Thursday, April 24, 2008

Oh, you look Relaxed

Posted by Abby Marie at 8:29 PM

Well, I'm home now. It has been quite an experience. I love hanging out with my family, they're cool, but I am having the I miss New Zealand Blues. After spending over 3 months having 'flow' experiences as Mark Widmer would call them, where we were having such great learning experiences that the way we look doesn't matter to us, I am quite astonished at what I saw at the mall today. We live in a technology driven, appearance driven world where people are constantly competing for the biggest, best, cutest and skinniest.

I walked into Banana Republic wearing sweat shorts and a long sleeved jacket, classes and un-styled hair (which is a typical outfit for someone who can't comfortably fit in her old clothes and has a sore throat and throbbing headache.) Anyway, one of the male associates at Banana started asking me how I was doing and how my day was. I was friendly and responded that I was having a really great day (after all, I sat on the couch watching T.V. all day because it was snowing outside). He said, "oh yeah? really relaxed?" Like obviously by the way I was dressed I had a relaxing day. I think he and I both knew that I did not belong in Banana Republic.

The newest clothes I have I purchased from the local second hand shop in Invercargill. Oh, and yesterday at my friend Janessa's apartment some people were throwing out clothes and just put them on the lawn for people to take. I scoured the pile to find something because hey, free clothes. I was surrounded at the mall by people who care a lot about appearance and I was slightly uncomfortable. My sister told me I needed to get my eyebrows done...what is that all about? Some of the girls on our New Zealand trip didn't shave their legs the entire time and no body cared. No one told anyone how to dress or look or made anyone feel alienated for not dressing appropriately while shopping. Who makes the rules about how we should look and what we should wear?

I don't know about this. It's slightly disappointing.

2 comments:

Andy Porter said...

That really bugs me that you got attitude from a sales clerk! What a lame-o. I think I'll boycott that store. That won't be too hard for me since I never shop there anyway. I don't shop at stores that I feel like I need to dress up to go into. Too much pressure. You are always BEAUTIFUL even when you look "relaxed".

May 3, 2008 at 8:59 AM
Marcindra LaPriel said...

I agree 100%. I don't feel comfortable in my own wardrobe anymore. But you can bet I am excited to introduce striped thermals to the BYU community!

May 13, 2008 at 9:27 AM

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