Flare Jeans and Twilight Dreams

I can't recall how hold I was or what department store it was, but I remember my first reaction to flare jeans: "Eww. Gross." I even committed silently to myself that I would never purchase such an atrocious item of clothing... I did not anticipate that straight legged jeans would soon disappear from shelves, leaving me no choice in the matter unless I wanted to wear Wranglers (which were equally offensive to flare legs). It did not help my stance on the issue that my sister started succumbing to the advances of the flare legged jeans - and she looked cute! Which, of course, led me to the inner monologue where I started backpedaling in my mind. "Well, maybe they aren't so bad... She looks cute... Everyone else is wearing them... Ohh, these ones fit really nice... I could get used to the 6 inches of extra fabric dancing around my leg as I walk..." And there is was. After months of obstaining, I was now tight (very tight, except around the calves) with the new and improved products from Old Navy, Express, and JC Penny. Ironically, now that super straight legs are back in style, I have yet to purchase the pants that make you look like an standing bullfrog, even though they have been in style now for years. I prefer my flare, thank you.

And then there was that one book about vampires where a similar situation took place... I'm not into that science fiction/fantasy kind of stuff (however, I am a sucker for romance ... I like to think of it as HOPEFUL romantic - hopeless is kind of depressing). I thought it was pathetic the way women were swooning over a certain Mr. Edward Cullen that I had never even met - he couldn't be that great. I didn't bite into that forbidden apple for years. I wasn't even tempted in 2005, 2006, 2007, or 2008, but then, one fateful day in 2009 (the END of 2009 mind you), I again had the incredibly cliche' discussion with myself. "I need something to read on this plane ride! It can't be that bad... the movie was pretty terrible, but books are always better than movies. Karma and Melody liked it...and they have pretty good taste (like flare jeans)..." And so, again, I faltered in my resolve to steer clear of vampires. Not only did I fail in my avoidance, but I read all 4 books, thoroughly enjoying 3 out of 4 of them, admittedly. Again, big sister wins.

Looking back, this has been a pattern in my life. I avoid change. I ignore new trends. I oppose pop-culture. But only temporarily - eventually, I am too enticed, like a bug to a flame. I remember this same situation occurring with a certain faux fur lined coat, straight-ironed hair, flats, and countless other fashionable and popular trends. Where is my conviction?!?!?!

And then, I find it! I have conviction. It is in my ears that are not pierced (though I am not sure if they are not pierced due to stubbornness to prove something to my sisters or opposition to an actual cultural trend)! It is my closet that holds 0 pairs of pointed toe shoes, even though I have an office job where pointed toes would clearly fit in. It is in my bookshelves that hold not a single book for dieting, proving that I don't listen to popular beliefs about body image. It is in my teeth that are not straight or perfect, though I have been offered a chance at dental perfection. So, world, I have maintained some sort of integrity in this world of choices, and I can be proud of those. I have avoided some of the trends that I found so absolutely hilarious as a studying anthropology major, and for the ones that I have not been so successful at avoiding, I think, "Well, it could have been worse..."

But now, I am faced with my biggest temptation. A trend that I have avoided to date. Am I a hypocrite, simply a weak member of society, or neither? Most people have their blogs up and running by the time they say their "I do's," but I have, to this point, only read blog postings- not actually written them. But here I am, analyzing this with not a monologue, but full on discussion with all my favorite theorists. For some reason, being aware of the reasoning behind this decision makes me feel degrees better about it. I use my Anthropological Theoretical backing to analyze this decision.

According to van Gennep, it is my rite of passage to being a married woman in my society.

If you ask Foucalt, this is simply a way of hierarchical observation, training vast bodies (of women) and forces us into multiplicity of individual elements (blogs).

Becker would hold that blogs only lend themselves to interpretation by the reader, never translation from my language to yours.

Of course, Merleau-Ponty sees blogging as an opportunity for the rare and precious moment for us bloggers to recognize and find one another on an intimate level.

And Goffman would focus on the reply of my readers, focusing on the response cries and the semi-words used.

But Geertz would sum up the idea..."All their words, their consciousness, their knowledge, were extracted and put in the service not of continuity or identity for the others, but of entertainment, education, and edification of the Outsiders. "

And me, while, I say that the reason I do this is for a compilation of all these reasons. But knowingly admitting and accepting these ramifications and all the consequences that blogging implies, do press forward and begin my blogging journey.