Read Surveys (By Author)
Anne Robbins
1. When do you feel at your most attractive?
when my hair is looking good and I am dressed in black and white
2. Do you notice women on the street? If so, what sort of women do you tend to notice or admire?
simple but elegant
3. What are some things you admire about how other women present themselves?
walking straight and tall, polite, and smiling
4. Was there a moment in your life when something “clicked” for you about fashion or dressing or make-up or hair? What? Why did it happen then, do you think?
no particular event
like simple well put together look
5. What are some shopping rules you wouldn’t necessarily recommend to others but which you follow?
when I see something that appeals I buy
6. What are some rules about dressing you follow, but you wouldn't necessarily recommend to others?
I like things co-ordinated...sometimes very bright colours
7. What is the most transformative conversation you have ever had on the subject of fashion or style?
can't say I have had one
8. Do you have a unified way of approaching your life, work, relationships, finances, chores, etc.? Please explain.
sort of...I like a sense of order, in dress, home decor, etc yet I do like a comfortable and casual look and my work reflects this..eg yard and garden have a natural flowing look
9. Are there any clothing (or related) items that you have in multiple? Why do you think you keep buying this thing?
coats...love coats
10. Have you ever successfully given someone a present of jewelry or clothing that you continue to feel good about?
not usual for me to pick such things for gifts
11. Is there any fashion trend you’ve refused to participate in and why?
anything too short or too tight...got horrid legs
12. Can you say a bit about how your mother’s body and style has been passed down to you, or not?
nothing alike there
13. Have you stolen, borrowed or adapted any dressing ideas or actual items from friends or family?
no usually need no advice..will sometimes modify a recent fashion but do my own thing
14. Was there a point in your life when your style changed dramatically? What happened?
perhaps as I aged but more to do with being able to afford, altho' I spend little on clothes budget
15. Is there anything political about the way you dress?
no
16. Please describe your body.
tall slim, rather poor posture, knobby knees, now at 80, wrinkled
17. Please describe your mind.
alert, active, very creative
18. Please describe your emotions.
sensitive, happy as a usual but easily feel unnoticed
19. What are you wearing on your body and face, and how is your hair done, right at this moment?
matching shorts, t shirt jacket..hair brushed but casual as day at home
20. In what way is this stuff important, if at all?
I really like co-ordination of colours, but also love comfort
21. With whom do you talk about clothes?
sometimes my grand-daughter, some friends
22. How do institutions affect the way you dress?
don't
23. Do you think you have taste or style? Which one is more important? What do these words mean to you?
yes I believe I do.
taste means more to me
taste means to me..being able to look good in whatever I choose...style means to me what some-one else sees as right
24. Do you remember the biggest waste of money you ever made on an item of clothing?
some boots that were uncomfortable
25. Are there any dressing tricks you’ve invented or learned that make you feel like you’re getting away with something?
I buy inexpensive tops and dresses and then dress them up with jewellary or handbags or jackets
26. Do you have style in any areas of your life aside from fashion?
very much so...my decorating, my garden, my ideas
27. Can you recall some times when you have dressed a particular way to calm yourself or gain a sense of control over a situation that scared you?
no
28. Would you say you “know what you like” in the area of fashion and clothing? If so, do you also know what you like in other areas of life, that is, are you generally good at discernment? Can you say where your discernment comes from, if you have it? Or if you don’t have it, why or why not?
I do know what I like. in all areas of my life
think this comes from being a middle child...often unnoticed or left to make own decisions...never in spotlite
29. Did your parents teach you things about clothing, care for your clothing, dressing or style? What lessons do you remember? Or did you just pick things up?
we had little so fashion was not there but because I like colour and comfort...just picked things up
30. What sorts of things do you do, clothing or make-up or hair- wise, to feel sexy or alluring?
neat, tidy perhaps some lovely jewellary, nice perfume
31. Many people say they want to feel “comfortable,” or that they admire people who seem “confident.” What do these words really mean to you?
I like those emotions in my life...they mean security to me
32. If dressing were the only thing you did, and you were considered an expert and asked to explain your style philosophy, what would you say?
like what you choose, make it functional and versatile
33. What is really beautiful, for you, in general?
colour suited to my body...good fit, not too trendy or showy
34. What do you consider very ugly?
dont have any specific things...just know some things are not for me but right for others
35. Are you generally a good judge of whether what you buy will end up being worn? Have you figured out how to know in advance?
yes I usually know what is right. the odd time I don't wear and keep if I don't feel right in it
I stick to basics and usually know what is right for me
36. When you look at yourself before going out, and you are trying to see yourself from the outside, can you describe a bit about what this “other person” is like? What do they like, dislike, what sorts of judgments do they have? Is this “outer eye” based on someone you know or once knew?
