It’s story time. We’re going to share a few fashion cobwebs of the past that make us flatly refuse or at least very doubtful about wearing an item or a look again today. I’ll go first.
Back in the ‘70s and ‘80s, I attended British schools for which we had to wear quite a formal school uniform. Along with a button down shirt, tie, pinafore, pullover, blazer and Clarks Mary Janes, was a pair of woolly ribbed tights. Grey for primary school, and brown for secondary school. These tights were absolutely AWFUL. Itchy, scratchy, and uncomfortable as all heck. They also slid down and bunched up around your feet. I was constantly tugging at my tights, and teachers would tell me to stop fidgeting. Since I grew up in hot countries, we didn’t have to wear Winter tights for long, and thankfully our Summer uniforms were a lot more bearable. The experience though, has put me off wearing thick tights for life, despite knowing that these days there are plenty of comfortable pairs. I will wear very thin, sheer and dainty hosiery, and that’s it.
My second example isn’t quite as extreme but made its mark nonetheless. Back in the ‘90s, chunky sneakers with enormous soles were all the range. They were the quintessential casual flatform, and a way to wear heels without arching the foot in a regular pair of heels. I loved the look for weekends, and that I didn’t need to arch my feet to wear heels. I bought a gorgeous black & white nylon pair with a matching mini back pack from Guess. The flatform sneakers looked super cute, but were extremely heavy, hard, and did not bend at the sole. They rubbed my feet raw and gave me foot cramps every time I wore them. That sneaker experience killed most forms of future flatform purchases, and I still won’t wear shoes that are heavy.
My chunky white Seinfeld sneakers are very lightweight and comfortable so they work well – so much so that I’ve duplicated them. But I’m surprised I purchased the Converse Gor-Tex Lugged Sole Hi-Top, given my past experience with that flatform sole. Granted, they’re just light enough, and the soles are flexible. That said, they aren’t as comfortable as my regular leather and fleece lined Converse hi-tops, and I probably won’t be buying lugged soles again.
Over to you. Share the fashion cobwebs of your past and how they are impacting your purchase decisions today.
