Member Musings features the reflections and thoughts of an NPC member.
Iris Shur
Mature Women, It’s Time To Unite!
An email came today that has me up in arms. The subject matter was “crop tops.” For those of you (probably only men) unaware of how these two simple words could cause a revolution, crop tops are clothing tops that skim the woman’s midriff, leaving much of her stomach bare. I assume that men would have no quarrel with that fashion on a woman, but they should picture themselves wearing a shirt that only came to their belly button. How would they feel to have their stomach hanging out? The thought of that sends shivers up my spin. Well, if men don’t join my fight, who knows where the crop top style will end up?
I have already forwarded this new style trend information to my female friends with the hopes that we can nip it in the bud. With the leadership skills we have all honed in our volunteer efforts I know that we have a fighting chance.
First, some background. I, and most of my friends, have spent many shopping hours finding just the right tops that are stylish and yet cover our stomachs without clinging. As soon as maternity wear for non-pregnant women became stylish we embraced it with open arms. Our tops are pretty but full, thus disguising what middle-age thrust on us. What we can’t disguise we suck in with Spanx. Sure we’re uncomfortable and it hurts, but the pain is worth it to produce the semblance of a flat tummy.
I remember when I first wore a full top. My mother said I looked pregnant. This may have been a problem when I was still of child bearing age, but in my sixties? Looking pregnant in a full top is no longer viable since pregnant women now wear tight jerseys to show off their pregnancy. I think they did it to counteract us older women in our fake maternity tops.
You know, someone once pointed out to me that as we age we are shrinking. I’m sure most of us have argued with the nurse in the doctor’s office. “What do you mean I am only five feet three inches? I am five feet six inches!” But my informant told me that those missing inches have to go somewhere. Yes, they are pushed down to our abdomens and stomachs. So no wonder we have a large mass there. It’s not our fault.
Unabashedly I am using power of the press to bring this threat to women to the forefront. We got rid of paper dresses, didn’t we? Shoulder pads—no more. We can do this if we band together with determination. Frankly I am not putting up with those fashion gurus anymore. Who gives those twenty year olds the money to buy clothes?
Let’s exercise our constitutional rights to cover our protruding bellies. There, I have said it. It feels good to admit that I have been covering it up and plan to continue to cover it up, style be damned.
At the nail salon today, as I tried to gain new recruits in my campaign against crop tops, another customer was ho-hum about it. She told me that crop tops had been “in” for a long time and are almost “out” already. I’ve never been a fashionista, I guess.
Never mind.