By Desmond O'Brien
Great news, ladies. You look fantastic. And its about time you heard it again.
Quick disclaimer this isnt a fashion column, and in no way am I an expert in your manner of dress. That said, Im a single, successful, straight man living in this city, so I like to think my opinion counts for something. And I speak for a great number of my fellow bachelors when I say please, keep doing what youre doing.
MSN Travels article in September 2011 (sorry to bring it up), the one dubbing Vancouver one of the three worst dressed cities in the world because of your yoga-pants laziness, was probably fair. But this isnt a rebuttal as much as it is an update.
I realize not all of you bought into the Lulu madness. Im fortunate enough to spend time around a number of women who always look great, including a journalist at this paper, so this isnt a catchall (Id like to continue writing articles). Still, collectively, you blew it. Now lets move on.
The best thing about women in Vancouver is that we can never tell how you arrived at a party. You may have come from a business lunch or a beach blanket, on a bike or in a cab. You may have come from a serving job or a newspaper desk, but youre ready for anything. You consistently embrace what makes you attractive flexibility. And, no, not like that (...yes, like that).
Lulus were fun for a while, but well have our ideas no matter what youre wearing, so thank you for giving us our imagination back. Figure flaunting Lycra? Not necessary. We know this city has everything you could want to maintain a tight body, and to quote my British boss, the birds in this city are epically fit as a result. Trust us, we dont forget.
Be original, riff on the past, over-accessorize just give us variety. Our jaws will continue to drop while contemplating the best way to say hello (despite the equally notorious, and patently untrue, rejection rate).
I know there are women who crave high-fashion, high-heel, short-skirt nights, but ladies, no one stops you from wowing over a posh dinner at Hawksworth or showing up the bride at a boat wedding. I have to say, though, we dont live in a city where you need to do that in order to gain attention, and its a beautiful thing.
When it comes to high fashion, no ones going to confuse us (or our fashion weeks) with New York or London, but unlike other big cities, were not trying to be. Anyone who went to Beirut at the Orpheum in July can attest that the babes in this city know exactly what theyre doing. Ive been to a lot of shows in a lot of cities, and never have I seen so many stone foxes in one room. High-waist shorts, summer dresses and who cares what decade this is, I look gooood headbands as far as the eye could see. And the eye went far.
Worst dressed city? Not a chance.
Maybe the next time MSN Travel sends someone to Vancouver, theyll let me be a tour guide, because I cant believe there would be a sequel to that denouncement. Whatever sartorial illusions their next ranking decides to shatter, I want to say thank you, women of Vancouver. Only you could make the most scenic city on the continent even prettier.
And since an article like this wouldnt be complete without a top five list, here are my favourite things Ive seen women wearing this summer:
Loose tanks so hot, and so many ways to rock them.
Cheap shades be reliably capricious. If you forget them at the beach it doesnt matter.
High-waisted shorts two words: hips, buns.
Long skirts the breezier the better.
A smile I know, so cheesy. But its true.
