As a Fierce Diva, I have committed myself to a strict social code of conduct, which goes something like this:
- Treat everyone as if they are a good friend, including strangers.
- Give people the benefit of the doubt, even in situations where I feel threatened.
- Have compassion for others, especially those who have hurt me.
- Never leave the house in sweatpants that have writing across the ass. Ever.
If you are a post collegiate hanging out at the beach house for the weekend, go ahead and wear your writing-across-the-ass sweatpants. That's what they're for. Knock yourself out, and wear the ones with the writing emblazoned in rhinestone or sequins. But as a Diva of a certain age, the look falls flat. I appear as if I'm trying to reincarnate my twenty-five year old self. And twenty-five was a LONG time ago.
Believe, me, Divas. I'm no fashionista. As a coed, my flamboyance factor was off the charts, as I showed up for anything from a rock concert to a science test in a bustier, crinoline skirt, and spike heeled boots. Then, there was my dalliance with goth, followed by a decade long attachment to grunge, complete with ripped Levi's and my beloved Doc Martens. In the postpartum years, of feeling fat and tired, my wardrobe consisted of five pairs of baggy black yoga pants, worn everywhere, including holiday dinners.
I have grown to appreciate the importance of dressing in a way that matches my personality and supports my lifestyle, but that allows me to dress with dignity. When it comes to Fierce Diva fashion, I am not suggesting you follow specific rules or trends. It's about dressing with self respect, and in a way that allows you to live the life you love.
Dress your Age
- Only a sixteen year old can get away with a half shirt. No exceptions.
- No matter how fierce your body is, it's time to stop shopping in the junior department.
- You already know how I feel about the writing-across-the-ass sweatpants.
Dress with dignity
- Your pajamas don't belong at the mall or the grocery store or anywhere else outside the house. I'm just saying.
- An outfit with material cut out of the torso, hips, or sides of the thighs, is lacking in dignity. Although you might be able to get away with this on the red carpet or at a club in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, where everyone else dresses that way.
- If your outfit resembles something worn by Snooki, pregnant or not, you have absolutely no chance at dignity.
Dress to live the life you love
- Do wearing pants that are so tight, you have to zip them while lying down across your bed, help you live the life you love?
- Ice skate heels: how can you live the life you love when it hurts to walk?
- Only buy clothing you can afford! Going into debt for a new wardrobe will not help you live the life you love! Remember, Fierce Divas never spend beyond their means.
What does Fierce Fashion boil down to? It begins in your head, Divas, like everything else. It starts with balancing the fluctuations of the mind, which you can do through meditation. Once you work on controlling your thoughts, you will be much better equipped for that moment in every Diva's life when she needs to ask herself that one important question: Can I still pull off wearing the writing-across-the-ass sweatpants in public?
When you can answer the question without effort, and with 100% certainty, you know you have truly become a Fierce Diva.
Namaste, Divas!
©2012 Ilene Evans
