Bella wrote:

I think when you grow up with not a lot of money your sense of fashion and being in fashion is usually not high on your list. She wears comfortable clothes and she doesn't seem to even own a lot of this type. I mean, the girl owned 1 khaki skirt. When you have no disposable income of your own, why even go to the mall? Just to torture yourself? When you're not one to troll the malls looking for clothes every weekend you don't really know what you're missing in terms of fashion.

I relate to Bella. My parents didn't buy clothes for me once I hit adolescence, I had to buy my own, on a parttime sandwichmaker's wages. Needless to say, I didn't buy many. I wished I could, and I always felt very un-put-together and out of it, but college and car had to come before clothes, shoes, accessories, or even "real" haircuts.

The reason I said Bella's fashion sense is boring is because she seems so bored by the whole idea. If she had a sense of style or girliness, she'd be at least somewhat interested in Alice's makeovers. And it's not because she was never exposed to such things. She went to school in Paradise Valley, and besides, don't you get the feeling Renee is very conscious of her own personal style?

Maybe Bella doesn't think about clothes and hair very much because she doesn't want to associate her interests with those of stuck-up rich girls she knew in AZ, and she also distances herself from Renee's fads. I'm guessing Renee is as fickle with fashion as she is with her hobbies, and Bella isn't exactly admiring of her mom's inability to stick with anything.

Having said all that, I do think once Bella relaxes about the whole issue and lets herself dress like a Cullen, she will have a very good eye for what looks right. She was helpful in that regard to Jessica and Angela, guiding them to choose gowns that would bring out their best features. Bella is a practical person who doesn't like to draw attention to herself, so I see her as developing classic tastes that never go out of style rather than indulging her creativity through her attire.

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I think Bella is exactly who she wants to be and that includes the way she dresses. Obviously, Alice will keep her in trendy clothes, but Edward fell in love with the real Bella - the Bella in holey, old clothes, that is his Bella. I hope she will always be that Bella - the one that is not caught up in all that trendy "what's in/what's out" stuff.

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See, I don't think Alice will keep her in trendy clothes. I think once Bella feels confident about this whole issue, she'll spruce up a bit, but with classic types of clothes that aren't slave to trends. They're timeless. Which is part of why being a vampire is so attractive to her. The timelessness of it. She doesn't like things to change, so if she "changes," she won't have to change.

Well, *I* know what I just said. LOL

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I'm a bit disappointed in Edward (impossible!) that he didn't buy Bella some new stuff after hearing that Riley stole most of her clothes. Yes, she would have been difficult, but he just should have said, "Too bad" and given her his credit card. I mean, clothes are a basic necessity. She cannot deny that.

Also, this post brought up something else I've always wondered. Why won't Charlie let her keep her toiletries in the bathroom?

Morgan76 wrote:

I'm a bit disappointed in Edward (impossible!) that he didn't buy Bella some new stuff after hearing that Riley stole most of her clothes. Yes, she would have been difficult, but he just should have said, "Too bad" and given her his credit card. I mean, clothes are a basic necessity. She cannot deny that. Also, this post brought up something else I've always wondered. Why won't Charlie let her keep her toiletries in the bathroom?

Well, now she has a credit card...if i were her i'd max it out!! just to see what Edward would do. maybe that's a bit much.

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Morgan76 wrote:

Also, this post brought up something else I've always wondered. Why won't Charlie let her keep her toiletries in the bathroom?

I don't think it's a Charlie thing. I think their bathroom is tiny, with no available counter or drawer space. Also, Bella seems to have a "thing" about sharing the bathroom with her father, not the other way around.

More than that, it's yet another illustration of how Bella never really feels at home there or has a strong sense of belonging. Notice how frequently she refers to where she lives as "Charlie's house;" instead of saying things like "I headed home," she says, "I went back to Charlie's."

Personally, if my daughter were finally coming to live with me after 16 years apart, I would at the very least hang a shelf for her in our tiny bathroom before she arrived, so she could feel welcome, wanted, and permanent. Charlie doesn't think in terms of her comfort or convenience; he thinks in terms of his, when he thinks of anything besides sports, fishing, his stomach, or work (most of which also fall under the category of his comfort, actually).

