A Different Sort Of Fashion Blog

When I started this blog, I had EVERY intention that it would be different than every other fashion blog.

It's easy to write about how to wear this trend or how to wear that trend, but as someone who has NEVER had a completely flat and fat free stomach and who has a itty bitty waist, but GYNORMOUS hips, trends never sat right on me the way fashion bloggers write about.

So I set off to start a different sort of fashion blog, giving tips and advice on how to be fashionable, fabulous and feminine. Yes, it is geared to the over 35 crowd, but I am sure every age can find tips.

I have a VERY good friend (she is more like a sister!) who has fibromyalgia. Fashion is not easy for her. On her worst days, a fly landing on her skin can hurt immensely.  So HOW can she embrace trends when she is in pain EVERY day?

The trends are out and cuter than ever, but some of the trends can not be worn by my friend because they are a little too tight or high.

As someone who does not suffer from chronic pain, I can get away with anything, but what of my friend? What advice can I give?

It isn't easy, that's for sure, but my blouse yesterday reminded me that NOT all style is high and tight.

So, here are some tips I hope help if you have chronic pain, but want to be fashionable.

1) Find something you like that is loose and baggy.  For ideas, go to newlook.com or asos.com. Their prices are reasonable and you can get some GREAT ideas there.

Once I have my computer up and running (AND learn to link) I will CERTAINLY link!

2) Invest in something you LOVE, but maybe buy it one size up.  It won't look too big and will also NOT hurt on the days you feel awful.

3) On those days where your pain is tolerable for running errands, but where it hurts to get dressed, take an hour or two and try on some clothes and test your pain threshold.

4) Don't think you have to give up that cute flowy dress you've been eyeing because it buttons in the back. Yes. You don't want to practice yoga to get the dress on, but if you can get it a size up (and not have it it look too big!), you may be able to keep it buttoned.

5) Don't give up your go to clothes for the days the pain chains you to your bed. Sometimes you HAVE TO wear things that may not be the most stylish, but fashion should be the LAST thing you should think about when the pain confines you to your bed or couch.

And MOST IMPORTANTLY :

6) DON'T GIVE UP! If seeking a wardrobe that is BOTH fashionable AND easy on pain is what you want, understand that, like all of us, you will have plenty of misses.  Just do not allow yourself to get discouraged.

After all, if you can live with chronic pain, you TRULY can conquer ANYTHING!

SUCCESS! FINALLY!

I touched VERY slightly on this towards the end of yesterday's post, but will go a bit more in depth.

One issue that absolutely brings me to tears is bra shopping. I am a 34DDD, so shopping for bras is no easy task.

The ones that DO fit have the underwire of death and are NOTHING more than a piece of boring old cloth.

Just because I am nothing more than a walking set of breasts doesn't mean I don't want to feel sexy.

While I CAN appreciate the concept behind the underwire (breasts are heavy and need support) and the lack of sexy design (want to keep from having "uniboob"!), the truth is that all women WANT to feel good about themselves.

ALL women want to feel attractive. While some don't care if they are attractive to others, they CERTAINLY want to look in the mirror and feel they look awesome!

When you have breasts as large as mine or larger, it can be hard to feel that way. You  - rightly or wrongly - assume others only see your breasts.

So, flashback to Friday. Decide that my old bra had done its time and needed to retire.

So off to Victoria's Secret -one of my favorite places - to buy one. I try on about 6...all in the size I am measured to be. Not ONE of them fit. Granted. I DID ask for no underwire, but I was getting uniboob and that is a pet peeve.

So, I walk away in tears...ONLY leaving with their eau de parfum LOVE and a roller ball of SCANDALOUS .

So, yesterday, I headed to the mall to get some more work/play clothes and since the Victoria's Secret was a larger store, I would check it out.

Welll...

I managed to find TWO that fit!

And they are LACE! Not simply cloth!

While I will ALWAYS see my breasts as a curse, as I grow, I am VERY slowly ans tearfully accepting them.

A lot of bigger chested women often feel that clothing is made for the "normal" chested women. And to a degree, it is. But we shouldn't let it bother us.

I have a long way to go on my journey to accepting my body the way it is and work out to get it where I want it.

And I will share thus journey with all of you!

Asking For Reader Tips Too!

One of the hardest things to do, as a blogger, is coming up with new ideas.  Maybe if this thing takes off, I can talk about a lot of different things.

But one that is near to me is trying to be fashionable while having a chest that is bigger than the HMS Titantic.

There are few things that make me cry. Bra shopping is one. I LOVE Victoria's Secret, but have such difficulty buying a bra. I am not a small chested woman. Believe me...I wish I WAS!

As I go with this blog, I will try to touch upon some of the struggles women of all body types face. I ask for help from my readers on tips that you may have on regards to your size...hips, chest, waist, height, etc...so that all tips are usable!

I will, as soon as I wake up, blog about my experience of trying to find a bra!

In A Rut

I was there. Stuck in a fashion rut.  We all get there every so often,  but the ruts I had previously been in I had been able to find my way out within a month.

This rut has endured YEARS and while I have my theories, I am unsure of how they stand.

During my 2.5 years of being unemployed, I couldn't spend the money on new looks or fashions as much as I hoped to.

And, when it comes to fashion, like most of us, I miss.

So, during this rut, I found myself surfing around YouTube and finding some fashionably dressed young ladies and fell in love with the styles they were wearing.

The old lady in me was like "You will never be able to pull that off! You have a belly and besides, you're 45, remember? People will think you are trying way too hard to hold on to your youth. Stay where you are and don't you DARE try to wear these outfits!"

To be fair, old lady self has a point. Due to my short stature and my weight and general bone structure, I won't be able to look as good as them.

I WILL LOOK BETTER!

See, we all have that old lady self that tries to convince us that we are too old, too fat, too tall, or too short. And we MUST CHOOSE to ignore her.

We can all be FABULOUSLY fashionable, regardless of our age. 

 I totally fell in LOVE with a Zara dress that is obviously for a younger woman. While this is a cheap dupe, I fell in love and bought it.

I NEVER felt better in a dress!  The fit was PERFECT and the compliments I received!

No MATTER what your fashion sense is or isn't, you can ALWAYS make it work for YOU! 

Go out there and claim your Fashionably Forty self!

What Are Rules Anyway

We have all heard about the rules of fashion. Don't wear this or don't wear that.

Have you EVER tired of hearing about those rules? I CERTAINLY have.  I get that fashion rules must exist for a reason.  After all, you DON'T want am attorney in dirty distressed jeans and a ripped tee shirt representing you in a court of law.

But what about when we are "off the clock"? What rules should apply? It does get tricky because we all always want to look our best and have people take us seriously.

And what if we are over 25?  What fashion rules apply to us?

We are being told that of we are of a certain age that we must cover up and,  according to the fashion industry, give up the style we worked so hard to create for ourselves.

The cute fashions are ALWAYS for the 21 year old who wears size 00 and a stomach so flat that Nebraska gets jealous.

One of the things I have loved about fashion is that it gives us the ability to show EVERYONE who we are or desire to be.

For my fashion, I want to be seen as someone who is as small town country girl as she is big town city girl.  I want people to see that I have fun with what I wear and the rules are not for me when I am not in the office.

As we age, we find that what we should be wearing if we follow the rules makes us look older, dumpier, and frumpier. Just because we have reached 35.

And WHY should we settle for that?

The truth is we should not. We should embrace our age and the fashion wisdom we have gained.

One of the things I would love to do with this blog, if you are so inclined to entertain me, is talk about we of such an advanced age can mix our fashion wisdom with the styles generally reserved for those of a younger set.

Join me on that journey!