-->

Sunday, March 14, 2010

out of curiosity

i don't really ask the question of whether something is socially acceptable, its fairly easy to tell if something should stay at home or can be worn out but with these I had to know. BUT this is a whole different story (and has its own story)! What do people think of these.. I don't even know what they are.. sweatpants of our generation or something? I know its an old "trend", and to be honest I wasn't smitten when it first appeared. I had just finished uni for the semester, wearing sweatpants when I had the opportunity to wear some interesting pieces really wasn't appealing so I just passed on it, quietly watching as every magazine did the whole sporty luxe thing. A friend bought a similar pair from bassike last month, but I still wasn't thrilled. Until I went back to uni. I sat through a two hour seminar in a ridiculously good looking blouse that I was ecstatic about buying and couldn't wait to wear. Three people from my eleven people seminar stared at my general chest/blouse area. Not at my chest since they were all girls.. I thought maybe I spilled something down my shirt, but OH NO, it was that unmistakable "you are HIDEOUSLY overdressed for a seminar about the great depression" look. Horrid little judging individuals that should have been concentrating on Faulkner but dosed off and their thoughts were swayed.

Not ready to wear uggs to uni (I'm not sure if I'll ever be) and huging my dear blouse to sleep reassuring it that I'll only wear it to the most fitting occasion, I stashed it a little further out of reach. That day I also found the picture of Christine Centenera. Tapered sweats styled to perfection at paris fashion week (i think?) must surely mean it is ok to wear something really similar to uni right? Not that I would wear heels, or think I am a total beaaassst for recreating this style, just be warm & cosy and not look like a slob (many believe this is an oxymoron) pairing it with black ballet flats, black leather jacket and some sort of shirt. So I decided to try. I went to Myer and tried some Bonds sweat pants. They looked horrid on the hanger, the waist of the smallest size looked enormous, they looked too long. They're supposed to be cropped, they were too long for me anyway being height challenged and all. However they looked pretty good, maybe 5cm of drop-crotch, tapered legs etc. Well they were as good as a pair of sweatpants can be, they do nothing for the butt, but too much butt at uni is A VERY BAD THING. That's a whole different story. ANYWAY. I came out to show my mum who happened to think shopping with me would be a good sunday activity, I was feeling pretty good about myself. Her mouth dropped, not in the good way. She thought they were absolutely horrid and she'd probably be embarrassed wearing them around the house, in her words. I know we have different styles, but in my opinion they didn't look that bad. I'm supposed to be the good little visual merchandiser and stylist and understand that taste is subjective, but I think I might have got lost amongst people telling me "we are paying for YOUR point of view" so now I'm just confused about a fairly cheap pair of pants. I guess a big part of it comes from a notion that most things, styled the right way, can be worn in a completely different context. For every one person I know who agrees, I know 5 that disagree. So the question stands, how do people see these horribly comfortable verging on the edge of trendy tapered slouchy insert more adjectives into a sentence pants. anybody? oh, and what are they called?

16 comments:

  1. Can I just say how much I enjoyed reading this post? It actually made me smile. To answer your question: I don't know. I've seen them look very bad, but I have a feeling you could make it work. I'd need to see pictures.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well about the blouse I say stuff those girls and wear what the hell you want to at uni they are just jealous that you make an effort and look stunning. For me everyday is a day to dress up. As for the sweat pants I am going to give this look a try I too am not sure what they are called but I will be wearing them with heels now to find a pair xoxo

    Love your blog btw

    ReplyDelete
  3. Idk maybe if their cropped like capris with a tie it would be cuter?? www.dulcecandy.com had a look, Im not sure if it was in her blog or her chictopia, but she did a very cute look with sweatpants!

    ReplyDelete
  4. i think it all depends on how you wear them. you could definitely pull thm off. i wore some grey sweats with black heels and a black blazer to school one day, and yes people thought i as completely insane, but i felt good. and thats all that matters. so i guess it depends on how you feel in them.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've wanted a pair of these things for AGES! I think it depends on what you wear with them if they'll look good or not. I'd try to dress them up to avoid looking like a weather-confused slob, haha. Maybe that blouse?

    -Kiki xo

    lunacy--fringe.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think too many people think that school is the place where you have to forget style and be a slob, and I emphatically disagree! Wear that blouse, anything lovely deserves to see the light of day.

    As for the sweatpants...not my thing, but if you find a way to wear them and feel confident, then that is what matters!

    ReplyDelete
  7. DO IT! I mean why not, if you do it right it'll look great.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I fully endorse the wearing of these pants, infact - I'm considering tracking down the bonds version you mentioned. If you feel good in the, wear them. Who cares what other people think; why on earth would you want to look like anyone else? :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. When I first saw Christine Centenera fashion week outfit , I also think she match it very well.. I really like her personal style.

    The way you will pair it up with leather jacket and ballet flat shoes, It totally fine for me to dress to uni or anywhere else,

    Your always dress up very adoarble and cute, you actually inspire me... so I don't think you have to care about other said to much as long as you happy with it ^^

    ReplyDelete
  10. Nothing wrong with baggy grey pants to wear to school, or anywhere else for that matter.

    ReplyDelete
  11. KEEP WEARING YOUR BLOUSE!! Please? You suit blouses. You're a blousy kind of girl. Which makes me think that perhaps that's why you've been so scared of the sweatpants (I call them that instead of trackies to make the distinction between chic and s**t). I love them when done right, but so many people get it wrong - myself included! I love the ones in the picture in this post, and Garance Dore DIY'ed some cut-off sweats ages ago that I loved. I think you really have to have an eye for it. Post pictures - I'm sure you have said 'eye for it'!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Ahaha this was the best post to read. I thoroughly enjoyed it, haha. I was always hideously overdressed for uni and always used to get those horrid looks too - but I like to THINK ZOE (Rachel that is) and not worry if I'm always overdressed. I tried to wear trackpants to uni once in a similar effort to your own, but only ended up feeling embarrassed.

    Anyway, about the sweatpants - works on some, doesn't work on others. I like the change in silhouette (surely we're beginning to tire of leggings and skinnies) and obviously they are more comfy, but at the same time, is it ever appropriate to wear them? I guess it comes down to the individual like all things in fashion. It sucks when you begin to question your own taste because trends are being so shoved down your throat. Having said all that, you're such a stone fox that I'm sure of all people you could pull it off!!

    xoxo
    http://www.twincatvintage.com/blog

    ReplyDelete
  13. about the blouse, i agree with most people's comments. i go to university in texas and the first people noticed when i got here was the fact that i refused to look like a hobo when going to class. everyday is a new reason to play with your wardrobe and express yourself through your clothing. let them be your own creative outlet.

    now, about the famous sweat pants. well...i'm just a huge fan of them as cutesy-go-out attire. personally, i love sweatpants as relaxation accessories when im at home, sick, etc, but i don;t think they will ever look flattering enough on me to ever want to wear them out, even if it involves wearing gorgeous heels. it just won't work for me.

    but hey, who am i to hate on other people's "creative outlets" eh? hahaha.

    -luc
    jellyfish-wisdom.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  14. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I fell in love with them as soon as I put them (bonds pants) on. My friends thought they looked horrid, but I didn't care because I loved them and to me that is all that mattered.

    Mothers can be a bit hard to sway, depending if they like (or even understand) your style or hate it.

    Swap links Anya?

    http://vnsssss.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete