Made my day!

A woman at work today was telling me how much of a difference she's seen in me over the last year. I mentioned to year about a year ago when I started dressing better and why -- sick of waiting to lose weight to do things, figured I'd just deal with what I have. She asked me where I get my stuff and I told her a few places (Kohls, Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, sometimes Dress Barn and Talbots). I also told her I get a lot of inspiration from What Not to Wear and she said they should hire me as a consultant. Oh. My. Gosh. I can't tell you how good that made me feel, even though I'm sure they could find a lot to change, lol. She said I inspired her to dress better.

And get this -- she's not even plus-sized like me. I can't believe that a non-plus-sized woman asked ME about style advice! This coming from the girl who wore nothing but t-shirts and jeans to work for years and then wore too-baggy dressier clothes to her next job where the dress code was business casual.

I am just floored, in a good way. :)

Nothing but Calvin Klein hose for me!

I've been experimenting with different types of sheer nylons for warmer weather. I love my tights in the winter, but they don't work in warm weather. My legs are very pale and my hair is black, so even immediately after shaving I get that weird thing where you can see the hair below my skin and I hate that on my legs. So, when I wear knee-length skirts or dresses I prefer to wear something on my legs, even if it's very sheer -- just makes my legs look better but it's not overly obvious, you know? I'm not into tanning and I can never get self-tanner on correctly.

Anyway, I've come to the conclusion that my favorites are the Calvin Klein 20 denier pantyhose in colors 1 and 3. I haven't tried 2, but I'm sure I'd like them, too. No. 1 is my favorite, as it is very light (kind of a champagne color) and matches my skin. I've found great deals on them at Burlington Coat Factory -- $3.98 as opposed to the normal $8.50 -- so I bought a few pairs of those today, as well as a few sheer black pairs.

Anyway, if you wear pantyhose and have never tried the Calvin Kleins, I HIGHLY recommend them! They are so soft and silky soft and sheer that I hardly know I'm wearing them. Their thigh highs are really nice, too, but they tend to be too long for me so I stick with the pantyhose. If you have a Burlington Coat Factory or Feline's Basement near you, check them out -- they may have them at half price.

Cool!

I'm wearing my cool sparkley blue heels today. I call them my Happy Hour Shoes, as I'm going to happy hour today and these shoes scream out "Party!"

Anyway, one of the ladies commented on how I always look so put together and stylish. I about hit the floor! I thanked her very much, of course, but it sounds so strange to hear people say that about me. I always used to think that style/fashion was only for people who looked a certain way or were a certain age, and I figured I missed both boats for a long time. Now I know that I can be fat and still be stylish, as being thin is not a prerequisite. I think some people assume it is, but -- well, you know what happens when you assume things. :)

So, just had to post that because it made my day. I'm so glad I found that Fatshionista website and some other websites and blogs that have helped me to appreciate myself more than I have in years.

Nice party last night at friend's house

Hey! I don't remember getting Eric Clapton tickets for my 17th birthday! Man, I missed out!

*Ahem*

So, I went to my friend's son's 17th birthday party last night and had a great time. It's usually close family and friends and him and his friends, and they kinda do their thing and we do ours. He usually makes out like a bandit at these things, as this was no exception. I know he got some cash, $100 in I-tunes gift cards and those Clapton tickets for him and a friend. I told him that he will have people kissing up to him until that concert comes around, lol.

That being said, he deserves it. He made honor roll again this quarter, has steadily brought his grades up in a tough class from a D to a B, and is still volunteering at a nursing home twice a week even though his required hours for school were met quite a while ago. So, I won't hold the Clapton tickets against him. :)

Today, I went through my clothes so that my spring/summer stuff is out and my winter stuff is put away. I still have some laundry to do so not all the winter stuff is away, but that should all be taken care of this week. I didn't realize I had so many capri pants, lol. I know they aren't the most flattering, but they are comfy and a little cooler than pants and I can sit however I want in them but can't in a skirt or dress.

I also had a shopping spree at Payless the other day. I'm really becoming a shoe hound, but it was Payless and they were having their "buy one get the second for 1/2 off" sale, so I paid about $65 for four pairs of shoes -- not too shabby. I got two pairs of slingback peep-toe wedges, one in brown and one in yellow. I also bought some simple black patent pumps and some cute brown & white closed-toe wedges. I really prefer closed-toe shoes to peep-toe, but it's downright difficult to find spring/summer shoes that aren't peep-toe. Oh well, people are just going to have to deal with seeing my toes.

Feeling better :)

Well, I actually got through a whole week of work this past week and lived to tell the tale, lol. I am feeling much better. Still have the cough and am more worn-out than usual and needing a bit more sleep, but other than that I feel pretty good.

