Bear
In need of a redesign since 2011.

Wednesday 15 October 2008

Anna the Drag Queen

As I was wandering in and out of all the clothes shops in town today, desperately searching for a white jumper like the one I made up two years ago, I was reminded of something I learned about in Sociology lessons in high school.

Judith Butler wrote about Gender Performativity, which is the idea that acting, dressing, walking in a female way, so as to appear as female as possible, is a drag act - regardless of the biological sex of the person doing it. She knows the score, man, I'm telling you. As I wandered fearfully through aisles of puffy dresses and stupid shoes, I whispered silent thanks to Ms Butler for explaining this to me.

Y'see, it's not inborn knowledge. Girls don't automatically know how to apply eyeliner, or what to wear to a 'soirée', or whether red works with purple. They don't wake up one day in a tasteful sunglow-gold haze, sit bolt upright, and say "My gosh, I've been wearing dresses with flats all these years!"

So for my entire life, I've been making it up as I go along, desperately hoping that I won't get caught out. I throw on something that probably might look ok I guess, and venture outside into the hostile, judging gaze of those who knows more about fashion than me - i.e. everyone. I fear being accosted by Gok Wan or Trinny and Susannah; those supremely confident beings who seem to know exactly what I should wear despite not knowing who I am or what I like. Maybe they could help me. Maybe they could tell me what kind of occassion those horrible puffy dresses are actually for, and it would all fall into place, and I'd cry and we'd buy me a tangerine clutch to celebrate.

But until the day comes when I pledge my undying allegiance to Red magazine, if indeed the day ever comes, I'll continue to wear stuff I find in charity shops.

My most unfashionable fashion choices:

  • a long denim jacket with stars and furry bits on. I bought it because it matches the jeans I got given by a friend and fell in love with. The jeans have since fallen apart, but the jacket lives on!
  • man-shirts! I love man-shirts. I have one of my brother's that he gave me, and one of my dad's that he... hasn't noticed is gone.
  • a massive black rucksack. It's technically for a laptop, but when most girls don't have room for their mobile phone in those tiny pink bags of theirs, I'm pulling hatstands and stuff out of mine.
  • my nails are currently bitten raw, with chipped black nail varnish. Stylish!
  • big stompy shoes. They're so worn down that they squeak on every surface known to man, even carpet somehow, so it's time I found some almost but not quite exactly the same to replace them.
Mistakes even I haven't made:

Low low low rise jeans
 Cros. WHY?!?!In other news, I'm retiring my Creative Splurges blog. I won't delete it, but I won't be adding to it any more either - instead, feel free to check out my deviantART page!

11 comments:

  1. aww, no more creative splurges :( one less thing to be nosey on and pass the time when i really should be working!

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  2. I base my wardrobe on what doesnt itch.

    ~shay

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  3. But... I like the splurgeage! :(

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  4. The theory was that my splurgeage would continue unabated, just at a new venue! I thought it would be better since that's what deviantART's FOR. If there are strong feelings about this I may reconsider, but it makes sense to me.

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  5. It's worth bearing in mind that "fashionable" and looking good don't always go hand in hand. As evidence, I submit those awful leggings and hotpants combos that are so prevalent these days. I know nothing about fashion, but I've never felt the urge to ridicule your fashion sense.

    And don't get me started on Gok Wan..

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  6. Hahah! I'm very pleased to hear it :) Gav wants me to wear that fuzzy-shoes-and-mini-skirt combo thing, but I'm declining...

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  7. Hey! I never said that! I just said that it looks good >:-(

    I don't try to dress you!

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  8. He also said that he thinks I'd look simply ghastly in cerise. Should I be worried?

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  9. What on Earth is cerise?

    Didn't she sing Baby I Want Your Love Thing?

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  10. Cerise (pronounced /səˈriːs/ or /səˈriːz/ in English and IPA: [səˈʀiz] in French) is a deep to vivid purplish red.

    So pink then, if you will. Bloody French.

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