(retro)photo Friday #10: Fashion maven
I spend too much time cruising the JCrew.com sale links. Way, WAY too much time. Especially in the sweaters. No one should spend as much time debating the merits of merino versus cashmere or 3/4 versus full sleeves or cardigan versus pullover as I do. Especially when I should be doing something more productive….like catching up on the latest episode of 16 and Pregnant or something. (It’s research for BUMPED. Really.) That JCrew.com is the go-to destination for a disproportionate amount of my procrastination is particularly ironic when I consider that I once had an opportunity to be the person writing J.Crew’s captivating catalog copy instead of timesucking it.
If you’ve been to one of my college events* recently, you’ve heard the story about how I had an interview at J.Crew when I was a senior in college. The job was junior copywriter and I went to the interview in a horrible $29 suit from Strawberry which was a fine place to buy shiny and flammable club clothes but wasn’t exactly known as an emporium for professional wear. Because I couldn’t draw upon my small fortune in unused dining hall dollars, that’s all I could afford. So the hiring high priestess of the J.Crew catalog was quizzing me on my sweatery opinions on such subjects as ribbed versus un- , when she suddenly got all serious, leaned into the desk and asked:
“ARE YOU A FASHION MAVEN?”
I responded as any reasonable college senior in a $29 suit from Strawberry would respond to such a question.
“HA!”
Which was not the right answer. And why I now pay J.Crew and not vice-versa.
If I was ever a fashion maven, I peaked when I was three years old. Just look at me rocking that mini dress, tights and Mary Janes. Now I recognize that my mother is really to be credited for dressing me so well. Because as soon as I was left up to my own sartorial devices the results were none too pretty.
Exercising my right to fashion autonomy is how this:
Turned into this twelve years later:
The 2nd photo restricts any claims I could ever have on fashion mavenhood.
*So next Thursday, April 22nd at the Emerson College B&N is my last college event for the Spring semester. I’ve had so much fun at Syracuse University, University of Pittsburgh, Temple University and Rutgers University and I’d love to do another round of college visits next Fall. If your organization can cover my travel arrangements, get in touch with me via megan@meganmccafferty.com
Tags: (retro)photo Friday, 1976, 1987
