Last week I was told I was too old to wear t-shirts with anything printed on them. Plain tee's are all that are left for me. When I questioned the rule, I was told because I didn't immediately tell them to mind their own business I didn't "own my choices" and that proved I shouldn't be wearing them. Until that moment in time it had never occurred to me that people might think I was trying too hard to look young by wearing a t-shirt with a SF saying on it or a wine comment. They just made me laugh and I just thought my other SF friends would get a kick out of it. Will I wear the T-Shirts again? Yes. Will I ever feel as happy wearing them as I did before? No. No matter how much I say other people's opinions don't matter, there will always be a small part of me that wonders who is judging my outfit and deciding I don't measure up.
The problem with rules like this is they seemed designed to punish people who don't do it right. I want my clothing choices and fashion moments to reflect my personality in a unique way, not make me more grown-up, dignified, fashionable or appropriate. I want to be able to be silly and quirky and fun, especially during my non-work hours and I truly don't understand how that can be defined by age. Although I do enjoy reading the fashion magazines I am tired of rules made up by some mythical fashion police. I am tired of conversations designed to judge clothing errors instead of complimenting what someone is doing right. I don't want to be one of those women who drags other women down instead of supports and encourages them. Women have it hard enough without having to worry about unwritten arbitrary rules for how they dress. This is why I will never find the People of Walmart blog funny but instead will always wonder how the person profiled feels when they find they have been highlighted there and wish I could give them a hug. I am done participating in conversations that make fun of strangers clothing and I am done tearing other people down so I can feel better about my questionable clothing choices.
