Closet Sisters...For Sure!
When I lost weight and moved out of the sorority of plus-sized women, I decided I would never buy anything, not matter how much I liked it, if it was also available for full-figured clothing customers. I didn’t want to be reminded in any way of where I had been. I learned, however, that we can never move beyond our past, size included!
Recently I went shopping in a very tony store in a very upscale neighborhood. I was wearing a rather expensive outfit that came only in sizes up to 16. I felt right in place in this little number. Matching sandals and a purse completed the outfit. I felt like I belonged here, in this store, with the group of other slim and fashionably dressed customers. (Opps! I mean “guests.”)
Then it happened. In this particular shop—excuse me, the place I was in was spelled “shoppe” in an attempt, I am sure, to mark its “breeding” in the retail class system—I saw something that caused me to shudder. There was my outfit on…well…an extremely large woman. Her outfit was definitely larger than a 16 and maybe even a 3X (the same size I wore before I lost 170 pounds!)
I was mortified. How could this be? Then I was embarrassed. I was sure that all the other shoppers/guests noticed the two of us. Internally they were, I was sure, laughing. I hurried out of this shop/shoppe before the well-dressed, extremely large woman noticed her slim twin. As I headed to my car I decided I would go home and burn this, one-of-my-favorite outfits. (Luckily, trash burning is forbidden in our neighborhood.)
By the time I got home, my head had cleared. I realized how much better I looked in the outfit than the other woman because of my outstanding weight-loss achievement. I took off the outfit; changed into flowing, figure-covering dress and put a smile on my face. How great, I thought, that over-weight women have the opportunity to wear stylish clothes, like average-sized women…and how nice it is that there are now some really great styles in larger sizes.
I’ve come a far way since meeting that very stylish woman in that tony shoppe. I realize that good taste comes in all sizes. Also, I can be proud of my healthy weight no matter what clothes cover my body…or anybody else’s body!
Comments
Just one question. What is a tony shoppe?
Answer: High-toned, stylish and swank establishment.
Posted by: Carol Dudgeon | June 22, 2007 01:10 PM