tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-282387672024-03-13T15:12:08.114-04:00Some Small SenseShopping experiences and store reviews by a very petite woman. Indeed, it sucks.
4'10", 87 pounds, and full grown - is it a surprise I have trouble finding clothes?Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-71714878156567436562007-07-03T01:36:00.000-04:002007-07-03T12:11:11.328-04:00Size Matters - Featured on Leonard Lopate Show<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0618470409/wnycorg-20"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/41HK9VD75XL._SS500_.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>While I have been pretty busy and haven't been posting lately, I thought that readers may be interested in listening to a particular radio segment on New York's public radio station, WNYC. For those of you that love public radio as much as I do (or are just interested in the segment), Leonard Lopate will be speaking with Stephen S. Hall today about his book, <span style="font-style: italic;">Size Matters: How Height Affects the Health, Happiness, and Success of Boys — and the Men They Become</span>.<br /><br />Hall is a science writer that has written a book that gives a historical overview as to how height has been understood over the years, and why it has changed. He also explores the causes and effects of the culture of size bias. The author himself is 5'5 3/4" and includes examples and antecdotes from his own life. (It's interesting to note that he makes a point to emphasize his height accurately down to the quarter inch. Fighting for every last bit or trying to deliberately not pass as 5'6"?)<br /><br />I will definitely be tuning in to listen to the interview and picking up a copy of his book soon. Those interested in a more detailed review can read the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/05/books/review/Stossel.t.html?ex=1183521600&en=a64dc3e312b08649&ei=5070">NY Times review</a>.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.wnyc.org/shows/lopate/episodes/2007/07/03">Leonard Lopate Show</a> will be airing this segment live on July 3, 2007 at noon on 93.9 FM in the NY metro area. You will also be able to call in to ask questions or make comments during the live segment at 212-433-WNYC (212-433-9692). Those that are unable to tune in directly can <a href="http://wnychi.streamguys.com/listen.pls">stream it</a>, or download the segment later free from iTunes or off the show's page. (Please note that there is a slight delay with the streamed content.)<br /><br />***correction***<br />The segment is actually a replay of a previous interview.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-60670994268248270832007-05-22T23:37:00.000-04:002007-05-23T00:02:02.307-04:00Massachusetts Height & Weight Anti-Discrimination LawsAs <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/05/17/mass_may_expand_discrimination_law/">reported by the Associated Press</a> last Friday by Ken Maguire, Boston Representitive <span class="headline"><span class="bodyFont">Byron Rushing is sponsoring a bill to add height and weight to the anti-discrimination laws. This would provide legal protection for individuals in the workplace as well as while undergoing real estate transactions. According to Rushing (</span></span>who is black, slim and of average height), <span class="headline"><span class="bodyFont">he proposed this out of a desire to defend civil rights.<br /><br /></span></span><span class="headline"><span class="bodyFont">While I'm perfectly clear about that I see that this <a href="http://somesmallsense.blogspot.com/2006/06/short-discrimination-is-alive-and-well.html">discrimination occurs</a>, it's equally clear most people don't really believe that the issue is anything serious. </span></span>Some choice comments from the <a href="http://forums.ibsys.com/viewmessages.cfm?sitekey=bos&Forum=6&Topic=15913">BostonChannel.com</a> forums prove enlightening on public opinion:<br /><ul style="font-style: italic;"><li><span class="DefaultText"> I'm so sick of people using 'discrimination' as a tool to demand special services. The airlines have seats in the planes, there is NO discrimination, you're welcome to sit in it. IF you don't fit, who's fault is that? Discrimination is so abused. Everyone has the right to work, to be all that they can be and there is no finer country, but stop complaining, stop using excuses and stop looking outward, look inward and figure out ways to succeed, just the way our parents and grandparents all did. If you are too short to fly a jet plane, then get a different job don't expect a jet plane to be specially configured just for you....that's discrimination. You're getting something that no one else is.</span></li><li><span class="DefaultText">So I looked up the exact definition of Discrimination: treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favor of or against, a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit</span><span class="DefaultText">. So would the 'group' that these people belong to be over-weight people? I believe the real reason discrimination acts were brought into effect were to protect sex, race and religious beliefs. Not to protect people who chow on fast food a little too much. If you're overweight and you think people treat you differently, go on a diet!</span></li><li> <span class="DefaultText"> Except for the most extreme situations you are never going to stop discrimination with a law.</span><span class="DefaultText"> People looking for work or housing are discriminated against every day because they are the wrong color, religion, sex, handicapped, fat, tall and you name it.</span><span class="DefaultText">...</span><span class="DefaultText">Its a way of life and human nature so better get used to it.</span></li></ul>Mixed in with the comments of denial, trivialization, and outright viciousness (check out the more vitriolic ones at the posting) are a few posts defending the proposal. What is interesting is that a lot of people feel that it's perfectly acceptable to punish people using employment opportunities for traits that have absolutely nothing to do with their work performance (or credit-worthiness in the case of real estate). Or it's also fine to pass moral judgements about their character (Napoleonic complex anyone?). Some individuals even try to better define the understanding of what constitutes acceptable levels of discrimination for "overweight," as if a more nuanced bit of discrimination would then be okay.<br /><br />There is no justification for this. Unless a job requires some physical characteristic in order to perform the duties of the job (i.e., jockeys, models, etc.), there really is no reasonable justification to penalize an individual based on how he looks. All candidates should be given equal opportunity for employment or living accommodations. The reason that certain categories are protected under law, such as race or gender, is that they've been shown to be systematically treated at a disadvantage. Time and time again, it's been shown that the short are economically penalized for their height, all else being equal. <br /><br />For race, this problem has even been shown to produce disadvantages that are generational because the effects (and wealth, or lack thereof) add up over time and are passed along to offspring. Arguably, height and weight could be considered genetically passed along as well. Could height and weight characteristics be another example?<br /><br />I applaud Representative Rushing for his proposal. Can't Massachusetts do at least as well as Ontario, Michigan, San Francisco, Victoria (Australia), and Santa Cruz to protect our rights?<br /><br />While most of the heated commenting has been in regards to weight, how do people feel about the proposed legislation?<br /><span class="headline"><span class="bodyFont"></span></span><span class="headline"><span class="bodyFont"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td height="8"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span></span>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-1225107768550371832007-05-08T16:50:00.000-04:002007-05-09T23:10:18.316-04:00Belting Up<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RkBrNgXhISI/AAAAAAAAAHI/sxLZoyL2g-4/s1600-h/belts003.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062163860935483682" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RkBrNgXhISI/AAAAAAAAAHI/sxLZoyL2g-4/s320/belts003.JPG" border="0" /></a>My brother typically pokes fun at me when I complain that I can't find any belts my size. 'What do you need a belt for? You're a girl, and you don't <em>have</em> to wear one!'<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ok</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ok</span>, fine, I'm not going to be frowned upon by the fashion police if I don't wear one when tucking in my dress shirt (you poor men), but what if I wanted to?? And what if, god forbid, I actually needed them to keep my trousers up (the original reason for a belt)? I would have a distinct problem!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RkBq5QXhIRI/AAAAAAAAAHA/z26mVe3ioiY/s1600-h/belts002.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062163513043132690" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RkBq5QXhIRI/AAAAAAAAAHA/z26mVe3ioiY/s320/belts002.JPG" border="0" /></a>I have trouble finding stuff that fits in most stores - so I wouldn't expect to have too much luck with a belt there either. But it just doesn't make sense that I have just as much trouble in stores that are (sort of) supposed to cater to my size! So, apologies to Banana Republic for picking on it, but think of it as a loving critique from a captivated (and captive) audience member. My other steady, Ann Taylor, has the same problem (but its store is father away...).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RkBr2QXhIUI/AAAAAAAAAHY/D5gZovKsh6g/s1600-h/belts009.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062164561015152962" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: right; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RkBr2QXhIUI/AAAAAAAAAHY/D5gZovKsh6g/s320/belts009.JPG" border="0" /></a>Because these stores are trying to get customers to purchase an entire Outfit Ensemble, it would make sense for them to make sure all their accessories and clothes can match up with each other in all sizes. Now, the smallest sized belt they carry is XS. Not <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">XSP</span> or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">XXP</span> or <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">XXSP</span>. How frustrating!