Monday, March 30, 2009

The Anxiety of What Not to Wear's Influence

It's been a while now since my husband and I collapsed on the couch and tuned into Stacey and Clinton, those doyennes of style on TLC's What Not to Wear, but the two were brought uncomfortably back to our home just the other night. While David was away, I bought some tapered chino-type pants at Anthropologie. When he got back, I tried them on. David took one look at me and his mouth twitched. "Now why," he began, channeling his inner Clinton, "considering your torso (it's long), would you buy pants that make your legs look shorter?"

Part of me rejoices at the metrosexual qualities of my beloved. This is, after all, the man who turned to me after seeing the preview of Notting Hill and said, "Let's go see it opening weekend!" But this particular fashion feedback stung. Who likes to be reminded of her inherently compromised sense of what looks good? The clash of reality and fantasy that is a clothing purchase might well and happily be left unaccompanied by high doses of reality. Until it can't. So the pants will go back. One last thing? Thanks Stacey and Clinton! You've changed my life!

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