The Family Girl Blogs (aka "The New Working Girl Blogs") Blog #12: Channeling Mary Or, "Retro? What retro?" To see all of Bobbie's Family Girl Blogs, click on this link: http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/book/28818/family-girl-blogs

Does anyone know where the word/prefix "retro" comes from?   I'm sure many do, but I didn't so I had to google it.   Anyway, it's a Latin prefix that means "backwards" or "in the past."   Hence you now get words like "retrospective" or "retroactive" et cetera.   Last Monday, I indulged in a little bit of retro-ing.

As those that I chat with in YM, and those that read my blogs probably know, I just recently discovered the Mary Tyler Moore Show (thirty-five-plus years too late, I know, I know...) but I'm a fan now.

We bought a complete set of DVDs of the show, used, from a friendly fella who bought it from a Blockbusters that was closing down.   We have all seven seasons, but we have only seen up to episode twenty of season three (the one where the new boss falls in love with Lou).

I don't understand why we're fans, really (and it's useless to ask Moe, coz she'll just say that she likes it coz I like it).

I guess my fascination with the show isn't really about the stories, even though they hold up pretty well today despite the dated references and the more old-fashioned manner of delivery (it seems to me that back then they were more conscious of propriety than today).   But surely the more current sitcoms have faster-paced action and more current/relevant plot elements and storylines.

I guess it's the fact that it's content has enough commonality with today that the slightly off-mark references and the old-fashioned ideas and ideals are just interesting anachronisms.   But mostly, it's fun.

Back in her day, Mary was trying to make her way as a woman in a man's world, and many of the situations of the different episodes centered around this theme, of a woman making it in a man's world.   In the last episode we saw, for example, Mary and the newsroom had a new female boss, and many of the situations were all about how awkward it was to have a lady boss.

Today, women being in the workplace is not as earth-shaking, but withme being fairly new to the female role, I guess I identify with Mary and her situation more than most, and I picture myself trying to be her, despite the gulf of time that separates her and today.   So, I guess it's just not it's fun.   I suppose that's also why I like the theme song so much (the song withthe chorus, "you're gonna make it after all" seems an appropriately positive sentiment that I want to adopt it as my own personal theme song).

Anyway, about the retro thing...

Another thing that I also like with the show are the clothes.   Sure, many of the clothes are... well, laughable... and seventies fashion has endlessly been lampooned a lot in current shows (another favorite sitcom of mine comes to mind here: "The Seventies Show," where Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis got their start). I guess I'm quirky that way, but I love that seventies look.   Not all of them, mind you - just some, especially those that Mary wore.

I did a bit of googling, and it seems that the people behind the show  picked clothes for Mary that were deliberately not high-fashion, but just regular clothes.   I would never have  known that just by looking at the clothes. (How could I?) But I thought Mary looked very nice and really well put-together.

Anyway, last Monday, Moe-Moe and I decided to try putting together outfits to wear that were "Mary Richards-friendly."   

Moe had it easy since she bought a couple of color block-style outfits a few weeks ago, which, with the proper accessories, looked very seventies-like.   And they make her gorgeous, too - I really like her in short skirts.

With me, I didn't want to wear my color block dresses, but I was able to scrounge a nice light-blue-and-white paisley blouse I haven't worn yet, in some synthetic material (surely not rayon heehee), a nice white skirt and cream pumps.   I even wore nude pantyhose (a fashion faux pas, nowadays, I know, but it was part of the seventies ensemble).

A few people commented, and a girl, even a manufactured one, appreciates nice comments like that.   And all afternoon, I felt, I don't know, empowered.   I got lots done, and it was a fun day, even if it was just filled with mundane stuff.

I know it was all in my head, sort of like a kid in a superhero costume that feels like he can fly - it was just Mary in my head.   It was like wearing a costume of sorts.   True, for trans-girls, being dressed was like wearing a costume... sort of... you know what I mean.   But this time, it was even more so.   

So I was all self-actualized yet self-deprecating, confident yet insecure, as I went about the day.   Just like Mary.   And I was funny, too - I don't know what it was, but I was witty that day, and held my own with Slinky - that was just the nickname we had for the junior analyst that always had a fund of jokes (every office has a funny-man, the guy who keeps cracking jokes and keeping everything light and funny, ans Slinky was ours).

If I can channel Mary everyday, I think I can make it after all.

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