I actually had a bit of delayed retail therapy earlier this week. I've never been a big dress person, but for some reason lately I've been wanting more. So...

...about a month or so ago I picked up a few at Kohls that are cute. (I was excited that the XL in their misses section usually fit me, as Kohls really doesn't carry plus-size dresses, at least not in the stores here.)

...I ordered one from Target and two from Roamans (here and here), figuring if they don't fit I just have to return them.

...Oh, and I got a beautiful cotton turquoise floral dress from Torrid. I've been lusting after this dress for a while and decided to buy it before my size is gone. I plan on buying a short-sleeved cropped cardigan, bolero or jacket to go with this so I can wear it to work, and will probably need to wear a camisole under it. I bought some pretty and inexpensive rings, too.

...I ordered some nice thigh highs and pantyhose from Bare Necessities for the spring and summer. I've decided to go against the current style of bare legs with skirts and wear light and sheer thigh highs instead. I think my legs will look better and I've never really been comfortable with the bare legs look with a skirt, anyway.

...I got a great deal on a skirt from Talbots, and it's a petite!

...Then yesterday I went nuts on the E.L.F. website. Apparently this company has been bought out by Nordstrom's and they are having a fire sale so they can off-load all the stuff. Great makeup for hardly any money at all, and I've been experimenting with different colors and stuff so figured I'd take advantage.

Looking at all this, it looks like I spent major money, but I got most of it on sale, which makes me happy. :) So, we'll see how much of this fits correctly and how much doesn't, and some may get returned. Shopping on line for clothes is always a gamble, but I don't find a lot of dresses I like in local stores. There's a nice Lane Bryant near me, but their dresses tend to be too long for me. So why is it that fat women aren't supposed to show their legs according to some people anyway? My legs aren't tiny but they are muscular and have shape to them, so I don't want to wear stuff that cuts me off mid-calf. I like knee-length or a little shorter.

Anyway, today I think I'll get some things done around here and maybe visit my friend Karri who had foot surgery and is going a bit stir-crazy. I actually did get some stitching done over the past week (mostly on Skeleton Crew) but you know how bad I am about taking pictures and uploading them, like it's some sort of huge task, lol. I think I'll take care of that this weekend, too.

Good day for stitching

I really have been in a bit of a stitching slump since getting back from San Francisco a few weeks ago. I'm not sure why, just haven't been in the mood. I think the fact that my livingroom was a disaster area was too distracting for me, lol. I got most of it under control last weekend and will do the final touches today (shouldn't take more than 30-60 minutes) then I can sit and enjoy the place while I'm stitching inside and it's raining and icky outside. I have to run a few minor errands, but I can do those first and get them out of the way.

We'll see how I feel later, anyway. I came down with a nasty cold during the day on Thursday. I do OK during the day, but Thursday and Friday nights I've been running a fever and had a hard time sleeping. Thursday was 100, last night was 101. It's not THAT high, just high enough to make me very cold no matter how many blankets I use and make me generally uncomfortable.

What I'm very thankful for is that the small event we were going to have at the EARN Center has been postponed. It was going to be this morning, meaning I would have had to get up very early to take 90-120 minutes to get up there because part of the El is shut down due to construction and they are using shuttle buses, and in the rain with a nasty cold. I was soooo thankful when I learned we postponed it!

Oh, I bought a few cute spring clothes last weekend at Kohls and Fashion Bug. Fashion Bug has some pretty trapeze-type short-sleeved sweaters in pink, yellow and white. I bought a pink and yellow and will probably go back for the white. I also bought some similarly styled tops at Kohls, along with a dress and a pair of jeans. I'm slowly getting rid of my lighter wash jeans in favor of darker jeans. I'm not getting rid of them until they either don't fit or are worn out, but I don't wear them to casual Fridays and such anymore. The old ones are comfy, but I do notice that I look better in the darker jeans.

I have discovered Tim Gunn`

I've heard about his show but have never been able to catch it on TV. Today while I was wallowing in my misery under a blanket watching TV, I saw that there were a bunch of his shows on Bravo. I watched some of them and think he's wonderful! I so appreciate the fashionistas that are focusing on what an individual woman has going for her, both body and personality, and helping her find a look that represents both to their highest potential.

Five years ago, I never would have DREAMED I'd be hooked on shows like these, but they have helped me so much over the past year it's unbelievable. Now, if only I can find a show that helps klutzy people become a bit more graceful...

:)

Best. Deal. Ever!

So, I was talking about very bad deals in my last post, right? Between then and now I went shopping with a friend. She was looking at clearance racks for something to wear to an upcoming formal, I was looking to spend the $25 gift certificate she bought me for Christmas. I really didn't see anything and was going to save the certificate for later, then I saw it -- a beautiful brown suit jacket. I've been looking for one and there it was. Now, it's a smaller size than I usually wear so I looked at the size and figured it wouldn't fit and put it back. I wandered around for a while and helped Karri pick out some clothes, then I went back and that jacket was still there. I figured I might as well try it on. Lo and behold! It fit! It's not loose, but it's not too tight. I guess that's the definition of clothes fitting but I tend to go a little large, although I've gotten much better about that.

