When I first delurked here, my biggest challenge was actually wearing my 'nice' clothes! You guessed it--the stuff in nice colours and cool fabrics and a decent fit languished for when I was ready to be going out or travel, and I wore the cheap misfits around the house. Which was 98% of my life. Add that I was actively choosing things I could disappear in a lot of the time for going out and then demoting them to play when I actually craved colours, even just denim indigos... And ugh! Not a high point in my life appearance wise.
Until I gave myself permission to wear the hoarded good clothes.
This summer has seen a very permissive one for me. I allowed myself to...
- Wear the good shoes too.
- BUY actual good shoes even though I no longer work at the office and once upon a time would make do with cheap and imperfect sandals.
- Wear white, lots! So freeing--thank you for harping on about this, Angie! And the brilliantly practical tip to use an apron if getting messy (::cough:: at mealtimes with toddlers ::cough::)
- Dress up. As though I might pop out any minute to a movie or for coffee with a friend. I never do. But thinking of the possibility being, well, possible is very good for boosting poor self esteem I find. I owe Suz for the inspiration on this one, as fellow worker-from-home. Now, I am not dressy... It is all still very casual. But it is decent fabrics and no stains and safety pins.
- PURGE the pretty stuff that is good and was pricey but does not and may NEVER fit...or it may, if and when I lose the baby weight. But the baby taught me to value my time like never before... No more wading through reams of misfits to cobble together an actual wearable outfit.
- Get bored. And change things up without guilt and grief. I confess I did not NEED so many tops but I was sick of the old few worn twice weekly since pregnancy. Nor did I NEED as many shoes. but I find I like repeating outfits while switching the accessories sometimes. For which, six pairs are not adequate, be they never so functional and versatile. I still have a cap on budget and numbers. But not paring right back to the minimum while unhappy about it.
Over to you guys. What have you given yourself permission to accept and embrace fashionwise lately, despite that niggling voice of (false) wisdom? And are you happy with the results or do you sometimes feel the guilt?
