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The Goddess Speaks

Carol Chun

Age, priorities tend
to dull fashion sense

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Are we truly judged by what we wear to shop at Longs? Do you look at what you're wearing before you walk into Neiman Marcus? Do you think about what you're going to wear to your kid's open house? Did you think about sacrificing your clothing style to get that perfect job? Once you've got that dream job that required pantyhose and a slip under your linen suit, did you sit at your desk dreaming about running around in shorts and a T-shirt?

When you "do lunch" with friends, do you try to remember what you wore the last time so you don't wear the same thing? Do you stay away from yellow because it makes you look jaundiced? Is blue your color? Do you tuck your shirt in? Do you have your nails done?

A hundred nagging questions are considered before we ever leave the house. Is it any wonder that many of us stand in front of our closets -- the minutes ticking by -- before we realize that in spite of how many clothes we own, we have nothing to wear?

Of course, some people try harder than others. For them, all the fuss and worry is worth the experience of never having to cower in a corner.

For me, when I finally get around to getting my hair cut, my hairdresser greets me with a "Hey, stranger."

And please don't look at my nails. I wear polish on my toenails, not for a "total look," but as camouflage. I just don't want to look at them and cringe.

I CLEARLY REMEMBER the day I decided to "run down to Longs" and made one of those fateful decisions to skip changing out of my "house clothes." I was wearing clean but definitely unstylish shorts, a nondescript T-shirt, rubber slippers and, in a major faux pas -- no makeup.

Could I possibly run into someone who matters to me in the next 20 minutes? I took the plunge.

Well, I'll tell you who I did run into -- only the prettiest girl from my high school graduating class. She still looked great after 20 years, and I'm sure she wasn't in her "house clothes" with no makeup.

I tried to straighten my posture to show that I at least had stature if I didn't have a lick of clothing sense. I made a feeble attempt to run my fingers through my hair, then thought to myself, "What the heck. I've got my health and two great kids."

With a quick peck on the cheek, I made my retreat and drove home and made a quick change into a T-shirt that matched my shorts.

NOW THAT I'M decidedly older, my shorts are a few sizes larger but clean. My T-shirts continue to be nondescript, and makeup to me is sunscreen and a little lipstick. I am happiest if I can get through the day without embarrassing my children.

I know I look OK if my daughter's eyes do not roll back completely out of sight when she sees me. In deference to my mother, I do iron my linen dresses.

I do occasionally wear pantyhose, and I don't roll my knee-high stockings down around my ankles.

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Carol Chun is a mother of two who works at Punahou School. When she's not thinking about dressing herself, she enjoys beadwork.

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The Goddess Speaks is a Tuesday feature by and
about women. If you have something to say, write
"The Goddess Speaks," 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813;
or e-mail features@starbulletin.com.

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