The past few years in Philly have opened my eyes to the possibilities of self-expression through one's wardrobe and personal experience. Yet several questions still abound about the trends that arise in this quaint city around the Schuylkill. Perhaps the city itself can offer some answers ...
To all the fly (and not so) Philly Jawns:
I can appreciate a city where one can find heels for the damn-near-illegal price of $15. And I can further understand the creativity that abounds when entire outfits can be purchased for $50. But just because you can find plastic lime green slingbacks to match all your other lime green plastic jewelry does not mean you must wear it all simultaneously in some gloriously tacky display. If you insist on wearing neon some two decades after Flashdance, please do so in small doses.
Yet for a city that excels in churning out cheap footwear and accessories in electric colors, your counterfeits are just pathetic. Considering your close proximity to the fake-Fendi paradise that is New York (notably its shady purse behemoth Canal Street) one would expect the LVs and Pradas floating around have some semblance of reasonable craftwork. Are bootleggers here just lazier? Or is Philly just the underachieving younger sibling in the faux purse exchange? And 52nd Street. If this is your answer to the aforementioned Canal Street, I guess we need to ask another question.
But lets not leave the brothers of this loving city out of it. What is going on with the beards? This is a question I have long pondered as I wander through what seems to be an on-going convention of urban Jesus impersonators. And the long Philly tees are simply disgraceful. When your shirt reaches your ankles, its time to stop.
So maybe the expectations are bit different when you come to a city that brings you Jill Scott, cream cheese and Bill Cosby. But maybe someone will one day enlighten me about these curious trends. Until that happens: Philly, get it together.
Love always,
Style
