Please

Please to all the powers in the Universe don't let me get old enough to think this is OK. Iknow I don't like looking at my back end but this is proof that I should.

How to do it.

I find that I am more than ever concerned about fashion. Of course that may be partly because I am more than ever not happy about my body. I am definitely in the morbidly obese range and I am facing a Catch-22 conundrum. I feel bad about the way my body looks without clothing. And I am not pleased with the way it looks with clothing. I feel really depressed when I see the pics of myself. I remind myself that this is what others are seeing when they look at me.

So I want to try to make some changes in those two things. But I said I feel bad, remember? And I feel depresses, remember? Depression is one of the biggest parts of feeling tired all the time for me, and maybe for you. I am on an antidepressant. I am also on thyroid meds and other things. Some may cause the weight to stick like glue. But I am also so in love with the sofa that I don't want to get off of it. Not that it is so comfortable, but the overcoming of inertia is really difficult. I am looking at this problem from the perspective of age now.

Fashion-Age These are two things that I don't put together. But I have discovered that Age does go along very well with style. And since I am not good at style I am using a method to help myself along.

1. I cleaned out the stuff in my closet that doesn't fit well, doesn't feel good, is shabby, is worn out, or I just don't like.

2. I am left with a lot of things that make me feel fat but at least they are presentable. And as time goes by I may figure out what to do with them.

3. I have looked at lots of fashion mags(I love them). And I have lamented that the models are toothpicks. For real. But I finally figured out how to use some of the things I find in there. I just take a pic of something I think is pretty, tear it out of the mag. I post it on a clipboard in my closet. And I start looking for things I have that might help make a copy of the look. Of course, I can't let my expectations get too high.

4. I have discovered that there are some looks that I like a lot which will require a change in my body. I am hoping that will be easier now that I have set goals.

5. I have also discovered that while some of the young things whose blogs I follow can go out and purchase stuff at full price when they want to, I simply can't. I also follow some blogs of girls who are thrifters and that is the way I shall have to go. I love vintage but there must have been no heavy women in the 40's. Of course, since I can sew, I plan to make a couple of vintagy pieces.

So far, this is where I am. Suggestions are very welcome.

Permission

I have given myself permission to look awful. I found myself asking my honey(quite a bit younger) how he would feel if I ran around in "old lady clothes". He looked at me and said "I'm not going to touch that one." I didn't think so at the time but the clothes I have been wearing are the result of purchasing anything that would cover me at my weight. I have bought some things that were really inexpensive,(cheap), and have been wearing them thinking that if I put on a little bit of equally cheap jewelry I am fashionable for my age.

Now. I am looking at the things I have purchased and worn and I am wondering what was I thinking. I even purchased some things that were not so cheap and were just something to throw on. Ugly. I have looked at the people in the advanced style blog and I really admire their work on style. There are some drawbacks to doing what they are doing. I am not in New York. I don't go out every day. I am a large woman and most of the vintage clothes are smaller and are not really available in my area. I hate stockings. Having been many sizes, I don't have a wardrobe of long standing that I can SHOP in. I have a great eye for color but none for cut and fit. Due to my large size I hate to try on clothes and when I do go shopping I inevitably go to the things I already have, missing anything different.

But there are some things I can do and that I am going to do. It is not yet fall here(91)but as I put away my summer things, I am going to go through them and remove the cheap, the ill-fitting, the ugly, and anything that doesn't make me feel good. For instance, a top I wore Sunday is so inexpensive that after one washing it is looking not so good. Also I will get rid of things like sandals,(I have many pairs, don't wear sandals anymore), items that have gone dingy in the wash, and purses that I think are wonderful but have not carried in a year.(except straw) I love jewelry and have many pieces that are fairly good quality but I have piled it up to the point that seeing one piece isn't easy.

I suppose what I am saying is that the people in the upper age group are people I admire and one thing I can see is that they work at their style. They put effort into pairing the accessories with the outfit. They are always well groomed. They try.

I found it

For several years now I have been wearing clothes because they are big enough to get into. I have begun to lose a small amount of weight and I daydream about being thin and gorgeous. And looking 25. Yeah right!

My mom was a garage sale fanatic. But she was not interested in vintage, high dollar fashion. No, my mom wanted 5 cent t shirts and shorts. And stains didn't matter much. Just as long as they fit her ok she was happy with her bargain. However when she needed to she was able to pull out some presentable clothes from the closet that had never been culled--- ever.

We often have no other role models available to us than our own parents. It was that way for me. I live in a very conservative part of the country and fashion, unless you are wealthy, is for those in magazines. Well, that bothers me. I don't mean to say that I want to follow every fashion trend that comes down the pike. The youngsters are already taking care of that for me. But I do, now that I'm retired and have time, want to put some thought and effort into carving out a style or styles that interest and express me. I am a grandmother 4 times over. Sorry, but I don't want to wear what my grandmother wore.

