Thanks Isis. I guess I think the front view is OK, but feel like I look about 5 months pregnant from the side!

just bumping before I go to bed - for Katiepea so she can see the pics of the dress with the red belt.

I don't see what you see, Anne, either. You look fab in that dress from all angles to me! (I know you may not find that helpful, though)

Thanks Polly

I think that the dress is one of the best items I have ever seen you wear! I do prefer it with the low contrast belt though.

Anne, we see completely different things about your body.

Anne, I think you look fantastic and I would kill for your flat stomach. I know it is hard to see anything except your supposed "problem areas" when you look at a picture. I have the opposite problem - when I look at photos, even now after a breast reduction, all I see are BOOBS, and I hate it. I wouldn't wear that dress you dislike because it would make me feel much too busty.

I guess that's my way of saying often it's not our body that needs adjusting, it's our eyes and mind.

And this is coming from a middle-aged mom who has gained some weight recently due to lack of exercise (an injury, laziness, lack of time) and just some slowing down. I have a hard time looking at myself in or out of clothes every day right now and I undesrand completely how you feel about not being in your exercise routine.

You need to know that you are absolutely gorgeous - I have a good friend who looks like you and every time I see your photos, I smile thinking of how lovely both of you are. You look great to me in these photos, especially the white top.

At the same time, if you truly don't like something and it makes you feel bad to wear it, don't wear it! That's my strategy for feeling better about myself.

Honestly, I think you have a beautiful, beautiful figure! The only issue I see in the last photo of the black dress is your posture -- I suspect if you stood up straight, that imagined tummy bulge would disappear.

Honestly, you look super fit and slim and beautiful!

Una thanks for your very empathetic post and the lovely thought about your friend. I really appreciate your sharing that!

And MaryK, I hope you are right (because I took one other discarded pic with worse posture than that and that was my standing up straight one!)

I have finally bit the bullet and weighed myself and I have put on about 3 pounds in the last 2 weeks since the batteries stopped working (maybe even more, since I worked out the last few days). I work best on regularly weigh ins, clearly. So my sense about the direction I was going in was probably right. But I see that I was probably way too sensitive about how much this was visible when I see the lovely positive comments so many of you have made.

I am going to keep the dress. I don't think it will ever be a favourite, but it is helpful (as said above) to have a full skirted, no ironing needed dress for summer, and it does look better with accessories.

thanks everyone!
Angie I am going to re-read your posts on long waists and short legs!