I love this--I was obsessed with fashion mags as a tween and teen but was too afraid to experiment with my style in school (guess what little introvert did it in her room, took pics with disposable cameras, and then changed into something more boring?) and tbh I’m only now just starting to understand MY style as opposed to what I THINK I should wear. And it’s a lot more masc, looser, western, earth tones... comfy desert meesh, I guess.
I love fashion too! My story is different. I was actually from one of those low income families so I couldn't afford to wear anything fashionable. I remember this time I had to wear torn shoes coz my family couldn't afford to replace them.
So when I started to make my own money I started to shop! And how! Now after a baby my closet is full of the latest season which doesn't fit. I may have to throw 'em all out unless I lose the love handles.
I almost spit my afternoon espresso laughing at your high school project. Too good! I was also the perfect student who got kicked out of school for breaking the dress code which in my time (early 1970s) meant girls had to wear skirts even in sub-zero weather. I sewed an ankle-length skirt in a quilted cotton fabric one Christmas break and that's what got me sent immediately to the principal's office. It was a skirt, right?
On another note, I can't wait to read more on the signaling factor when there is big tension between locals and visitors, between true locals and the gated community/resort/second-third-fifth home crowd. The beautiful jewelry I don't ever wear. The flirty cocktail dress that I might wear to a business awards event in Honolulu but don't dare wear to a fundraiser here on the Big Island - although the same style by a Hawaiian designer would be fine.
Love this so much! That high school project was gold. We need more awareness of these systemic issues. And I love your sense of style! It really is a part of what makes you, well you lol.
Oooooh the cliffhanger on this one! Can’t wait to read part 2.
I was also a kid who got away with wearing spaghetti straps because I was high-achieving etc, so I loved your investigative project! I wish I had been aware of or thought to question our school’s policies in a similar way, though the only infractions I remember actually being enforced were against profanity on clothing… still, this is making me wonder what I may have missed.
I think my style has always been pretty basic (jeans, fleece, plaid, activewear), and has especially become so since I moved to the mountains and went back to working from home. But I do love a fun vintage piece… thanks for the inspiration to maybe play around with things a little more :)
The timing of this two-parter is perfect! I just accepted a fundraising position at a land conservation organization. Yay...and I am struggling with what to wear!! Obviously, part of my job is to look like I understand what I am raising money for and just as obviously, I need to look a little more polished than if I were out there actually doing field restoration.
I love a little glamour. All the other clarinetists in wind orchestra always knew which reeds were mine from the lipstick; I felt my hand strokes were easier to follow as a swim instructor when I wore nail polish. I was the only one EVER to arrive at all my environmental ed seminars with lipstick and a vintage leather jacket.
I understand that locals have a certain vibe (although in my case there are many different types of locals and I need them all) but I'm hoping I don't have to give up the lipstick or the eyeliner to be able to communicate my seriousness.
Love this 2 part series. There's a woman in town that I casually ran into a couple times while living there and she always had subtle pop of glamour somewhere. It was noticeable, but not in a flashy kind of way, more so in a she's got great style in town full of people that look the same kind of way. Each time I saw her, it was something, somewhere that popped, the red lip, the beautiful embellishments on her cowboy hat, the flashy silver trim on distressed leopard and white hightop sneakers, whatever it was it was somewhere.
She''s a celebrity so the glam "fits" the part in a way. BUT she's def not looking to be a celebrity there, she's down to earth, probably pretty badass in the backcountry and comes from one of the most remote places that exist in our country. You can tell the little pops of glam are part of her style that she can't deny. It's somewhere as some sort of accessory and it comes across beautifully every time.
So, I say find the glam somewhere and add it in to the little places that feel true to yourself. It's a bright surprise to the mostly mundane mountain style that so many there get stuck in. Of course there will still be a uniform of sorts that come with the climate there, but there is always room for that pop of something.
Last thought, it's a town of transplants from every and anywhere, you'd think there would be more individuality in how people looked.
Oooh! Looking forward to part 2! I won "Best Dressed" as a HS Senior, but it's not the same when you graduate with 65 kids in rural Wisconsin, lol... I do have a small box of goodies from back in the day to share with my friends who have little girls—early 2000s vintage Docs, a Polo jean jacket (which I'd totally wear now if it fit! haha), a few Abercrombie sweaters and skirts, some random jackets from the Wilson Leather Expo that came to the state fair grounds every year. I miss fashion, but do feel most "myself" in a pair of Prana pants (or jean shorts), a colorful flannel, and a beanie... which definitely fits here in OR/WA! I loved reading how your style has evolved, and totally appreciate the reference to fast fashion. Thanks for sharing!
