Fashion Monday: Workout Clothes
Jan 25, 2010 Fashion, Weight Loss
Here’s what I do when I don’t want to do something: I convince myself I shouldn’t do that thing. Workout clothes are not something I want to spend money on right now. We’re redoing our kitchen, the kids keep stubbornly growing out of their clothes, our car is on its last legs (wheels?)…new workout clothes were pretty low on the list of potential purchases.
This morning I was doing my Your Shape workout, and I couldn’t help but notice how crappy I looked. You can’t hide from yourself with the Your Shape workout, because you’re right there on the TV, next to a buff, made-up, fashionably-dressed Jenny McCarthy avatar. And there I was, wearing black track pants that were too big six month ago, and now magically fitting again (sigh), and completely worn out. And I have a matching pair in gray, just as worn out.
On top I was wearing a green workout shirt that supposedly has a built-in “shelf” bra. I don’t know why I fall for that time and time again. I’m a 36D. There is no built-in shelf bra that will work for me. But I keep buying them anyway, and my boobs keep flopping around as I work out.
But, I had convinced myself that these things didn’t matter, that I was exercising privately so who cares what I look like?
Only, it does matter. Nobody needs to put on make-up and a $300 Juicy Couture track suit to work out, but when I look shlubby I feel shlubby. And when I feel shlubby I want to sit on the couch and eat potato chips and watch Cops.
This afternoon I received a very generous gift card to Lady Foot Locker for my participation in the Your Shape challenge, and I got myself two complete outfits – track pants, shirts, and sports bras (good ones, underwire). The pants are plain but the shirts are bright colors. I hate to admit that I’m affected by such silly things, it seems weak and shallow. But when I go to an event dressed in something I know I look good in, I feel more confident. Perhaps the first new work-out clothes I’ve bought in six or seven years will make me feel strong.
Originally posted on Selfish Mom. All opinions expressed on this website come straight from Amy unless otherwise noted. This post has a Compensation Level of 1. Please visit Amy’s Full Disclosure page for more information.
Tags: Your Shape
Fashion Monday: The Big Girls are Back
Jan 11, 2010 Fashion
I almost let today pass without commenting on something I saw last night. When “big girls” get highlighted in major media outlets, it’s news – perhaps someday it won’t be – and it’s happening again. There’s a beautiful spread in the new V magazine, filled with glamorous women who are not thin. Frankly they’re not fat either. They’re average – in size, anyway. They’re way above average in the beauty department, but that’s why they get to be in a magazine, glammed up and wearing big-name clothes.
I would certainly not be in favor of seeing ugly women in fashion magazines. This isn’t about some kind of equal-opportunity movement. We buy fashion magazines for certain reasons, and I know that I want to look at beautiful people – and I’m talking about outer beauty, folks. I love that larger women are being held up as glamorous. A stick-thin child with razor-sharp shoulderblades is not my idea of beautiful. Plus, if you’re trying to sell clothes – yes, big girls buy expensive clothes – I want to see how those clothes will look on someone curvy.
I just wonder how much photoshopping went on. It happens so extensively with thin models, you have to wonder how much cellulite was smoothed on these ladies. I almost hope it was a lot. I hate the cottage-cheese-like consistency of my thighs way more than I hate their size. If this group of women has somehow managed to have meat on their bones, gorgeous faces, and smooth thighs, then I’m officially insanely jealous. 
Originally posted on Selfish Mom. All opinions expressed on this website come straight from Amy unless otherwise noted. Please visit Amy’s Full Disclosure page for more information.
Tags: plus-sized models, V magazine
Fashion Monday: How not to wear a belt
Jan 4, 2010 Fashion
There are days when I leave the house thinking that I look fabulous, only to see myself later in a mirror or a picture and wonder “What the hell was I thinking?”
I have a blue dress that for a while I thought looked fantastic. I got it at Target for $25, wore it to a party at BlogHer in Chicago, and saw some fabulous pictures of me in the dress. Like these (that’s Jennie with me in the pics):
I thought I looked great. In each picture I’m leaning forward a bit, the lighting is flattering, and it basically only shows my top half.
I wore the dress to a wedding a couple months later. Again, looked great, I thought. That’s the bride, Amybeth, with me.
So, when I got an invite to Colin Cowie’s apartment, I threw on the blue dress that I look great in. I paired it with my most expensive shoes and left the house feeling fabulous.
A couple days later, this picture showed up on Facebook (thanks, Katja – next to me in the pic – for letting me use it here):
Holy hell.
I’m not going to claim that I would look fabulous in the dress with a different belt, but it would be a good start. When I met Alison Deyette a few months ago, she said something that I should have paid more attention to: if you buy something that comes with a matching fabric belt, throw it out immediately. Good advice, which I promise to follow from now on.
Up until recently, I thought that the only reason to wear a belt was to hold your pants up. But after Meg Gallagher came to my house and threw out most of my clothes, she told me to buy some big belts, so I did. I spend about $40 each on a brown one and a black one at Loehmann’s. If you’re looking for a way to spruce up your wardrobe without spending too much, especially if you’re trying to lose weight, a decent belt is a great thing to spend money on. It can grow smaller with you, and help define your shape instead of hiding it, like in this picture from last month:
Just don’t wear it like a woman at a party I went to not long ago. She was wearing a big sweater, and a beautiful big black belt. But she was wearing it under her big belly. The belt was getting crushed, and it made her belly look even bigger (and for some reason made her look a little bit like a pirate). Oops.
And most importantly, look in a full-length mirror before you leave the house.
Originally posted on Selfish Mom. All opinions expressed on this website come straight from Amy unless otherwise noted. This post has a Compensation Level of 5. Please visit Amy’s Full Disclosure page for more information.
Tags: Alison Deyette, belts, Loehmann's, Meg Gallagher
