Read Surveys (By Author)
Sharon Craig
1. When do you feel at your most attractive?
At age 55 and no longer concerned with being attractive to men and comparing myself with other women I feel no pressure to feel attractive at all.In bush clothes or dressed up its me and Im good with it.
2. Do you notice women on the street? If so, what sort of women do you tend to notice or admire?
I notice women who have a personal sense of style and their clothes reflect that.Wear what makes you happy not what is the current fashion trend du jour.
3. What are some things you admire about how other women present themselves?
I admire strong personalities that wear what they want to despite being expected to conform to the herd mentality.
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?
Age 16 started wearing vintage and continue to.Not dressing to impress anyone expect myself and having a wardrobe of well made items I have kept for decades.
5. What are some shopping rules you wouldn’t necessarily recommend to others but which you follow?
Dont spend $ on trendy stuff.Shop thrifts.Dont have a huge closet full of stuff you dont wear.
6. What are some rules about dressing you follow, but you wouldn't necessarily recommend to others?
Be comfortable.Make sure it fits well.Ask yourself if you feel good wearing it.
7. What is the most transformative conversation you have ever had on the subject of fashion or style?
None Ive always worn what I wanted to.
8. Do you have a unified way of approaching your life, work, relationships, finances, chores, etc.? Please explain.
Nope its constant chaos and I like it that way.
9. Are there any clothing (or related) items that you have in multiple? Why do you think you keep buying this thing?
Coats and jackets because the weather is so changeable and you have to have 4 seasons of working outside and going to town coats.And I just like coats.No shoes though its sandals and flipflops or work and snow boots lol.
10. Have you ever successfully given someone a present of jewelry or clothing that you continue to feel good about?
NO!! Unless someone outright asked for something I dont pick out wearables for someone else.And that includes knitting.
11. Is there any fashion trend you’ve refused to participate in and why?
No I wear what I want whether its trendy or not.
12. Can you say a bit about how your mother’s body and style has been passed down to you, or not?
Dressing like a homeless person at home and well turned out in public.
13. Have you stolen, borrowed or adapted any dressing ideas or actual items from friends or family?
No
14. Was there a point in your life when your style changed dramatically? What happened?
No
15. Is there anything political about the way you dress?
No
16. Please describe your body.
5'3" 130 lbs used to be 115lbs til mentalpause struck.Aging and changing.
17. Please describe your mind.
Creative,scattered,curious,hopefull.
18. Please describe your emotions.
Happy most of the time.
19. What are you wearing on your body and face, and how is your hair done, right at this moment?
No makeup.Hair in a messy bun.Festival Tshirt and yoga pants.$ store faux crocs and mens work socks.
20. In what way is this stuff important, if at all?
It is important because we are important and what we as women wear or are expected to wear is interesting and relevent in many ways.
21. With whom do you talk about clothes?
Nobody I know IRL is as interested in clothing and fashion history so I have lots of books and mostly read about it.
22. How do institutions affect the way you dress?
Never worked anywhere with a dress code.
23. Do you think you have taste or style? Which one is more important? What do these words mean to you?
I think I have both and to me it means looking appropriate to the situation in clothing that fits well,is suitable for my age and where Im going that day.
24. Do you remember the biggest waste of money you ever made on an item of clothing?
No I have always thrift shopped and scoop up things someone else blew the cash on.
25. Are there any dressing tricks you’ve invented or learned that make you feel like you’re getting away with something?
?
26. Do you have style in any areas of your life aside from fashion?
I like my house to be interest.ing to me
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 have always done whatever I wanted to in clothing and every other part of my life.Dont let others opinions rule your life.
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?
I was taught to care for the clothing you have.Handwashing,clean your leather shoes,iron the wrinkly stuff.
30. What sorts of things do you do, clothing or make-up or hair- wise, to feel sexy or alluring?
Never dressed super sexy.Someone will like you or they wont.
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?
Comfortable for me means physically not having underwires stabbbing me all day or too tight clothes riding up or itching and you have to be wearing something that you feel okay about not worried that you look stupid or something.
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?
Respect yourself.Put some thought into what you are wearing.Embrace whatever size age etc you are and dress to please yourself.Be as stylish or not as makes you happy.You dont have to dress super sexy with your junk hanging out.Have FUN.
33. What is really beautiful, for you, in general?
Confidence.
34. What do you consider very ugly?
Hanging on to old ways like when women get stuck in styles that they wore decades ago and still wear.Dressing like a stripper in your 50s.
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?
No I buy things and never try them on most times but they can just go back to the thrift.
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?
No Im the same.
37. What is your process getting dressed in the morning? What are you considering?
Nothing I am staying home or working outside so weather is the only consideration.
38. What are you trying to achieve when you dress?
At this point in my life its mostly protection from the elements or a particular chore.
39. What, for you, is the difference between dressing and dressing up?
Dressing is for utilitarian everyday situations work etc and dressing up is where you get to dress for some special occasion and really ratchet it up.You use your personal style for all these situations.
