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.
1. What about this jacket?
This is the ivory Boden cotton ponte Elgin jacket, for which I paid a very reasonable price. What I don't like about it: it has a pretty but fairly heavy cotton lining, which gets crumpled and shows through the light color of the exterior. Ironing the ponte fabric was tricky enough without trying to iron the lining too. Boden loves those cotton linings, but polyester would have been a better choice in this case.
But, it fits really well and that notched neckline is very sleek. It is truly ivory, but but I could wear it as a white jacket too. Heavy enough to wear in cool weather, but comfortable with a tank in office AC. I will probably wear it to work and let Heather vote in person.
2. Couch!
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| Feet up at Macy's |
Yummy ivory leather (again, more ivory than it looks in the photo), lovely firm back and seating, reasonably priced, will be delivered in July. I CAN'T WAIT. A new couch has been on my Things I Want list for years. This is clearly the upside of having grown children, as Michelle pointed out. Also, the cat fur will just blow away, and it's so slippery I will be able to play air hockey on it with Riley!
Enjoy it while you can, my furry friend.
