Do NoVA Women Dress Schlumpy? (to buy, live, versus)

[ajzjmsmom]

As someone who is very close to becoming a part of the NOVA scene it is with much relief to hear that I won't be the only schulmpy one around. I am not a gen Xer so I can't say it is because I dress up all week and just want to be comfortable when I am not working. Mine is simply that I am to old to give a care what anyone thinks of me and I dress to be comfortable.

[beatlecrazy]

Like others have said, I dress up very nicely for work for 5 days a week- also for Sunday mornings - and when I get home I put on comfortable pants and a t shirt right away. I will go out in that too, if I'm just shopping around for clothes, groceries, etc. No need for me to get all gussied up to go shopping or out to lunch.

[lovemy4kids]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Went to lunch yesterday in Shirlington (a pretty nice area) and noticed that younger women here dress very unstylishly in public compared to other metropolitan areas around the world. Saw way too many baggy cargo shorts, t-shirts, tank tops and clunky sandals or flip-flops. Okay for cleaning the house but hardly for going out. Just wondering the reason for the lax fashion standards around here. Can't be because of lack of funds.

It's not a NOVA thing. In general, women in the USA don't dress well.

[Alicia Bradley]

Do NoVA Women Dress Schlumpy? Yes. CAVA1990, you are absolutely correct, and I agree that the area women's general (with isolated exceptions, of course) schlumpiness is weird given the area's high affluance. (And note that I'm not exactly complaining about the schlump[iness?], and I certainly don't consider its opposite some kind of vulgarly blingy/label-flaunting style, as do many of the posters here, apparently.. I'm actually kind of glad that I don't encounter many women who make me think, "Wow, she looks really, really cool/good/whatever; I feel kind of frumpy in comparison." It does make me cringe every time I hear about "East Coast elites," though, since "elites" are generally thought of dressing well, AFAIK.)

[betamanlet]

Why are you concerned how other people dress?

This is exactly why I hate this area so much.

[mississippimagnolia]

It's not a NOVA thing. In general, women in the USA don't dress well.

This is sad, but true. I just don't get it. I see women in the grocery store who literally look like they just fell out of bed. Some actually wearing pajamas! Hair a mess. No make-up. Sloppy looking clothing. I wouldn't go outside to check the mail looking like that, much less go shopping.

I'm not sure if it's a problem more with the younger generations or just our country in general. I'm 44, so maybe I'm out of touch. But I still dress to go to the grocery store. Hair done. Make-up on. It has nothing to do with trying to impress anyone. It's a matter of personal pride in my appearance.

[betamanlet]

Originally Posted by mississippimagnolia

This is sad, but true. I just don't get it. I see women in the grocery store who literally look like they just fell out of bed. Some actually wearing pajamas! Hair a mess. No make-up. Sloppy looking clothing. I wouldn't go outside to check the mail looking like that, much less go shopping.

I'm not sure if it's a problem more with the younger generations or just our country in general. I'm 44, so maybe I'm out of touch. But I still dress to go to the grocery store. Hair done. Make-up on. It has nothing to do with trying to impress anyone. It's a matter of personal pride in my appearance.

Are you trying to impress the food you buy at the grocery store? You're there to buy groceries, not impress anyone, unless you are incredibly insecure and find a constant need to impress people.

[Fern435]

As long as a person is clean and respectably covered, who cares what clothes she wears? Women seem to be judged more harshly here than men are (and usually by other women).

I don't want to attract attention when I do errands, so I deliberately dress in simple stuff.

[kevinm]

Originally Posted by betamanlet

Why are you concerned how other people dress?

This is exactly why I hate this area so much.

Because WE have to see them. Have some pride and try to look your best at ALL TIMES. The world is not your private lounge.

[South Jersey Styx]

Originally Posted by betamanlet

Are you trying to impress the food you buy at the grocery store? You're there to buy groceries, not impress anyone, unless you are incredibly insecure and find a constant need to impress people.

I see mississippimagnolia's point. No, I don't think anyone feels a need to impress someone when we're just out buying a pack of sausages or picking out pears. But there is a difference between someone wearing a decent pair of sweats or yoga pants and a clean shirt versus someone with sleep discharge in the eye, wearing their pajamas, or who has obviously has not washed their face.

Sure, some people find it OK to look bad in public but to me, IMO, it shows a lack of self-respect, laziness, or indicative of a personal problem (i.e., depression, alcoholism or crack addict) when an individual cannot even make themselves presentable in public.