I love fashion. I devour Vogue and follow my fair share of style blogs. However, I admire it from afar as alas, fashion doesn’t really love me back!
For a start, I’m only 5 foot, so my options are usually restricted to what’s on offer in the Petite sections. I see row after row of gorgeous clothing in the other sections and long to be able to wear them, but in reality I’d look like Josh Baskin at the end of Big.
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To make matters worse, I’m pear shaped and this doesn’t seem to be catered for very well in Petite ranges.
Jeans and trousers are the worst things to find. If I buy one size then the hips and thighs fit perfectly, but the waist is huge. If I drop down a size, I can’t get the damn things over my calves. Don’t even get me started on dresses!
Sometimes, knowing full well that it’s not a good idea, I still end up in a battle to prove that I can at least get the clothing on and zipped all the way up.
I don’t know if this has ever happened to you, but I’ve experienced the moment of panic when a dress gets stuck. Arms almost out of sockets at the weirdest angles, you are forced to consider which is worse: a) calling the assistant to help you out of said garment whilst you stand with your bra on show or b) ripping the clothing and making a sheepish purchase whilst hoping that the cashier is discreet enough not to mention the big hole.
When I got my new job earlier in the year and finally had a bit of disposable income, I decided to go on a big blowout shopping trip to give my wardrobe a much needed revamp. Two hours later, I felt like I had tried on every outfit in the shopping centre, without a single success. I had money, but I still couldn’t find anything to fit. It was at that point that I fell out of love with clothes shopping completely.
…until now!
Fast forward 8 months and I’ve lost a little bit of weight (more on that later in the week!). I dared to try on my ‘skinny’ jeans at the back of the wardrobe and they only went and bloody fit me!
This led to my trying on of every other item in my wardrobe, even the ones I’d stuck right at the back ‘just in case’. Whilst I was delighted that some of these now fit me, I realised that my wardrobe contained 3 colours – black, gray and faded.
So on New Years Eve I ventured out with Mr F for a shopping trip. I’m not going to lie, I still couldn’t find any jeans to fit me, (same old problem, although I had gone down a thigh size – small victory!) but I DID find not 1, not 2, but 5 tops and 2 dresses!
I’m not sure if it was the little bit of weight loss that helped, or maybe I’m just feeling a bit more confident because of it, but clothes shopping just seemed a bit more fun than usual… especially when I found the most gorgeous Ted Baker dress in the sale which fitted perfectly and wasn’t even Petite!
I allowed myself that long awaited splurge, then went home and filled a bin bag with all my most faded items. Hasta la vista baby!
…so whilst you’ll understand why it’s unlikely that I’ll do many ‘what I’m wearing’ style of posts, you’ll have to excuse me if I treat the office as my personal catwalk for the next couple of weeks!
Laura xoxo
