In the fashion department, Southern Belle I am not.
Fashion in the South seems to have it’s own standard of classic-dressy. Forget the little black dress or the white Oxford shirt. Instead, think year-round Easter Sunday. Of course, it’s not like this is the everyday norm for most people – it’s just that most of the people I’ve seen dressed up are donning this garb: white or seer-sucker suits for men and full-skirted, flowered dresses paired with floppy hats and whites shoes for women. (Exception: I did see several men at the beach wearing white suits. Though, it was a Sunday.)
Given that this seems to be the standard, naturally stores in this area favor these styles. This poses a problem for those who aren’t in the mood for celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ each time the invitation calls for ‘dressy’ – namely, me.
Infamous duo Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag model their Southern-inspired outfits. (AP Photo/David Harpe)
I first ran into this problem in April when searching for a dress to wear to my friend’s wedding in Tucson. My goal – a simple silhouette in a solid, cheerful color. Easter was in April this year, so it wasn’t any great surprise when flowery frocks dominated the clothing racks at all the stores I visited. Feeling only somewhat defeated, I ended up buying one when I got to Arizona.
Earlier this summer, I had a job interview in Washington, D.C. The night before, I realized that I only owned professional clothes suitable for winter wear. A mile of walking and a ride in the Metro (which that day lacked A/C, coincidentally) and I would be a hot mess. In a state of panic, I rushed to four different stores in search of a simple black, tailored skirt. Not a retailer around had such a garment. NONE.
Think about that – one of the most obvious staples of a woman’s wardrobe and there aren’t any available? All of the stores I went to were major national retailers so I was sure they’d have one. Nope.
I wouldn’t have worried much if my interview had been in North Carolina – I would have settled for one of the flowered or pastel skirt-jacket combos they had everywhere. (Come to think of it, I haven’t seen a single person wearing a black skirt in the time I’ve been in NC.) But, I was trying to project ‘Washingtonian,’ since the interview was in D.C.
So, once again I went elsewhere for apparel – Fredericksburg, Virginia. (For those who aren’t familiar with the area, it’s pretty darn close to D.C., so the preferred fashions are comparable.)
This is just all a bit mind-boggling. Yes – it is summer, but where isn’t a black skirt considered an appropriate year-round garment for professional environments? Certainly everywhere else I’ve been.
There’s not a lot I don’t like about the South, but this inability to supply wardrobe basics to its residents ranks at the top of my list.
I mean, come on, South – that’s just ridiculous.
