What I wear: Loose jeans and semi-casual shirts (with collars, but loose and short-sleeved). I have a violent dislike for formal wear of any sort. Ties in particular are horrible. 
What I would wear: Pretty much the same really. I occasionally wonder about if it would be nice to try some other more interesting things, but rarely seriously consider it. Generally clothes are a neccesity, not something I think too hard about.
I’ve worn 18th century ballgowns out on the street… but not for a while. Hm. I wish I could wear flapper well- I have one 1925-30 dress that’s gorgeous, black lace over nude satin… but I’m afraid that if I wear it, it’ll be damaged. In a perfect world, I could wear fragile expensive stuff without worrying.
I want a cheongsam. I want one.
I can’t stand to wear “nice” clothing, I really can’t. It doesn’t matter what style or what cut it is, I just can’t get comfortable in something that I wouldn’t wear for a muddy tromp in the woods.
So my daily uniform is jeans & a t-shirt, plus a flannel shirt or a sweater in cold weather. I love t-shirts to death, ones with logos and silly pictures. I’m not a big fan of the retro-style ones that you can buy new in stores now; I prefer to find REAL retro ones at thrift stores. Right now I’m wearing a navy blue T with a screen print of a cowboy on a bucking bronco, the caption says “Texas Rodeo.” I got it for a quarter at Bargain Hut.
How does one pronounce cheongsam? I want to make one-don’t they have patterns for it?
I think it’s pronounced the way it’s spelled. Chee-ong-sam. You should be able to figure a pattern out if you see one up close- it’s a pretty simple design. Do a search and see if you can find a pattern.
If I could carry it off, I’d like the John Steed look from the original Avengers. In the meantime I’m also a fan of Nacho4Sara’s 1970s theme – old-style skinnyfit football shirts with big collars (that’s UK football) and so on.
According to Merriam-Webster it’s pronounced:
chong-sawm. (Rhymes with dong-lawn.)
Anyway, Merriam-Webster Online offers a soundclip to listen to the pronunciation:
Folkwear Patterns offers a cheongsam pattern. (It’s #122.)
-Suede pants (gray)
-Silk and lace shirt (blue)
-Motorcycle boots (black)
-Nice silver jewelry
-Rapier
To All Interested Parties:
If you don’t want to spend the time or aggravation actually making a cheong/ chong sam, you can pick one up extra cheap in your local “Chinatown”. I do have the dress I describe and it only cost $75. I was able to haggle it down from $120 and the owner threw in a matching baby outfit.
Crusoe :
The original Avengers was exactly what I was thinking of. Diana Rigg is Emma Peel. Me in that black jumpsuit, you in that bowler…I see fancy dress parties in our future.
Excellent plan. I can carry off a suit, although I’m not so sure about the bowler.
Crusoe, baby, the bowler is essential. Don’t you trust the opinion of a woman in a tight, black, leather jumpsuit with 4 inch heels?
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Oh, I realise it’s essential, I just doubt I have the requisite Patrick Macnee-ness. And I always trust opinions when they’re clad in leather.
Shorts (not cutoffs anymore), T-shirt (ussually a concert T), white socks, some kind of boot or basketball shoe, baseball cap and a flannel. When I dress up I put on a pair of Levi 501’s. In the winter, I put on a leather bomber jacket I’ve had since 1989 and looks like its been around since the civil war. I wear shorts down to about a wind chill of -10F. Colder than that I put on the 501’s. Looking nice is for suckers.
dead0man
$75 dollars is CHEAP?
My favorite article of everyday clothing at the moment is a loose fitting black cotton tee with quarter length sleeves and a v-neck. I can wear it with a skirt, blue jeans, or whatever; looks great with everything.
If I could get away with it, I would wear nothing but faded jeans and tees all the damn time.
My favorite article of clothing these days is a medium blue chambray shirt. I wear it open, over the t-shirt of the day. I wear it about 3-4 days a week, for some to most of the day. I have to be careful not to wear it out. I just love the thing.
I’m also partial to Hawaiian shirts, and cotton looser fitting pants.
right now? i’m wearing a tiny tank top that is striped black, white, and checkered with cutoff jean shorts printed with the schlitz logo. quite the fashion plate, no?
i am very proud to say that i have never bought anything at the gap, express, limited, abercrombie, or anything tommy hilfiger, calvin klein or guess, although i have a few hand-me-downs. i love vintage, like the 50-year-old wedding dress i’ll be wearing in two weeks.
Guinastasia,
Granted, $75.00 is a good chunk of change to spend on one dress. However, the amount of time and effort it would take for me to sew the dress makes the price a virtual steal. Also, good embroidered silk is insanely expensive and I’m not an accomplished seamstress.
It’s a dress I’ve always wanted* and (if I do say so myself) I look WHITE HOT in it. 
*The powers that be have granted me a “look” that suits a lot of ethnic styles. I’m lucky that some of my tastes runs in this direction and I can wear Saris, Maria Claras and Kimonos and not look goofy.
I am solidly a jeans and t-shirt person.
So my answer here is : JEWELRY!
Oh my lord I love jewelry, old, new, cheap, expensive. I love glittery, kitschy, silver, gold. Shell beads, wood beads, and I wear some made of seeds that my Mom brought home from Peru.
Somedays I look like freaking Mr.T in white I’ll wear so many necklaces.
At the moment I have on 3 necklaces, one heishi, one wood beads and one seed: black seeds alternating with white and black plastic beads(the ones called seed beads) very gothic.
I have on two friendship bracelets given to me by my son, one faux pearl bracelet from the hubby and one shell bracelet bought by me; 2 thumb rings, two wedding rings and a celtic style ring on my right ring finger. I used to wear a ring on the upper knuckle of my right index finger but it broke.
I am also wearing a black velet and purple faux pearl choker around my ankle.
I have four silver hoops in my left ear, two in my right and a silver hoop in nose on the right side.
Did I mention I really like jewelry?
Oh, in the summer, nothing beats sleeveless black tops. I’ve got 5 of them right now and hope to get more.
I just love em.
Pants? Yes. Hate skirts and dresses.