Clothes

I guess it is unanimous. I have no fashion sense, I am a miser and I'm wishy-washy.

A few weeks ago I went with my VERY GOOD FRIEND, Marlene around Tokyo. I emphasize the good friend part because you might get the impression that she is a bit critical of me but in truth she is a very frank as well as being very loving. She has set me straight many times in our 20 years of friendship. Anyway, while in Tokyo Marlene turned to me and said,

"What are you wearing to Leiya's graduation?"

"Wearing? I hadn't thought about it yet. Do I have to wear something special?"

"Tanya, if you think you're going to go in jeans you are nuts. This is a major event. You have to get dressed up for this."

"Well, I've got that pant suit outfit..."

Marlene let out a groan. I think when Leiya was graduating from kindergarten I needed to get dressed up and I consulted Marlene. She in turn rallied around and got her friends to raid their closets and I went to graduation looking pretty good. In someone else's dress. When entrance ceremony came around I went back to Marlene. She was somewhat miffed.

"Would you go out and buy your own clothes instead of depending on other people's closets!"

That made sense so I did. I bought myself the pant suit. Which I like. Which when I modeled for Leiya I remember she said I looked like a bus driver. So I've always thought of it as my bus driver outfit, but I've worn it to loads of kindergarten graduation ceremonies (as a teacher) since then. Even to a couple of weddings! But how many years have I worn the thing? Marlene looked at me exasperatedly.

"Ok. Let's see if we can find you something nice to wear today."

"Today I am not in Tokyo to buy myself clothes. I'll go shopping later back home."

"Tanya, you know you'll just end up wasting time browsing. You'll either buy something at the local department store that is expensive or you'll decide you don't want to spend the money and you won't buy anything. Just look now and you might find something in Tokyo for less."

So we looked, and I found something. Not that I was overjoyed to be buying it because even at nearly half price it was still too expensive in my book. Also because it was TOO nice! I am not an elegant person and this was very elegant (to me. Marlene declared it simple but formal.) I hemmed and hawed about buying it for loads of reasons but Marlene convinced me and the simple, elegant outfit became mine. Yeah! Shopping is done! Now I don't have to think about it until graduation day!

"Tanya, What shoes are you going to wear with this?"

"Shoes?!? Shoes!?! I have black pumps that I wear for every single formal occasion I've been to for the past 15 years."

"You absolutely have no fashion sense. You cannot wear black shoes at the end of May. You have to look springy! You're not going to a funeral you know! Let's go look for some shoes."

I did not want to look at shoes. I do not like shoes. I have bunions and my feet are extremely ugly and it is very hard to find shoes that are comfortable. I pride myself in having only 5 pairs of shoes and that include beach sandals and the black pumps. Still, we hit a few shoe stores but I finally showed Marlene my ugly feet and she agreed that shoe shopping might be more of a challenge than she had bargained for.

"Tanya. You're going to need a bag."

"I have my wonderful WHITE bag and it is very springy." Case closed.

"That is a tote bag. You cannot use that with your elegant outfit. You need something small and just as elegant."

"AAGGHH!! I do not want to spend all this money on myself! I have a lot of stuff I carry around and these little pocket purses are just not going to do it for me! My camera wouldn't fit in some of these things!"

So we did NOT buy any shoes or a bag that day. A couple weeks later I wore my simple, elegant outfit (with black pumps) to the kindergarten entrance ceremony. I felt I needed to get a sense of the me in this outfit that looked like it belonged to someone else. I even put aside my big white tote bag and carried a small patchwork bag that I thought was just perfect. Small, same general color. Tanya, you are getting more fashionable by the minute! A number of my friends were surprised that I could even get that dressed up but when I proudly told them that THIS was the outfit I was planning to wear at Leiya's graduation even my patchwork friends frowned and said,

"Umm. You need to think about a different bag. Patchwork doesn't go with that outfit."

AAARRRGGGHHH!!!! My friends are ganging up on me!

Friday I showed my outfit to my neighbor, Mrs. Yano, who laughed at me.

"Nope. You really need something besides the black pumps. You need matching shoes and handbag! Let's go shopping together."

Yesterday we went shopping but I was grumbling the whole time.

"I do not want to spend this money. What a waste. Who is going to look at me anyway? What does it matter what color shoes I wear or bag I carry or what outfit I wear? Why do I need a tiny handbag that nothing will fit into?"

Grumble, grumble, pout, pout. Mrs. Yano just took over.

"Just find some shoes that you can walk in. I'll tell you if they look okay. Then we'll worry about the bag. AND STOP LOOKING AT THE PRICE TAGS ON EVERYTHING!!!"

So I found some shoes that were suitable. And I dilly dallied between a minuscule handbag that would only hold a handkerchief and a semi-large bag that I might find another purpose for someday. I was ready to come home empty handed and do this another day alone but I sensed that I was wearing my friendship pretty thin if I backed out now. The practical bag came home with us.

So NOW I am set but it does seem strange to me that since I'm not the one graduating that I have to get all dressed up. A nice hippy skirt and dangle earrings and that's my idea of fancy...

Thank you Marlene and Mrs. Yano! Tetsu won't recognize who's standing next to him!