This is where the big deal comes in. It's on the clearance rack, and there's a sign that shows the prices. According to the sign, everything over $45 is marked down to $19.99. I looked at the price tag -- $144 marked down to $107. I'm thinking that maybe this is in the wrong place, etc. So, I took it up to the register and it was only $19.99! Sold!

It's lined and has a beautiful embroidered lapel and bottom, and also beadwork in those places. It's just stunning and don't think I've ever gotten such a good deal. I looked through it and there's no tears or anything, so it's good to go!

OK, no more Old Navy for me

Granted, their clothes aren't the best quality, but they do have some cute sweaters and jeans. However, they've been irritating me for a while and after something I read today I've decided I'm not buying from them any longer.

I've been lucky that I don't have to buy clothes from them from the plus section, which is only online. Much of their larger-sized stuff in the store fits me, but I *was* going to buy a few more items online. They took their plus-sized line out of stores. I'm sure it was a business decision, but it was frustrating for many to only buy online as their sizes are very screwy and often the same item in the same size doesn't fit the same way.

What did it for me, however, was a post I saw where we were talking about a recent coupon they put out that says, "in-store only." So, anyone plus-sized can only use it in the store, where there is nothing their size? Many people said they called and were able to use it online. One person called and was told by the sales person, "If you lose some weight you could shop in store and not have to order plus size online." !!! Now, I know that's just one person and I probably shouldn't judge the entire operation on that person, but it pretty much reiterates how many of us plus-sized women feel Old Navy feels about us, anyway.

I may change my mind at some point after I calm down, but I can tell you I won't be buying anything from them for quite a while, if ever.

What Not to Wear

I'm no fan of reality shows, but I have to say that over the past year I've really become addicted to this show -- I love it! I like both British and American versions, but I don't catch the British one very often. I see Stacy and Clinton on all the time, though. I find them edgy and funny, and I love the faces and comments they make.

Like the show tonight -- the woman they made over was so thrilled after her hair and makeup was done that she just kept giggling after she saw herself in the mirror. I love that! I also liked the one I saw the other day where she came out in her new clothes and Clinton says, "Oh! I almost said a swear word."

They are all about making the most of a person's body, accentuating the positive. They also try to incorporate the person's style into what they buy. I admit that sometimes I cringe when I see them getting rid of all those clothes, wondering what articles of clothing in my closet they'd toss. However, I've done a lot of tossing myself lately, so there probably isn't as much to toss as there was a few months ago.

I just love what they do. I've realized lately that I really do feel better and more confident about myself when I think I look good in my clothes -- which means not wearing stuff that is way too big. I still sometimes wear clothes a little bigger than they probably should be, but I'm doing better. I don't look like a big blob anymore, anyway.

Still around

Been a while since I've posted, huh? Well, everything is fine and I've been getting in a lot of stitching. I'll post a picture of my almost-finished Christmas Elf Fairy soon.

I've been going through a weird phase lately. I've gotten rid of a large part ov my wardrobe and have replaced it with items that are a bit more hip and more flattering on me. This means the clothes actually fit me, are not baggy because I'm trying to hide my gut. I've decided that I'm fat and that's the way it is. The funny thing is that since coming to this decision, I've lost five pounds, lol. Seems that now that I've decided I'm going to just live my life in my own skin, I'm not obsessing about what I eat and am getting a little more exercise. I'm going to start going to the pool again, too. I think now I've accepted my body for what it is (well, mostly -- I still have my moments) and that I'm going to dress in ways that look good on me, not hide behind my clothes. Of course, I've bought some items to help flatten my tummy a little, which is a big help, but my clothes fit so much better now.

I've also bought more skirts that are above my knee and am getting all my mid-calf skirts taken up. My mom's going to do them, and I offered to pay her because I have a bunch of them. They are beautiful, but they cut me off at the biggest part of my leg and if they were just below my knee or at my knee they would be much more flattering. I also bought a pair of high boots recently. I may or may not have mentioned it. They are black and are made for wide calves and I love them. Of course, I won't be wearing them for a while yet, but I'm looking forward to wearing them with some textured or colored tights and my skirts. I've also bought some over-the-knee socks that I think will look cute with my Mary Jane wedges and my clogs with skirts. My skirts aren't so high that you can see the tops of the socks, so I don't think it will be too young a look for me. I'll see how I feel about it once I wear them. I got some cool shoes recently, too -- discovered DSW Shoes.

