'Women & Fashion' book discussion opens today! - YouLookFab Forum

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Book Club

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'Women & Fashion' book discussion opens today!

thimblelina

(website)

Veteran

Hello... Lynnette here stepping in for Viva while she travels. If you've finished the first 100 pp of 'Women & Fashion' please chime in! On seperate threads I will begin to post the book's core survey questions 3-4 at a time, looking for answers from all... no need to be a reader to chime in on the personal survey portion. I'm at work now & will be back later with comments. Sooooo until then please 'talk among yourselves!' xo

Book Club

17 replies

Latest reply was from thimblelina

Angie_T

I have really enjoyed the book so far. Although I had to skip through the memories of your mother part. It just made me miss my mama too much. Strange how it affected me as my mother could have given two wits about fashion. But for some reason it made me sad - maybe because that's something I wish she could have enjoyed in life. As a child of the depression I think she never thought she could allow herself that no matter how secure she and my father became.

Don't mean to be a Debbie Downer! I have really loved hearing real women talk about clothes and their relationship to them. It's so refreshing. Reading it puts me in the mind that I am sharing wine and gabbing with friends.

And it's very intelligent.

Bonus - I have googled some of the ladies and have found some new incredible women to be aware of!

Angie_T

I'm a little embarrassed to ask this....but am I reading the right book?

I got Women in Clothes by Sheila Heti, Heidi Julavits, & Leanne Shapton.

It would sooo be like me to be reading the wrong book!

rachylou

Veteran

Angie_T, I do believe that's the book. That's the book I'm reading anyways! Lol.

I confess to not having read very much. (It's why I'm always in need of a book club - if it's not genre fiction, I need a big push from behind.)

Ok. But one thread of an idea in the book, which caught my attention, was the road taken and not taken. How one of the girls went with doing different versions of herself and one of the other girls went with her fantasy/dream self. I wonder what they read, these two different women.

I read science fiction, fantasy, and historical fiction pretty much exclusively (technical documentation notwithstanding). But I don't do fantasy dress. I'm always about right now when it comes to clothes, even when it comes to something like steampunk. I don't go out in costume, except for costume balls and faires.

These inclinations interest me. Where do they come from?

Also, a peanut gallery note: I should probably try dating someone who likes science fiction/fantasy/historical fiction... but I have a certain aversion to this. Maybe I'm too literal about the family being an economic unit of production?

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

Rachylou, those are my favorite genres, too! This book is a departure for me but I'm interested in seeing other people's responses.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

At first it annoyed me. The women sounded self-absorbed. Why do I feel that, when we talk about our clothes here all the time? And I don't think that any of us are self-absorbed, LOL.

But then I started to get into it. And what I'm enjoying most is the structure. The combination of interviews, essays, stories, photographs, images. Taken together I think this structure gets at the richness and complexity of clothes for women, the way they're really not just clothes, but so symbolic.

I absolutely loved Katie Kitamura's story: Let One Dream Come True. Clever, but also poignant.

And I like the map of the floor and the story that goes with it.

Rachy, you raise an interesting point. (So what else is new? You are always doing that.) I wonder how it relates to Una's "Fantasy Self" thread? As for me....I never did post a fantasy icon. And I don't dress "fantasy" either -- or read fantasy or genre fiction....

Hmmm. That sounds really boring, doesn't it. Maybe I should add a little fantasy to the wardrobe. That false eyelash collection might be a way to start?

thimblelina

(website)

Veteran

Yes! It's Women in Clothes; sorry, I copied the first thread there. Gah!!

@ Angie: I hear you; I'm sorry for your loss. My mother died 11 years ago at the age of 59 of pancreatic cancer & it is an enduring heartache. I loved that section because it was looking back at mothers before they had children. I know my mother was a very different person before she became a single teen mom & literally forced herself to grow up overnight. But yes -- it sucks not being able to ask her questions about that now. And don't get me started on running into mothers & daughters out shopping together! I've actually left stores over that the first year after she died; seeing that innocent pleasure would elicit in me a terrible sort of pain.

@ Rachy: Interesting!! Maybe you need to try that!

@ Ummila: is the fragmented format getting to you? This is different than most nonfiction.

