Sunday, December 10, 2006

Don't go before your time, dude.

My grandmother recently got back from Ukraine and, besides the presents and souvenirs, demands for pictures were voiced before she even had the chance to sit down (we're truly not the most polite family). It has been six and a half years since I have seen any of my friends and family personally, and with our large extended families in Ukraine and Siberia, interests were peeked.

Most of the news and phographic evidence weren't uplifting. One of my mom's cousins was hopping between jail and his heroin addiction, his mother tired of lending him money. My dad's niece got married, and took it upon herself to get badly dyed purple hair.

Now I remember this niece. It was the same girl who came to visit us when I was about 9, and who I desparately begged to take me to the clubs whenever she was going out at night. I remember the brown jeans with the slashed holes she used to wear (all right, she wasn't the most stylish person--but it was the 90's). I thought she was the coolest person I ever met.

So when I heard she got married and there were pictures, I was thrilled. I'd finally see how she was fairing after all these years of separation. What greeted my eyes was shocking: old, weary face, lifeless eyes, a geriatric uniform of shapeless pastel shirt and pants to blend in with her mother and my 40-something aunt, hair cut to suit her transition into an old woman. "But she's only 27!" I almost shouted. Surely this can't be what has become of the pretty, chic city girl in my Slavic home land?

I went online to make sure that Ukranians weren't countering political and economic unease by turning into gargoyles well before their time. Street Style managed to assuage my fears with these pictures:

Looks a bit like Lohan, but I love the hair, and the bag. (I'll choose to ignore the leggings... just this once.)

Normally, I'm cautious about the whole grunge thing because it's so easy to overstep your boundaries and end up wearing something you can't pull off. But this one kind of grew on me. Plus, oh god, that guy's pec-peek makes me grin.

No, I don't think she's been watching the Vuitton Ready-to-wear Spring collection.


I think there's lots she could learn from these femmes (to borrow a word from La Femme).



Photos taken from Street Style Ukraine.

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

That is a beautiful pink sweater. I'm completely inspired! Thanks!

8:07 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ah memories. I can remember seeing those enormous plastic bags everywhere in Prague. Love her bangs, too.

2:47 PM  

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