I've been getting ready for my niece's wedding this weekend. I was overjoyed when she asked me to be one of the readers for her wedding. I'm really looking forward to celebrating this milestone in her life.
But, like a lot of women, it's stressful for me to choose what I'm going to wear. I have four siblings who have superb taste in clothing. They always look exceptional. I am the one who is overweight, and I tend to lead a very casual lifestyle, so when it comes to a family celebration, I get a little crazy......well....a LOT crazy, about what to wear.
I nearly drove a friend off the deep end yesterday, obsessing about the lack of time and the fact that I couldn't find anything to wear. I told him about all the stores I had visited without much luck. I brought home white turtlenecks and a black silk shirt, a black mock neck sweater, a black and tan sweater, a red boat-neck top, and a new sweatshirt, two camisoles, socks and hose, but nothing that seemed appropriate for the wedding.
Before I continue, I should say that I really needed to shop. I don't like clothes shopping, and it was time to refurbish my wardrobe. All the pieces I picked up work with other things I have, and they added a little style that was missing. Had anything not worked, I was prepared to return it, but it seems they are all keepers.
I wanted to combine a beautiful long black skirt I already have with a jacket or sweater that was borderline between dressy and casual. I had a look in mind.....just like the sweater jacket that Sister#1 wore last Sunday, or the jacket Sister#2 wore. Do you think I could find ANYTHING like that?? HELL, NO!
This morning I got out of bed at 6:30 and assembled what I had on hand and dressed as though I was getting ready for the wedding, and you know...what I had worked. It wasn't quite what I was looking for, but all the odds and ends that I found as I shopped came together to make an acceptable outfit, and accessories and jewelry helped.
I'll be wearing the long black straight skirt, black hose and shoes. I'll use the black mock-neck shortsleeved sweater, and layer the longer black and tan boat necked sweater over it, bloused with a gold belt. I'll wear a gold watch and earrings. (Does it look all right???)
I'd like not to be a slave to fashion. Most of the time I succeed. Maybe my prayer should be "Dear Lord, please give me the self-confidence to dress comfortably and not worry about whether what I put on is "right!"
Comments (11)
wedding = cake
cake = good
:-)
Posted by ęddię | October 2, 2003 3:54 PM
Posted on October 2, 2003 15:54
...dear buffy...there is an expression - "clothes maketh the man"...do you believe it?...do you honestly think your neice asked you to read at her wedding because of your dress sense?..or maybe she asked you because you are you :^)...so, breathe...be you - I love you because of who you are, not what you wear/look like (obviously -this all depends on whether your husband can beat me to a pulp)...so *be* you - not what you think others are wanting :^)...oh, and if you don't make any wedding pictures, think of the money you save :^)...
Posted by billy | October 2, 2003 3:55 PM
Posted on October 2, 2003 15:55
Billy, you and Dear Husband would get along just fine. He had just about the same to say, and feels the focus on clothing takes away from the day.
Posted by Buffy | October 2, 2003 4:00 PM
Posted on October 2, 2003 16:00
Buffy do what I did ~ take digital photo's of you dressed in what you are thinking of wearing ~ get on the phone *like I did with you* ~ send the photo's and then you have a fashion consultant right at your finger tips LOL ~ or fire up the old web cam and model the different outfits!!! *Big Smile* That is how you helped me find the right outfit to wear !!!
Posted by Jamie | October 2, 2003 7:30 PM
Posted on October 2, 2003 19:30
I can sympathise, I wear "blue" all the time. I have about a dozen blue work shirts and about eight pair of jeans. If you want to see me in something other than that, I have to go shopping. By the time I wear an outfit twice, it's out of style. That's pretty bad for a guy. But I can't coordinate an outfit to save my life. Pants and shirts have to be the same color, then I buy three different colors. That way I know the blue goes with blue, the green goes with the green,...
Posted by Wichi Dude | October 2, 2003 8:16 PM
Posted on October 2, 2003 20:16
Jamie, if I had a digital camera, and knew how to use it, I would have called you at 6:30 this morning! I could have used the advice, and you could have been my consultant. *S*
Posted by Buffy | October 2, 2003 8:48 PM
Posted on October 2, 2003 20:48
WichiDude, we'll have to get you Garanimals for Guys....shirts and pants that have an animal for you to match up for acceptable color matches. Once you've mastered that, we'll throw in a plaid shirt! *G*
Posted by Buffy | October 2, 2003 8:51 PM
Posted on October 2, 2003 20:51
Buffy, fwiw, the outfit sounds great. Having said that, I believe that who you are, and what you bring to the wedding (no, not the present!), far outshines any outfit. If money were no object, we could all have 'the perfect wardrobe'. I know some folks who have the perfect wardrobe and no personality. Seems like we have the better of those two combinations :-)
Posted by Essay Canajun | October 2, 2003 10:07 PM
Posted on October 2, 2003 22:07
That outfit sounds classy, sophisticated and just right to me. Have a great time and don't be nervous - we all know you were picked for that reading cause you can do it better than anyone else.
Posted by Roberta | October 3, 2003 9:44 AM
Posted on October 3, 2003 09:44
I bet you'll be a class act at that wedding, regardless of what you have on. Although that sounds like a great outfit, too! Y'know, dressing up is supposed to be fun, not stressful! (It is stressful sometimes, though!) Have a great time!
Posted by Allison | October 3, 2003 2:30 PM
Posted on October 3, 2003 14:30
Thanks for the kind comments. You've all bolstered me up, and I'm raring to go! *S* What an incredibly nice group of friends you are!
Posted by Buffy | October 3, 2003 4:22 PM
Posted on October 3, 2003 16:22