@ Suz: well, the part where the editors do their clothing swap grated on my last nerve because it felt like a big smarmy humble brag in parts. But I forgive them for their more fabulous lives and wardrobes. I think they probably thought they were being very candid & witty, without realizing what an affluent and privileged bubble they occupy. I loved the sweatshop story too. And I was very touched by the transgender conversation and how a name is the first thing in this life that we 'wear.'

rachylou

Veteran

Ummlila - Departure is a good word (!)

Suz - I guess I do have a secret power after all... armchair philosophy. Lololol. Anyhoo, I had the same first reaction: Wow, these girls are vapid. I had the same second reaction too: Do we come off this way? I don't think we come off as having such a pointless existence... I was thinking, well, maybe it's because it's a book - and they're talking *hot* in a *cold* medium. However, there's also a cut n' paste, data dump aspect of this book that reads *lazy.* Well, I don't think it just reads lazy, I think it is lazy. They should have compiled the data and drawn some conclusions. Still, interesting stuff in the raw data, in the stuff provided to them from others.

thimblelina

(website)

Veteran

I agree Rachy, you sum it up quite succinctly. A little more analysis would be nice; perhaps future chapters will reveal more.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Rachy, I agree and disagree about the laziness.

At first, that's what annoyed me most. (That, and the apparent privilege of these editors...although it seems as if they've tried to interview at least a few people who do not have the same existence.)

But I think what first appears as laziness is in part design. It's the "off-handedness," the apparent casualness of it, that seems reflective of fashion itself. I think there's method to this madness, much more than first appears. But I'll reserve final judgement until I get to the end of it all. I could be very irritated by the end.

AngieT, I am also sorry about your loss. I felt teary myself, reading those mother stories.

jackiec

Veteran

Jumping in really briefly since I'm quite a ways through the book, but have to get dinner cleanse up and a bunch of errands done.

I loved the first 100-200 pages. I didn't find it irritating. I found it hilarious. I think, to me, it read realistic. Are we oftentimes gushy & annoying when we talk In real life? Absolutely. I laughed out loud at how realistic some parts were.

I am enjoying the whole "observational" aspect of the writing. I feel like I can take from it what I want (and I have highlighted all kinds of favourite quotes on the definition of style).

I like the maps of the floor and the descriptions. Very realistic.

What turned me right off what the section on stains. What the heck? Pointless to me....actually I should double check on the pages for that - maybe it's past 100...

I tore through the first half, but since last week it's been sitting untouched on my night table. Maybe it's becoming a bit repetitive. Nonetheless, I am enjoying the read. It's something different for me (although I always have a book or two on the go).

I'll come back to reread this thread and maybe put some more thought into it...

thimblelina

(website)

Veteran

Interesting, jackie! I haven't gone any further. Now I'm curious.

Staysfit

Veteran

I have to agree with Jackie,. I'm on page 213. After reading about Young Kim, somehow I lost interest and the reading has become painfully slow.....

thimblelina

(website)

Veteran

That's disappointing! Let me know if you think the book club should slog on...
Also, how do you feel about posing their style survey questions to the forum @ large? That might be more fun, and readers can progress further on their own (or not!)

Gracie

Veteran

I find I'm making myself reach for the book. I've read past pg 103 and find it is not engaging me. I agree with Rachy about the cut-paste feel and would have liked intros, comments or conclusions to some of the sections. After reading the first column of "Let One Dream Come True" p69, I just glanced at the rest of the columns and the end to see if there were any exciting tidbits, but none were found. I think the photos of the collections could have been shot in a more attractive/modern way, the photos look vintage shots to me, which was probably the goal. So far the article I've really enjoyed is on p137 "I Do Care About Your Party." It has really made me think about why we dress the way we choose to. I'm planning on scanning the pages and just reading what appeals to me. Other books are awaiting!

rachylou

Veteran

buried at work... are we doing the survey? i like surveys

thimblelina

(website)

Veteran

New survey questions up tonight... Juicy ones! Just got to feed my family first; walkin in the door from Zumba.

thimblelina

(website)

Veteran

I really feel like I'm flogging a dead horse here. I will read on because I'm a fast reader & it has kept my attention so far but forum enthusiasm seems to have dropped off considerably. Feel free to post if something strikes you, and I'll keep an eye out for any new responses, but I'm not going to assign more pages. If viva wants to pick this back up, she can start another thread. I am committed to finishing the survey because it's fun. Watch for new groups of questions every few days. Toodles! xo