The View from a Drawbridge

Tag: clothing

  • A Great Way to Celebrate Earth Day

    What can we do? Quite a bit, actually.

  • How Gender is Pushed Upon Us

    Many years ago, I agreed to meet with someone regarding a mentorship program. I was a Maintenance Management Systems Engineer for the Florida Department of Transportation at the time. The mentee in question walked in and did a double take. “Oh, I was expecting you to be a man,” he said. That left me wondering…

  • Self-Advertising

    I firmly believe in self-expression. I think every adult human should have a right to dress however he or she pleases. I just wish more people would put some thought into exactly how they express themselves. I’m not referring to that annoying habit that some men have of wearing sandals with knee socks. (I think…

  • That Moment When You Realize You Have Horrible Taste

    Hi, my name is Barb, and my curtains don’t match. My pillowcases don’t match my sheets, either. And some of the pants I wear to work are patched because I refuse to spend money on something that’s just going to get greasy. I’ve had pretty much the same hairdo since high school, and no one…

  • What Were You Wearing?

    There’s a thought-provoking art installation that has been to universities in Arkansas, Iowa and Kansas. Entitled, “What Were You Wearing? Survivor Art Installation”, it’s a display of the clothing various people were wearing at the time they were sexually assaulted. Even just a photograph of this installation is sobering. Displays of sweat pants and a…

  • Infantilization

    Okay. Just three words. Rompers for men. Who in God’s name thinks that this is a good idea? I mean… come on. Some things are just  really, really ill-conceived. For example, I know darned well my miniskirt days are over. But I’m okay with that. I’m sure several of my regular readers are going to…

  • Seattle’s Fremont Sunday Market and Mobile Food Rodeo

    I don’t know how I managed to overlook this Seattle tradition for so long (probably has something to do with the fact that I work every Sunday), but in the quirky Fremont neighborhood here in Seattle there is a street market every Sunday from 10 to 4. It’s only about two short blocks from the…

  • What is Your Jewelry Worth?

    For the first time in my life I can say I feel sorry for Kim Kardashian West. It’s got to be terrifying to have a gun pointed at your head. No doubt it’s traumatic to be robbed and to fear for your life. I hope she’ll get some therapeutic support. But having said that, the…

  • Textile Recycling

    Here are some interesting statistics: According to the Council for Textile Recycling, the average US citizen throws away 70 pounds of clothing and other textiles annually. Textile waste accounts for 5 percent of all landfill waste. Only 15 percent of all post-consumer textile waste gets recycled each year. I know I haven’t been recycling my…

  • Dirty Jobs

    I must say that I love having an employer that not only allows me to dress like a hobo, but actually expects me to. I come in contact with grease and motor oil entirely too often to wear nice clothes. My shoes are so greasy, in fact, that I leave them here at work. I…