For most of my life, I have resisted labeling.
I purchase most of my clothing from used stores, modifying articles as necessary for fit and fashion.
I choose unlabeled clothing–no conspicuous brand names can be found lurking in my closet. It doesn’t matter whether the brand is low-end or high-end. I don’t wear it.
Then I went to get a new lab coat.
My coat from my dietetics internship has gotten pretty ratty and I needed a new one to wear for my new clinical position.
Now, finding a lab coat for me can be tricky: I’m a tall but slender woman. I need a coat with sleeves long enough to cover my arms, and a fitted-ish waist in order to keep me from looking like I’m positively swimming.
The problem is, most men’s coats don’t have fitted waists (I wonder why?) and most women’s coats don’t have long enough sleeves. And even if they do have long enough sleeves, the waist often ends up somewhere around my chest. Which is totally not cool.
After trying on every coat in the store, I found one that I liked.
I purchased it despite one huge misgiving.
Yeah.
Oh well. There goes my good intention of living life unlabeled.