Two pairs of tights, and a dream of Chuck
Image from stickers and donuts.
My one shopping moment of note, this entire semester (if we don’t count the trip up the Swiss mountain), happened late one Wednesday evening, after a three-day marathon of paper writing. I rewarded myself by indulging in a bit an imaginary reality by purchasing two pairs of boldly colored tights (on sale! $14, debit) at Anthropologie. I’ve never been in the store before, but found myself enchanted at the world of new “vintage” being painted before my eyes. Here, in one boxed up package, was my key to looking like Chuck from Pushing Daisies. Or at least, getting closer to it. Like many others in the TV-watching world (or in my case, hulu-enabled watching), I am enchanted by the quirky, beautiful, sweet outfits the main female lead in the show wears. These clothes speak of joy, and happiness, and a plucky, perky kind of personality that overcomes great odds. I want my clothes to speak so kindly.
One cannot help but be astounded by the idea of taking vintage, which intrinsically carries with it the elusive “patina” of age, and making it into a commodified, recently manufactured, line of products. Here, one finds a variety of hardware to put on your furniture, making it look older than it is, or a new dress that looks as though your mother might have worn it. Or grandmother.The prices are astoundingly high, with t-shirts selling for $50-$98. But the idea of looking like Chuck . . . one swoons.