I went to my first ever magazine launch party for the new MTV Magazine FORA. It’s MTV and it’s coming out in spring, so naturally the first issue would be Prom Themed. I’ve had a sneak peek, since I am a contributor, and the very crazy and lovely Peach Berserk is one of the features of the magazine. Because of this, they gave us lovely dresses to wear to the launch. Because it’s a prom theme. Get it now? Cool! I love that the magazine is targeted at a younger demographic, because it really does challenge me to change up my writing style a bit. You see, I have never written for other, I have only written for myself.
As a newbie to this idea of being a “blogger”, I felt like I had re-entered my high school days with a minor backlash that came soon after. Like every good blogger, because they are bloggers too you know, they took to the tweets, blogs and facebook statuses to comment and judge those who were writing for the magazine and poked fun of the prom attire. It was Kelly Cutrone day, so I should have expected it, but even Kelly didn’t rip on the lovely MTV interns so harshly during her interview. And she is a seasoned veteran. 
At first I was offended, but then I took a step back and reminded myself that I had to take a vacation day from my job, my career in which I make software that helps charities make millions, to be doing something so very cool that is just a hobby for me. But this is their life. Or, if it isn’t, they make it come across that way.
I reminded myself that while these people were measuring their first yard of fabric, I was busy calculating and converting it into centimetres, feet, or inches. While they were working on increasing the vertical of their heel, I was doing the same on the basketball court. My ‘design’ portfolio involves websites I’ve created, programming languages I’ve learned, businesses I’ve started or grades I’ve perfected. I entered dance not to become ladylike, but to improve my coordination for sports. My older sisters challenged me with their report card marks, they didn’t show me how to shave my legs. I only learned last year how to properly apply mascara, and I still don’t own foundation. In school, I could determine whether or not I had the right answer at the time of writing the test, as math is not subjective and dependent on the mood of my teacher that day, or the decade or season I was in. My parents didn’t take me to Holt Renfrew (because the closest one was 6 hours to Vancouver from our small village of a few hundred), but they did quiz me on Mensa questions before bed at night. I don’t spend every day nitpicking the style and outfits of my clients, but I will gladly help to improve conversion of their websites, or help them connect to social media to increase donations.
Can I really blame them though? With one of the greatest visionaries and idols of their industry being the ever so judgmental and condescending Anna Wintour, and seeing how subjective even the taste at Vogue can be (Grace Coddington most definitely did not always agree with Anna – yes I watched the September Issue, and yes I had to Google her last name), while my industry has the likes of Steve Jobs, Biz Stone and Evan Williams. My Silicon is of the Valley, not of breasts and lips. San Francisco is my Milan. Some of the most enjoyable parties I attend have name tags, and they usually have an @ symbol on there somewhere.
I would like to thank all of those in the fashion industry, for telling someone like me what is stylish and what I should want to own, as I don’t have that artistic eye to tell if my outfit clashes, or if I’m wearing something that is last season. I have your back, though, as the dollars I make, I feed back into your economy. I am the consumer.
So you’re welcome for that app you used to tweet, that computer whose keys you touch to write, and you know Google, the place where you start most of your research? That was us. We need each other. We should work together.
I am myself, and only me. I adore what I do. I am a software junkie first and foremost. And it’s a hell of a lot more stylish than heroin chic.
Oh, and by the way? I have the latest issue of Vogue sitting right in front of me.
I’m also a wee bit relieved that I like boys.