Feb 27, 2023·edited Feb 27, 2023Liked by Kelton Wright
Yes! The essay we all needed, and a two-parter? Gah.
Im a former shaved-head-punk-grunge kid from the early 90s from a beach town who definitely went through the crunchy-granola-Mom phase raising kids. Now, talk about trying to to find your true vibe in midlife, living in the hippie rich tourist mountain town. I bartend at a brewery on the weekends and find that’s my excuse to wear my winged eyeliner and red lipstick.
great read! i STILL don’t really know what *my* sense of fashion is, based on the type of job i’ve held over the last several years, it’s athleisure. but i really envy people who wear the trends or have a closet full of retro, thrifted clothes, like i follow a few people who wear all clothes from the 80’s! i envy that they have a clear sense of their fashion and what makes them feel good. once i move, i want to dive deep and really find that for myself!
This is a nice walk down high school fashion lane for me. I knew a girl from a different school and we just exchanged all our clothes. Another friend and I did some shop lifting to look good.
As a fellow Capricorn, almost every single line, from the “why am I not in trouble for wearing this?” to the new person every single day rang true! I love clothes, I love their stories, the stories I make in them and what stories people may create with what I’m wearing. I even gave my wife a theme to follow on our honeymoon 😂 I am now whittling down my clothes post 2 kiddos and truly finding what I want and glamour and authenticity go hand in hand in my mind!
Admiringly bold through and through. Maybe a fluid wardrobe but a consistently determined human always! Very visual use of language - totally able to picture every scene in this time line. Well done!
This is so interesting and timely for my brain. In high school and college I had almost zero first-hand clothes and loved to create outfits. I often wore my prom dresses with hoodies, so many layers and accessories galore.
Now I teach high school and live in a uniform of patagucci cords, new balance sneakers and various athlesiure/wool running tops that look nice enough to wear to work. I kind of miss dressing up, but also couldn’t dress the way I want for work and on the weekends just wear leggings/sweats and hoodies (though I am currently in a onesie.)
Anyway, this is all to say I’m interested in part 2, and ready to think more about my fashion journey as well!
I love this--I was obsessed with fashion mags as a tween and teen but was too afraid to experiment with my style in school (guess what little introvert did it in her room, took pics with disposable cameras, and then changed into something more boring?) and tbh I’m only now just starting to understand MY style as opposed to what I THINK I should wear. And it’s a lot more masc, looser, western, earth tones... comfy desert meesh, I guess.
I love fashion too! My story is different. I was actually from one of those low income families so I couldn't afford to wear anything fashionable. I remember this time I had to wear torn shoes coz my family couldn't afford to replace them.
So when I started to make my own money I started to shop! And how! Now after a baby my closet is full of the latest season which doesn't fit. I may have to throw 'em all out unless I lose the love handles.
I almost spit my afternoon espresso laughing at your high school project. Too good! I was also the perfect student who got kicked out of school for breaking the dress code which in my time (early 1970s) meant girls had to wear skirts even in sub-zero weather. I sewed an ankle-length skirt in a quilted cotton fabric one Christmas break and that's what got me sent immediately to the principal's office. It was a skirt, right?
On another note, I can't wait to read more on the signaling factor when there is big tension between locals and visitors, between true locals and the gated community/resort/second-third-fifth home crowd. The beautiful jewelry I don't ever wear. The flirty cocktail dress that I might wear to a business awards event in Honolulu but don't dare wear to a fundraiser here on the Big Island - although the same style by a Hawaiian designer would be fine.
Love this so much! That high school project was gold. We need more awareness of these systemic issues. And I love your sense of style! It really is a part of what makes you, well you lol.
Oooooh the cliffhanger on this one! Can’t wait to read part 2.
I was also a kid who got away with wearing spaghetti straps because I was high-achieving etc, so I loved your investigative project! I wish I had been aware of or thought to question our school’s policies in a similar way, though the only infractions I remember actually being enforced were against profanity on clothing… still, this is making me wonder what I may have missed.
I think my style has always been pretty basic (jeans, fleece, plaid, activewear), and has especially become so since I moved to the mountains and went back to working from home. But I do love a fun vintage piece… thanks for the inspiration to maybe play around with things a little more :)
The timing of this two-parter is perfect! I just accepted a fundraising position at a land conservation organization. Yay...and I am struggling with what to wear!! Obviously, part of my job is to look like I understand what I am raising money for and just as obviously, I need to look a little more polished than if I were out there actually doing field restoration.
