It’s been a week you guys. A good week but a crazy week. And Because I’m exhausted and thought you might want to smile… here ya go. Sharing this one again. May we all survive these last few weeks of spring and school and all things craziness.
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Before the bubonic plague, murder hornets, social distancing, and Covid-19, before our planet started to implode and everyone hated each other, and I not-so-secretly decided to move to Switzerland, I noticed a disturbing trend in our society. I think if we study this trend, we can probably trace it back to the cause of all of this chaos.
Raise your hand if you’re in my age bracket, and you noticed that the hems of our shirts are… shrinking?
I’d like to keep my age bracket general, but realize that I’m not young anymore and there’s no sense in hiding it. I’m not exactly old, either. Like, the other day Jamin and I took a photo and I frowned, and then asked him to take another because “I look forty.”
“You are forty,” he replied, dryly.
WRONG ANSWER, JAMIN. Because forty is the new thirty and I can at least pull off 35 since there are definitely 25 year olds out there who look older than me because genetics. At least, that’s what I tell myself. Also, I was forty in 2020 and I didn’t even get a chance to try and embrace that number, so DO OVER. Not really but also definitely. Yes, my thought process is exhausting. So is this year. YOU CAN’T SIT WITH US.
While I’m not exactly spry enough to shop at forever 21 anymore, I also never did, so there’s that. I think I was too old before it became a thing. I’m more of a Nordstrom girl now. The word Nordstrom sounds appropriately relative to my age, even though I shop at a little bit of everywhere so it’s a nice default. If you say Nordstrom with a British accent, it takes off the age factor and sounds more snobby than practical, so it works.
Excuse me fashion universe, but I’d like the bottoms of my shirts back.
I noticed the hems creeping north about a year ago. That means it probably happened in Paris at some fashion show three years before that. Right before the bubble wrap coats worn by very naked tall people, more very tall models flaunted their extreme underbewbs with super short crop tops and everyone applauded them and then someone with authority made forever 21’s order them. So then they lowered the hemlines ever so slightly and put them in stores everywhere, so as not to offend everyone living in the south.
That’s how they sneak them in, when you can get them past everyone in the south.
Personally in the fashion world, and seemingly overnight, I went from Britney Spears’ Jeans circa 2000, to a Puritan churning butter when it comes to clothes. Hand me my bonnet. It’s over.
This is not intentional. I’m not exactly tuned in to all things cool. But I’d like to think I keep a small finger on the pulse. There has to be a balance somewhere, right? Can I just pull a Steve Jobs and start wearing a black turtleneck with jeans and New Balance, every day? Because I think I may have an embolism over trying to figure out what actually looks good.
Aren’t bell bottoms/wide legs back? Is Steve Madden still alive or did he die in that Wolves of Wall Street movie? Did I see clogs the other day? Can we just bring back the 20’s and all things flapper, but the pajama version because flappers seem fussy to me and have weird old hollywood accents.
Let’s bring back the old Hollywood accents, ya see.
I noticed it in the extreme when the yoga studio I attend, started carrying crop tops. I even boldly tried one for 2.5 seconds, but that doesn’t end well in downward dog, or with the slightest amount of bloat so in retrospect I probably shouldn’t have eaten that hamburger or tried it in the first place because I LOVE MYSELF.
And that’s what started the entire 2020 apocalypse.
I blame myself for conjuring whatever it was from the underworld by participating for five whole minutes in this horrid trend. I think it actually caused a fissure in the matrix when enough of us participated in shorter shirt hemlines. Kind of like conjuring Bloody Mary in the bathroom mirror at an ill-fated slumber party after watching Labrinth in the fifth grade, and also I was never brave enough to do that so leave me alone, Sarah.
But there’s a big crack and it looks like that underworld in Stranger Things where something on the inside has a severe case of dandruff and so here come the daymons.
I’ll just say this: The world does not need more cheaply made clothes with creeping hemlines, because if extreme shiplap is the next paneled walls a-la the 70’s, then these new yoga ensembles are the old Jazzersize combos with permanent external wedgies.
All things in moderation, y’all.
Speaking of external wedgies, we now have them on the front, a-la our lady bits with JEANS because at least we’ve gotten the upper half of our pants back. Mom jeans + cropped tops = permanent frontal bottom half cleavage. If you’re twenty, you shouldn’t wear mom jeans until YOU HAVE TO. Kind of like dying your natural hair color grey on purpose.
Am I missing something?
My twelve and a half year old shot up over the summer. So I let her shop at American Eagle, because apparently that’s still a thing. It was my go-to in college and I’m fairly certain I’m not the same size anymore. But imagine my despair when her tiny frame fit perfectly into a medium shirt without showing her belly button because THATS WHAT THEY’RE MADE FOR.
Is it the 80’s? Is it the 90’s? Are Birkenstocks still in, because I still have those. Can we make up our minds? SOMEONEPLEASETELLMEWHATWE’REDOING.
Also, when did I become my mother? Not with the puritanical churning butter stuff, but with the rational fashion questions and not wanting to show my frontal lady bits at Publix whilst angry because they reorganized the entire store.
They’re totally play my jams now.
It’s time to close the demonic portal from whence 2020 came.
Let’s lower the hemlines.
I’d like the bottoms of my shirts back.
Hahahahaha they play your jams! So funny. Thank you once again for the laughs
Lol Yes, JJill, Talbots, Alfred Dunner, and Coldwater Creek will be sending you emails any day now. Well, not Coldwater Creek because they tanked.
Talbots lol!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! hahahahaha I’m in such a confusing fashion stage right now.
“That’s how they sneak them in, when you can get them past everyone in the south.” hahahahahaha YES. This is why I shop at exactly two places and let them tell me how to dress. Heaven help me if they ever close.
Oh my goodness… I’m still laughing 😆 this is exactly what I needed this morning to start my day!! Thank you. I read it as I sat in my very comfy (Aka baggy) sweats from Costco. Saying yes! Out loud. I turned 40 last November so I totally get it. What’s the deal with these crop tops??!! Not my jam as I’m an apple shape and carry my weight in the middle. I literally had a dream last night about not being able to find anything to wear that I liked. Weird, I know, but seem to relate to this post … as what are we to wear newly 40? I just go with what works and is comfortable. Screw you, crop tops! I’m gonna get out my sewing machine and add some length to you.
Keep the humor up, love it! Thanks for the laughs this morning.
AMEN to all of it. I keep casually looking for cute things every now and then, and then remind myself I HAVE NOWHERE TO WEAR THEM. 🙁
Birkenstocks! I have them, have even had my oldest ones resoled. My daughter swore up and down she would never wear them because they were so ugly and she was SO EMBARRASSED when I wore mine. Uh, yeah…she’s now 26, lives in Florida and spends most of her time in Birk knockoffs. So she gets the look and not the comfort! Kids!
HAHA I still have mine too. The sandals. The fully covered ones I over-wore all those years ago and they were rank.
Oh, girl. I turned 40 this year also and felt this on a DEEP level!! Is there a petition or something I can sign? I love this post!!
Shirts are so boxy and awkwardly short! Why is shopping for clothes as a grown up so hard? I’m not a regular grown up, I’m a cool grown up. But not so cool I want everyone to see my muffin top unclothed.
Amen sister! I am laughing because I say the exact same thing! No one wants to see my muffin top, so why oh why do they do this to us!? Thank you for making me laugh!
This made my morning- I completely agree and I am 35… I’m hoping some classics are OK to wear but then also feel as if I am dressed so boringly, at least as another commentator said there is nowhere to go!
It’s true, humorous, and maddening at the same time! And you didn’t even address all the sleeveless tops and dresses. Don’t those in fashion know no one over 50 wants to wear sleeveless unless they have a personal trainer to work their triceps every day!
Thanks for keeping it real!
Absolutely hilarious.
You are a gem.
This is too funny!! I turned 45 in July so I am right there with you…but there’s no way I’d even try on a crop top!! I’ve enjoyed seeing all the backyard progress over the summer…looks great. Have an awesome weekend!!
Oh man! I feel this. This whole thing. I’m not 40 yet (got a year and a half to go) but I totally feel you on this entire article. I have always struggled with improperly fitting shirts and was dismayed when I was in Target the other day and saw a shirt almost identical to one of my faves from 1997! I know, I know. Fashions cycle. But when are we going to get decent fashion instead of just cycling the yucky stuff. I think I am ready to go back to the elegance of a much earlier period. Lol!
Right?! Let’s literally bring back the roaring 20’s 😀 I’m down for that flapper style