soft nostalgia

On the left is a pair of velvet pants by Vetements and on the right is a pair of velvet pants by Alice + Olivia. The Vetements version retails for around $1100 while the AO version is about half that. Currently, the AO pair is 80 percent off in their second round of sample sale days and the Vetements version can be found on Ssense for about $400. A true 'bougie on a budget' moment if I've ever seen one (although I find that concept kind of low class? It just doesn't appeal to my faux-elitism to be honest).

While I do spend a LOT on fashion, it's never frivolously or mindlessly. I have basic criteria for my spending and usually it's based on multiple things such as: how often do I see myself wearing the item? Does it match anything I already have in my wardrobe? Can it replace anything I no longer wear? Sometimes it comes down to pure sentiment; a moment of my life I'm reminded of when I look at the item that makes me feel good, or a moment I can envision through the item that is transformative in some way (like a new suit for a big job interview for example). We all naturally gravitate towards fashion pieces for more than just function, there's always a feeling attached.

These velvet flares first reminded me of the time I was on the dance team in high school. There were the older (and richer) girls who would wear these American Apparel flared leggings that probably cost about as much as the Vetements version regular price and I wanted a pair SO BAD. They always looked so cool during rehearsals and when I'd see them walking around in the hallways, the flares flowing over their shoes and grazing the tiled floor and the stretchy material nipping their silhouettes in perfectly, but not like, toooo perfect, ya know? Like, it was such a cool-girl look that I simply wasn't cool enough to acquire I guess, despite all those days working my little knuckles to the bone at my dishwasher job.

I still love dance very much so anything that reminds me of my dance beginnings in my youth is exciting. As a matter of fact, if this stupid shut down nonsense hadn't happened I fully intended on enrolling in some classes at the local community center although I'd probably risk breaking a hip.

Another major nostalgic nerve that was touched by the velvet flares is derived from the Britney late '90s vibe that forever influences my ENTIRE LYFE.

As you can see by this blurry screenshot taken from a live performance video of the song, ...Baby One More Time that I spent longer than a I'd like to admit locating, Britney Spears aka Queen of All Fashion Things Simple and Cute is wearing black velvet flares. This was a part of her few performance ensembles from when she first came out and her record label wasn't ready to risk putting too much money behind her so she was forced to repeat outfits. Unlike the more gaudy '90s fashions that she graced the stage in, this one always stood out to me because it was so sleek and understated.

Late '90s and early 2000s fashion will forever be such a comfort zone for me style-wise; everything was so effortless and simple. Maybe I'm more drawn to the style now that things have suddenly become so complicated? I don't know, but there's nothing wrong with wanting to hang on to happier times.