What are your fashion resolutions for 2012?

Posted on January 15, 2012
Filed Under BlogHer, Daily | Leave a Comment

When The Boss and I moved from Los Angeles to Southern Connecticut one year ago, I gained 10 pounds. Wow. I never thought I’d say that on the Internet. Not because I’m embarrassed (yes, actually I’m incredibly embarrassed) but more so because I’m not fat, and it’s a social taboo for a “normal” woman to talk about her weight. I’ve been an athlete my whole life so my weight was never an issue. At my yearly physicals, the doctor would prop me up on the scale, tell me the number, and I’d hop off. And the impact of those numbers had the same effect on me as the impact that the existence of squirrels has on me. They exist. So what?

But the fact that I’m not fat makes writing this even more personal and frightening. Because when you are fat, or a little chubby, or could stand to loose a few pounds, you can self-deprecate and make jokes about how many times you failed Weight Watchers. Because that takes you from “overweight woman” to “confident woman who loves her curves.” You can turn your weight into a 10-minute stand-up on national television, a blog post, or even an entire book. But when you’re “normal” like me, talking about your weight is taboo because DON’T I KNOW THAT YOU’VE HAD WEIGHT PROBLEMS YOUR WHOLE LIFE?! And WHAT KIND OF MESSAGE AM I SENDING TO MY YOUNG FEMALE READERS ABOUT BODY IMAGE WHEN I’M PROBABLY A SIZE ZERO?!

Uh, zero? Not by a long shot. And definitely not a goal that I’ve ever had or ever want to have for myself.

When a relatively nice-figured woman talks about her weight, she’s shunned from all her female companions. She’s a disgrace to a well-mannered culture of women where SHE SHOULD KNOW BETTER than to talk about her now-27-inch waist (GASP!) while her best friend is still trying to jog off those last 8 pounds of baby weight from her now 2-year-old son. Now having said that, there’s a time and place to talk about weight loss. Obviously, you shouldn’t discuss your mild to moderate “fatness” in front of someone who’s morbidly obese, and if you’re wrists are the same size as your biceps, no one wants to hear that you “feel bloated, ugh.”

Now that we’ve cleared that up.

I say, I’m not fat because I’m not, but the body I have at this very moment isn’t the best body I have had or could have, and I know that because I know myself. I know what I’m capable of, and I know where I’ve been slacking.

I could make excuses about how the Northeast turned into a tundra last year when we moved here, therefore hindering my daily runs. I could say that there wasn’t enough space in our car for my workout mats when we drove across the country and that made my at-home workouts too difficult to engage in. But the truth? Well, it’s plain, and simple, and stupid. I was looking for work and trying to get people at big organizations to notice my writing. I sat at my computer for way too long and ate too much because nothing can soothe the soul of an unemployed journalist sending out six resumes a day while trying to write a book like a giant chocolate donut can. Or a dozen.

I think all women should make exercise a daily part of their lives no matter how big or small they are. But what’s more, is that I truly believe that every woman needs to understand how to dress her body in order to feel like the most beautiful version of herself. You could be a size 2 or a size 12, but when your clothes fit, you will look amazing.

For the last 3 years, I’ve worked mostly from home – with the exception of a few part-time jobs I’ve picked up transitionally – and so my dress requirements for work have been incredibly slack. I had a few interviews and important meetings in 2011 for which I had to pull out my “good clothes” and when I did, I practically held my breath during meetings. It wasn’t until those moments did I realize (uh, admit?) how many fat inches I’d actually expanded by.

I’m a big believer in spending more on less. I’d rather spend $200 on jeans that I’ll have for five years than buy a pair for $19.99 that I’ll keep for one season. So in a former life when I actually had a clothing budget, I bought fairly expensive clothes. Dress pants and slacks from Ann Taylor (Loft, let’s not get carried away now) and BCBG Max Azria; knit tops, dress clothes and shoes from Bloomigdale’s and Nordstrom, casual clothes and accessories from Cusp, and my all time favorite jeans: Joe’s.

But between catering my wardrobe more and more toward the requirements of my religion and my constantly evolving style plus weight gain, I’ve donated bagfuls of clothes to Goodwill, and have hangers with items that just don’t fit anymore. So, basic logic would suggest I pack up those items and toss them in the closest Salvation Army bin, right?

WRONG.

Since last summer, I’ve contemplated finally getting rid of those clothes but couldn’t bring myself to do it for several reasons.

1) They feel too new to give away just yet

2) I spent a lot of money on these high-quality items I wore often and plan to wear again

3) They used!!! to!!! fit!!! me!!!

4) If I give these clothes away and I have a job interview or an important meeting then I won’t have any formal wear because my budget for clothes has all of EIGHT CENTS in it.

5) Eventually, this pity-party (hosted and attended by me) will be over; I’ll get off the computer and pull my hand out of that bag of Lay’s and get back in shape!

Look, I’m not pining away after some jeans I wore back when I was 15. I’m 28 years old. I don’t want the body I had when I was 15. But what I do want is the body I’ve has since I was 24 or 25. I don’t think that’s too much to ask, or a goal that’s too far out of my reach. But recently, I was doing some learning about women’s metabolism and found out more about the times in a woman’s life when her metabolism resets. Then I met a trainer/mother of four/triathlete/ who said she’s been the same weight (give or take a few pounds) most of her adult life and has been every size from a 6 to a 12. So what does all this mean? It means that I’m at a place in my life where my metabolism is resetting, and I should honor and welcome that change with continued exercise, healthy eating, a positive attitude, and a trip to Goodwill.

My 2012 fashion resolution to look and feel good is to say goodbye to those ill-fitting wares and just pinch my pennies until I can afford some new threads. And if I have a job interview? Well, I’ll just tuck in the tags and return it the next day. Only kidding. I’ll return it over the weekend.

I love my body. I truly do. And I credit my parents for developing my self-confidence by instilling in me a love of learning and achievement. They taught me to value a never-quit attitude and apply it in all aspects of my life over the number on a scale and the size of my little black dress. And I don’t want to dishonor them by turning into a woman who’s holding on to a handful of size 2 work pants because they used!!! to!!! fit!!! My mom and dad would want to know they raised me better than that. Because they did.

Share what you’re 2012 fashion resolutions are in the comments section of Maegan’s post and if you read other resolutions you love, make sure to share those links! And then enter the Kindle Fire/Amazon Gift Card Sweepstakes!

Here’s to healthy and happy fashion that fits in 2012!