Monday Musings – When Your Biggest Fashion Critic Lives in Your House

 

There was a time when I was worried about what my boss would think of an outfit I wore. Those were the simpler days. Now before I can even grab my car keys, I have to survive a full-blown fashion review from my adult son. He’s the self-appointed CEO of Closet Corrections. I can leave the house wearing confidence, but somehow five minutes with him has me wondering if I accidentally got dressed in the dark.

Our conversation the other day was my fault, I already knew the answer when I asked the question. I think I just needed confirmation. Before I get to the question, I need to briefly share the backstory.

Lately, I’ve been dealing with the bulging belly of menopausal bloatedness. My comfort clothes have become anything with an elastic waistband. When it came to deciding what to wear to work on casual Friday, I immediately eliminated jeans. An obstacle appeared when I decided to wear my blue logo staff shirt, made of soft breathable material.

The scavenger hunt began to find pants to accompany the shirt I’d chosen. My blue capri pants had a button missing, and I was not in the mood to fight with a safety pin. My beige ankle length pants would have been ideal, but I had already worn them that week. Fast forward three outfit changes…

I grabbed my Pepto-Bismol colored leggings, pulled them on with ease, along with my blue l polo work shirt. I entered the doorway of my son’s bedroom and shook him awake, “Does this look okay to wear to work?”

“Did you get dressed in the dark? Those colors give baby shower vibes. Your co-workers are going to think you’re going to a gender reveal.”

My son’s statement solved my wardrobe issue – I changed clothes and finished preparing for work. My fashion critic had spoken. This time my closet didn’t betray me, my son did. However, I survived the morning fashion intervention.

Here’s my closet confidential, tips on how to survive when your clothes try to betray you:

1.      Appreciate elastic waistbands – the older you get, the more you should appreciate elastic waistbands, and stop apologizing for it.

2.      Remember: your style doesn’t have to earn your kid’s approval – it just has to survive their commentary,

3.      Confidence is wearing what you love, even if your in-house stylist disagrees.

4.      The best accessory is a sense of humor

Through my fashion mishap, I’ve begun to wonder  whether “comfortable” and “fashion” are allowed in the same sentence. One thing I know for sure…I’ll continue to celebrate me; and you should do the same.

If you are facing a challenge here is a quote to encourage your forward momentum:

“Storms don’t last forever, but the strength they build does.”