moonlitpages @ May 18 2003, 09:35:48 UTC Fashion is something you do for everyone else, not yourself

I love the conversation Seamus and Draco are having right now. For some reason their nattering on about fashion amuses me to no end. I also love how Seamus so subtly worked Harry into it. Ten points to Gryffindor ;-) How much do you want to bet Harry's going to start wearing a lot more dark blue from here on out? Purely by coincidence, of course. ;-)

comava @ May 18 2003, 09:38:20 UTC Squee!!

I know, haha, I thought the exact same thing when I read about it. I can imagine Harry was wearing green because of him anywa (you forgot the "y", mwhahaha!!) and now it's gonna be blue.

Seamus is so cool.

sistermagpie @ May 18 2003, 09:53:49 UTC

Ah, so THIS is the fashion thread! I commented on the other one. But yeah, I'm loving this conversation. Especially with ps in denial about being gay. Yes, I realize that there are straight men who care about looking good as well, but this is practical like a comedy routine with ps unwittingly having a conversation that a lot of straight guys would find baffling. Not only has he noticed what looks good on Harry (just as Seamus has) but he's thought about what would accent Seamus' own coloring. Green with some gold accents. And he does it all sneeringly like he's arguing about blagging. LOL!

moonlitpages @ May 18 2003, 10:06:33 UTC

*laughs* Well I wasn't sure if there was a fashion thread and was too lazy to hunt it down, so I just commented here. But yes- as much as I hate to stumble into the stereotype about gay men and fashion, it just never ceases to amuse me when a man (regardless of orientation) knows far more about fashion than I could ever hope to. Seeing them go on about it just boggles my mind- priceless.

oh he just commented again! I love how PS goes off on a whole paragraph on Harry's fashion, as if he has given this a lot of thought. I could make the obvious remark about his noticing Harry's trousers, but I won't. ;-)

Anonymous @ May 18 2003, 10:12:46 UTC

I too will not talk about The Trousers. ^_^

While I can't see Harry going out and getting new clothes in the styles Draco and Seamus are talking about (too much attention for his tastes), I can see someone sending him a shirt.

moonlitpages @ May 18 2003, 10:18:34 UTC

While I can't see Harry going out and getting new clothes in the styles Draco and Seamus are talking about (too much attention for his tastes)

True, but in this case he wants attention, at least from a certain person. I could see him allowing Seamus to talk him into getting at least a little something in blue next Hogsmeade weekend. It sounds as if he's tried before. But yes, I can't really see Harry going all out with this but, you never know *laughs*

Anonymous @ May 18 2003, 10:28:36 UTC

He may want the attention and he may get it but maybe not in the way he wants. If Draco is still worried about keeping up appearances, he might poke fun of Harry in his journal, saying that the shirts were HIS idea in the first place.

He doesn't want attention from the whole school, just Draco.

sistermagpie @ May 18 2003, 10:33:01 UTC

Here's another thing I love about the fashion stuff and it relates to M.B. Okay, I know I love her and probably shouldn't see her as the authority on everything but I particularly like her take on j_h and his "my life is so hard" thing.

There's no reason for Harry to dress particularly badly and yet he does. Far from helping him avoid attention it GAINS him EXTRA attention. Everybody tries to make him dress better. Not ostentatiously, just, you know, normally. In clothes that fit.

By continuing to wear Dudley's castoffs (which I'm assuming he's doing...?) he absolutely sends out a "My life is so hard I don't even have clothes that fit" message. It's a total reverse form of conceit that I'm sure Harry himself isn't aware of. To him it's probably just instinct; he's always gotten along this way before and he's just not comfortable spending lots of money on his clothes--especially with Ron there to no doubt resent that Harry can do that it he wants. But in reality he is hanging on to a certain image that makes him stand out. Even moreso than Ron, for instance. Ron wears hand-me-downs but presumably Molly has sewed them and repaired them as much as she can.

Harry's bad fashion sense, at this point, is as much an affectation as potterstinks' fussiness, imo.

moonlitpages @ May 18 2003, 10:45:43 UTC

Hmm- very interesting. I hadn't thought of it in that light before. Generally I see it as Harry just not being bothered enough by fashion to care about what he wears, but that does make me think- wouldn't he want to get rid of Dudley's hand me downs as soon as humanly possible? It seems from PS's remarks about wearing trousers that are too big for him that he is. One would think he would want to cast off anything that associates him with that family. I can see why he would have to continue to wear such things during the summers at the Dursleys, but why continue to do so during the school year? It does project a kind of resignation, a sort of apathetic 'ho hum, poor me' attitude that I agree he probably isn't even aware of projecting. I'll have to think on this more- interesting.

Anonymous @ May 18 2003, 10:59:28 UTC

Harry may think he doesn't deserve anything better. People are most impressionable when they are very small and Harry spent those years with people who hate him and not afraid to tell him that.

While there are people who would tell him that he is a wonderful person and deserves the best, ideas about self-image rooted in childhood are very hard to shake.

notapipe @ May 18 2003, 18:18:12 UTC

I think he just can't be arsed. Getting new clothes means work. Work at appearance is bad. It's easier to wear baggy castaways and a belt than get new clothes, short term wise. Plus, if he bought new clothes, people like Seamus would want him to get nice clothes.

Anonymous @ May 18 2003, 10:12:43 UTC

Me too, I really love their fashion talks. It's like male bonding or getting to know each other's friends. Maybe PS isn't in denial anymore, just trying to cover up.

But why do most Gryffindors treat PS like he's a current Harry's boyfriend? Do they forget his shapely girlfriend?

Anonymous @ May 18 2003, 10:23:18 UTC

Said girlfriend hasn't been around much. Draco has removed her name from his profile and doesn't use his girlfriend icon very much. I think it's safe to say that the two have parted ways, romantically, yet again.

However, they are friends and seem to enjoy the other's company on occasion, so I'm sure Pansy will pop up again when there is something on her mind.

notapipe @ May 18 2003, 18:15:50 UTC *currently wearing a transformers t-shirt and jeans*

I was amused, but also scared. Talk of fashion scares me. I still don't understand what they said.

smileandnodsmileandnodsmileandnodsmileandnodsmileandnodsmileandnod

sistermagpie @ May 18 2003, 18:43:35 UTC Re: *currently wearing a transformers t-shirt and jeans*

Just take deep breaths. It will all be over soon. Harry's probably feeling the same way reading all this.

The really scary thing is...they're both right about Harry!

notapipe @ May 18 2003, 18:54:46 UTC Re: *currently wearing a transformers t-shirt and jeans*

No. The scary thing is that I realize I understand and agree with the "matchy-matchy" anti-green-potter comment.

sistermagpie @ May 18 2003, 19:21:11 UTC Re: *currently wearing a transformers t-shirt and jeans*

Ohhhh...

In that case: Be afraid. Be very afraid.

notapipe @ May 19 2003, 14:53:05 UTC Re: *currently wearing a transformers t-shirt and jeans*

Even worse. I understood everything in those last three comments except "camisole", "Monda Stregone" and "vicar's collar". Next thing you know, I'll understand the difference between a "winter" and an "autumn".