What Not to Wear
One of the great things about blogging is the degree of control. By carefully selecting what is and is not revealed, through judicious editing and the glory that is cutting and pasting, one may create a mystique, an image of oneself which may bear little or no relationship to reality.
Now, for what it's worth, I have yet to tell a lie in this blog. But sometimes, when reading over old posts, even I start thinking I seem like a pretty groovy, sophisticated woman. Well, in the interest of full disclosure (such a rare commodity in today's world that it feels almost avant garde to be this honest), I would like to present you with this photo of me, looking like a Mennonite housewife:
I obviously don't own a full length mirror. If I did I would never have thought that a size 12 skirt, when I'm an 8, combined with an XL (though warm) sweatshirt was a look worth parading in public. When The Spouse showed me this picture I just about died. Seriously, I look like I just crawled out from steerage and am looking for a good ESL class.
But such humiliations have their uses. This picture reminds me I've been a little lazy in my wardrobe habits of late. I blame the sweat shirt. It is so cozy and throwing it on first thing in the a.m. has become a matter of course. Problem is, once it's on I don't feel like taking it off, so I don't dress up. Except on Fridays, when I go to coffee. I would be willing to wear this ensemble for several weeks if I thought that Stacy and Clinton were about to jump out and offer me $5000, a trip to NYC and a make-over. But they aren't, so I refuse to humiliate myself or my family further.
The skirt is getting the big Charity Bag Adios today. And just so you know, I looked fabulous yesterday. But no one took a picture so you'll just have to take my word for it.
Now, for what it's worth, I have yet to tell a lie in this blog. But sometimes, when reading over old posts, even I start thinking I seem like a pretty groovy, sophisticated woman. Well, in the interest of full disclosure (such a rare commodity in today's world that it feels almost avant garde to be this honest), I would like to present you with this photo of me, looking like a Mennonite housewife:
I obviously don't own a full length mirror. If I did I would never have thought that a size 12 skirt, when I'm an 8, combined with an XL (though warm) sweatshirt was a look worth parading in public. When The Spouse showed me this picture I just about died. Seriously, I look like I just crawled out from steerage and am looking for a good ESL class.
But such humiliations have their uses. This picture reminds me I've been a little lazy in my wardrobe habits of late. I blame the sweat shirt. It is so cozy and throwing it on first thing in the a.m. has become a matter of course. Problem is, once it's on I don't feel like taking it off, so I don't dress up. Except on Fridays, when I go to coffee. I would be willing to wear this ensemble for several weeks if I thought that Stacy and Clinton were about to jump out and offer me $5000, a trip to NYC and a make-over. But they aren't, so I refuse to humiliate myself or my family further.
The skirt is getting the big Charity Bag Adios today. And just so you know, I looked fabulous yesterday. But no one took a picture so you'll just have to take my word for it.
cobbled together by Moi at 9:43 AM
13 Comments:
Neither this nor your profile pic adequately convey the radiance I saw in the tiara video. How is Miss Fabulanova these days?
Gotta go, time to feed the geese.
Actually there is a Picture on the inside of the local section of the Seattle times taken as we were getting our Palm Fronds Blessed around the Baptismal Font yesterday.
Unfortunatly Dan is right in front of us
At least you're not wearing black stretch pants. Evil is the man who created them. Soooo comfy...soooo easy to eat a pie while wearing them. Granted, I wouldn't know. I've never eaten an entire pie. Or lied. Ever.
Blast that Dan.
Dear jpdc, You are too kind to the Czarina Fabulovna. I appreciate your little compliments for they are very amusing, no? I thank you for the asking after my health. I am quite well, although winter in Minsk does demand that I wear the very fabulous mink tiara more often than not. I hope you will come have tea with me soon. I so enjoy time with the little people.
Laughing...
Still laughing...
But the most important question is: WHAT SHOES WERE YOU WEARING?
Pat, I could say Manolo Blahniks but something tells me you wouldn't believe it...
I have the exact same outfit.
Iwanski,
Is that supposed to be comforting?
I say if its comfortable...:)
And just so you know, I looked fabulous yesterday. But no one took a picture so you'll just have to take my word for it.
LOL. Ain't that always the case?
I tend to look my best when I'm either staying at home or going somewhere of no consequence, like Walmart. Give me an "occasion" and I'll invariably look not quite right.
I find cyber intimacy less intimidating than I do actual, face to face intimacy. I'm sure it has much to do with that judicious editting you mention, the crafting of an image, and the ability to hide when you are not at your best.
Conversely, I've blogged things I would rarely, if ever, tell. So while there is creation of an image, it exists in "real life" as much as in blogging.
Amazingly, I've found the exposure of vulnerability to have been met with incredible kindness. I'm not sure I would have expected that. Some of what I've revealed I've expected to be met with indignation and perhaps censure, but instead I've found acceptance, encouragement, and kindred souls.
I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of this thing called blogging. The journey has certainly not been what I expected, even when a friend told me she was doing it, and told me about her experiences with it.
FWIW: I have that outfit. I wear it frequently. And I think you look fine in it.
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