More Musings

 I've been thinking more about the quote I mentioned here and that struggle to be content looking like myself. I think (for me) the struggle comes with fitting in- or rather, feeling like everyone else is dressed differently than I. A big play in that (again, for me) is living on the East Coast. On the whole people dress in sleek, sophisticated, and put-together outfits. Sometimes I feel like I'm feeling my sartorial way blindly in the dark- what's a thirty-something mom with little kids who does not work outside the home in an office environment supposed to dress like?

One stand-out example of East Coast dressing that comes to mind is the time I visited Charleston, SC a few years ago. WOWZERS. I went to an outdoor market on a Saturday morning in July and everyone around me was dressed casual preppy. It was a sea of Lilly Pulitzer, Sperry's, gingham, and seersucker. 

And another: two summers ago I attended my great aunt's funeral. I was maybe two weeks postpartum at the time, so my closet was slim pickin's, but looking around at the other women, especially her grand daughters- dressed in sleek, fitted black dresses, I felt simultaneously outdated and frumpy in my thrifted top and midi skirt.

I'm not saying anything is wrong with fitted dresses or popped collar shirts or the midi skirt I wore but, man, is it a challenge to feel confident as yourself when your wardrobe is decidedly different! Anyway, I think part of the solution is the mental game (it is okay to look like yourself!!) and the other part is a well thought out closet- aiming to own clothes you really like and feel comfortable in + the right clothes for the right situations. (Totally simple, right? ;)

Well, here's what I wore to mass two Sundays ago:

Dress: Roolee boutique | wedges: ten year old Amazon purchase!