Cristi
10-14-2010, 10:00 PM
I haven't been able to get dressed and go out shopping for a long time. I don't even remember when I had time to do more than a quick 'dress and drive'.
So at the last moment today, I realized that I had the day off from work and nothing else pressing that needed to be done. The first good news is that somehow I managed to get my 'prep time' down to just over an hour, when in the past it has taken me as much as two and a half!
A lot of that savings was because I've discovered press-on nails, so save a good 20 minutes of nail painting. I also didn't do anything fancy with my hair, just brushed it out, put some gel in it and tried to give it just a bit of a wave.
My outfit today was a knee length light rayon skirt (that moves wonderfully in even the slightest breeze), nude hose, comfortable flats and a white mock-turtleneck top through which you could just make out the outlines of my lacy bra and C forms.
So the point of this post I guess is that, even with all the times I've been out in the past, that first step out of the car after driving somewhere is still quite a barrier. I was happy with my makeup and outfit, but I just couldn't take that step out into public. :(
Finally, after a few false starts, I managed to force myself out of the car and into a drug store. I browsed for a while and picked up more nails without any bad reactions from other customers or the cashier. This was all I needed to get my confidence back.
In the remainder of my time I visited four more stores, each one easier than the last. It was a good day, I didn't get a single second glance much less any difficulty. I was feeling good enough about how I was blending that I used the ladies room when I needed to and went to an attended dressing room at one store when I found a nice skirt to try on. The attendant waved me through to the women's side of the dressing rooms without a moment's hesitation. Sadly, the skirt did not fit well... but at least I got to try it on! In the distant past, I would have bought it while in drab, gotten home, realized it didn't fit, then been too embarrased to return it.
Not to complain, but my only problem now is that a big part of the thrill of being out dressed is gone. I was wandering up and down aisles of a grocery store picking up some things I need and didn't even feel like I was wearing anything out of the ordinary, like I go out in a skirt and hose every day of the week. I kind of miss the old thrill.
So now I've got the bug again. I can't go that long again without going out. But I also want some new challenges, not just the same old 'get dressed and go shopping' plan that has now become a bit of a routine.
So at the last moment today, I realized that I had the day off from work and nothing else pressing that needed to be done. The first good news is that somehow I managed to get my 'prep time' down to just over an hour, when in the past it has taken me as much as two and a half!
A lot of that savings was because I've discovered press-on nails, so save a good 20 minutes of nail painting. I also didn't do anything fancy with my hair, just brushed it out, put some gel in it and tried to give it just a bit of a wave.
My outfit today was a knee length light rayon skirt (that moves wonderfully in even the slightest breeze), nude hose, comfortable flats and a white mock-turtleneck top through which you could just make out the outlines of my lacy bra and C forms.
So the point of this post I guess is that, even with all the times I've been out in the past, that first step out of the car after driving somewhere is still quite a barrier. I was happy with my makeup and outfit, but I just couldn't take that step out into public. :(
Finally, after a few false starts, I managed to force myself out of the car and into a drug store. I browsed for a while and picked up more nails without any bad reactions from other customers or the cashier. This was all I needed to get my confidence back.
In the remainder of my time I visited four more stores, each one easier than the last. It was a good day, I didn't get a single second glance much less any difficulty. I was feeling good enough about how I was blending that I used the ladies room when I needed to and went to an attended dressing room at one store when I found a nice skirt to try on. The attendant waved me through to the women's side of the dressing rooms without a moment's hesitation. Sadly, the skirt did not fit well... but at least I got to try it on! In the distant past, I would have bought it while in drab, gotten home, realized it didn't fit, then been too embarrased to return it.
Not to complain, but my only problem now is that a big part of the thrill of being out dressed is gone. I was wandering up and down aisles of a grocery store picking up some things I need and didn't even feel like I was wearing anything out of the ordinary, like I go out in a skirt and hose every day of the week. I kind of miss the old thrill.
So now I've got the bug again. I can't go that long again without going out. But I also want some new challenges, not just the same old 'get dressed and go shopping' plan that has now become a bit of a routine.