Diets

We were talking about diets at work yesterday, and why women go on them. I've always had two reasons to lose weight: because I don't like how I look/feel in my clothes, and a distant second, my health - I'm worried about that 20 pounds' effect on my back or my feet or my knees. Usually I tell myself that I walk everywhere and that is weight-bearing exercise and I am doing something wonderful for my bones.

As I've gotten older, I've also tried to love my body more, as well as blame the clothes and not myself. I reserve my "big fatty" comments for my cat. If X does not flatter me, I will buy Y, and enjoy the fact that my ankles are slim. Really, I'm very vain about my ankles.

But I have a good friend who diets on and off, and those aren't her reasons at all. She likes clothes, but she thinks about color and comfort, and doesn't fret particularly about how she looks. She's never liked heels and skirts, and has never minded that she can't wear a halter top. She exercises, loves to get outside, and takes lots of vitamins.

Food and weight mean something different to her. Maybe it's about control, or feeling undisciplined. Maybe there's a number that is the trigger - under this number is good, over this number is bad. Maybe there is a thin memory involved. I've never thought I was thin, ever, and I always thought it must be hard to have been the skinny girl and then suddenly gain 30 pounds in your forties. What a betrayal! I've always been "sturdy".

Anyhoo, please join me on this morning's style journey, which did not wind up in a great place, but at least got me out the door. 

The scene: a cool and rainy June day.    

The first attempt involved the ivory jacket, a pink skirt and green sandals. My feet were chilly and obviously the flower was a bit de trop.

So I changed to green boots, and ditched the flower and the jacket.

Ohmyno. The boots are too heavy for the skirt, and that jacket should just be given away. Third try, with a different skirt and jacket.

Oh, it'll do. Someday I will analyze why the denim jacket is so great and the green military jacket is so not. Here, the denim balances the boots, the crochet skirt is heavier in texture, and I was going to be late. As Lyds would say, "You look just fine," and at no point did I think, "This would look great if you lost 15 pounds." Small victories.