Review: Gettin' One's Fashion Passion On
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 23, 2012
Believe it or not, I enjoy fashion.Yes, you read that correctly---I am a slightly overweight, forty-two-year-old divorced father of one who usually prefers jeans, T-shirts, and wearing his beat-up Cleveland Indians cap to shirts, cravats, and high-gloss burgundy and/or black wing-tips.But there are times when I do enjoy getting all gussied up (my father's favorite term for dressing formally) to not only give myself a psychological boost, but to make myself look as attractive as possible to any single woman present. I did so last year at my company's annual Christmas party: I wore a pressed, starched white long-sleeve cotton shirt, pressed khakis, black socks, red Bostonian-brand wing tips, a subdued yet tasteful necktie, and a blue blazer. My very aura screamed preppie. (For better or worse, I also immediately had flashbacks of Catholic high school, too.)I topped everything off with a smooth shave, a bit of nicely-scented soothing aloe lotion, and a fresh haircut. I felt good and I thought I looked good too---all of which stood in stark contrast to how I normally presented myself at work in my utilitarian kitchen uniform.Attending the Christmas party provided a perfect opportunity for me to look as dashing and as debonair as possible. Given that I am a major dork at work, I thought making a presence would boost my spirits and possibly lead, however ridiculously remote the possibility, of sparking a latent romantic interest within a female co-worker. (Naturally, nothing happened.)My "Howdy-do" ended up being a "Howdy-don't." Nevertheless, I give myself credit for simply being myself, and for taking the time to appear as gentlemanly as possible.So looking good leads to feeling good. And Stephen Williams develops this thesis quite well in "Fashion: Change the Way You Look and Feel." Williams stresses that anyone, regardless of how they look to themselves and to others, can not only feel better by updating their wardrobe, but can also improve their own sense of self-esteem---which in this day and age is crucial for long-term psychological and emotional health.Williams has written his book primarily with women in mind, but the overall theme is beneficial for everyone. "Fashion" focuses primarily upon being able to make yourself look and feel good by accentuating creativity for all aspects of your style choices. Unfortunately, there are some designers who put their names upon clothes, shoes, make-up, and additional accessories that can be outrageously expensive.But having a limited budget never has to equate with having a limited wardrobe, much less a limited sense of style!Williams urges his readers to get as creative and as original as possible when deciding upon what to wear on a daily basis. Comfort and panache are encouraged; he encourages those who aren't confident with selecting a modern wardrobe to read as much literature as possible and to talk with experienced budget managers who can offer guidance and suggestions for building a basic clothes collection. Clothes and footwear that flatter a person's figure and highlight some of their most flattering, attractive features are key to long-term success.We live in a society that borders on near-obsession with looks. With such attitudes permeating our culture to the nth degree, is it any wonder that how we see ourselves is only so much superficiality? Rhetorically speaking, why should every woman aspire to look like an Angelina Jolie or a Miranda Lambert? (And for that matter, as an aside, why should any of us really care about celebrities in general? Don't they have their own set of unique issues as befits being in the public eye? Do they pay our bills or buy our groceries? And ultimately...who really cares?)The real challenge to maintaining a long-term sense of self-satisfaction and happiness with ourselves is to first accept who we are as human beings. For most of us, that means learning to live with our imperfections that we may perceive to be somehow unacceptable. Chipped teeth; dandruff; lopsided boobs; dry hair; halitosis; skin tags---the list of possibilities is endless. Once we can get past our own egos and learn to embrace our humaneness, we can also begin to forgive ourselves for not only having unreasonable expectations of ourselves, but to also emotionally and psychologically heal as well."Fashion" lets the reader proceed at their own pace in assembling a wardrobe that accentuates a comfortable yet positive lifestyle, which in turn represents an extension of how (s)he perceives themselves within the macrocosm of society.