create an outer style that is a true reflection of me

obvious, but I had a bit of a fashion breakthrough yesterday. I went shopping for a white tshirt for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, to properly exploit front row seats in the splatter zone. While there, I tried on eight pairs of jeans in sizes 6 & 8. None of them fit. I don’t know what kind of curves curvy jeans are designed to fit, but it’s not small waist, hips and booty curves, as far as I can tell. I ended up either unable to pull them over my hips or with a huge gap between waist and waistband.

Then I tried on a pair of stretch cords and they were fantastic. Seriously, I nearly proposed to my own ass, it looked so good. I bought and wore them and I must say that the response from others was quite flattering. It made me realize that I’ve assumed I need to have at least two pairs of jeans at any time and jeans may not be what works for me. Well, duh. I have one pair that really fits and a few pair that nearly fit.

Getting out of jeans mode requires other pants that work for me. Or skirts. For every new pice of clothing I bring in, I usually get rid of something. In this case, I got rid of two pairs of pants that don’t fit.

I had a Macy’s gift card, so I got two half slips (boring but necessary) and two shortish pleated swingy dresses in plum and black. I wore one with a cropped sweater on Saturday. I also got two dresses at H&M (aqua sundress and blue/white stripe shirt dress), a red t-shirt, yoga pants, a pair of sandals and two pair of really cute skimmers ($32 for all three pairs of shoes!).

I wanted to find some pants for work, but no luck. Oh well, I can wear at least two of the dresses to work, so I still have more options.

and a mid-thigh knit cotton dress are making me feel very girly and kickass today. I even took a picture for posterity! Definitely want to get more dresses for summer.

to having the long flowing hair and chunky bangs of an international woman of mystery is having the chunky bangs and wavy shag of a male teen TV star from the 70s. I like it. It’s kinda girl rocker, too. This is a cellphone pic I took last night at the request of some friends who wanted to tease me. Tease away; I think I’m cute!

On Saturday, I did the test to see where to begin week five on the 200 Pushups program and did

120 crunches in a row!

I know, I rock. I also got my hair cut on Saturday. She changed my bangs to a thicker, messier look and cut some pieces along the side. I like it a lot. It makes me feel sexy in a 70s-teen-runaway-TV-movie kind of way. I’ve started doing pushups against my dresser, as I wasn’t progressing at all doing modified pushups on the ground. I can do 15 this way and am hoping it helps build the arm and chest strength I need to start a pushup program once I’ve conquered 200 crunches. I also took a walk this morning and did some leg lifts last night. My body wants this right now.

After I got back from walking for an hour this morning, I did five modified pushups (laugh if you want, that’s as many as I can manage before I get so wobbly I’m likely to collapse and break my nose). I also did five sets of crunches. How many in each set, you ask? Let me tell you:

45/50/45/45/65

Yes, ladies and gentlemen and transgendered people of all orientations, I did 250 crunches after walking a few miles, all by 7:30 this morning. This outer style is well on its way to sleek!

I’ve rediscovered my love for a flip. My hair is just touching my shoulders and its thickness makes this style work for me. I look like my mom did in the 60s. It’s working for me. I found a style of bangs that I like, so I’m well on my way to having hair I adore again.

I’ve never had much luck at H&M before, but I forced myself to go to the mall and it was the first clothing store I saw. I got three striped, long sleeve, button down, collared shirts, the crisp white button down shirt with three quarter sleeves I’ve been looking for the last six months, great simple long sleeve jerseys that I can layer, three t-shirts and a hoodie. All of it is very simply designed, with no patterns or words or extra ornaments. I can wear most of it to work and play. I’m really pleased! I also got three new bras at VS.

I’m giving away five shirts and three bras that I don’t love to make room for these.

My friend who’s going through a divorce finds it soothing to paint nails, so I have freshly painted toenails. Right now they’re a deep red, but she’s told me she’ll change it as often as I want. I think it’s good for both of us. We each get some physical contact, girl time and it takes our minds off our exes. I used to paint my toenails regularly. It was so cheery to see a shot of color.

I’ve managed to gain ten pounds. How did that happen? I wish I could believe the three mile walk I take six days a week was building muscle, but other than slightly more defined calves, I haven’t seen any evidence of that. I think my b-i-l cooks with a lot of butter and oil. I don’t want to have to buy new clothes, so I’m being much more conscious of what I’m eating. Those little ginger cookies I love so much? 25 calories each! The lush licorice? 26 calories a piece! I’m going to spend more of my calories on real food and less on the snacks I eat because I’m bored, not hungry. I’ve also been walking less, mostly because I don’t have a car and live in suburbia. Perhaps I’ll drive down to Oakland/Berkeley after work and take walks then.

I’m going to spend some of my dwindling money on two well-made shirts, probably from J. Crew, who has fitted cotton blends in white and blue. I also bought two Wacoal bras online. I’ve heard that they have good fits for smaller sizes and are good quality. I used to go braless all the time, but now I wear a bra more often than not. One of them is actually stylish and sexy, which is almost impossible to find in my size.

I haven’t dyed my hair in months. There’s remarkably little change at the roots. I guess I really was dying my hair its natural color. I do have a few wild white hairs at my temples. They don’t look grey to me. They look white, which is kind of cool. My hair has been a bit fuzzy, so I bought a colorless shine treatment to use tonight.

I always thought I’d dye my hair until I was fifty and then shave my head and let it grown back whatever color it truly was. I like the way it looks now, though I’m not thrilled with the way she cut it. I’ll continue growing it out and not dying it for now.