister always had the edge over me in sports, music, school, popularity..... So, perhaps I have a underlying desire to make a statement with my wardrobe to counter that. In my mind, anyone can do modern classic well, but doing edgy, funky and the like takes thought and gets noticed more. AGAIN... I'm not making any judgments on anyone's style persona... these are my own skewed perceptions.
And finally, (and I think this is a biggie)... several years ago (7 to be exact) I experienced a very painful confrontation from my very best friend regarding style and clothing. I won't bore you with the details, but it left me feeling like she was the one who got to dress fun and cool, and I was supposed to be the boring, predictable one. Rest assured, we worked through that little issue and she is still my very closest friend, but I know that there is still a part of my heart that is a bit tender from the whole thing.
SO, when I say things like "I have to settle for safe, modern-classic", know that it is a thought that is being filtered through 45 years of an array of life experiences. It has nothing to do with what I see all you fab ladies here sporting
Did anyone actually make it to the end of this novel? Any professionals here want to take a stab at my mental problems? haha...