<br /><br />With this in mind, I snagged a few XS belts from Banana Republic for a test drive. I already knew that I was never going to keep these, as they were too big. But that's precisely why I wanted to get a few shots up anyway!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RkBrfwXhITI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/BJUnogloDGQ/s1600-h/belts006.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062164174468096306" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RkBrfwXhITI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/BJUnogloDGQ/s320/belts006.JPG" border="0" /></a>First up - a black silver ring belt with no prong or holes. As you can see, it's rather loose around my waist and cannot be physically tightened any further. At the smallest, it's 28" - but clearly, it's meant to be looser, as the tongue of the belt is ridiculously long.<br /><br />The three-strand woven belt was my next selection - and that proved to be equally problematic! At my natural waist, I can't even punch in more holes, because the metal prong is already in the woven leather (which, FYI, isn't dense enough to keep it there). When using the narrowest <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">circumference</span>, it's already 32"!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RkBsLQXhIVI/AAAAAAAAAHg/hJkAZSgvUPw/s1600-h/belts010.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062164921792405842" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RkBsLQXhIVI/AAAAAAAAAHg/hJkAZSgvUPw/s320/belts010.JPG" border="0" /></a>The densely woven belt seems to be the type of thing that actually goes around your real waist (not your hips) because it's so wide (2 1/2"). Here's the picture of me with it at 26 1/2" wide around my waist (measured from the end of the metal prong to where it enters the leather). It looks completely silly because the tongue just flops around without any means of securing it!<br /><br />Now that Banana Republic and Ann Taylor have both dipped into the 00 and even <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">XXS</span> game, they should really increase the sizes for their belt selections too! I bet even those women that are size 0 or 2 could use the help!<br /><br />With all this trouble in finding a (quasi-)functional belt, it's no big surprise that I never quite figured out how to use a belt to accessorize! (By the way, I'm wearing the jeans that I wrote about in my post regarding <a href="http://somesmallsense.blogspot.com/2007/04/dont-fit-your-pants-gain-weight.html">gaining weight for my pants</a>!)Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-57595754991413637622007-05-02T23:52:00.000-04:002007-05-03T00:21:25.478-04:00I Spy a Height SiteI'm basically not a fan of these compilation sites, as they aren't really guides so much as nicely edited advertising pages with little to zero original content. (Perhaps I'm just annoyed I didn't think of this super minimal effort money-making scheme first....) But I admit that got a kick out of the fact that <a href="http://www.heightsite.com/">this guide to tallness</a> was listed in the Google ad's sidebar "Related Pages" section, right next to my emailed conversations about being really short in the <a href="http://somesmallsense.blogspot.com/2007/03/head-over-to-heels-in-netherlands.html">Netherlands</a>. Way to go Google! Completely the opposite topic, but I guess you got me (and everyone else reading this) to click anyway, right?<br /><br />The main site generally focuses on the typical 'helpful websites' that <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.heightsite.com/6_short/6index.htm"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RgIQz_w8UzI/AAAAAAAAAGU/495b88niXvw/s400/Short+Link+on+Tall+Website+-3-22-07.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5044613018084463410" border="0" /></a>point towards clothing, tall advice, dating, etc. The short subsection, cheerfully reached by clicking on this snazzy graph, is mostly a somberer collection of support sites (sans clothing sites), advice, and dating tips. I guess it's a nice after-thought, but couldn't you guys have picked a better graphic???Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-80001471723667160782007-04-27T14:19:00.000-04:002007-04-27T14:19:45.462-04:00Petite Salvation (of a sort) - the Rise of the Tween ShopperI read this NY Times article, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/22/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/22RSHOP.html?pagewanted=all">Tweens 'R' Shoppers</a>, with a bizarre mix of pleasure/horror. Like every other business sector (computing/electronic companies probably realized this first), the apparel industry has realized that younger and younger children are having a greater influence over how their parents decide to spend their money. Armed with ready cash or credit card, kids are much more sophisticated and independent shoppers than in years past.<br /><br />There has been an explosion of attention towards the growing tween market - older than little kids, younger than true teenagers; anywhere from age 8 to 12, depending on the definition. Part of it is caused by parents wanting to dress up their kids, part of it is kids wanting to dress like the fashion spreads. Either way, it's pushing down more choice and range into this demographic. One in which I'm essentially a member due to size.<br /><br />I'm closer in shape to a tween than to an adult woman. You know the shape - less curve, but not no curve, and more straight lines than the average "fully developed" woman. It's often easier to find better fitting clothing shopping in the 10-12 year old middle school girls section - where I have found myself to be shorter than most of the 10 year olds.<br /><br />At first blush, the increased selection just sounds like a fabulous windfall. How convenient! I, and every other sub 5'0" petite woman should just swoop into the nearest Abercrombie and call it a day. It'd even be cheaper than shopping in the more young adult audienced Abercrombie & Fitch! How cute we'd all look, how positively easier it'd be to shop, and how dressed to kill we'd be for that next middle school party!<br /><br />So, of course, that's the catch: The clothes may fit better than everything else out there, but style-wise, it's doubtful that most of the garments could be used in more grown-up settings. Let's face facts: we're really just grateful freeloaders in this youthful age and size range. While we'll certainly get a wider variety of casual and basic clothing (you and your daughter can be twins!), the particular work apparel items that are most sensitive to fit problems (and difficult to find) will never exist for tweens. <br /><br />But hey! At least it's something - right?Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-4690423686989066932007-04-26T21:38:00.000-04:002007-04-26T22:08:50.356-04:00Short Male Reporter Gets Publicly Ridiculed<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=450500&in_page_id=1&in_page_id=1&expand=true"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/04_02/PresentDM2404_468x705.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Thank you to Alex for letting me know about this!<br /><br />BBC reporter Steve Rosenberg (5'6") was sent to interview German MP Silvana Koch-Mehrin (6'4" in heels). Having trouble getting both of them in the shot (supposedly), Rosenberg was asked to stand on an equipment box.<br /><br />Someone snatched a shot and sold it to Bild, Germany's biggest-selling daily newspaper, where it was mocked under the headline: 'Little Brit Questions Big Woman Politician'.<br /><br />The situation is clearly ridiculous to people either because he's standing on a scruffy box and/or because he's short.<br /><br />What's interesting to me is:<br /><ol><li>Was this actually physically necessary or just something to tip over the edge to require a "fix"?</li><li>Are female field reporters afforded the same luxury? And if not, is it because they're typically tall anyway? (and thin and attractive...)</li><li>I'm assuming there's some level of national rivalry that made this worth it for the paper. (i.e., it's ok to make fun of him because he's British)</li><li>If the gender situation was reverse, it's clear that this wouldn't have been quite as amusing to everyone.</li><li>Is there some journalistic rule that they can't just both sit in chairs? It's not exactly a war zone or security issue here.<br /></li></ol>I feel rather sorry for Rosenberg because he was obviously just trying to do his job. With the box, he's either vain or insecure. Without it, he appears weak to people because he's so short. It's a lose-lose situation, and clearly unfair. Publishing the photo was undeniably mean-spirited of Bild for any number of reasons.<br /><br />For you those versed in German, here's the actual article and picture:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/news/leser-reporter/2007/04/23/leser-reporter/interview-koch-mehrin.html"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/news/leser-reporter/2007/04/23/leser-reporter/mfb-6644355-kleiner-reporter-interview-QF,templateId=renderScaled,property=Bild,width=263.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-40379872680449205722007-04-19T12:29:00.000-04:002007-04-19T12:54:58.887-04:00Growing Trend Towards Larger Shoes<span style="color:#3333ff;"><em>do you ever shop for shoes at lord and taylor? the smallest pumps i can find on their website is a size 6. some come no smaller than a 7. i notice this is also true for nordstrom and ann taylor loft. have you ever done a blog posting about the sudden unavailablility of sizes smaller than a 6? whats going on? it seems that overnight average became something like a 9 and anything smaller than a 6 has become a rarity. have you found the same thing to be true?</em><br /><br />- Gail W.