Celebrate in style, whatever that may be

NOTE: This blog has been corrected to reflect that the writer of the original story is 29, not "barely 30" as described in the original posting. She had a birthday. I, obviously, misunderstood which one it was. My apologies for aging her a bit too soon.

One of our writers recently wrote a light feature story including her opinion about holiday attire. The story, which appeared in last Thursday's feature section, pretty much ripped every item of holiday-themed clothing including T-shirts, sweatshirts, ties, socks and vests with a special emphasis on the sartorially offensive Christmas sweaters.

The story got a lot of attention and a lot of e-mails from, primarily, irate readers. It also earned her an in-house award at last week’s staff meeting.

For those of you whose jaws just dropped at the thought of an opinion piece even appearing on the feature page, much less winning an award, please let me explain. The story did exactly what newspaper stories are supposed to do – it so enthralled readers that they felt compelled to read it and it so infuriated many of them that they felt compelled to respond. In journalism circles that’s a home run. As she explained, in a follow-up e-mail to many of her detractors, the point was to, hopefully, make people giggle over their cereal bowls in the morning and, maybe, take a side in the fashion debate.

Debate is the appropriate word. Readers need to recognize that the bylined story, which did not appear on our opinion pages, represented the opinion of the fashion-conscious 29-year-old reporter who wrote the story. It did not appear on our opinion pages as the official newspaper opinion and it certainly didn’t represent the opinion of everyone in the newsroom.

Though there are many positives in being a barely 30-year-old, the compulsion to be a fashion slave isn’t one of them. When I turned 40, more than a decade ago, I especially remember the feeling of empowerment it gave me because, among other things, I decided I no longer had to put up with a lot of . . . garbage . . . that people seem to dish out.

Though we certainly want to hear from our readers, and I wouldn’t label the story in question as garbage, I would encourage everyone to take stories such as this a little less seriously. Allow stories such as this to make you pause, make you consider – and make you form your own opinion. And always feel free to share that opinion with us.

Another article, somewhat of a rebuttal to the anti-holiday clothing story, is set to run in the feature section this week. We hope as many readers take the time to read and respond to that story.

Now, the burning question: Do I own any Christmas sweaters? No, not any more, though I have in the past (along with puff-paint T-shirts in the ‘80s). They are now replaced with appropriately festive but relatively plain red sweaters and shirts in my closet. My choice is not because of any fashion mandate, but rather because I am what is politely referred to as a “big woman” and, because, as a professional I think having Santa and reindeer on my clothing might inhibit me being taken seriously. I do, however, have some holiday T-shirts, reserved for wearing with jeans on weekends. My wardrobe is my wardrobe because it is what I choose to wear, comfortably and confidently because I have a brain and can make up my own mind.

I encourage others to do the same regardless of any fashion dictates or opinions of others (unless it is, of course, your best friend telling you that dress actually DOES make you look fat.)

The world, especially during the holidays, would be a very dull place if everyone simply wore a basic black dress paired with those oh-so-fashionable pointy toed shoes, which, in my opinion, are the real fashion crime against all women.