See, because when you’re trying to have a conversation with someone about systemic racism, you can’t be wearing this and have the kind of impact you want to have:
Because the person talking to you will — consciously or unconsciously — read you as a person who is totally warm and cozy and non-threatening and frumpy. Not someone they need to take seriously. Not someone who looks like they take their own professional identity seriously. It’s like, “Sure, grandma, give me some pie.”
When this guy tries to talk to me about his views on justice and righteousness, I think, “Oh honey, you are being so upstaged by your painfully hip look.” This look is perfectly fine if you’re ministering to a 100% young hipster community. Otherwise, edit. You can’t speak truth to power from behind that much mustache wax and be taken seriously by the older generation or the many people who find hipsters super irritating. You can certainly try, but why not cool it with the ‘stache wax when you’re working?
“I’m impressed with your ideas and I’m really glad you care so much about racial equality but you forgot to put your pants on today, so I’m not going to remember this conversation as much for its content as for my embarrassment that your butt was showing.”
It’s TRUTH, darlings! In every one of these responses I am just channeling the inner voices of many people we all know and with whom we would like to have some influence.
The world awaits your prophetic ministry. Don’t upstage yourself with frumpy, pretentious or cluelessly “fashionable” attire.
IS it really really wrong that I kind of want that reindeer sweater to wear on days when I need to feel cozy and frumpy and totally not available for anything more strenuous than lifting a mug of hot chocolate? [Not at all. We have to have SOMETHING to bake sugar cookies in. – PB]
How do you dress for moral outrage?
[Let us know when you and your St. Louis colleagues figure it out. Prayers are with you all. And moral outrage. – PB]
Yes! At an interfaith Thanksgiving service I attended, I listened to a rabbi say that he had some very serious words for the benediction. I have no idea what those words were, but I do remember the turkey on his tie. [Aw, dang. – PB]
I have a dream that one day my children will be judged by the content of their character and not the stiffness of their mustaches or graphics on their sweaters.
Judge not lest ye be judged? I am not sure what your point is here.
If what you are saying is that people are shallow and often fail to recognize Christ in others, I agree, but if what you are saying is that is OK because that is the way people are and we need to change ourselves to meet society’s expectations, well, maybe you need to reread the scriptures a bit.
While YOU may think there is no place for humanity or whimsy in a serious discussion, I would tend to disagree. If we lose sight of our own frailties in how we react to others we ultimately are doing ourselves a disservice. Lord, when did I not listen to you when you were speaking? … I mean other than when you were wearing what I considered to be a silly sweater.
[You must be new here!Welcome! – PB]
Fran Lebowitz: While clothes with pictures and/or writing on them are not entirely an invention of the modern age, they are an unpleasant indication of the general state of things, which encourages people to express themselves through their clothing… I mean, be realistic. If people don’t want to listen to you, what makes you think they want to hear from your sweater?â€
From a blog post at Into Mind, scroll down: http://into-mind.com/2014/12/02/timeless-style-advice-from-70s-classic-cheap-chic/
Addendum: I’m not agreeing with Ms Lebowitz’ judgement upon clothing creativity (she does wear a white shirt and black suit jacket in practically every picture I can find of her), but of confirmation that if your clothes are shouting one message, people won’t hear, or listen, to the other.
Thanks for the posts, I always look forward to your writing.
I really like the greY sweatshirt with Santa 🙂
But not for a Serious Discussion of course. I wonder where it’s sold? [Probably NorthStyle.com. – PB]