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I think Bella has a small but not shabby wardrobe. She has things that make sense for a high school girl with a small income to have, jeans, shirts, a plain skirt. I do always want to go on a shopping spree for her though. I will show her how to make a teeny tiny income be enough to have lots of stuff, I am a shopaholic, but never spend very much money.

I think as a vamp she won't spend a ton of money, but will he like others have said pretty, classic and put together, and like she notes of the Cullen's clothes that *hint* at designer origins, not scream, look at me I just got this at the latest fashion show.

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All I want is my cookies, I had them in a jar. Tell me which one of the Cullen's took them. Instead of eating you I'll have my Oreo's and cookie crunch.

Shimmerskin wrote:

Personally, if my daughter were finally coming to live with me after 16 years apart, I would at the very least hang a shelf for her in our tiny bathroom before she arrived, so she could feel welcome, wanted, and permanent.

Here, Here!! My daughter comes home for a weekend from college and I'm rearranging furniture like a mad woman

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"Children are the anchors of a mother's life"-Sophocles


"You are my life now" Twilight page 314

Something else that hit me while reading this thread is that since it rains a lot in Forks who wants to have all sorts of really nice things that would just be A) covered up by your jacket or B) ruined by the water splashing on you? Bella probably just doesn't care that much for the look of her clothes in the first place and so, doesn't want to have to be bothered with keeping them nice and clean.

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True, the rain does seem to take the fun out of dressing in anything but comfortable clothing. It sounds, though, like Edward is more interested in the colors she wears and how the tone of her skin looks. He is also excited when the colors she chooses match his (remember when he picks her up for the "meadow" date.)

He is not too concerned about what she wears. He's too distracted by her scent to care. But I think he is happy when Alice gives Bella some fashion tips.

I do suspect that Edward seems to admire Bella's shoes on the night of the prom--I found that to be an interesting detail. (Don't remember if this was the prom remix outtake or part of the book--another reason to reread Twilight.)

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"Yeah, ahm, I had an adrenaline rush. It's very common. You can Google it."

I'm a Bella. I'm klutzy, I don't like to be the center of attention and my High School wardrobe was jeans, t-shirts, and flip-flops or basic boots. (I'm starting to break out of that a little bit now) I really believe that why Bella dresses the way she does is to hide. When she gets nervous and starts to blush, she shifts her hair to hide behind. She thinks she's plain, and can't believe that anyone would be interested in her, so she dresses plain. You can dress comfortably and still play up your good points, but Bella WANTS to fade into the background for the next couple of years so she dresses to fade. Her clothes are another barrier between her and Forks.

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InnamorataDiTwilight wrote:

He is also excited when the colors she chooses match his (remember when he picks her up for the "meadow" date.)

The night before the meadow date she fussed over what she would wear. I've always figured Edward was in her room that night and saw what she would have on, so he dressed himself accordingly.

Quote:

I do suspect that Edward seems to admire Bella's shoes on the night of the prom--I found that to be an interesting detail.

One of my favorite scenes is when he's admiring her legs and says he'll have to remember to thank Alice (for dressing her to show some leg). I love it when Edward can be just a guy for a moment.

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sandart wrote:

Her clothes are another barrier between her and Forks.

Oooh, good one!

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Shimmerskin wrote:

One of my favorite scenes is when he's admiring her legs and says he'll have to remember to thank Alice (for dressing her to show some leg). I love it when Edward can be just a guy for a moment.

Yeah I was going to say the same thing!! I don't think it was the shoe he was admiring; it was the leg attached to the shoe that he was admiring

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Dy wrote:

Well, I'm in the slob category. I'm like Bella that way. I don't care about the latest trends or how expensive someone's pair of jeans cost on some reality show. I'm a country girl, though.

I'm the same way. I get giddy over clearance racks.

Tshirts, jeans and tennis shoes are my regular day to day uniform. I do like to get dressed up for special occasions, but when I do, even if its casual attire, I feel OVERdressed and all.... Foo foo. Ya know?

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Blondes have more fun, but Brunettes have more Edward.