I love a little glamour. All the other clarinetists in wind orchestra always knew which reeds were mine from the lipstick; I felt my hand strokes were easier to follow as a swim instructor when I wore nail polish. I was the only one EVER to arrive at all my environmental ed seminars with lipstick and a vintage leather jacket.
I understand that locals have a certain vibe (although in my case there are many different types of locals and I need them all) but I'm hoping I don't have to give up the lipstick or the eyeliner to be able to communicate my seriousness.
Obsessed with this piece. I am also a fashion lover and identify so much with this journey 😂. Can’t wait for part two.
Love this 2 part series. There's a woman in town that I casually ran into a couple times while living there and she always had subtle pop of glamour somewhere. It was noticeable, but not in a flashy kind of way, more so in a she's got great style in town full of people that look the same kind of way. Each time I saw her, it was something, somewhere that popped, the red lip, the beautiful embellishments on her cowboy hat, the flashy silver trim on distressed leopard and white hightop sneakers, whatever it was it was somewhere.
She''s a celebrity so the glam "fits" the part in a way. BUT she's def not looking to be a celebrity there, she's down to earth, probably pretty badass in the backcountry and comes from one of the most remote places that exist in our country. You can tell the little pops of glam are part of her style that she can't deny. It's somewhere as some sort of accessory and it comes across beautifully every time.
So, I say find the glam somewhere and add it in to the little places that feel true to yourself. It's a bright surprise to the mostly mundane mountain style that so many there get stuck in. Of course there will still be a uniform of sorts that come with the climate there, but there is always room for that pop of something.
Last thought, it's a town of transplants from every and anywhere, you'd think there would be more individuality in how people looked.
Oooh! Looking forward to part 2! I won "Best Dressed" as a HS Senior, but it's not the same when you graduate with 65 kids in rural Wisconsin, lol... I do have a small box of goodies from back in the day to share with my friends who have little girls—early 2000s vintage Docs, a Polo jean jacket (which I'd totally wear now if it fit! haha), a few Abercrombie sweaters and skirts, some random jackets from the Wilson Leather Expo that came to the state fair grounds every year. I miss fashion, but do feel most "myself" in a pair of Prana pants (or jean shorts), a colorful flannel, and a beanie... which definitely fits here in OR/WA! I loved reading how your style has evolved, and totally appreciate the reference to fast fashion. Thanks for sharing!
Yes! The essay we all needed, and a two-parter? Gah.
Im a former shaved-head-punk-grunge kid from the early 90s from a beach town who definitely went through the crunchy-granola-Mom phase raising kids. Now, talk about trying to to find your true vibe in midlife, living in the hippie rich tourist mountain town. I bartend at a brewery on the weekends and find that’s my excuse to wear my winged eyeliner and red lipstick.
great read! i STILL don’t really know what *my* sense of fashion is, based on the type of job i’ve held over the last several years, it’s athleisure. but i really envy people who wear the trends or have a closet full of retro, thrifted clothes, like i follow a few people who wear all clothes from the 80’s! i envy that they have a clear sense of their fashion and what makes them feel good. once i move, i want to dive deep and really find that for myself!
This is a nice walk down high school fashion lane for me. I knew a girl from a different school and we just exchanged all our clothes. Another friend and I did some shop lifting to look good.
As a fellow Capricorn, almost every single line, from the “why am I not in trouble for wearing this?” to the new person every single day rang true! I love clothes, I love their stories, the stories I make in them and what stories people may create with what I’m wearing. I even gave my wife a theme to follow on our honeymoon 😂 I am now whittling down my clothes post 2 kiddos and truly finding what I want and glamour and authenticity go hand in hand in my mind!
Omg so excited to read part 2!!
Admiringly bold through and through. Maybe a fluid wardrobe but a consistently determined human always! Very visual use of language - totally able to picture every scene in this time line. Well done!
This is so interesting and timely for my brain. In high school and college I had almost zero first-hand clothes and loved to create outfits. I often wore my prom dresses with hoodies, so many layers and accessories galore.
Now I teach high school and live in a uniform of patagucci cords, new balance sneakers and various athlesiure/wool running tops that look nice enough to wear to work. I kind of miss dressing up, but also couldn’t dress the way I want for work and on the weekends just wear leggings/sweats and hoodies (though I am currently in a onesie.)
Anyway, this is all to say I’m interested in part 2, and ready to think more about my fashion journey as well!