Shape
Like most women, the trial and error I’ve gone through to understand what looks good on my body has involved many painful dressing room moments. My A-line skirts and cap sleeve tops are a safe harbor in a world of jodphur pants (really?), trapeze dresses (wha?), and cropped jackets (yikes!). But therein lies the problem—I’m being safe. I’m just not pushing myself anymore. I walk into a store, evaluate an item (color, size, shape) and if it fits my “safe” criteria, I buy it. Trouble is, when I get home, I realize that I already own that same item, more or less, in another safe shade or fabric. I’m constantly having outfit déjà vu.
There’s a whole world I’ve been ignoring for so long: one of skinny belts, juliet sleeves, and those massively intimidating French scarves that can be tied 157 ways. I’ve also been missing out on the discovery of the new. Who could guess that high-waist skirts are so flattering? Or that shrunken vests have a corset-effect on my silhouette? The resolution here is to leave my comfort zone. I’ll hardly abandon those A-line skirts that have served me so well, but with each trip to the dressing room, I’m grabbing something just to dare myself a bit. And no, I don’t regret that paper bag skirt one bit.
Sexiness Ratio
This is one rut I blame on work. When it comes to buying new clothes, my budget is limited, so I always try to aim for things that can do double-duty. In other words, I should be able to wear it to a meeting at work and to the movies with my friends afterward. Thing is, somewhere down this practical road, things got mighty conservative. All those buttoned up cardigans were threatening to make me look like someone running for political office—no offense, Hillary. It is clearly time to bring sexy back. And while I don’t think having two inches of cleavage popping out at the office is appropriate, there’s something about remembering the appeal of being a womanly W-O-M-A-N and having that come across in my clothes.
