Thursday, April 10, 2008

Superstars, expected and unexpected

The most unexpected accessories and items of clothing garner lots of attention and compliments from the people in my life. There's often a disconnect between what I consider my most flattering, unique and attention-getting items, and what other people tend to notice/comment on. (Of course, I also have a theory that people - women especially - sometimes comment on the items they like the least, but I may just be paranoid.)

First up - some items that get tons of attention and compliments, which I didn't anticipate when I purchased them.

The item: A gingham-and-leather clutch/wristlet by Gentle Fawn I bought at Karmaloop on impulse because it was cute and $14.

What people say: "How cute! It's so you!"

The item: Purple patent leather T-straps (second from the left)

What people say: "They're so fun! I love the color!"

(needless to say, these shoes ARE distinctive, but I had no idea they would get so many compliments/comments. I got several comments the very first day I wore them.)

The item: Royal blue drape-front cardigan from Anthropologie

What people say: "Where did you get it? Is it warm?"

(my theory here is that people comment on the cardigan because it's a wonderful color on me. But I may be flattering myself.)

The item: Mundi pocketbook from Marshall's, which is starting to look the worse for wear (it's the leftmost item in the picture, obvs)

What people say: "Is that Marc Jacobs?"

Second - items that I bought knowing they would be well-received by the people in my life.

The item: Yellow Nine West tote

What people say: "How pretty! It looks like Marc Jacobs!"

(I love the Marc Jacobs comments about my bag and wallet. I had no idea these items resembled Marc Jacobs stuff when I bought them. Also, I only own one actual Marc Jacobs item - a canvas tote that was a gift. I never get comments on it.)

Third - items that I would expect to get way more comments than they do.

The item: Necklace made from a bit of vintage brass nouveau (purchased from Portobello on etsy)

I love this necklace and wear it all the time. It's asymmetrical and I find it pleasingly weird, but I suppose people don't comment on its much because they don't know what the hell it is, and are afraid to ask.

The item: Diesel leather jacket

This is an obviously pricey item and something much different from what I usually wear; so far, people seem to look me up and down without making a comment about how slick and badass I surely look. Of course, the jacket's still new and I haven't worn it that much, so time will tell.

(This post would be a lot more exciting if I wore more vintage items. I find that vintage clothes get tons of compliments - or, at the very least - puzzled looks - especially if they're pleasingly ugly. I have a butt-ugly vintage dress I bought in Hawaii, for example. It's a tight tube dress made of velveteen with a yellow-and-black plaid print, with black fur at the bust. I used to wear it to midnight showings of Rocky Horror Picture Show as a teen, and strangers would always ask me to pose for pictures. Its ugliness combined with the tight fit make it a real attention-grabber. Anyway, I want to have an Ugly Clothes Party so I can wear the dress and see all the hideous crap hiding in my friends' closets.)

Anyone else find that people love to comment on things you wouldn't expect?

1 comment:

Shareta said...

Yeah, that yellow bag really *does* look like a Marc Jacobs bag. But much cuter because it's probably much more of a bargain.