Should I go with my leopard print pumps, or my thick-strapped heels? Should I rock a hot pink see-through number with a white bandeau, or a black lace belly shirt playfully showing my purple bra? Decision, decisions.
These outfit choices seem bizarre, and it probably sounds like I am dressing a Jersey Shore barbie or am going to a strip club. Those two might just be synonymous as far as wardrobe goes. And, I am not being stereotypical. I, myself, am from Jersey and have seen these fashion faux pas first hand. And as of recently, I have even been guilty of wearing them.
Just to be clear, not everyone who frequents the shore looks like a Snooki clone. If anything, Seaside (the area where the show is filmed) does attract that kind of crowd. There are also one or two bars near the Belmar and Manasquan areas where the self-acclaimed Guidos flock south to “Creep” on girls. However, every other part of NJ is NOT like that.
Although I like to separate myself from people who wear more eye shadow than sunscreen, and skirts that teeter into the underwear category, I find myself falling into a Guido-like style every summer.
I do not think of myself as a typical Jerseylicious girl in any sense, especially when I watch any and all reality-related shows. My style is definitely New York meets prep. I love to wear stuff that is perfect for a night out in Manhattan. Whether it is seeing a Broadway show or getting a margarita outdoors at Blockheads near 57th.
However, I can’t seem to escape the animal-print and neon colors, sort of like if an Electric Daisy concert was held in an African jungle. This was always the color scheme for the beach, but I feel recent shows have made it even more of a self-fulfilling prophecy.
I never owned a pair of fake eyelashes or big hoops. I never wore something with Cheetah print as I found it “tacky.” I never work big flashy rings and neon pink. Until…
Until I started getting into the Jersey Shore mentality. Ever since the show began, I find myself drifting into the forbidden zone, but not too much. I make sure my hoops are adequately sized and the cheetah takes up only a small portion of my shirt. Nonetheless, it is actually kind of fun.
In a weird way, we spend so much time making fun of the girls on the show yet simultaneously find ourselves transforming into them. As we all get ready in the mirror at night, we put on our best Joisey accent as we apply the glue for the lashes. We joke about things that are “SOOOOO JERSEY” of us to do. Yet, we go out to the most Guido-like bar and fist-pump the night away.
Seems reality TV combined with a crazy style that hits close to home, literally, DOES make an impact on some. Be aware… Guido-ism can be contagious.