What to wear to your annual Town Meeting

Column: What to wear to your annual Town Meeting

April 1, 2022, Published by Salem News, print and digital, by Natalie Bowers

As a fashion blogger and town resident; okay okay, I’m not a fashion blogger. I really never could be, to be honest. I wish I was though. I’m just a resident. But, I find the best time to meld my two passions for municipal issues and practical rural fashion is at the Annual Town Meeting. What better place to learn about important decisions happening in the town and get a delightful eyeful of the latest status quo fashion for the upcoming Spring season here in New England.

At the ATM, you can hear about the latest town issues, consider thoughtful proposed solutions and you can also present your issues to get great constructive feedback. If you’ve got a passion project on the warrant, you can express that ‘joie de vivre’ by confidently raising your hand when the vote whips round for everyone to see. It’s so bold, invigorating, and dramatic.

The best ah-ha moments I’ve had about town topics are at annual town meetings. It’s the one place where you can hear different perspectives, opinions and outlooks on one issue to get a full flavor of the debate. It really can help deepen your understanding of how it all works.

So, why not make it even better by owning your look, feeling your best and most confident because of your sartorial choice? When you feel good, that confidence projects to others. But a huge problem for a lot of people is the question, “What do I actually wear?”

Some people default to a red tie. I say that’s too much. Also, heels probably aren’t a good thing. If you have to sneak to the bathroom during a particularly tense moment, that clicking sound on the elementary school gym floor could cause a barrage of hate darts coming your way, no matter how defined your ankle looks.

I never blogged about style before, but I do have a few fashion tips up my sleeve. When I was a new mom with infant twins, I fell into something I termed ‘Wolf Fashion’ and it was truly genius. Like a wild wolf who is way too busy hunting for mice and other scrumptious delights, the wolf doesn’t have time to take a luxurious bath or brush its teeth. In order to get ready for another big hunt day, the wolf just sits down, licks its paws and then rubs its face real quick and calls it a day. Brilliant!

You yourself might not have time to adorn yourself with haute couture and manage all the things that are keeping you busy at home or work. But, if you are torn by your allegiance and commitment to our amazing democratic process and feel the urge to play your own role in that, the good news is that by subscribing to Wolf Style, you don’t actually need to coif yourself to the nines and get all stressed out in order to participate. All you need to do is own your bedhead look and wrap a scarf around your neck, wash your face, brush your teeth, make sure you don’t smell, sweep your unwashed hair in a messy bun or grab a hat, pull on those leggings you’ve been wearing all week long, ignore the socks you wore to bed and slip your boots on and participate in the oldest form of practicing democracy this country possesses. Voila!

The point is, the benefits of a “Wolf Fashion” approach might just work for you at the Annual Town Meeting and many attendees already employ it. If you’re busy, just throw some stuff on, put a scarf or coat over it, and get in there!

Will you be seeing your neighbors for the first time in two years, after the pandemic isolation? Probably. But let’s face it, we’re all going to be feeling a little cave-like. Nobody’s going to be super judgy in this crowd. Most of us have definitely not spent the last two years in high society honing our look. Even the fashion industry itself has regressed to cheerfully dumpy jogging sets.

Here’s a few ‘Wolf Fashion’ tips for being comfortable and confident at the Annual Town Meeting:

Wear whatever you want.

Wear shoes that are comfortable for sitting in a fold-out aluminum chair.

If your meeting is hosted outside under a tent, bring a blanket to keep warm.

Meetings can be long; stay hydrated! Bring water.

Sometimes items that are of no real interest or concern to you may fall into lengthy discussion. That’s a good time to use the bathroom or take out a crossword puzzle.

If you see someone whose fashion you like, ask them about it. It’s a great way to make a new friend, give a neighbor a compliment, and get a fresh tip for yourself!