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Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice
We live in a male-dominated society, keep up with multi-tasking, go through mood swings and have our bad days. In spite of all these, there is always a sunnier side than brings me joy in being a woman; the joy of dressing up.
Fashion started since the 11th century with an introduction of chemise and tunics. History has its own glorious facts. Cleopatra wore berries on her face and henna on her hair. Queen Victoria had a fetish for gloves. From buttoned gowns to the recent chic Armani style, the fashion industry has been innovative and continues to progress. There have been fashion disasters, faux pas and innovations. Some have created revolutions and some have just disappeared into the clouds.
You see everything with a stylish touch now. Everything from jeans, summer dresses, tank tops, variety of shoes from pumps to gladiators, bags, accessories, shoulder offs or the traditional attires like sarees and salwar sarees reflect a different perspective and a different era. The numerous fashion weeks, movies, soap operas or the nearby malls, all have their unique designs. Brands are a priority, new ideas keep coming, history repeats itself. All of these get done only in the name of fashion.
I am no expert and I do not have an exquisite taste to keep heads turning. But as a simple girl who is slowly discovering her taste and turning into a woman, the idea of dressing up is certainly amusing. For me, fashion is not just about finding the best thing in your favorite store. It is about dressing your attitude. It’s about speaking of yourself, it’s about personifying your inner self. It's about proving that there is a different person in each of us. It's about looking equally fabulous in a pair of jeans and tee as you look in your evening gown.
Trying a new style adds variety to life. It makes our creativity come out of the nutshell. We have something new to bring for ourselves. Taking joy in trying out new ways to get dressed up adds to your self esteem. It makes you feel prettier and good about yourself. It’s about smiling at small joys in life rather than yearning for big cars , exotic holidays and luxurious bungalows to come along and make your life picture perfect. Dressing up brings out the joy in all the little things.
I see slender models on Fashion TV, I see my mum carrying her red saree so elegantly and I see people like me trying out heaps of clothes in the trial room. I see sale offers and run for it. I have a fetish for hand bags. I save, I spend, I try out new kinds. Some give me the right look and some are just bad, hasty decisions. All in all, it is the part of my life that gives me a happier edge in being a female…of being made of sugar, spice and everything nice.
Nikita Rimal
Nikita is currently doing her undergraduate studies from Kathmandu College of Management. She is enthusiastic about contributing to the social sector in the future.
( Nov 12th 2009, 10:55 AM ) says:
I cannot relate to Nikita's love for dressing up, but it's nice to see someone who embraces her womanhood. We read about women's equality and women's liberation and all that, but bottomline, girls will be girls and boys will be boys. We're different. Yeah, girls like to dress up and guys like games, girls like to talk and boys like to think. Whatever the case, the point is it doesn't really matter. You are who are you. Period.
( Nov 12th 2009, 11:13 PM ) says:
but a lot of girls don't like to dress up and a lot of boys don't like to play games. a lot of girls don't like to talk and a lot of boys don't like to think. thats what makes it a stereotype. at least nikita doesn't use the plural a lot. she defines her tastes, her preference, not all girls'.
( Nov 14th 2009, 09:53 PM ) says:
i happen to think that most stereotypes are accurate and that's why they are stereotypes. Ya, Nikita is only conveying her opinion as a girl who likes to dress up. i cannot relate but in some way, i do like to dress up for parties too...i'm a girl and that's what most girls instinctively like to do...or feel they should do to look good. most girls are always compete with each other whether they deny this or not. it's ingrained in us.
( Nov 14th 2009, 11:24 PM ) says:
its foolish and naive to think that stereotypes are accurate. and yes, exactly. they're called stereotypes because they're NOT accurate. otherwise, they would just be called the truth. you, and nikita, might fit into the stereotype of women but there are millions of women out there who would disagree with you. they're called stereotypes because they dont apply to everyone. sometimes they dont even apply to the majority.
( Nov 15th 2009, 12:17 AM ) says:
I assume that stereotypes wouldn't exist unless they contained some amount of truth. It is always difficult to categorize qualities that make us what we are as truths or - lies, is it? What stereotypes do tend to do is exaggerate some human traits and diminish others so that it is possible to fit people into a single category. But this can often lead to a lop sided understanding of the individual in question. The individual in question is almost always too diverse, too complex, too wholesome to be defined by or identified through a stereotype, which is probably why we all get a feeling of discomfort when we're associated with a stereotype. As far as fashion goes, I find it difficult to reconcile what I wear with what gender I belong to. It reminds me of how young girls are associated with the color pink and boys with blue (yet another stereotype - but one that a lot of people have succumbed to). What is more important to me is that I am the same person whether what I wear is associated with men or with women. I'm still the same when I happen to behave in a way that fits a certain stereotype as when I do the exact opposite thing. Most of all, I am the same even when I'm naked, which is just the way I prefer to be. Now, that may push me into a whole new stereotype altogether - but at least it offers some respite from this fashion debate.
( Nov 16th 2009, 12:42 AM ) says:
exactly.
( Nov 20th 2009, 03:01 PM ) says:
Hi Nikita, this is a fun little article about dressing up and fashion. But I am a little surprised by the debate on it. Why does the question of stereotypes come up when a girl talks about enjoying fashion? And relates it to womanhood? And why can’t she be a feminist and enjoy fashion? Isn’t that a stereotype, to question that? I know a lot of girls out here who dress well, take care of the way they look and are very feminist in their viewpoint. And no one is or can be a stereotype. Only a behavior is stereotypical. And that always differs from different social groups. And to place stereotypes on the opposite side of truth seems wrong because truth is completely relative. That is its beauty. Shreya, I agree with what you have said because personally, I don’t really feel more womanly when I dress more female (and these days fashion is becoming more androgynous) but maybe that’s just because it’s irrelevant to me or I don’t equate to being female. But what I am wondering about is if her article had been about how fashion was useless, shallow and pointless would these reactions have come up? Would the question of stereotypes be considered a valid concern? Would they have even been a concern? If not, then aren’t there some more serious stereotypes we must examine (that we are probably not aware of) in ourselves?
( Jun 9th 2010, 09:06 PM ) says:
the author of the article is talking about herself, not commenting on our gender, so i think we all should relax a little :)
i think feminists would say you're reinforcing stereotypes.