No, that’s not a rhetorical question.
Nor is it an opportunity to start your own blog in order to answer the question in full.
My rant today, Occasional Reader, is purely fashion related.
My girlfriend (You know, the one that didn’t start following my blog until 10 months into our relationship) and I recently spent a splendidly enjoyable night at the opera.
As we all know, a night at the opera involves a little more effort in choosing and executing the correct outfit, and I was very happy with my personal choice in garb.
I was going for the snappy, but edgy look, and on the whole, think I pulled it off.
My girlfriend (the one that didn’t start following my blog until our one year anniversary) was dressed just as snappy/edgy and together, I think we made quite a statement.
This is where my problem started.
We were in the lift heading up to the opera house, when a complete stranger complimented my partner on her choice of dress. Lovely, right?
But where was my compliment?
I looked just as nice!
I ignored this disregard for my personal fashion sense and we headed out.
We took our seats and while the house lights were still up and people were making their way to their own seats, another complete stranger commented to my girlfriend (the one that didn’t start following my blog until 2 years into our relationship), “That’s a beautiful dress!”
Indeed it was a lovely dress, but for Gods sake, I was wearing a fabulous suit which tended to sparkle in the light, and yet not a word of acknowledgement.
As is the tradition, we wandered down to the Belgian Chocolate Cafe for coffee and cake after the show.
We were walking to the cafe, when a woman sitting with her own partner actually leaned out into our path to get my girlfriend’s (you know, the one who didn’t follow my blog until I like, died!) attention, and spoke the words “Excuse me, I love your dress!”
Once again, yes, it was a beautiful dress (Hell, I helped pick it out!), it looked great on her, and really sold the “snedgy” look we were going for, but I was sporting some seriously spectacular silver shoes to finish my look. Silver!
While it was lovely for her to receive not one, but three separate compliments on her outfit, I was left feeling a little ignored, for no good reason.
So what was it?
I would have spent just as much time outfitting myself for the night.
Admittedly, I didn’t spend as much time on makeup duties, but I can’t help being blessed with this adonis-like beyond help face, and anyway, they were complimenting her on the dress, not the face. (Imagine that… “Hey! I love your face! It really suits you!”)
Is there a problem with complimenting a man on his outfit?
Do you not think that a man wearing silver shoes with a very funky suit with sparkly silver threads wants to be noticed?
What about it guys?
Would you like to have a complete stranger compliment you on your choice of clothing or shoes on an evening out?
Ladies? If such a thing happened, would you feel proud, or jealous?
If my evening was reversed, and I got the compliments while she got none, I’d personally feel quite smug.
But I’m an arse, so it’s to be expected.
What do you think?
Was I equally well dressed, or were the one-sided compliments justified or deserved?
His shoes – Jeffery Campbell
Her shoes – John Fluevog
