New York Report
Last week I went into The City (yup, that’s what we call in out here in East BumF**k) with a friend to see a Broadway play.
We saw “Motown: The Musical”. I love Motown. I loved Motown even before I loved The Beatles. The music in this show was spectacular – although sometimes it was just Snippets of Spectacular. They crammed in as many numbers as they could – but I would have liked to have heard a few more all the way through. Since it already ran about three hours, I’m thinking they could have cut Rick James and added one more stanza of just about anything else. But I am being picky. It was outstanding music. (And dialogue as corny as the play I wrote in fourth grade.)
But that’s not even the topic of this post.
I am here to report on the latest New York styles.
As soon as I got off the train, I could see that fashion had changed A LOT!
Everyone was dressed in FLAGS. Flag T-shirts. Flag pants, Flag hats.
But then I realized that it was Puerto Rico Day, and everyone was going to the parade.
Thank goodness. Because this was a fashion bandwagon I wouldn’t have been too keen to jump on.
Once we got a further up 42nd Street, the styles definitely took a turn for the better.
Lots of skirts. It’s nice to know that skirts are back. But then again, I only have two – a denim skirt for casual, and a high-waisted red mini that is my Statement Skirt. I guess that makes my denim skirt my Non-Statement Skirt. So I am all set for both speaking and non-speaking occasions.
The best skirt I saw, though, wasn’t a mini. It was quite long and full. But not a maxi. More like Audrey Hepburn in the fifties. And the wearer had the perfect little jersey top – striped and fitted and boatnecked. She was ready for Paris in New York, and I was too. I am just waiting for the day when I can scan a stranger with my phone and the clothes she is wearing pop up in my cell phone to purchase. In my size. On sale. Free shipping. I am thinking this app is probably just six months away.
The most intriguing outfit I saw was not the Naked Singing Cowboy in Times Square. (although he was a close second.)
We had brunch at a French restaurant on Ninth Avenue. And the hostess had amazing style.
She was wearing skinny ankle pants with ballet flats. Me too! I score in the Big Apple again!
But the similarity stopped at the waist.
Our hostess was wearing a little black camisole with a racerback. She had visible bra straps from a non-racerback bra.
I can’t get used to visible bra straps. It has been one of my main goals in life to always make sure my bra straps are hidden. I remember a kid teasing me when I was about thirteen because my bra strap was peeking out from my sleeveless blouse. I was mortified. No one will ever see my bra strap again. It is a sight just too terrible to endure.
However, this hostess looked really great. The racerback top with the straight bra straps on either side – somehow it suited her.
But the crazy-adorable thing was the sweater this woman wore with her camisole. It was a wrap sweater – the kind that has no buttons, just long tails that you tie. That type of sweater looks really sweet except I usually hate the big bulky knot at the waist. I don’t need any more bulk there, thank you.
Now, you may be thinking: How did Nancy know about the girl’s visible bra straps and racerback cami, if she was wearing a sweater?
Because she had her sweater on BACKWARDS!
That’s right – she had turned her sweater around so it covered her completely in the front, and swooped around loosely with the bulky knot at her pretty (and tiny) butt!
The effect was adorable!
She also had short-short hair and a perfect complexion and weighed 105 lbs and was maybe 26. She looked like a ballerina.
Who knew that backwards could be so fashion forward?
I was entranced.
After a trip to New York, I always try to incorporate the styles I see – in a manner appropriate for East Bumf**k, of course.
But I can’t copy the backward sweater.
Once you are over 60, you no longer look like a ballerina if you wear your sweater backwards.
You look like you forgot your meds.
- Posted in: Aging ♦ Fashion ♦ Humor ♦ Style
- Tagged: Aging, Audrey Hepburn, Broadway theatre, Humor, middle-aged, Motown, New York, New York Fashion, wrap sweaters
notquiteold 
I love your fashion posts! I think that the worst thing about getting older is that we finally understand what style is, but can’t get away with it. It’s so unfair.
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Amen!
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So true! I love today’s styles so much more than the choices I had when I could wear anything. Now I can afford to wear anything – but I no longer have the nerve.
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Maybe if you wore the camisole backwards?
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That would do it!
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It’s been a long time since I snorted at something I read, but this line did it for me: “Once you are over 60, you no longer look like a ballerina if you wear your sweater backwards. You look like you forgot your meds.” Thank you for the best laugh of the day.
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You’re welcome. I love to make someone laugh.
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I loved this! And I can’t get used to visible bra straps either. Or pants that fall to mid tush on guys. Have they no pride? Makes me crazy especially when the guy is my son. If his bra straps start showing I’m going back on the meds.
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He can use a “strap-magic” to hold it in place.
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“I am just waiting for the day when I can scan a stranger with my phone and the clothes she is wearing pop up in my cell phone to purchase. In my size. On sale. Free shipping. I am thinking this app is probably just six months away.”
Try six minutes away. 😉
We’ll remember we saw it here first.
Thanks for the fun!