</span><br /><br /><br />Hi Gail! Thanks for writing me. The shift towards larger sizes and the disappearance of smaller ones is frankly no surprise. As people get larger and taller, their foot size grows too. According to a <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2065546/">Slate article</a> published a few years ago (ironically centered around the problems of finding <em>large</em> sizes), "at the beginning of the 20th century, the average American woman wore a 3.5 or a 4; by the 1940s she was strapping on a 5.5." In 2004, <a href="http://jscms.jrn.columbia.edu/cns/2005-03-01/bradley-bigfeet/">it was an 8.5</a>. And the decision whether to stock a size is a function of following the trend - it's simply not economically sound to waste shelf space on all those small shoes when fewer and fewer people are going to buy them. <br /><br />It's curious that you specifically mention online shoe sources - which are usually better stocked than bricks-and-mortar stores. Of the many <a href="http://somesmallsense.blogspot.com/2006/05/online-shopping-rocks-because.html">reasons I buy online</a>, shoe size selection is definitely high on the list. Someone else had recently informed me about Ann Taylor Loft's decision to get rid of their smaller shoe sizes. To be honest, I've also never shopped at Lord & Taylor. However, I haven't noticed many other retailers cutting smaller sizes yet for their online selection - but it's only a matter of time. <br /><br />Certainly, it makes sense that physical stores don't carry smaller sizes - it's not worth it to the store to waste shelf space on the shrinking percentage of the population who still wear these sizes. There are notable exceptions as well - I was lucky enough a few months ago to find a bargain at Kenneth Cole because the <a href="http://somesmallsense.blogspot.com/2006/08/size-5-feet-sometimes-it-pays-to-be.html">smaller sizes were both in stock and on sale</a>. Most stores only carry down to a size 6 - but haven't yet cut their online availability (thank goodness!).<br /><a href="http://www.shortsupport.org/cgi/clothes_list.cgi?gender=w&page=specialty"></a><br />If you're looking for particularly small shoes (less than size 5), <a href="http://www.shortsupport.org/cgi/clothes_list.cgi?gender=w&page=specialty">Short Persons Support</a>, has a listing of specialty sources. I freely admit that I haven't used any of these sources, since I'm luckily still able to find shoes at most retailers. Any readers out there who have?<br /><br />Nordstrom's in particular is known for carrying small sizes in stores. Have you also tried the outlets? I've definitely seen smaller than size 5's in <a href="https://www.dswshoes.com/home.jsp">DSW</a> and department store outlets. Lastly, let's not forget the children's department - for casual shoes anyway!<br /><br />Good luck - it only gets harder as the years pass!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-15460759017390225172007-04-16T20:15:00.000-04:002007-04-16T20:46:30.389-04:00Don't Fit Your Pants? Gain Weight!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.bananarepublic.com/browse/category.do?cid=5154"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RiQOCf97ZJI/AAAAAAAAAGg/reVnfAGTIuk/s400/Pant+Fit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5054180117920310418" border="0" /></a>I've never worn tight jeans in my life. I mean, the kind that mostly fit and aren't too short or too long in the rise. Even for the petites department, I find that my rise (distance from crotch to natural waist) is too short relative to the rise that's designed for the pants offered. I have a rather shallow hip. It isn't even much - half an inch or an inch at most, but it actually makes a big difference. For most of the pants I buy off the rack the waistband is too loose on me if the crotch hits in the right place. If I pull the waistband down to where its snug, then the seat and crotch are too low. That, plus my butt isn't exactly filled out. Imagine the Ryan cut pants actually hitting where the Martin pants should...with too much slack at the waistband. With that in mind, I have never worn the tight jeans that most women seem to favor when they go out. (I know, I know...I'm avoiding the '<a href="http://somesmallsense.blogspot.com/2006/08/zafu-new-approach-to-jean-shopping.html">perfect jeans</a>' search.) For dress slacks, I always get them altered.<br /><br />So it was a bit of a shock when I randomly tried Banana Republic's low rise boot cuts in 00P this past weekend - and they fit almost perfectly. In fact, they were actually snug on me - in the way that I assume jeans are supposed to fit? To be honest, it was a little uncomfortable adjusting as they stretched to fit over the course of the weekend. Since they were new AND tight, I definitely felt a little hampered in my freedom of movement! I guess I'm just used to a looser fit.<br /><br />The sad thing is that I realized that it was because I had put on fat around my waist (and probably had a bit of water retention) - and only at my waist. I essentially "padded" my lower waist a bit to fill up the empty space. (In fact, they were just slightly too tight in the waist compared to the rest of the hip area.) So my pants fit better - even though I was wheezing my way up staircases. A bit disconcerting, don't you think? With this added new information to digest, it seems like my current choices are:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A)</span> get winded while doing slightly strenuous activity because I'm losing muscle mass and gaining fat - BUT gain the ability to wear pants off the rack;<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">B)</span> get back into shape so I don't keel over from sprinting a block - BUT be unable to wear off the rack clothes well anymore;<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">C)</span> become a crazy gym rat that packs down protein shakes to build up muscle in my posterior to make my hip circumference bigger AND be in shape<br /><br />Hmm. This is really crazy, because most women exercise to slim down. Not too many people I know actually try to <span style="font-style: italic;">gain </span>body fat to fit into their clothes. And I have to admit, <span style="font-weight: bold;">C</span> is definitely not happening (nor have I been able to gain much muscle either).<br /><br />Unfortunately, my recent good fortune has been dashed. I tend to easily fluctuate a pound or two with exercise, but am unable to actually gain much more mass than that - even with muscle building exercises and protein shakes. I estimate that I was up to about 90 when I bought the pants on Thursday, and am now down to 88. Very annoying as it's ONLY at my waist. I somehow lost the difference from dancing for hours on Saturday night.<br /><br />So, I'm back to slightly loose jeans again - but it was fun while it lasted! My advice to all those that have a similar problem? Let yourself gain a little extra weight and see if it works for you. I'm not exactly sure if the trade-off is worth it, but it's certainly worth a try!<br /><br />(I'll post a picture of how things fit when I'm feeling a bit more "full", as I lost the opportunity to do so this weekend.)Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-23760657040646403852007-04-08T21:23:00.000-04:002007-04-08T21:37:10.212-04:00Prince Charming?While reading this week's <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/">The New Yorker</a>, Sasha Frere-Jones's profile of Prince, in <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/musical/2007/04/09/070409crmu_music_frerejones">Dorian Purple</a>, amazed me. In her review of his new Las Vegas show, she brought up his height, only to toss it aside as a point of non-relevance. "Though he's just over five feet, lithe and pixieish, he never seems dwarfed by others onstage, and he is absolutely at ease guiding his ten-piece band. His backup dancers....were energetic and effectively underclad, but Prince was still the most seductive presence onstage."<br /><br />What startled me is that she brought up his <a href="http://www.shortsupport.org/cgi/whowho_bio.cgi?seq=91&orderby=name&direction=ASC">5'2.5"</a> height precisely because no one cared - it was brought up only to point out the lack of influence it had on anything in his professional life (or clearly, his romantic). His height had no bearing upon his musical skill, leadership, or sheer presence. And I couldn't help but think that, perhaps, Prince and his fans managed to do something that the rest of us with any short-person hang-ups are always reaching for - a complete attitude of height indifference. <br /><br />Indeed, it's his continued status as a sex symbol at age 48 that is simply the most astonishing thing of all. Certainly, there are many talented short individuals respected for their work - actor Danny DeVito (5'0"), musician Paul Simon (5'3"), and former Labor Secretary Robert Reich (4'10") come to mind. But it's not like most short famous men are noted for their sex appeal (even when they were younger). It's the most resistant area of change for the short man. The current cultural climate points out that short guys, particularly middle-aged ones, just can't be seriously seen as potential mates. Kudos to Prince, for managing to skirt the system!<br /><br />Thank you Ms. Frere-Jones, for treating the height subject with such respect.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-43434010731435128662007-03-21T23:57:00.000-04:002007-03-22T00:46:06.725-04:00Head Over to Heels in the Netherlands?As you probably know, average female height in America is about 5'4". Obviously, I'd feel only slightly short compared to the local population in China or Japan (5'0" - for the older population anyway), but what happens if I went to the Netherlands (5'7")?<br /><br />I recently was invited to join an email group that discussed this very issue! Read some of our discussion below and let us know how <span style="font-style: italic;">you'd</span> feel in the Netherlands! For those of you that may be interested in checking out where you should be flying to on your next vacation to get your new wardrobe, please check out Wikipedia's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_height#Average_adult_height_around_the_world">Human Height</a> page to get each country 's average height.