Skip to main content

The Clothes Situation

I hate shopping for myself. Anyone else? Tap, tap... this thing on?

I would rather get a mammogram and a pap smear on the same day than go shopping for myself.

For some women, it's the money. If it's actually in the bank account, there are a thousand other ways we can spend it. We just don't feel right about spending on ourselves that way. Even if we are down to our last pair of good pants (meaning they will button and the thighs are wearing thin) and have worn the same three shirts over and over for a few weeks. Usually washed in between.

Usually.

For others, it's the time. We never have enough time to look. Or it's boring. Or it takes too long to find "the one." (It's not a house, Mabel!)

And for others, it's a body and fit kind of thing. As in, we have real women bodies and those clothes don't fit like we thought they would. We don't know our style, we only know what we don't like, and we definitely do not want to be measured.

Obviously, I'm in all three categories. My husband actually nags me to go and shop for myself! He's a nice guy and all but the Real Reason is that he's sick of hearing me complain about the Clothes Situation. While I'm standing in front of a closet full of clothes. That don't fit. But I keep on doing it. We've been married twelve years and he has been begging me to spend money on myself and get whatever clothes I need for, let's see... twelve years. I've tried, I truly have. BUT I CAN'T FIND THEM.

And I am so unfamiliar and unhappy with my bigger body (see three kids, c sections, meds, emotional eater, hate to exercise, all of the above) that I don't know how to dress it.

It's not like I'm picky: I don't do stripes, or pleats, or most florals, or pastels, or flounces, and definitely not peplum. My shoulders are weird, my boobs are big, my arms are robust and not due to pumping iron, although I have a 35 lb 2 year old and I should have the muscled arms of a stevedore. I don't wear tight, or revealing, or high-maintenance, and if it requires special undergarments, you can forget it. Other than that, I'm good. So somewhere between a judge's robe and coveralls, there has to be something attractive and comfortable that FITS and slims my kangaroo pouch and makes me look rested that's on sale and/ or under $35 but I haven't found it yet.

I'm part of a group of women around the world who make their own clothes from these really accessible patterns and they can be tailored to fit any body measurements. Don't be too impressed. I only lurk there, haven't made a thing. I'm almost desperate enough to do it. Hauling out the sewing machine and trying it can't be as bad as shopping.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Dated 11/13/11

"Idea website -free quiz w/ varied parameters, spit out idea Ex- writer, looking for plot, idea based on answers given The place where people go for ideas. Could do catergories, and on each do articles - have prominent (or up-an-coming) bloggers write for it." 2/24/18. After years of thinking, finally just decided to do it. Welcome.

Cooperative Sales

MLM schemes are so 2017 What we need is a cooperative group on Etsy or the like as one account. Each member has a story and a theme, what is the common thread? Vintage, western, letters, stars, film, color, baby, wedding, fabrics, kits, magnets, endless! Identify contibutors to consign their products. determine how you will store products, how you will insure against damage (consigment: you break it, you bought it). Determine pricing you and seller can live with (idea: consign at 60-70%, seller gets 40-30%, plus the shipping charges). who is doing the photography? who has final say? Promotion? Listings, descriptions? How about a template for that? How fast and frequently do you ship? Will you take special orders? Tax structure - consigners are freelance artists. What does that mean for tax reporting? Offering this idea for free as a starting point to your Next Big Idea. Thank me in whatever way you wish! Comments are nice. Money is great. Shares of stock are awesome.