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Sunday, November 4, 2012

Staging My Comeback, Maybe?



I picked up a book by Christopher Hopkins the other day: Staging Your Comeback. His topic of midlife makeovers for the style-impaired tied in perfectly with a self-improvement project I’ve embarked upon. 

I’ve been on a mini-campaign of spending more time on myself. Trying to enhance my midlife health and self-esteem has me eating Greek yogurt, taking more walk-breaks than sit-breaks at work, getting deep tissue massages, doing a little yoga.

Most importantly, I’m trying to keep my self-talk as kind to ME as I would be to a FRIEND, instead of looking in the mirror with a sigh or a groan.

On Mr. Hopkins’ advice, I reviewed my wardrobe. I’d been following the folks over at The Great American Apparel Diet who vowed not to buy any new clothes for a year—surprisingly easy to do with my aversion to shopping and those badly lit, evil mummy-crypt dressing rooms in particular.

So my wardrobe was in a particularly grim condition. My knit shirts are pilled and droopy, or shrunken. My black slacks have been washed so often they’re dark gray. Don’t even ask about my undergarments—they aren’t even suitable for dust rags.

So I clicked the computer mouse a few times, the UPS man came, and I had a couple of new pairs of fun printed capris, knit sleeveless layering tops, and some ¾ sleeve open weave, tunic length cardigans that I was sure were all the rage.

Yay! I can totally have a comeback! The internet was built for GOOD, if it can make pretty capris show up on my front porch lickity-split.

I care about my appearance, even at 55! I’m going to stand up straight. Look out, world! I am sexy, I am a real woman, power to the feminine, this earth goddess has wings! And I’m out of breath!

Later that day, still basking in the new glow of my mid-life confidence, I accompanied my mother to church. A lovely, but quite elderly lady of 80+ years was walking with a cane in front of us as we went in. Her hair was as white and puffy as a dandelion ball. And she was wearing my butterfly print capris with a sweet crocheted sweater that bore a remarkable resemblance to the one Mr. UPS had delivered to my front porch.

I was the balloon, and she was the needle. Pop! Her comeback was going quite well, but mine was dealt a setback, let’s call it. I guess it’s better to be dressing too old for my age rather than too young. Bah.

So you don’t need to worry about me getting vain, peeps. My humility is intact. My comeback has been temporarily postponed.

But I did hear Kohl’s is having a BIG sale this coming weekend….

14 comments:

  1. Hello Amiga! I am glad that you are giving more time for You, that is always a nice thing. And I have to agree with you, I guess it is better we dress a little older that too youngish. I think, anyhow!

    Now I wish I could follow in your footsteps and give Me more attention and be a lot kinder to Me. These days, however, I seem to have lost my confidence to do so, and I probably dress more frumpy than I should. lol!

    Once again I need to thank you for sharing your thoughts so openly. Really! :)

    Mucho love and BIG abrazos...

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    1. Frumpy might just be my middle name. It's hard to muster much enthusiasm for clothes. The Comeback book gave me a burst of interest, but I swing between wanting to look reasonably nice and not giving a hoot. What are we going to do with ourselves, Virginia? Let's keep propping each other up! Hugs to you, mi amiga!

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    2. Since I just came from reading Melissa's post about "too much whine," I've got wine stuck in my head. SOOOOO, how about a glass? Alright, I don't mind if I do. lol!

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  2. Oh, man!!! Chin up - take it one step at a time!

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    1. Thanks, Elaine! I don't mean to sound hopeless. Some women care about clothes until they go in the ground, but I don't seem to be one of them, at least this decade, lol. I do admire women who manage to keep themselves in good working order!

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  3. No! Please do not despair! So what if that spunky lady at church had the same taste in clothing as you did! That means nothing except that you like the same stuff! So what if she is 80 - perhaps she is dressing young for her age?
    I am four years older than you are and I like NOT walking around in moth eaten pants and baggy sweats. I don't want to spend a ton of time or money on clothes shopping but I do want to spend enough of each that I feel as good as I can about how I appear. NO, I am never going to be 20, 30, or whatever again - but I can be the best 59 year old me that I can be. And that means having a new pair of boots every fall, some new sweaters, weeding out the stuff that is starting to get pilly or saggy. It also does mean pretty undergarments (here's a funny thing: when I wear my leopard print flats on my feet, I also wear by leopard print undies -top and bottom- fun!). I FEEL better when I at least THINK I am put together okay on the outside. It matters. It's another way of taking care of me.
    BTW, I like your blog background! You inspire me!

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    1. Aw, shucks, you are so right-- I hesitated when I wrote about the 80 year old lady. She was actually looking very cute, and I certainly don't want to be ageist myself. Thanks for providing the perspective that she doesn't need to make me feel bad about myself; she can be a role model.

      I do love a good leopard print, and am overdue for a complete replacement of my undie- drawer. Guess that will be my homework. Need to keep the UPS man busy and do my part to build the economy!

      Thanks for the comment about the blog background. It was free from Cutest Blog on the Block. When my ship comes in, I'm going to have Elaine Griffin Designs fix up the blog.

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    2. Here's Elaine's design service site. I love how clean her work is. http://www.elainegriffindesigns.com/

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  4. I have that book! I even kept it when I was culling so many from my collection for my move, back in February. I thought it was / is pretty awesome.

    Lately, I've been doing nothing about my looks ... everything seems to cost money, you know? But, now that you've reminded me, maybe I'll pull it off the shelf and see what I could maybe do.

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    1. Isn't that funny -- I got the book at the thrift store. I like his attitude; he's not preachy and doesn't look down on women. He sees the beauty in a "woman of a certain age," and I gotta love him for that!

      Today was a red-letter day. Although my clothes were old, I put on mascara and lipstick. Woot. (insert hysterical laughter)

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  5. I have only recently discovered the joys of internet shopping after years of haunting department store clearance racks. It's kind of nice to wear something that doesn't feel like "settling." :)

    Regarding the lady in her eighties--how hilarious would it have been if you'd both been wearing the same-ish outfit at that exact moment? Okay, okay, probably not that hilarious, but I am easily entertained.

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    1. I do love the clearance rack, too, but my purchases aren't always as great as they seemed at the moment of discovery!
      About the lady-- I was thinking the same thing-- we could have had our picture taken together as sisters from another mother.
      Nice to see you, MM, I am SO overdue to catch up with your blog!

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  6. what a great post! it would be great to hear more about your process...keep us posted!

    ~pemora

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    1. Thanks for the comment-- I love the title of your blog, BTW! I delved into the book again tonight and will go in search of some makeup tomorrow. Makes me a nervous wreck to try to find makeup I might actually use once I get it home!

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