<br /><div style="text-align: center;">***<br /></div><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-weight: bold;">Amanda:</span> amy, we had a discussion not long before you joined about an article rachel read about average height for women in the netherlands recently rising to 5ft8. she pointed out that since women on average there are 4 inches taller than women are here, that if we were to go there we would feel like we shrunk 4 inches.... the point of this discussion was this: even though none of us list "to be taller" as one of our top 2 or 3 reasons for wearing high heels, do we think that would change if we were transplanted to the netherlands? the 6 of us were split right down the middle on this. i for one said, yes, if i needed to wear 4 inch heels while there just to feel as tall as i feel usually feel at home, then i'd probably wear heels, at least sometimes, specifically so that i wouldn't feel so short in a world of amazons. care to weigh in on where you stand (no pun intended!) on this?<br /><div><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0); font-weight: bold;">Amy:</span> Actually, you'd probably feel even shorter than that, because practically speaking, you're even more on the fringes of normal height there. Because of the fact that I can't wear whatever I want off the rack, I tend to be a rather practical dresser. So even here, when I can probably inch into the realm of average-short height with 4" heels on, I don't really do it to try to make up for my shortness. I'm not going to hobble around on 4" heels just to be taller! I'll do it because I think it makes me look hotter :) I'm a bit of a contrarian so I would probably make a point to go out of my way to wear flats in the Netherlands. Sorry ladies, there's no way we can be tall there. Even with stilts, you'll look...really short still. Would you wear flats to blend in in a place that has women at 4'6" on average? </div><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold;">Elaine:</span> i do see your point amy, but what i think might bother me a bit is that even women of average height there in 4 inch heels would 6ft tall. and i think the quote was something like 1 out of every 20 women there is 6ft or taller. and if they're wearing heels on top of that am i'm not..... i don't know. i guess maybe i could take the opposite viewpoint and make it a game. try to see just how much i can be towered over by or something. is that the kind of thing you're talking about?<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0); font-weight: bold;">Amy:</span> More like, they'll tower over me anyway...why make things hard for myself by wearing shoes that will probably hurt my feet? I can understand if you're within the realm of average...but we're completely not. As I've said to my friends, I'm not fooling anyone - I'm really really short. Really tall shoes will still not make me tall.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">***<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">So maybe you won't be surrounded by tall Dutch women anytime soon, but how would you handle the situation readers? Are you a "fight for every inch you can" kinda gal/guy? Or are you more like me, the "I'm too wussy/lazy to deal with the pain of high heels" type?<br /></div></div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com52tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-87512032604265305202007-03-20T14:28:00.000-04:002007-03-20T17:47:50.914-04:00CNN Features Segment on Short DiscriminationCNN's <a href="http://www.cnn.com/CNN/anchors_reporters/lothian.dan.html">Dan Lothian</a> released a short video segment online today entitled, "<a href="http://www.cnn.com/video/partners/clickability/index.html?url=/video/us/2007/03/20/lothian.short.people.cnn">Small World</a>" that highlights a few of the problems that short individuals face every day. Thank you to my friend Farid, who sent me a link. It's a short four-minute video, so watch it!<br /><br />It's an interesting feature that tries to give the topic a fair shake. He notes that being short can have real world repercussions - particularly for men in dating and "some say" in workforce pay parity. This latter was probably the only point that I found a little disingenuous - pay inequality (along with access to promotions, etc.) has long been documented in the workforce.<br /><br />He speaks with a few prominent individuals that have been fighting against short discrimination:<br /><br />Matthew Campisi, president of the <a href="http://www.nossaonline.org/nossa.html">National Organization of Short Statured Adults</a> (NOSSA), speaks with Lothian about his experiences with height discrimination.<br /><br />Ellen Frankel has written and talked about the problems of short stature in her book, "<a href="http://beyondmeasureamemoir.com/">Beyond Measure</a>."<br /><br />Please take a look at their work!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-1892970661245115582007-03-18T17:47:00.000-04:002007-03-18T17:54:33.563-04:00Tall = Basketball Player, Short = Hobbit?A few weeks ago, I went out to dinner at <a href="http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/33070436/new_york_ny/poke_restaurant.html">Poke</a>, this great sushi place on the UES. This place is always super crowded and as we were leaving, I noticed a very tall guy squeezed in the corner right by the door. I shamelessly admit that I always check out all the super tall and super short people around me (Hey! I just mean their stature people!), so I definitely was paying attention when it happened.<br /><br />As we were walking out, a woman walking in looked up in surprise at Tall Guy and said, "Wow, you're really tall. You must be a basketball player!"<br /><br />The look on Tall Guy's face was priceless. He was probably in his early 30s, probably at least 6'5"(?), and had a slight bit of a beer belly from sitting way too long at the law firm/investment bank. He didn't have a couch potato look, but there was no way this guy was a pro or semi-pro like she seemed to be implying. Hungry and crowded into the corner, I could tell he was trying really really hard to come up with some response that wasn't rude or too self-deprecating. Maybe this woman was doing a piss poor job at flirting? Eventually, he settled on a polite, "no, but I used to play a little bit when I was in school."<br /><br />I think I <span style="font-style: italic;">may </span>have made it out of the door before I started laughing uncontrollably and commenting really loudly about the hilarity of the situation. I couldn't help but think of the <a href="http://somesmallsense.blogspot.com/2006/12/its-compliment-really.html">grocery store incident</a> a few months ago. I forget sometimes that tall people get as much abuse about their height as short people. Perhaps Restaurant Lady was trying to be flattering? Maybe it's just everyone Pavlovian response to assume 'basketball player' to the stimulus of a Very Tall Person - and she just didn't happen to have a better verbal filter? <br /><br />All I know was that I actually felt really badly for this poor guy! I mean, how could he take it as a compliment either? I'm sure several things could have flitted through his head at that moment, including: 'I actually suck at basketball. Don't you actually have eyes woman?? I'm so out of shape that I have a gut. Do I have to hear this again???'<br /><br />This of course, gets me thinking of all the common and outrageous assumptions about people based solely on height. I confess that I too have the basketball = tall connection wired in my brain somewhere (but have a better filter than she did). Tall thin women usually make me think 'model.'<br /><br />The obvious snide and rather unlikely connections with short people I can think of are typically:<br /><ul><li>dwarves</li><li>hobbits (wait, you mean that they don't really exist?)<br /></li><li>jockeys</li><li>circus people<br /></li></ul><br />Of course, I think '12-year old' usually is the top of the <span style="font-style: italic;">real</span> list. <br /><br />What are things you automatically associate with very tall/short people yourselves?Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-78720585202606860432007-03-18T16:45:00.000-04:002007-03-18T17:01:53.146-04:00Post Away....Addendum:<br /><br />Annoymous #1 and #2, I have to admit you're correct. Nothing like being reminded that heated opinions always attract more attention. Thanks for also reminding me that this sort of thing isn't always bad!<br /><br />Sorry to be a buzz kill when I posted this earlier. 70 posts into my blog, and you'd think I'd learn it by now right? Readers, please bear with me while I live and learn! Please be sure to knock me upside the head if I ever try committing blog suicide again!<br /><br /><br />------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">Silly me, I somehow wasn't expecting the sheer number of comments that <a href="http://somesmallsense.blogspot.com/2007/03/amazonians-in-subway.html">Nancy's letter</a> generated throughout my blog. I'm definitely glad that everyone's being so responsive. While I'm certainly not surprised at how heated people got, I want to state flat out that I don't always agree with everyone's comments. So I'll stop posting replies just to clarify that. Also, I realize that I am (and so is everyone else!) a hypocrite, as personal reflections aren't always <a href="http://somesmallsense.blogspot.com/2006/09/ny-fashion-week-skinny-on-news.html">flattering</a> or "fair," and have to be read in context.<br /><br />I publish everyone's comments and approve them only to avoid 'bots spamming my site. Keep posting, but try to be nice, ok?</span>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-88519885120389735302007-03-15T13:39:00.000-04:002007-03-15T14:00:52.433-04:00Japan Will Solve Everything!I've been receiving a slew of letters lately and I'm loving it! Definitely keep them coming!