neat, tidy, colourful, easy to approach
nedds to stand up straighter
37. What is your process getting dressed in the morning? What are you considering?
what am I doing, where am I going
38. What are you trying to achieve when you dress?
presenting myself as down to earth and not in limelight
39. What, for you, is the difference between dressing and dressing up?
jewellary
40. If you had to wear a “uniform” what would it look like?
colourful
41. What would you say is “you” and what would you say is “not you”?
casual yet elegant
not flashy
42. What is your cultural background and how has that influenced how you dress?
white anglo
stlye just evolved
43. Do you remember a time in your life when you dressed quite differently from how you do now? Can you describe it and what it was all about for you?
as a kid dressed in hand me downs but that's okay taught me in later life to make such things look good and don''t waste
44. What sorts of things do you do, clothing, make-up or hair-wise, to feel professional?
little make-up
casual hair stlye
comfortable but attractive clothes
45. How do you conform to or rebel against the dress expectations at your workplace?
don't bother about it
46. Do you have a dress code, a school uniform, or a uniform that you wear for an extracurricular activity?
no
47. Are there ways in which you conform to or rebel against these uniforms?
no
48. Do you find it comforting or constraining to have a uniform?
doesn't apply
49. What is an archetypal outfit for you; one that you could have happily worn at any point in your life? What do you like about it?
black white and pearls
50. Do you ever wish you were a man or could dress like a man or had a man’s body? Was there ever a time in the past?
no
51. If there was one country or culture or era that you had to live in, fashion-wise, what would it be?
no
52. Do you consider yourself photogenic?
no
53. When you see yourself in photographs, what do you think?
ugh..not pretty enough
54. Are there any figures from culture, past or present, whose style you admire or have drawn from?
no
55. Have you ever had a dream that involved clothes?
no
56. What would be a difficult or uncomfortable look for you to try and achieve?
short skirts, bare belly
57. If you were totally comfortable with your body, or your body was a bit closer to what you wish it was like, what would you wear?
same as I do
58. Is there anyone that you are trying to attract or repel when you dress?
no
59. Are there any dressing rules you’d want to convey to other women?
no
60. What do you think of perfume? Do you wear it?
like it but chose when and where
61. What are some things you need to do to your body or clothes in order to feel presentable?
groom
62. How does makeup fit into all this for you?
little
63. Is there a certain look you feel you’re expected to like that you have absolutely no interest in? What is it? Why aren’t you interested?
no
64. Can you describe in a basic way what you own, clothing and jewelry-wise?
just what appeals to me
65. What is your favorite piece of clothing or jewelry that you own?
pearls..wear pearl earrings [large] every day
66. Tell us about something in your closet that you keep but never wear. What is it, why don’t you wear it, and why do you keep it?
chinese lounge jacket...bought by husband when first married..we had no money
67. Looking back at all your purchases over the past five to fifteen years, can you generalize about what sorts of things were the most valuable to buy?
usually do not buy expensive stuff..eg name brands, but what appeals to me
68. Is there an item of clothing that you once owned, but no longer own, and still think about or wish you had back? What was it, what happened to it, and why do you want it back?
when I was a teen ...a turquoise a-line wool dress
long gone but it was stlish even now
69. If you had to throw out all your clothes but keep one thing, what would you keep?
black and white polka dot top with black pants and shell
70. Building up your wardrobe from nothing, what would you do differently this time?
not much
71. What’s the first “investment” item you bought? Do you still own or wear it?
can't think of any investment item
72. Was there ever an important or paradigm-shifting purchase in your life?
never
73. What item of clothing are you still (or have you forever been) on the hunt for?
none
74. What are your closet and drawers like? Do you keep things neat, etc?
yes
75. Were you ever given a present of clothing or jewelry that especially touched you?
jewellary from my husband...
76. Did you ever buy an article of clothing without giving it much thought, only to have it prove much more valuable as time went on? What was the item and what happened?
sometimes I find a top I picked up because it appealed and end up wearing over and over and change it up with diffeent things
77. How and when do you shop for clothes?
when I see it, like it buy it
78. Do you like to smell a certain way?
clean clothes..perfume when out
79. How does how you dress play into your ambitions for yourself?
doesn't
80. How does money fit into all this?
i am frugal but never cheap...waste not, want not
81. Is there an article of clothing, a piece of make-up, or an accessory that you carry with you or wear every day?
ring from czech republic
82. Did anyone ever say anything to you that made you see yourself differently, on a physical and especially sartorial level?
not really
83. Do you remember the first time you were conscious of what you were wearing? Can you describe this moment and what it was about?
no
What’s your birth date? Where were you born and where do you live now?
1935
toronto
georgian bay
Say anything you like about your cultural/ethnic/economic background.
scottish/english
middle class
What kind of work do you do?
retired
worked 20 yrs floral design
Are you single, married, do you have kids, etc.?
widowed
children middle age
Please say anything you like about yourself that might put this survey into some sort of context.
I like my creativity, hard working style, generous spirit
How do you feel after filling out this survey?
enjoyable
Bio
grew up in a fairly poor family but learned what truly counts in life. married, 2 children, worked, was caregiver,[was] involved in church life, have 5 grandchildren, husband died young so live alone in own home, do most stuff around here, lotsa good friends, love to garden and cook