Fashion has always eluded me. I was born a tomboy who preferred pants and comfortable clothes to scratchy tights, ruffled itchy collars, and restrictive clothing or shoes. I did go through a ‘girly’ phase in high school/college where I concentrated on looking ‘cute’ for the guys. But I would still stick to comfort wear over whatever happened to be the fashion at the time.

Fastforward a few –*ahem*– years. I work at home. I have two kids. I have pets everywhere. And I’m right back where I started. Now that I don’t have to conform to office attire standards, I am back to my comfort ways. T-shirts, pants with some stretch/room to them, barefoot (summer) or slippersocked (winter). I hardly ever take the time to style my hair anymore or put on more than a bit of makeup.

In other words, I think I am back to my ‘true’ self.

Now, I do have a bit o’ the fancy clothes for church and dinner out, but the minute I get home from either of these events, the comfortwear comes out of the drawers once again.

I was just watching a video montage of women and their handbags in New York. These were high-end bags, Louis Vitton and others.

I didn’t get it.

The bags were all hideous…monstrous in size with all kinds of strange fabrics and colors and odd clunky buckles and things on them. And the voiceover guy was commenting on them like they were important and intriguing.

Am I missing some gene? I would never spend $1700 or more on a hideous bag that looks like it could carry camping equipment inside.

My purse of choice:  a small black bag from Wal-Mart that I bought about 4 years ago for 10 bucks. All my stuff stays in it…wallet, pens, checkbook, chapstick. And it doesn’t snap my shoulder in half when I carry it around. If it gets old or breaks, it’s very simple to replace.

Is there something wrong with me for not going ga-ga over handbags?

I had an acquaintance who admitted once that she judges people first on the clothing they wear. She’s very fashion-oriented and wants all the latest styles…even if they are ugly (high-waisted pants, anyone?). But when I heard her say that, I was horrified. She must think I am a slob. Someone who is careless and messy.

Yikes!

What about you? Are you a fashion don’t? Or do you have the fashion bug?  If you do have the fashion bug, could you please tell me what it’s like. I sometimes imagine somewhere deep down I’m defective for not caring about these things…and would like to understand. Sort of like a blind person wanting to know what it’s like to see.

So, one thing you will never find me writing about is a fashion-conscious woman who obsesses over shoes or handbags.

Kris