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Amy,</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I stumbled upon your blog today through a series of links, and I knew I had to send you an email. I'm almost exactly your size (an inch taller!) and I've had all the same clothing frustrations you're having. Currently, though, I'm living in Japan teaching English, and I wanted to tell you that in Asia clothes are actually EASY to find. I read your post on Uniqlo, and you should know that Uniqlo in Japan stocks sizes that fit the "petite" set in America. Their size S fits me perfectly, and I've been stocking up on their basic pants and shirts to bring home. I can walk into almost any store and find my size (I'm still the smallest size, but not so small that it has to be special ordered or altered). Many of my friends have gone to Thailand and have had suits custom made for $100. You expressed some hesitation about going to Asia and not being able to find stuff that fits. Bite the bullet. Buy the ticket.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I got into making my own clothes before coming to Japan, and will probably go back to doing that once I move back to the States. It's something I like to do, but it sure is nice to have the option here of going out and finding a new shirt on the weekend. Even the GAP sizes here are much, much smaller. I've worn Banana Republic Petite 00 pants and shirts in the past, and while they usually work fine, they break my budget just a little bit. I went into a thrift store here, and for the first time in years found clothes that fit off the rack.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I've always dreamed of coming to New York to go to all the little Soho stores, but now I'm re-directing that desire to Thailand or India where I have hope of finding my size. It's just too depressing to find cute things I can never wear. If you ever get into sewing and want to know how to alter patterns for the petite set, I can be of service.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Long live the petite woman!</span><br /><br />- Kendra at <a href="http://kyushuchronicles.wordpress.com/2007/03/13/japan-sized/">Kyushu Chronicles</a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Hey Kendra! <br /><br />Thanks for writing, and thanks for linking here! I totally know I have to suck it up and take a trip to Asia. I worked for a sizing/shape consulting company for a little bit and was told that I am actually shaped very much like the average Japanese female! Believe me, when I can slap together enough to take a trip over there, I'll be beaming over in a jiffy. Maybe you can even be my guide? <br /><br />I also have a Japan Uniqlo shirt in Small that fits perfectly (thanks B!). You have no idea how frustrating it was to walk into the giant new Uniqlo downtown and find that everything I wanted (hello cheap well made cashmere sweaters...) was way too big! I'm completely unsurprised that the American brands there are Japanese sized. There are plenty of European brands (and obviously Asian) that size way up for Americans here - it's just catering to your market. <br /><br />Unfortunately, your fabulous alteration advice will fall on my deaf ears (but perhaps my readers will find it useful?). I have NO sewing experience whatsoever. It's a miracle I passed home economics in high school (not my choice - it was required for both genders) since I couldn't figure out how to properly thread a sewing machine! <br /><br />Don't feel so badly about missing out in SoHo. It's fun for ideas, and besides, think of all the money you'd be saving! Thanks again for writing Kendra. Definitely keep us posted on what brands may be good buys in Japan!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-17882093147901157012007-03-14T14:40:00.000-04:002007-03-14T15:07:24.073-04:00Amazonians in the Subway?<span style="font-style: italic;">hey there. i came across your blog and have been reading it all day! keep up the good work. i'm enjoying it! i'm 4ft10 also, and about 95lbs. i live in ny too, on the upper east side. and while i agree with all the things you say about the fashion industry, the one thing i want to get off my chest to someone who can relate is what is going on with all these 6ft plus tall women, and why are they all wearing heels? i know they say average height is 5ft4, but to go by my neighborhood i would swear it's more like 5ft8. every time i ride the subway in flats i feel like i'm in the land of the amazons. it seems like a few times per day i see women have to duck their heads down to enter or exit the subway car. crazy. is it just me or have you noticed the same kind of thing as well?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">nancy</span><br /><br />Hey Nancy, thanks for reading my blog and writing me! I totally agree that it seems like everyone on the subway in <span style="font-style: italic;">much</span> taller than me - but I wonder if it's because we are particularly sensitive to it? I also live on the UES, and I would posit that my impression is about 5'6" for women on average - but as you point out, everyone seems to be wearing heels anyway. I also suspect that the shorter riders in your subway car do what I do - try to find a seat ASAP so they don't get smothered by the giants around them!<br /><br />Women wear heels for a variety of reasons - and I would say that gaining height is NOT the first on that list for most people. It's not for me either! I personally wear heels because they make me feel more dressed up and sexier. Certainly, there are <a href="http://somesmallsense.blogspot.com/2006/08/sitting-is-so-hard.html">height advantages</a>, but I've stopped believing that anyone is fooled into thinking I'm really 5'4" by wearing 6" heels (I don't). The tall women you see probably feel similarly - flats won't make anyone think they're shorter, so why shouldn't they just wear their heels and feel good too?<br /><br />Also, I want to just point out that the UES isn't exactly a fair sample of what is average in the city, much less the country! I suspect if you go out to the outer boroughs, you'll notice that people are a bit more diverse (in every way).Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com43tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-86311689473061769472007-02-23T23:34:00.000-05:002007-02-24T00:04:46.121-05:00Cheap, Fast, and Painless Way to Grow 12 Inches!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/Rd_ArzJNdqI/AAAAAAAAAF8/5gmCUGLJ3aI/s1600-h/stock+pot+stool.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/Rd_ArzJNdqI/AAAAAAAAAF8/5gmCUGLJ3aI/s400/stock+pot+stool.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034954767119251106" border="0" /></a>No, it's not some warped XXX ad or some crazy growth hormone.... Unlike either of those, this one is proven to work!<br /><br />I love to make homemade soups and stocks, so I bought <a href="http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=12460112">this pot</a> a while ago. Cheap too at around $100 - pasta and steamer basket included. Disclaimer: cracker box is only used to demonstrate size. Buyer is solely responsible for producing edible items.<br /><br />But since I live in a tiny Manhattan apartment, I ran out of places to store it. No sweat though, as I wound up just leaving it out - and I'm glad I did! Most of my storage space is way above my head, and I'd been meaning to get a step stool. But I soon realized I didn't need to - I already had one built in! This lovely multi-purpose household aid added a full foot to my height. Suddenly, even the cabinets above the fridge were easy to reach! It was also pretty helpful in giving me a boost to standing on my miniscule kitchen counter (for those hard to reach top shelves). <br /><br />While I certainly will <span style="font-style: italic;">say <span style="font-weight: bold;">don't try this at home</span></span>, you do have to wonder for yourself - just exactly how strong is stainless steel? I haven't a clue, but is anyone out there able to calculate what weight limit this pot can support?Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-73614755162951919832007-02-20T23:40:00.000-05:002007-02-21T00:00:28.927-05:00At 5'3" Even Professional Critical Shoppers Have TroubleZarah Crawford begins her NY Times Critical Shopper piece, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/15/fashion/15critic.html">Vintage Clothes With an Eye on Tomorrow</a>, noting that "at just under 5-foot-3, with a body my mother describes as 'well covered,' I often find my love of high fashion to be a sadly one-sided affair." This statement, posted in an article just after NY Fashion Week concluded, highlights one of the problems that non-standard shaped people have with high fashion. If the shoe doesn't <span style="font-style: italic;">fit</span>, my dear fellow Stepsister, you're just not Cinderella in Designerland. <br /><br />What's worthy of note is that 5'3" is just an inch under average height for a woman in the United States. I personally have already written off designer wear because I'd have to perform radical and expensive surgery on the already expensive garments for things to fit - and potentially destroying the elements and proportions that make it notable to begin with. I mean, what can you do when the waist of the garment is at your hip bone? The very fact that a woman of average height and probably higher budget has the same problems makes it even more troubling. I mean I hate to ask again, but how tall do designers expect their clients to be to wear this stuff? 5'7"? 5'9"?<br /><br />Crawford's review of Frock, seems generous and hopefully, particularly for a shorty like me. She starts by uttering the statement that I've become fond of when entering unknown stores: <span style="font-style: italic;">Do you have anything to fit me? </span>The answer for her is yes! So it's no surprise that I'm anxious to try this place out.<br /><br />The knowledgeable owners helped her find a few things that worked, and Crawford even purchased something that "fitted like it was made for [her]." At a full 5" height disadvantage to Crawford, I still intend to hit Frock up sometime this week to get my own impressions. Hopefully, the owners <span style="font-style: italic;">are </span>as knowledgeable as she claims them to be. And after all, vintage is one of the suggested options for smaller and shorter people. And you know what? It's good that some benefit can come from our parents' and grandparents' nutritional woes!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-26663757654969652892007-02-15T23:39:00.000-05:002007-02-16T00:31:06.118-05:00How I Got Inside the Tents, or How I Hope I Won't Get Denied Next Time Around Because I Wrote This<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RdUx5dE96BI/AAAAAAAAAFw/O15K1avgBe4/s1600-h/Press+Pass002.