It’s one of those grey misty/rainy fall days around here. I’m in a rather jaundiced mood, colored mostly by the fact that I had to go shopping for clothes today, and I really don’t like shopping, especially not for clothing. I suppose that that might make certain members of society question whether I am actually a woman.
Where I walk Ruby
I also know that the reason I need new clothes ought to make me happy. I have now dropped my weight to 164 (I finally got off the plateau I was on in September), and the vast majority of the time I look like a kid wearing her mother’s clothes. If I had unlimited funds and resources, which I do not, I could afford to jettison all the stuff that is too big and just go out and purchase things that are right. So I made a compromise today, and purchased one pair of slacks that was almost the kind of fabric I like in almost the style I am most comfortable in and almost had decent pockets and was almost the right size..
My search for slacks was frustrating. This is what I want. I want slacks with a stretchy waist that I can pull on. I like straight legs that go all the way to my feet (I think capris are stupid looking and hit at a very unflattering spot on the leg). I want them to be made of 100% cotton knit, and it is important to me that they have pockets. I like BLACK. It goes with everything.
There is such a thing as too much information. Personally, I am not interested in wearing clothing that allows the casual passer by to count my pubic hair. Therefore I wish my pants to be designed in such a way as to not cling to every inch of my body.
There is a problem with size. At this point in my weight loss pursuit, I am not really a “large” woman any longer. Extra large was what I used to wear, but that size is definitely Way Too Big. Large is loose, but medium is too tight. I’m in the “tween” stage, and it irks me no end to be forced to buy something that will be on the definitely WTB list within the course of a couple of months, assuming that I continue to progress towards my goal (only 14 pounds to go). So I compromised and bought something that was size large, was 98% cotton with 2% spandex but was not designed to be skin tight, and that had “pockets.”
Dogwood leaves
Notice I have put the word pockets into quotation marks. It has been a very long time since I found slacks for women that have what I consider to be real pockets. If they have what is purported to be pockets at all, they are not deep enough to be useful. If you go over into the men’s section and thrust your hands into the pockets of pants there, your hand will probably be completely enclosed up to your wrists. If you try to do the same with a women’s pair of pants, you will find that you are lucky if the pockets are deep enough to enclose your hands up to the ends of your fingers. I realize that women are “supposed” to be carrying purses, but there are plenty of activities that I (and presumably other women) engage in that are not enhanced by carrying a purse.
For example, I walk my dog on a daily basis. I don’t want to carry my purse four miles through the woods; I put my car keys in my pocket. If pockets are not deep enough, you can easily lose things from them. I had an unhappy experience a few months ago when I was scouting the possibilities of flat rock acquisition on a roadside verge. I locked my car, put my keys in my pocket, and explored the road cut that had caught my attention. During the course of clambering around, I slipped and fell. Unhurt, I thought nothing of my mishap until I returned to my car and discovered that I no longer had my keys in my pocket. Fortunately, I was able to remember my fall, identify where it occurred and very fortunately was able to discover my car keys where they were ensconced under nestled in a clump of grass under a bunch of underbrush . They wouldn’t have fallen out of my pocket at all if it had been deep enough.
Now, I realize that if I want to, I can go over to the Decent Exposures web site and order myself a pair of slacks made of 100% cotton knit that are the right size and length. But those people want $38 for one pair of slacks, and if you want pockets they add $10 to the price. You know what? I don’t make so much money at the present time that I can justify spending $50 for one garment that I am perfectly capable of ruining the second time (who am I kidding?) or the first time I have it on. (Believe me, my clothing takes a beating, and if you don’t believe me check out this post.)
Oak leaves
I guess when I finally reach my goal weight, I’ll have to really gird my loins and splurge on some new pants. For now, I’ll make do with almost right and sloppy big old stuff I’m too parsimonius to throw away. Maybe by the time I’m at that point the economy will recovered enough that more people want massages, or perhaps we will have won the lottery.
I don’t want couture, I want comfort. Why is that so hard?
the havens 