40. If you had to wear a “uniform” what would it look like?
Yoga pants T shirt.
41. What would you say is “you” and what would you say is “not you”?
I am open to everything.I never wore crocs and always thought they were the shoes that when you died and went to hell the debbil would say welcome to hell...heres your shoes.For all eternity.But I bought a pair and theyre awesome.I still wont wear them to town though.So never say never hehe.
42. What is your cultural background and how has that influenced how you dress?
Scotch Italian born in the mountains and love Fairisle knitted items sent to me from Aunties in Scotland and wear lots of vintage bush type clothes and mens stuff.
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?
I dont dress up much as I work at home but still like to look good when i go out.
44. What sorts of things do you do, clothing, make-up or hair-wise, to feel professional?
Ive never been professional.Ever.
45. How do you conform to or rebel against the dress expectations at your workplace?
Always worked at casual places.
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?
When I was in highschool we couldnt wear jeans.We wore jeans in the great denim rebellion.
48. Do you find it comforting or constraining to have a uniform?
It helps to not have to figure out what to wear in some jobs having a uniform.
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?
No theres too many possibilities.
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?
I always have worn mens clothes.
51. If there was one country or culture or era that you had to live in, fashion-wise, what would it be?
1930s
52. Do you consider yourself photogenic?
No
53. When you see yourself in photographs, what do you think?
Im not photogenic
54. Are there any figures from culture, past or present, whose style you admire or have drawn from?
Notb really
55. Have you ever had a dream that involved clothes?
Yes
56. What would be a difficult or uncomfortable look for you to try and achieve?
Structured modern stiff lots of makeup elaborate hair.
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?
Im good with my body and although my waistline isnt what it was I still wear what I want.
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?
Theres a line between dressing fabulous and a bit crazy to most other people and looking ridiculous.Its like porn you know it when you see it.
60. What do you think of perfume? Do you wear it?
Perfume oil a teeeny dab only.
61. What are some things you need to do to your body or clothes in order to feel presentable?
A dab of makeup.
62. How does makeup fit into all this for you?
Dont wear alot.never did.
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?
Short hair for older women.I never liked short hair when I was young and Im not cutting it now.So there.
64. Can you describe in a basic way what you own, clothing and jewelry-wise?
One small closet full of mixed vintage and current casual stuff.I live in a rural area so lots of work clothes.3 pairs of black high heel shoes.lots of large scale mostly silver jewelry .
65. What is your favorite piece of clothing or jewelry that you own?
Vintage 50s orange Smiling Mink bowling shirt with a big mink holding a bowling pin embroidered on the back that Ive had for 40 years.A large silver Haida eagle bracelet.Cowichan sweater my friend gave me that her auntie made.
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?
Vintage 50s black suede pumps.They dont fit anymore but they were my friends aunts and I just like looking at them.
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?
Good sturdy boots.
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?
It was a dress my mother had but didnt wear.It was a 60s shift with huge heads of the Beatles all down the front.I sold it at a yardsale pre-ebay for like 2 bucks.Every time I think about it it makes me want to puke as I could have made bank.
69. If you had to throw out all your clothes but keep one thing, what would you keep?
Vintage Camp fan-lace corset.
70. Building up your wardrobe from nothing, what would you do differently this time?
Wouldnt cahange a thing.
71. What’s the first “investment” item you bought? Do you still own or wear it?
Orange bowling shirt 40 years and still wear it.
72. Was there ever an important or paradigm-shifting purchase in your life?
No
73. What item of clothing are you still (or have you forever been) on the hunt for?
70s East West leather jacket.
74. What are your closet and drawers like? Do you keep things neat, etc?
Neat for sure.
75. Were you ever given a present of clothing or jewelry that especially touched you?
Haida bracelet.
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?
No
77. How and when do you shop for clothes?
Whenever I get the urge
78. Do you like to smell a certain way?
Clean
79. How does how you dress play into your ambitions for yourself?
Not ambititous myself but you have to consider what you are saying about yourself when getting dressed for jobs or whatever.
80. How does money fit into all this?
You can dress wonderfully for very little.You dont need tons of clothes.Dont spend more than you can afford.Clothes wont make you happy if you arent.
81. Is there an article of clothing, a piece of make-up, or an accessory that you carry with you or wear every day?
No
82. Did anyone ever say anything to you that made you see yourself differently, on a physical and especially sartorial level?
That I looked and moved like a dancer.Im not a dancer.
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?
Age 2 red tartan running shoe.Took one off and chucked it off a balcony.Got reamed out.
What’s your birth date? Where were you born and where do you live now?
May 27 1959 Born West Kootenays BC Canada and still live here.
Are you single, married, do you have kids, etc.?
Single no kids by choice.
How do you feel after filling out this survey?
This is a great idea.Enjoyed it and will get the book.