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RdUx5dE96BI/AAAAAAAAAFw/O15K1avgBe4/s320/Press+Pass002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5031983021784164370" border="0" /></a>People are probably wondering how in the world I got past the security checkpoints at Bryant Park last week. While I'd love to say that it was because of the slew of invitations, my killer wardrobe, or my ability to sneak through several layers of security every day, I actually got in the old-fashioned way: through press credentials. I have to say, I was surprised how easily I managed to get access, but apparently, blogging is now an acceptable 'in' for the shows. (Silly me, for not realizing they realized it sooner!)<br /><br />Certainly, at this point in time, there's no possible way for bloggers to NOT have access to the shows. Maybe not to the extent that <a href="http://coutorture.com/">Courtorture</a> managed to last season (see the article below). But it's a guarantee that <span style="font-style: italic;">someone </span>in the guest list blogs and will be posting. Obviously, traditional outlets (and publicists) just can't control the flow of information like they used to. Ignore the blogger at your peril.<br /><br />Sheryl B., a fashion stylist I met at the tents the first night, was kind enough to send me <a href="http://mediabistro.com/articles/cache/a9483.asp"><span style="font-style: italic;">Bloggers in Tents: Fashion Warms to New Media</span></a>, posted at <a href="http://www.mediabistro.com/">MediaBistro.com</a>. According to the article, the show organizers decided to officially open up the shows because "these are credible journalists, and if that's the way news is being distributed, then we want to be a part of it." And yes, the 221 official shows were underattended by the "important people" (i.e., buyers, celebrities, traditional media editors), so I guess we were acceptable filler.<br /><br />Ok, so all this may be true, but they don't officially tell you a few things. Certainly, it's a means of damage control. Woo those bloggers with access and maybe you'll win them over to the merits of your brand (Hey, there's a reason why brands bother with these shows. They're more impressive in person than from a computer, paging through <a href="http://www.style.com">Style.com</a>). It's also a means of officially keeping a sense of exclusivity at these events while maintaining audience membership. Joe Schmo still can't waltz right in through the front door and get a seat (even if half the shows are not so well attended by the invited guests). <br /><br />As you can see from my pass, it allows lobby access only, not guaranteed entry to the shows. The organizers for each particular label's show control their lists - not the Fashion Week organizers. I certainly wasn't on the show lists. To be fair, my experience is marred by the fact that I signed up last minute, so there wasn't time to invite me even if they wanted to. But I suspect most bloggers who signed up way in advance still didn't get invitations into the show unless they're big. The <a href="http://thesartorialist.blogspot.com/">Sartorialist</a> being a good example. (Scott, did I actually see you in the front row for Anna Sui?) I definitely met quite a few other bloggers, in the waitlist line for each of the shows I attended. What was interesting was that the waitlist also had plenty of invitation holding guests as well. Yup, you read correctly. Even if you RSVP, you still don't get guaranteed <span style="font-style: italic;">anything</span> unless you're important to the designers. You're there to fill in the empty seats if the editor/buyer/celeb doesn't show up. Just like me.<br /><br />The other thing they don't tell you is that press access isn't free. Anyone wearing one of the dangly passes above paid to play. Depending on when you registered, each pass granted costs $50-$100. And I highly doubt the NY Times and Vogue writers needed to pay (they got invitations to each of the shows). Only the little guys (and gals) like me did. As someone in the press access line ahead of me told me, our registrations got held up because to a certain extent, we don't actually matter to them. <br /><br />While I'm certainly grateful to get my foot in the tent without a huge hassle (even with the fee), I definitely maintain my skepticism that the sudden inclusiveness is ushering a new era of press democratization. Maybe you'll get an invite next time around if something you say is particularly noteworthy by the designer. But don't forget that even the NY Times can be <a href="http://runway.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/02/05/steam-pipies-and-sequins/">revoked</a> for a bad review too (and the designers can be likewise publicly punished for doing so). Actually, maybe the waitlist and the standing room aren't so bad. You can't exactly be slapped by an uninvite unless you were allowed at the party in the first place. And after all, I still maintain that the best viewing spots (trumped only by the front row) are actually in the standing room areas. <br /><br />Or maybe it's because I'm too short to otherwise see.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-3635780143487341902007-02-13T14:15:00.000-05:002007-02-12T02:29:56.416-05:00Designers for Darfur<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://nymag.com/fashion/fashionshows/2007/fall/main/newyork/womenrunway/designersfordarfur/"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RdH_pdE96AI/AAAAAAAAAFk/ythBRWBnVig/s320/Designers+for+Darfur+dress.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5031083346394736642" border="0" /></a>Lest anyone think that NY Fashion Week is just an 8-day self-absorbed commercial event, the last runway show I went to was a charity and awareness event organized by <a href="http://www.designersfordarfur.com/">Designers For Darfur</a> on February 9th at the Roseland Ballroom. I was invited to the event last minute, but I was happy to tag along to see how it would turn out. The organization was recently founded to help bring international attention and donations to Africa's Darfur region, and this was their first event. Guests were encouraged to commit donation pledges after watching a video, highlighting the effects that the genocide has had upon the region, and the show. I don't think anyone in the entire room was unaware of what was going on in Darfur prior to the video, but it definitely served as a sobering reminder. <br /><br />40+ well-known designers each donated a look for the show - a very impressive feat organized by DFD founders Malcolm Harris, a designer for Mal Sirrah, and Lydia Hearst, heiress and model. Designers were from Heatherette, Chado Ralph Rucci, Malandrino, Donna Karan, Carmen Marc Valvo, Baby Phat, etc. - a wide cross-section of styles and customer bases. All of the runway looks are actually for auction on <a href="http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=designers_for_darfur">eBay</a>, with all proceeds given to charity (find better shots by clicking on the photo above).<br /><br />A lot of effort was put into the front-end of the show - the designers were obviously top-notch and so were the models. The Roseland isn't a minor venue either. I have no doubt that the organizers really believed in this event and pushed as hard as they could, hoping for a greater media splash. Unfortunately, it didn't really come to fruition. It was not actually covered as anything other than another show in most media outlets (if it wasn't ignored completely, which was most of the time). Perhaps everyone was tired by the full week of 200+ shows already given. The other charity event, the <a href="http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/hearttruth/events/mbfw.htm">Red Dress Collection</a>, to raise national awareness for heart disease in women, actually snagged a First Lady and plenty of press power by kick-starting the week on the first day of shows, in the tents. Obviously, timing didn't exactly explain everything either. <br /><br />Even the event's own sponsors didn't really push it. Looking through sponsor websites, only <a href="http://www.fashiontelevision.com/micro/designersfordarfur/index.asp">Fashion Television</a> actually posted any information about the event. Yet, the nagging truth is that of course, no one had to bother participating at all. Say what you will about their reasons for helping out, it's commendable that at the very least, they made an effort and a commitment.<br /><br />You can learn more at the <a href="http://www.savedarfur.org/content">Save Darfur Coalition</a>.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-44304829278703579112007-02-09T00:35:00.000-05:002007-02-08T23:27:53.599-05:00The High-Heeled Take a Fall - Off the Runway<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RcwP9tE959I/AAAAAAAAAE4/PvpHviHBqDw/s1600-h/Curve+around+the+Fountain.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RcwP9tE959I/AAAAAAAAAE4/PvpHviHBqDw/s320/Curve+around+the+Fountain.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029412436612868050" border="0" /></a>I have definitely not been dressing to impress at the tents. Jeans, flat shoes, and maybe a dressy jacket on a good day. Slap on some makeup, and I'm good to go. I was dressed to be comfortable standing around for a few hours. Looking around, it was clear that most of the women (and some of the men), were not taking practicality into account. Not <span>surprising</span>, given the event!<br /><br />Honestly, I felt like I was the only girl in the place not wearing towering heels, except for the working crew (most of them, anyway). Obviously, my runway view while standing would have been slightly better had I been wearing heels - but is 5'2" going to be much better than 4'10" anyway?<br /><br />I was in the waitlist/standing line a lot of the time, and every so often, I'd hear a resigned variation of the "my feet hurt" refrain. Unsurprising, given the huge numbers of wedges, pumps, and boots around me. I do wonder, however, if their footwear choice would have been slightly different had they realized how booby-trapped the tents are!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RcwN5dE957I/AAAAAAAAAEo/1imfX2s_OOM/s1600-h/Moet+Stairs+and+IMG+Lounge.