on bodies and clothing

[sigerson]

Today I take the genetic duplicate shopping. Or rather, we're going shopping together. H&M, DSW shoes, maybe Marshalls or TJ Maxx, maybe even--in preparation for Beefcake tonight, a supergirly thing like a Origins facial.

Quick definition. Beefcake: an evening when females gather to watch a movie featuring attractive men. Plot is optional. Estrogen reaches dangerous levels. Lots of fun. (Tonight, she's serving Strawberry Wobblers.)

Both elder sibling and I are, to put it nicely, wide-hipped. Enough so that we both have some "oh my gawd I am so fat" issues, justified or not. Now this tends to have consequences in what we wear: cover up, cuddly over sexy, comfort over style. (Plus I have a blind spot in my style zone...fashion is what happens to other people, as I said once.)

I'm kind of tired of that. Those who saw me in my short skirt may have figured that out. I'm starting to reach a point where, simultaneously, I don't care about looking stupid and I care more about my looks. How does that work? Well, I'm willing to risk looking foolish. I'm willing to risk showing my thighs. I'm willing to risk bad fashion in order to have fun with my clothes. At the same time, I'm wanting to look...less cuddly, less comfy, more stylish--but it's my own damn style. In other words, I'm dressing up and risking "that's so weird" in order to get "you look great!"

Of course there are exceptions...t-shirt and jeans will hold sway in my summer everyday for a while yet, I think...Or maybe not. There's a time and a place for comfort clothes. I find that my time for it is shrinking.

Don't expect spike heels and a bright pink powersuit. But I like discovering the fun in clothing!

Comments

[wavyarms.livejournal.com]

Both elder sibling and I are, to put it nicely, wide-hipped. Enough so that we both...

are hot. Especially in things like goddess-dresses. I was too self-conscious about my own short skirt to properly compliment you on yours, but you carry it off REALLY well.

Have fun! I will see you tonight. I'm impressed that you're going for an entire girly-day! I don't know if I would have the endurance. ;) But, like, OMG, I'll totally bring the latest issue of Glamour this evening.

I look forward to the Puff's fashion evolution...

Your awesome outfit at the D's birthday party

[(Anonymous)]

You looked awesome :) Good for you. Looking forward to seeing you tonight although I'll be late. And even better for you that you're willing to say "screw it all"- the major issues i have with my body (justified or unjustified) prevent me from being able to do that. Arrgh!

YAYYYY BEEFCAKE!

[shellaby.livejournal.com]

I think a night with the girls will be fabulous for all this stuff you're talking about. Unfortunately, I can't make it tonight! I'm so sad about it, but we ended up having some guests this weekend, people I haven't seen in a long time, so I'm going to show them around town tonight. I wish I could do beefcake as well!!

Anyway, we should go girly window shopping! We should go to clothing stores and try lots and lots of things in the dressing room and find what sexy things work for you in ways that you like. And I can dress you up! "Oooh, ooh, try this!!" "Umm...what is that exactly - a top or a miniskirt?"

[ltlbird.livejournal.com]

You looked great in the short skirt AND the new glasses! I think you have just the right attitude about fashion. One I admire, since I tend to care too much what others think. And let me be the first one to say thay fashionable clothes can be quite comfy! I'd be happy to go out shopping with you anytime. Often one is so blinding by one's perceived body issues that one cannot really see how great one looks in a new style. Having a trusted friend (or sibling) along is a great plan.

[sal-sal.livejournal.com]

Big ups to wide hips!

I had to do a paper on my family's physical genetic attributes and mom made a point of pointing out the Ronald family wide hips, which she says will be great one day for child-bearing. Hooyah!

[kassrachel.livejournal.com]

Hm. How to express "your hips are spectacularly spectacular" without looking like a skeevy stalker? ;-)

For my part, I still spend a lot of time in comfort clothing. I like how I feel in jeans and shirts (scaled for the season: flannel-lined jeans and wool sweater in winter, normal jeans and flannel shirt in spring/fall, linen pants and t-shirt in summer), and when I like how I feel, I look better. But I also like how I feel sometimes when I'm making an effort to have style -- so I've recently been giving myself permission to feel, and look, great in a variety of ways. Some days I feel best in comfort clothes. Other days I feel best in a short skirt and clunky boots and a shirt that's form-fitting.

I'm unlikely to ever wind up dressing like the women I grew up around, for one simple reason: I've noticed that, even though I'm embracing my occasional inner femme, I still never feel great in jeans I can't zip, or heels which pinch my feet. *g*

Anyway. Go you for taking risks! I think you look lovely.