shopping

OK, so enough with the maudlin posts!  Last night I went shopping, and actually bought a dress(!).  Not that it’s surprising in the abstract that I would buy a dress (it says right there in ‘about me’ that I’m femme-ish), but it is the first one I’ve bought since 2005.  Skirts I have, but dresses are few in my wardrobe.  I think it’s partly due to the effort involved in wearing them — in the winter, they require stockings, and they are less commonly fully lined.  No way am I wearing a slip!  Perhaps even the word ’slip’ seems quaint and old-fashioned to some of you, but truly my mother made me wear them all the time I was growing up.  And frankly, they are gross.  Polyester, with ugly cheap lace around the hem, they get bunched up around the waist — literally the least sexy item of women’s underwear.  [If I'm going to be fair, there are some sexy slips out there, and worn on their own make quite a lovely statement.  It's just underneath the clothes I'm objecting to. Back in the day when they were made from silk broadcloth this whole discussion would be irrelevant.]

But this dress is for summer, sleeveless, cotton, and shorter than some of my other dresses.  I have been self-conscious about my body for a long time, and I’m trying to overcome that, especially around my legs and arms.  I have always thought of them as heavy, but sustained effort on my partner’s part is paying off, and now I can sorta see that they might be considered somewhat a little bit sexy.  Hence the dress.  NOW if the WEATHER would just WARM UP I might be able to wear it!  Oh right, after I get some shoes to go with it………….why does an image makeover have to involve so much effort?