Damn You, Elaine!

tarzy

So, I was at the makeup counter yesterday, checking out some products, and the SA asked if she could try some different colors on me.

"You kind of remind me of Elaine," she said. "You know, from Seinfeld? With the curly hair and the brownish lipstick?"

WHAT???? That is SO NOT the image I want to project!

DAMN YOU, ELAINE!

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14 years ago

General

23 replies

Latest reply was from Vani

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I LOVE, Elaine.

14 years ago

catgirl

Veteran

LOL! Elaine had her equestrienne-chic moments... but the long floral dresses? I'm sure it was your hair texture, and Julia is a lovely actress!

14 years ago

tarzy

Veteran

THIS IS WHY I CANNOT EMBRACE THE MIDI!

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14 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

But, can you dance like Elaine?

14 years ago

Jonesy

Veteran

Tara, you crack me up! You know, you really don't look anything like Julia Louis Dreyfus. Somehow people like to lump all curly brunettes with light skin into the same %&*$ category, but we have lots of variety! Really, we do!!

14 years ago

(website)

Veteran

Lol, Janet - stole my question!

14 years ago

Anonymous

Awww, Elaine is adorkable!!!

14 years ago

Lisa

Veteran

LOL!

14 years ago

Midwest Girl

Active Member

Wow--I would take that as a compliment. I think "Elaine" is/was gorgeous!

14 years ago

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

She is beautiful, I think sometimes they made her look like she was frumpy on purpose on the show.

14 years ago

RandomThoughts (Andrea)

Veteran

Elaine is the BEST! I would be thrilled to be like her.

14 years ago

tarzy

Veteran

Please understand - I love Elaine, Julia, and Seinfeld.

But I didn't love being told I looked like I was stuck in the 90s! I thought I looked pretty good - black jacket from Express, a deep wine color tank, dark wash jeans, Frye boots. Is that dowdy?

And yes, she did mention the word "dowdy" - she said, "Not that you look dowdy or anything ..."

But of course, as soon as someone says, "Not that... " it makes you think exactly that!

Yes, the blush she showed me was pretty (Pale Pink from Bobbi Brown) and it did brighten my face - but I'm 54! I'm not trying to look "youthful." Yes, I realize I look young for my age, yada yada yada (yes - Seinfeld reference) but I'm not TRYING to look young. Or cute, or sexy. If anything, I'd like to look a bit more sophisticated, assured, even that dreaded word - mature. I just want to look like me. The best me I can be, of course, but ME. Not younger me, with bright pink cheeks!

Does any of that make sense? It was probably just a poor choice of words on her part, and I'm probably overreacting. But it really rattled me!

14 years ago

Sheila

Veteran

If you don't have a boyfriend named Puddie in your life, then you're definitely NOT Elaine!

14 years ago

Janet

(website)

Veteran

LOL at Sheila!

Elaine had the best dysfunctional boyfriends ever. It's hard to look at Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad and remember him as not only the dad in Malcolm in the Middle but also Tim Watley, the dentist Elaine dated!

14 years ago

(website)

Veteran

FWIW I have only recently embraced blush, and it's a bright pink in a VERY subtle wash. I would argue most people would have no idea if/when I wear make up. But I get what you're saying about not wanting to look like what you're not. You *do* look a good 10 years or more younger than your age, but you know that by now

14 years ago

Debbie

Veteran

Tara you are not dowdy at all. I understand how that comment threw you. Your outfit sounds perfect. Last year one of my daughter's friends said something I owned was dowdy. I fretted for days. Like you I just want to be the best me I can be and frankly I think both of us are getting there. Make-up is one of the things I am not totally comfortable with. I wish I had the chance to hit the counters with you!

14 years ago

Scarlet

Veteran

She probably meant you have similar coloring and curly hair, not the image you are projecting. I always thought Elaine was very pretty, actually. I do know what you mean when you say you just want to look like you, sophisticated, self-assured you. Sometimes I feel like society is not very accepting of women who are happy with themselves. Sometimes I feel like there is pressure to have insecurities and if you don't you should hide it. Do I sound crazy now? Anyway I am sure you looked great and not dowdy.

14 years ago

Laura

(website)

Veteran

You are SO not dowdy. And Elaine happens to be beautiful and in real life she is not stuck in the 90s. Have you seen her lately? Gorgeous!

People who work at make-up counters need to take sensitivity training. Seriously. I have been offended by them so many times, I don't know where to start.

Part of the problem is that they are usually a good 15 years younger than me, and it doesn't take much to make a major verbal faux pas on their part.

14 years ago

rae

(website)

Veteran

Sometimes I think makeup people are trained to insult us, so that we feel we need more makeup.

Either that or, like others have mentioned, her biggest associations with Elaine are her curls and coloring.

Still, I know it can be a bit rankling to be viewed as something you're not - people often think I'm Latin American and, even though I have ZERO against Latin Americans, it still irks me that they don't get it right, :T

14 years ago

MsMary

Veteran

I loved Elaine, in a cringetastic kind of way! Remember her boyfriend the low-talker?

Tara, you are gorgeous and that woman is an ass!

14 years ago

Heather

Veteran

NO SOUP FOR YOU!

Tara, you are gorgeous and I bet funnier than JLD. I think this is a giant compliment, but I totally empathize.

14 years ago

san

Veteran

Elaine is adorable, and Tara you are gorgeous!! And you look very much sophisticated and self assured!! I love the curly dark hair and beautiful pale skin that you and Elaine both have and that is where the comparison stops physically, but you both are very funny. Probably the funny personality, plus the dark curly hair, plus the beautiful pale skin all added up to her being reminded of Elaine. I'm cracking up at those 2 pictures of her that you posted, I just love her.

Try the MAC counter. Angie took me there and I am delighted with the blush and lipstick they put on me!!!

14 years ago

Vani

Veteran

Some people never understand the importance of thinking before speaking. She was probably just going by your gorgeous skin and hair. and, she probably was young enough not to know much about Seinfeld or Elaine to know what she was talking about. I'm just surprised she even made a Seinfeld reference.
Tara, you are an awesomely stylish woman and a fantastic and funny woman. (hugs)

P.S. I LOVE Elaine too!

14 years ago

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