October 17, 2012

Get Your Gaudy On


You might have thought today was October 17 (it is) but it's special for another reason...October 17 is National Wear Something Gaudy Day. I can remember, as a child, hearing things described by grown-up women in the my family as 'gaudy' and I thought this was a terrible word. But as I got older, I found myself drawn to items that might have been classified as such.


I can remember one Christmas when I was 13 and had begged my parents to buy me an outfit from a catalog called Newport News. The outfit was a skirt and sweater combo...the skirt bubblegum pink satin and the sweater, some type of white fuzzy acrylic similar to that of a toilet seat cover. It was gaudy with a capital G. I loved it.


There's a fine line between bold dressing and completely gaudy. I've been getting more brave with my fashion choices and even try to embrace the "go bold or go home" attitude. The ladies I've showcased in today's post are certainly bold fashionistas...some even accused of being gaudy I'm sure.

I say, if you like sparkles and spangles, wear 'em. Who cares if something thinks you're gaudy? Granted nobody will ever mistake you for Jackie O but you probably weren't going for that look anyway. I hope you get a chance to embrace your inner gaudy diva today (if you have one). If this post horrifies you, I'm sorry. Even the most prim and proper southern belles can't be seersucker and cashmere all the time.