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Won’t that be sweet? And I want to know who their hairdresser is too. And automatically schedule me.
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I love that new app of yours (soon to be new app of yours).
Sign me up!
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I can’t wait. I will be ordering soon.
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I think I could live with the butt hanging pants on guys (ok, i spend a lot of time envisioning the eventual destination of said pants and the person wearing them stumbling along with skinny legs poking out of the boxers while the pants tangle around his ankles. Yes, I do have a mean streak, but it’s funny!) but not bra straps. really, you couldn’t afford a strapless bra? Or even more daring, go without, ’cause if you look good in that racerback camisole to begin with, support is not something you probably need a lot of …LOL. unless you’re aping Madonna or Lady G, underwear should definitely stay under and out of sight. LOL. Thanks for the laugh.
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i used to go without. Now I am afraid that I will just look like a homeless person.
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I am thinking you really could get away with this, try it! You are so fashion savvy! Never mind 60, bah.
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Maybe two out of three. The racerback cami and the sweater. Not the bra straps.
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I’m with you on the bra straps but 20 something’s love it. In my mind a woman has two bra colors, nude and beige. Ok, a red bra just because. But never a neon green or orange or purple like they have now. That’s why they want the straps to show–it’s part of the fashion. All my recon info comes from my 25 year old niece.
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I have beige, nude, and taupe. I am daring,
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That is not attractive. She looks like she has some kind of support garment on, like maybe she needs back support or something.
New York City women always wear lots of skirts, especially in summer – more practical when it is hot. You can’t really wear shorts to work!!
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I love skirts. But here in East Bumf**k, I CAN wear shorts to work.
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I don;t see guys at my NYC campus wearing the pants that drag on the ground any more. I think that look died several years ago. The guys who want to look scary now all sport diamond earrings and those horrible skinny lines of hair around their jaws. The Asian guys wear skinny jeans and manga hair. All the guys wear hoodies when they want to be anonymous – hoodies replaced the ubiquitous baseball caps of the 90’s.
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It’s always nice to drop by here for not only a fashion update but a giggle or two–okay, sometimes a snort–like just happened when I drank coffee and read your post. At least I can still multi-task…
I don’t like bra straps showing either, on anyone, especially not me. I agree with the other commenter who mentioned the young girl looked like she was wearing some kind of a back support. There I go snorting again…BTW, I must add that your artwork is awesome too.
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i don’t think my illustration did her justice. I thought she looked chic, quirky and adorable.
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I just love your fashion updates. I will have to go shopping. Where can I buy the appropriate shoulders for the bra straps?
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Shoulder pads. Just don’t wear them with your tank top.
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Hahahaha! I am rolling on the floor once again. Your take on “style” in New York is just priceless, right down to the backwards sweater (we used to do that in the 50’s but all buttoned up), and the visible bra straps (whole bras were visible in the 50’s via see through nylon blouses!). If you hold onto things long enough they come back in but your ballerina’s style is special. I’ll bet you could carry it off too. 🙂
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I remember girls in high school with backwards sweaters. But I was so flat-chested I feared that someone would start talking to my back.
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Even your responses are hilarious! LOL!
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Squish is a total trend-setter, then. He has worn his clothes backward for over a year.
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What a fashionisto!
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so, I bought a dress a while back at The Rack and I first tried it on backwards because that’s how I thought it went. then I noticed the tag and realized my mistake. I still bought it. 😦 now that I have it home, I’ve worn it once and it’s confusing. it’s a lot like what you describe, but in a dress. problem – my boobs are old, so I cannot go braless, but I cannot wear any of the bras I own. my solution (although I feel certain this is not the Right Fashion Solution) – wear a cami under it and a bra under that. the cami shows, but not my bra. I have no idea if what I have come up with is fashionable or not and now I totally regret buying the stupid dress. oh, and if I just wore the damn thing backwards (the way I originally thought it was supposed to go) it would look super cute and I could wear an existing bra. NOW after reading this post I think I SHOULD just wear it backwards and pretend I live in new York and not texas?????????
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Wearing it backwards is the perfect solution… as long as there aren’t big darts and tailoring such as to give you the impression of boobs on your back.
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I really really hate the whole visable bra staps thing. It drives me nuts when my daughters do it but they don’t listen to me. Oh, sometimes I feel so old!
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I’m with you on the bra straps. When you’re our age, you had it drummed into your head too well that strap-peakage is a BAD thing, to ever go for that look.
Congrats on rocking the current look, though, even without the straps. I went into a little boutique yesterday that caters to skinny, stylish, young, wealthy clientele ($120 for artfully ripped jean shorts ???) because I had a $25 coupon. I’ve never felt so fat, old and frumpy in my life. I ended up buying a Spanx tank top that was on clearance.
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This past weekend was really hot and I wore a sundress … a bra strap showed (gasp). Thank goodness we were at home. Must be a generational thing!
Love your fashion posts, especially since I have absolutely no fashion sense what-so-ever!
MJ
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