Twist and Shout
Twist and Shout
30 x 40
2003 / #17
Several times I have explored the concept of clothing sizes. It is a frustrating fact of fashion that the industry is lying to us as consumers. I weigh more now than I did 20 years ago, but my clothing size has shrunk 3 times smaller. The whole idea behind this practice is to make women feel that they are not gaining weight. Vanity sizing is what it is called in the fashion world and no longer the dirty little secret it used to be.
Dressing rooms are an interesting place. Women do a little dance in the mirror as part of the process of trying on clothing. I donât mean a dance to music, but a dance of fit. There is the âdoes my butt look bigâ twist, the âcan I lean overâ roll, and the âif I sit will the seams burstâ squat. My favorite gesture though is the âtug it into place over and overâ chicken dance. Time and again I see young women wearing tube tops and strapless dresses when their bust-lines are just too large to allow for a flattering fit. Gravity never takes a break so the fabric wants to pull southward while the wearer constantly tugs it back into place. Unbeknownst to the victim, their elbows stick out and the arms flap like a chickenâs wings. I have been known to sneak on past and give a chicken cluck noise for personal amusement. My family knows what it means.
This character is doing the dressing room chicken dance. The dress is obviously way too small and her bust-line is way too big. Her expression is one of determination however, and I suspect she will go home with the dress anyway. Funny how we also tend to think that if we stick our butt out backwards and lean forward, an outfit will miraculously fit better. Let me know if that ever proves true.
30 x 40
2003 / #17
Several times I have explored the concept of clothing sizes. It is a frustrating fact of fashion that the industry is lying to us as consumers. I weigh more now than I did 20 years ago, but my clothing size has shrunk 3 times smaller. The whole idea behind this practice is to make women feel that they are not gaining weight. Vanity sizing is what it is called in the fashion world and no longer the dirty little secret it used to be.
Dressing rooms are an interesting place. Women do a little dance in the mirror as part of the process of trying on clothing. I donât mean a dance to music, but a dance of fit. There is the âdoes my butt look bigâ twist, the âcan I lean overâ roll, and the âif I sit will the seams burstâ squat. My favorite gesture though is the âtug it into place over and overâ chicken dance. Time and again I see young women wearing tube tops and strapless dresses when their bust-lines are just too large to allow for a flattering fit. Gravity never takes a break so the fabric wants to pull southward while the wearer constantly tugs it back into place. Unbeknownst to the victim, their elbows stick out and the arms flap like a chickenâs wings. I have been known to sneak on past and give a chicken cluck noise for personal amusement. My family knows what it means.
This character is doing the dressing room chicken dance. The dress is obviously way too small and her bust-line is way too big. Her expression is one of determination however, and I suspect she will go home with the dress anyway. Funny how we also tend to think that if we stick our butt out backwards and lean forward, an outfit will miraculously fit better. Let me know if that ever proves true.