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RcwN5dE957I/AAAAAAAAAEo/1imfX2s_OOM/s320/Moet+Stairs+and+IMG+Lounge.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029410164575168434" border="0" /></a>Most of the uncarpeted lobby is cobblestoned - which is difficult enough to manage when it's well-lit, you're sober, and not tired! Right before the shows start letting people in, it's often incredibly crowded in the lobby, so it's easy to lose your footing as well. <br /><br />But once you get past security to enter the show corridor (past the security guard in the 3rd picture), you need to navigate up the stairs. So, going up is no big deal really, but I've already seen, firsthand, three young women go tumbling down the flight while coming out of the show, into the lobby. Twice, a security guard caught them, midflight. Once, the woman actually landed, but luckily didn't hurt herself. I wonder if the vast number of security guards are really there to protect us from ourselves more than to prevent disorderly conduct! <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RcwRF9E95_I/AAAAAAAAAFI/8CEgxk3XNtE/s1600-h/Stairs+to+the+Shows.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RcwRF9E95_I/AAAAAAAAAFI/8CEgxk3XNtE/s320/Stairs+to+the+Shows.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029413677858416626" border="0" /></a>During shows, all eyes are on the runway, and model wipe outs become something of a shocking and tragically memorable mishap. But come on, these girls are actually professionals! The shoes are super-strapped to their feet (see my commentary <a href="http://somesmallsense.blogspot.com/2006/09/dressers-stand-by-your-racks.html">here</a> on dressing them). Not only are the runways flat and the women practiced, but most of the shows put a plastic sheet over them to protect the surface from any dirt or loose pebbles that could lead to disaster. The sheet comes off moments before the start. If anyone should be worrying about a spill, it's the audience!<br /><br />House lights are usually not so illuminating, and the seats are jammed right into each other. Narrow risers and stairs are almost unavoidable. Electrical lines, tripod legs, and taped signs on the floor give plenty of snaggable opportunities. Believe me, I've been in the stand room sections a lot - all the way up in the nosebleed section. It's pretty damn steep and you don't want to fall down the stairs! <br /><br />If you're lucky and are cool enough to get a seat by invitation (or fast enough to snag one when they need to fill up the house), you have 15 minutes of seated bliss. The standing room section is not kind to those that can't keep their balance. When the lights are off, and everyone's shifting around to get a good look, it sometimes feels like the subway during rush hour.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RcwQiNE95-I/AAAAAAAAAFA/8QYH3poX9Xw/s1600-h/Ann+Sui+pre-show.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RcwQiNE95-I/AAAAAAAAAFA/8QYH3poX9Xw/s320/Ann+Sui+pre-show.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029413063678093282" border="0" /></a>Once the show's over, the mad surge by the entire audience to the lobby is another source of consternation. Good luck with the stairs, wires, impatient people, and everything else in your way! You're won the game if you make it outside onto the sidewalk without any mishaps. <br /><br />I tell you, looking fabulously fashionable isn't easy! You're freezing in your skimpy outfit (or boiling with your fur coat inside), your bag's huge and heavy, your feet hurt like hell, and your shoes just might get you killed. But really, if you aren't suffering, you aren't trying hard enough! How else will you get in that shot, taken by an intrepid photographer? Well, you definitely won't be seeing me in any fashion spreads this week. I'll pass on the photo-op and aim for practical (and less costly) comfort!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-69658771654491206142007-02-07T23:43:00.000-05:002007-02-06T22:50:22.200-05:00The Photographers' Pit - Tighter Than Moshing!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/Rcqrc3MHQEI/AAAAAAAAADs/vLGN1xrIaRo/s1600-h/Michon+Schur+Pit+-+Before.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/Rcqrc3MHQEI/AAAAAAAAADs/vLGN1xrIaRo/s320/Michon+Schur+Pit+-+Before.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029020446252023874" border="0" /></a>I enjoy paying attention to things that other people aren't covering. Particularly, what happens behind the stage - all the unglamorous work that goes into these productions. Today, I managed to snag a few photos of the photographers in action.<br /><br />I seem to have this weird fascination with the photographers' pit - I really can't explain it. Definitely some admiration mixed in, as these guys allow the fashion sites, blogs, and papers to plaster their pages with money shots. They aren't the TV crews in the lobby or on the floor doing celebrity interviews or 'spot the fashionista.' If you stand or sit near the pit during the shows, you can actually hear the constant staccato 'click click click' throughout the show - even with the music blasting.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RcqsuXMHQFI/AAAAAAAAAD0/SP4thzYtaZs/s1600-h/Covering+All+the+Shots+at+Dragana.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RcqsuXMHQFI/AAAAAAAAAD0/SP4thzYtaZs/s320/Covering+All+the+Shots+at+Dragana.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029021846411362386" border="0" /></a>It's amazing how quickly they can get in and out with all their stuff. Certainly, they're pros, but nonetheless, they have their heavy duty camera, a stand, a laptop, and sometimes a step ladder to get better angles.<br /><br />As far as I can tell, their days are pretty simply mapped out. The professional photographers get passes that allow them to get in and out of shows before the general public. Typically, they seem to head into shows about half an hour before seating opens up to set up their equipment and guard their spots. As soon as the last model walks off the stage and the designer does his/her walk out from backstage to receive the applause, they're packing and getting out of the room quickly. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RcqxTnMHQGI/AAAAAAAAAD8/VsCgBzL64RA/s1600-h/Michon+Schur+Pit+During+Action.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RcqxTnMHQGI/AAAAAAAAAD8/VsCgBzL64RA/s320/Michon+Schur+Pit+During+Action.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029026884408000610" border="0" /></a>If they have a show right after another, they pack up and are crossing over to the next tent room. Wherever I wind up stationed in the room, when I pass by the pit leaving, most of the photographers are gone. When I'm being herding out to the lobby, I often hear the security guards guiding them over to the next entrance and telling them to line up outside the doors.<br /><br />Some of the more enterprising photographers snag an empty seat or stand way in the back to get a differently angled shot than the crowd in the pit. The second picture shows a model being photographed by both the pit and a photographer sitting near me.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/Rcqx83MHQHI/AAAAAAAAAEE/a7xTvQQ8auQ/s1600-h/Michon+Schur+-+Pit+Clearing+Out.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/Rcqx83MHQHI/AAAAAAAAAEE/a7xTvQQ8auQ/s320/Michon+Schur+-+Pit+Clearing+Out.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029027593077604466" border="0" /></a>When they're done for the day, they wind up sending their photographs via laptop and wireless to their editors and call it a day. Typically, you see a ton of them hanging around, having a drink, and maybe even taking some shots of the audience. The MAC and IMG lounges in the lobby were particular favorites of theirs, as they offered plenty of space and seating.<br /><br />Anyway, here goes a synopsis of the photos. The first is the set up for the <a href="http://www.mercedesbenzfashionweek.com/newyork/fall2007/designers/michon_schur/index.html">Michon Schur</a> show in the Salon tonight. If you look above the photographers, you can see the set up for the lights before they start megawatting the runway. The second photo is during the <a href="http://www.mercedesbenzfashionweek.com/newyork/fall2007/designers/dragana_ognjenovic/index.html">Dragana Ognjenovic</a> show, another smaller designer, in the Showroom. The model is at the foot of the runway, just about to pause in her pose. Third shot - going back to Michon Schur, this is the pit in action, with the lights up and cameras aimed. It's not surprising that most of the models can't see a thing when they step out.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/Rcq6vnMHQII/AAAAAAAAAEM/gfEQ_r80vxM/s1600-h/Anna+Sui+Photo+Pit.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/Rcq6vnMHQII/AAAAAAAAAEM/gfEQ_r80vxM/s320/Anna+Sui+Photo+Pit.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029037261048987778" border="0" /></a>I've been meaning to get the fourth photo all week, but never managed to till today because of the crowds. The more reputable or important photographers get their own taped off 'box' in the pit. I'm more than positive that watching the pit <span style="font-style: italic;">during</span> a shoot would be incredibly interesting. Just in case you were wondering, the photographers do get some help as they do have a set of steps inside. <br /><br />The last shot is during the <a href="http://nymag.com/fashion/fashionshows/designers/bios/annasui/">Anna Sui</a> show in the huge Tent room. This show was packed, hot, and crazy. The pit was a sardine tin! I swear, when the models were at the foot of the runway, there was almost a surge forward by the cameras. <br /><br />Although I have to offer a disclaimer - the next few days of posts won't have anything to do with petite fashion - I hope that readers will find the coverage interesting and informative anyway!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-26342556479889236782007-02-06T17:15:00.000-05:002007-02-06T17:27:32.901-05:00Big Girl, You Are Beautiful to Max Azria<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/Rcj2RHMHQDI/AAAAAAAAADg/ScNKxvpCbLg/s1600-h/Max+Azria+title.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/Rcj2RHMHQDI/AAAAAAAAADg/ScNKxvpCbLg/s320/Max+Azria+title.