no to the bubble

In Darwin I noticed the prevalence of the ‘bubble’ fashion, something I daresay may eventually come to Alice, but then again not, if we’re lucky (I’m sure we miss many fashions altogether).  If I remember rightly, the bubble skirt had a flutter a couple of years ago (indeed, twenty years ago) but seems to have come back in force, in multiple forms: bubble dresses, bubble shorts, bubble pants, etc.  I think this trend can only be described as unfortunate: does a bubble suit anyone, outside of a bath?

I imagine it’s the kind of bandwagon some might leap onto, hoping for greater concealment, though it’s more likely to create the impression of greater bulk.  You could end up looking like you’ve got two baobabs for legs or as if you flunked the parachuting course and made yourself some duds from the silk for revenge.  (But wouldn’t you be dead? Ed.)

I tried on a couple of the bubble fashions at Casuarina Mall, that great northern homage to hyperreal shopping.  Being tall, I reckoned I could get away with the bubble pants thing, but would I want to?  I tried a size smaller than what I’d usually take (still plenty of room), and I immediately looked like I should be fitted with a crop and a small horn, so I could ride out with the hounds.  But you wouldn’t want to be short and stumpy; that would be stretching the whole bubble pant thing (actually, the exact opposite). Lulu's so rotund, she looks like she's wearing furry bubble pants anyway.  As for the bubble dress with its high gathered waist and faux gold trimmings: I looked like an escapee from a toga party or perhaps from a 1930s girls boarding-school book production of a Greek tragedy.

 So that’s my verdict: no to the bubble thing, along with its distant relative, happy pants: both should be banished.

Comments

[DrNaomi]

hate happy pants AND harem pants

[molly]

I had a bubble skirt (blue taffeta) and numerous pairs of happy pants. I was about 16 at the time, but they looked bad then and they'd look bad now. Thankfully I have NO IDEA what is in fashion at the moment.

[elsewhere]

Taffeta...i remember that, particularly apricot and hot pink creations.

i wore plenty of happy pants, don't worry, and was probably miserable most of the time.