Anyway, that's a lot of what I've been up to lately. I just got to the point where I realized that I can't put everything off until I lose weight, as I may never lose the amount I really want to lose, and there's no guarantee that I'll be able to stay at a low weight if I can get down to it. When I get some time, I'll post pictures of some of my new stuff.

C'mon Fall!

August is always tough for me -- usually the hottest summer month and at the end of the season when I just want to move on to fall. I looooove fall, my favorite season. I've been perusing various websites and stores, just looking to see what I can add to my wardrobe this year -- a few skirts, some cool colored and textured tights and thigh highs, etc. Last year I had my black and my brown tights and loved them. This year I plan on buying a pair of thigh highs to see if I like them, and also some textured tights that I can layer over some other tights for a cool effect with an otherwise solid color outfit. I actually wear skirts more in the fall and winter because my legs look better in tights than bare, and it's too darn hot to wander around the city in summer wearing pantyhose if I can help it. Hee hee, my summer skirts are long and my winter skirts are mostly knee length or a little shorter. Weird.

I did buy some wide calf boots from Torrid. I've never bought from there but have heard they have great stuff. There are some other items I want to eventually order, but for now I bought some high black boots. I'm soooo looking forward to wearing high boots this year. I wanted to last year but just didn't find any I liked that fit my huge calves. I figure I can wear them with a shorter skirt with some tights and look almost cute. :)

Got some beads, new dress

I'm mostly done with that free-style stitching project I mentioned yesterday. So, I went to Michael's today to get some beads. I spent about $25 on a bunch of large bead packages containing all sorts of beads. I didn't want to waste my Mill Hill beads on something that didn't need specific colors and these will do fine. Some of them will be stitched into in a way where you can't even see the bead, so it doesn't matter. I hope to finish it this weekend.

In my previous post, I mentioned that we're going to have some Philadelphia VIPs at our luncheon Friday. So, I stopped by Catherine's on my way home from Michael's. I wasn't going to just get anything, but I wanted something dressier than just a nice skirt and blouse without wearing dressier but warmer clothes. I tried on quite a few nice outfits that fit, but there were sheath dresses with jackets on top. They looked nice, but I didn't want that many layers if I could help it. I also tried on a pretty periwinkle and white pantsuit but someone pulled the switcharoo and the pants were a different size than the top and waaaaaay too big, and I don't have time to get them altered. So, I tried on this pretty dress for the heck of it, and I loved it! Sure, it's not on sale, but I ended up getting 20% off after buying their $4 magazine, so the total was still $13 less than if I hadn't bought the magazine. Weird, huh? So, here it is:



It's not a very big picture, but it's a black floral design, and the flowers are cream and dark pink/fuschia with green leaves. The dress has a mock wrap in the front. I find that these types of dresses look the best on me. The empire waist dresses look good on many people and they always say it's good for camouflaging a big tummy, but they just make me look pregnant and I don't need questions. :)

Been a while...

Didn't realize it had been so long since I'd been here. One good reason is that I went to the pool three times last week. It's so much easier going during lunchtime and working a little later than going before or after work.

You know how I went a little crazy a few months ago with the clothes shopping? Well, today I caught myself buying the newest "In Style" magazine for about $6. I don't think I've EVER bought a magazine that was only about clothes, makeup, shoes, etc. I have to admit there was some cool stuff in there, I really like a lot of the new stuff coming out. I intend to buy a few items, but probably a few trendy items at Old Navy or somewhere similar and one or two higher quality non-trendy pieces at Talbots. I honestly don't have a nice white collared shirt, and really should get one, and probably a few other staples. I really like that patterned and opaque tights are back. I love opaque tights! I need to be careful with patterned ones as I have big calves and even pinstripes will probably look really obvious going down them, but I like the idea of them, anyway. I also found a few places that sell boots for people like me -- short with big calves. I haven't worn tall boots in years and would love to be able to wear them with some of my skirts. I don't have a lot of winter skirts, but I have a few -- all black, of course. Well, there are a few that aren't black, but most of them are.

I think we're finally going to enter the 21st century and get DSL. I find that Cavalier has a good deal with unlimited long distance and DSL. I need to call them and find out how far from the closest transmitter I am, as if I'm too far away it won't be any faster than my dial-up and I'll go with Verizon instead. Verizon is more expensive, but I know the transmitter is 2 miles away because it's right outside the old Piano Lane office. We had great DSL while working there.

I'm almost done with a few items. "The Last Full Measure" is almost finished. I just finished reading about battle at Five Forks, and I believe that it's only a few days until the surrender. I'm also almost finished with the stitching on Lady of the Flag. The golden dress has gone on forever, but I'm finally down to the very edge or the dress that has a border and the blue area. Thank goodness! I love the design, but all that dress gets to me after a while.