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5028539757807222834" border="0" /></a>When the music started playing and the models walking out, I started laughing hysterically. For at least half the show, and all of the finale, <a href="http://www.style.com/fashionshows/collections/F2007RTW/review/MACOLL">Max Azria</a> had <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow-0vXEbn8U">Mika's Big Girl</a> (You Are Beautiful) pumping in the background. I was far from the only one noticing the choice of music, although most of the comments I heard were in regards to how fun it was (it is indeed, a happy bouncing tune, perfectly energetic for the runway), or just remarking about the song at all. <br /><br />How ironic that <span style="font-style: italic;">this</span> song was used, as the Council of Fashion Designers of America just met that morning to talk about what they're going to do about the issue of skinny models (in <a href="http://www.wwd.com/issue/article/112498">WWD.com</a>). <a href="http://www.style.com/fashionshows/collections/F2007RTW/review/MACOLL">Style.com</a> tactfully decided to interpret the music choice as that "to hammer home the point that the three-season-old Max Azria line is more grown-up than its sibling, BCBG Max Azria."<br /><br />Yeah, um, sure. I never heard the song before last night and was highly amused during the entire show (from <a href="http://www.sweetslyrics.com/429790.Mika%20-%20Big%20Girl%20%28You%20Are%20Beautiful%29.html">SweetLyrics</a>):<br /><br /> Big girl you are beautiful<br /><br /> Walks in to the room<br /> Feels like a big balloon<br /> I said hey girl you are beautiful<br /> Diet coke and a pizza please<br /> Diet coke im on my knees <br /> Screaming, big girl you are beautiful<br /><br /> You take your skinny girl<br /> I feel like im gonna die<br /> Coz a real woman needs a (real man has why)<br /> You take your girl and multiply about four<br /> Now a whole lot of woman needs a whole lot more<br /> ...<br /> Curves in the right places<br /><br />The NY Times's article today about the dilemma of unhealthy models, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/06/fashion/shows/06DIARY.html?ref=fashion">Looking Beyond the Runway For Answers on Underweight Models</a>, hits upon most of the complications of the recent discussions. Yes, it is complicated, and the other activities mentioned that put a strong emphasis on weight gain or loss show this (dancing, wrestling, jockeying, etc).<br /><br />Regardless, whether as a protest against artist limitation or as a jab to the hysteria, the song and show definitely stuck in my head! (And sorry, Max Azria didn't back the song up with appropriately large ladies - the models were still typically thin, athough I guess according to the Times, not <span style="font-style: italic;">quite </span>as thin or as young as last season's go around.)Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-82189936810205158482007-02-05T20:50:00.000-05:002007-02-05T21:42:25.794-05:00Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York Fall 2007<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RcfjoXMHQAI/AAAAAAAAAC8/_ugLxbQOy5s/s1600-h/fashion+week077.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RcfjoXMHQAI/AAAAAAAAAC8/_ugLxbQOy5s/s320/fashion+week077.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5028237791541542914" border="0" /></a>When I told one of my friends I was trying to decide what time to visit Bryant Park last Saturday, he advised me to avoid the area entirely for the next week. After all, that crazy fashion week thing tends to cause a big snarl up with activity - the skating rink even had to close early! When I told him that the shows were the reason I was going, he was a little incredulous that I was seriously willing to submit myself to the crowds. Heck, I was a bit surprised myself!<br /><br />I have incredibly mixed feelings about going this week. Certainly, I can say that I wanted to experience how things were as a regular (waitlist) show attendee from the front stage. No dressing models this time around. Instead, I walked through the front doors and just watched a lot of shows. The only show that I can even pretend was related to petite clothing was the <a href="http://www.mercedesbenzfashionweek.com/newyork/fall2007/designers/ellen_tracy/">Ellen Tracy show</a> I just came from tonight - and none of the stuff coming down the runway was likely to be the final petite selection anyway (no, no petite models, don't be silly!). But honestly, despite my somewhat ruthless and unsentimental view about the shows (i.e., the week long clothing commerical), I confess that I still am a bit caught up in the whole hoopla and glamour. As a woman, I think it's probably near impossible to avoid it. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RcfoaHMHQCI/AAAAAAAAADM/f1Yp2nu84f8/s1600-h/lobby+center.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RcfoaHMHQCI/AAAAAAAAADM/f1Yp2nu84f8/s320/lobby+center.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5028243044286545954" border="0" /></a>Anyway, I'll try to post a bit about my experience and upload some non-standard photos. Like my <a href="http://somesmallsense.blogspot.com/search/label/fashion%20show">previous posts</a> on fashion week, I'm probably not going to bother posting the usual stock photos since there are hundreds of lovelier ones elsewhere - check out <a href="http://www.style.com/">Style.com</a> and <a href="http://nymag.com/fashion/fashionshows/">NY Magazine's</a> coverage. Since this is my first experience with the shows from this end, I'll try to share that experience with you, rather than give any post-show analysis. I know I'll be fixated by the camera pit again, so I apologize in advance!<br /><br />This shot is actually of the center lobby space, right around the fountain. The waitlist line wraps around it, and generally, it's set up for you to admire the accessories. Note the screens - they play through the previous shows so that you have something to watch while waiting for your late-starting show.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-36637085943542558832007-01-15T01:16:00.000-05:002007-01-15T01:31:50.663-05:00New Blog - Petite FashionistaWhile romping through the webpages of the new and fabulous, I came across Christa Jean's blog, <a href="http://petitefashionista.blogspot.com/">Petite Fashionista</a>. Christa's living in Toronto and gives a variety of petite and general clothing advice. Of particular interest to those who may be interested in celebrity news, Christa often features a specific petite celebrity and discusses what she's wearing in the shot. <br /><br />Swing by Christa's blog and say hi! I'm glad that more petite women are getting out there and posting information and advice!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28238767.post-46928270980214566012007-01-08T20:40:00.000-05:002007-01-15T02:10:08.532-05:00Yesterday's Purchases at Banana<a aiotarget="false" aiotitle="" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RaHP6V0hSYI/AAAAAAAAAA8/hITKMxsXctE/s1600-h/Velvet+Blazer+Side.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RaHP6V0hSYI/AAAAAAAAAA8/hITKMxsXctE/s320/Velvet+Blazer+Side.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5017520061064235394" border="0" /></a>I'm having a bit of a problem with uploading photos to Blogger so bear with me! I managed to get these in before uploading stopped working....<br /><br />My favorite purchase of all was this black velvet pinstriped blazer in 00P that I picked up for $59.99. I should probably stop buying all this black clothing as it's pretty hard to photograph in my apartment! (The weird washed out one was my attempt to capture the details using a flash....) I've been eyeing it since the early winter because it just fits so well on me. I don't need a single alteration!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/Rasm-j2s-vI/AAAAAAAAACY/36gwJW4pgto/s1600-h/Flash+Full+Velvet+Blazer.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/Rasm-j2s-vI/AAAAAAAAACY/36gwJW4pgto/s320/Flash+Full+Velvet+Blazer.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5020149065852975858" border="0" /></a>Shoulder seam to seam: 13.5"<br />Top of shoulder seam to cuff: 21.5"<br />Top of neck seam to waist: 13"<br />Waist: 28"<br />Under arm circumference: 31"<br /><br />The two pairs of pants I got were definitely a "settle because of the low price" deal. I have a sneaking suspicion that the seat size is getting larger and larger for the 00P as time passes. All the jeans I tried on were huge!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RasntT2s-wI/AAAAAAAAACk/wEkoL-yvsIM/s1600-h/Cargo+Front.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RasntT2s-wI/AAAAAAAAACk/wEkoL-yvsIM/s320/Cargo+Front.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5020149869011860226" border="0" /></a><br />These cargo pants actually fit me pretty well - particularly because they didn't stretch. They were a ridiculously low $11.99. I almost can't bear to hem them, since the alterations will cost almost as much as the pants themselves!<br /><br />Ryan cut slim cargos<br /><br />Waist: 28"<br />Hip: 36"<br />Front Rise: 7"<br />Back Rise: 12"<br />Inseam: 31.5"<br />Thigh circumference (widest): 20"<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp3.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RasoLj2s-xI/AAAAAAAAACs/OEyTQsSTtGc/s1600-h/Cords+Side.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp3.blogger.com/_iWtqCU8vMhM/RasoLj2s-xI/AAAAAAAAACs/OEyTQsSTtGc/s320/Cords+Side.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5020150388702903058" border="0" /></a>The cords were actually a bit loose on me but they practically fit and were so comfortable! As you can see, they do nothing to particularly flatter my posterior, but well, I guess I can't blame the pants! For $25.99, not something to complain about it. They're loose because they're stretch cords, but don't stretch on me. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that they'll shrink in the wash.<br /><br />5-pocket skinny cordorouys<br /><br />Waist: 28"<br />Hip: 36"<br />Front Rise: 7.5"<br />Back Rise: 12.5"<br />Inseam: 30"<br />Thigh: 20"Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904654087088040552noreply@blogger.com1