I'm not exactly looking for a facelift...more like a "shape"lift, "style"lift. I went shopping last Sunday for a whole 2 hours without kids, which was fantastic, except that I spent the entire time trying on clothes and then second guessing every choice and ultimately walked out of The Gap with yet another "favorite T" in white.
Why is it that I find it so hard to find my style? I know part of the problem is I have a very adverse reactions to spending money on myself. (It's a Sarah thing, and I fear it will never change, which may be my downfall in all of this) I will buy for the kids, for my friends, for my family, even for charity, yet I will not part with more than $20 for a pair of jeans that I will wear for no less than 5 years. I'm serious! My outfit this a.m. to church consisted of a pair of gray slacks-purchased circa 2003; a black cashmere v-neck-Christmas gift from Cory, same year; black boots-purchased on same trip as gray slacks; and aforementioned Gap white favorite t. The only other items on my body less than 6 years old consisted of unmentionables that must be replaced at least a few times a year for fear of driving away my spouse.
Part of the issue also stems from the fact that I HATE TO SHOP. I know, I was meant to be born a boy. I am starting to be more and more convinced that something happened at birth that my parents have refused to admit, I really was Benjamin Burgess. (Benji, can you imagine what would have happened to that poor kid when the movie in the mid 70s came out?!)
About 2 years ago I stole my sister Clare's latest day style, which consisted of layering Gap, J Crew, etc. t's. LOVED IT! Great for runinng around with small kids, comfy, cozy, and although I can get away with it at the office because I have a FANTASTIC job, it's time for a change toward something a little more appropriate for one approaching 40 (EGADS!) Clare has the luck of having a body that can wear anything and look good. Plus she's far more feminine than I manage - I do live on a farm after all. And add to that the gift of ta-ta's from my mother and you have a recipe for fashion disaster!
My sister Ali sent me a link months ago to a website called My Shape where you enter all your measurements and it sets a profile for you and suggests clothing based on your size and body style. I finally logged on today and well, let's just say I am now even MORE depressed about the shopping thing. The only saving grace is that I attempted to measure myself since Cory is out bulding a dock on the pond today and so I am praying that I just did a poor job at it and therefore the shape it returned is not in fact the right one for me. If it is, I will be stepping up the daily excersie regimen a notch this week!
Cory, bless his heart (southern snark!), tries to assuage my depression in this arena. But it's just not going to work for him. He's a guy, his dream was to live on a farm and work in the great outdoors, he would be happy in a flannel and jeans, every day. However, since I have no aversion to buying clothes for him at the holidays and he received numerous freebie shirts from the companies we work for, he does have some variety. Honestly, I have less clothes in our closet than he does - because #1 I hold onto anything that I do like for decades, and #2 if I don't wear it I get rid of it. So combine that with not shopping save for maybe one trip a year to the outlet in Tennessee where my in-laws live, I am being serious - he has more clothes than I do.
So, if any of you reading this are friends here in town, do whatever it takes to drag my resistant to change self out of the house and shopping with you...and soon! Don't take no for an answer and don't let me try to come up with excuses about how Cory has been out of town so much and the kids need to have family time on the weekend. I will throw every one of them at you, but you must be strong and willful against me. Something must change because I want to be the hip 40 mom and I have only 2 years to get there and at the rate I'm going....well, Gap t's are timeless, aren't they?
3 comments:
Ok now I want to get on a plane and whisk you away for a weekend of shopping and girl time. I swear I'm going to nominate you for "What Not to Wear" since they will rid your closet of all clothes that you have been holding onto but not wearing for the past decade. Plus they give you $5000 to spend in NYC and a lesson in what fits your body type. I would love to take you out and figure out what looks good on you. And there is alot that would look good on you--trust me!
I feel you pain...and I'm ALREADY 40. At least you've had the courage to measure yourself and go to myshape. I've avoided it like the plague.
Maybe we just need to get together (and shop) in TN more than once a year. I'm sure my mom would watch the kids. ;-)
Ok - I'm taking you shopping & soon. You know me - I'm a shop-a-holic & I go for bargains, so I won't break your wallet either :-) Lara :-)
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