I am pleased to announce to any who don't know that there is a wonderful blog on this blogging site called Advanced Style. I spent 2 hours today devouring the pics and write ups in this blog and I have finally seen the light. I may not live in New York, or Milan, or Paris. But I am an artist and there is no reason I should not use that to add interesting things to my totally boring wardrobe.

How will I do that? I copied the pic of things I liked and put then in a folder on my computer and I can access it when I need help. But basically, I have been hesitant to wear things which might get me noticed in any way. And yet when I am out at a store and see a lady who has put a lot of thought and work into her appearance I am impressed. I don't see it as being self-centered but as being self-confident and self-assured. And don't we all deserve to feel that way? I will also keep reading the wonderful blog as I have for the last couple of months and now be more aware of it as not just eye candy but as a wonderful suggestion in ways to better my life.

What fun the path could turn out to be!

I would

I am so sorry that I forgot the artists name for this piece but now that I am 65 this is just one of the many larger pieces I would wear and look terrific. As a matter of fact, I have decided that the juvenile fashion mags have some cute things that I like to look at but I pick and choose. Some things seem to be made for all ages. I take advantage of that.

My foot

In an attempt to not put my foot into my mouth, I am going to state without reservation that not a single pair of this sort of shoe will ever enter my house. This is a promise. I think the crocs are probably comfortable and inexpensive but to me they are gardening shoes. The tennies are for 12 and under in my opinion. And my grandmother had the other shoes--- and wore them.

My feet!!!!!!

As an aging woman who loves to have nice things, I have looked with great interest at the style mags and the style websites and the style shows. I wonder how the latest styles can work for me and my generation, thick or thin. There are some truly beautiful styles out there among the outlandish get-ups. There are fabrics that are to die for. There are handbags that are stylish and some that will stand the test of time. There is a huge amount of jewelry, fashion and otherwise, to enhance any woman. Then there are the shoes. I think that is what those hideous stilleto things are called. For some reason the style masters think they can design shoes. I say leave the shoe designs to those who can actually do it.

I have long heard that shoes with a lot going on in the front shorten the look of the leg. So why are there so many shoes out there that try to look like boots. And please someone, tell me why these heavy looking shoes are being worn with beautiful and diaphenous fabrics. I can almost see it. The woman doesn't feel as if she is dressed without name brand footwear. The fact that the shoes don't go with the outfit or with her body or with her destination doesn't mean a thing. Individuality has replaced taste and good looks.

Then there is the OH MY FEET! I am totally unable to wear a 4 inch heel. They are not even comfortable to sit in. I saw that on Fergie the other day and it made her feet and legs look like she had cankles. The 4 inch and above heel is not the only way to look sexy or elegant. As a matter of fact, trying to walk in the high heel is decidedly not elegant without tons of practice. And I won't do it, I just won't!

Hello

To my fellow fabulous women, I have been going through the spring fashion mags. Yesterday I received my copy of MORE. This magazine is supposed to be for older and more interesting women who wish to remain fashionable. And they do use older women in their articles. However, the clothing that is shown often is sleeveless. I have wings where I used to have arms. Sleeveless tops would allow me to take off and fly. If I had the energy to flap my wings.

The new spring clothes have waistlines. Some are down on the hips. Some are at normal waist height. And some are just below the bustline. (For my age group, that is normal waist height.) Anyway, since I have two bellies I wonder at which height to purchase waistlines.

The short skirt is in. Hip, Hip, Hip. I happen to have a big couple of bellies and the short skirt should stick out about 6 inches in the front. No, that won't do. OK, let's talk knee length. Now the knee length skirt is a pencil skirt or, get this, a skirt this is big at the top and small at the bottom. Of course there is a tiny waist on top which again I don't know where to put. OK. Mark that one off. I haven't even gotten to the problem with the legs. There are often a few things on our legs that no one wants to see. Especially us. Veins, scars, and sags do not a good legline make. Longer skirts were nice but are out. Way out.

Pants have become really odd. The MC Hammer look is being sported by the likes of Jennifer Lopez. These pants have hip waists on some and real waists on others. No matter where the waist, they are butt ugly on a woman's figure. They are the best example of a garment that looks better on a hanger than on a human. Designers are also showing really tight nice slacks. These look wonderful on models. Except that they remind me of high water pants. They say it's all about proportion. Obviously it's not about my proportion. But I guess we knew that. So what are we to do about pants for Spring? Wear last year's pants with something new.

Shoes are totally out there. The heels are so high and the decorations are so obvious that it would need no other adornment on the body. However, here in the South, in the Middle America group, where in the world would I wear 4 inch heels with huge bows or with lots of straps, or with clunky platforms? There would have to be an inaugural in my back yard to get me into any sort of heels. I think they are the epitome of discomfort.

So what do we spend our meager pennies on this Spring? You notice I left out shorts entirely. How about a new purse?