The Light at the End of the Tunnel

As I hinted in my last post, I had a hard time picking out an outfit yesterday. I'm not sure why I left the chore until the last minute - maybe because I had gone an entire weekend knowing exactly what I was wearing each day, and I took for granted that would continue. (I just don't typically plan ahead, even though it's clear I need to.) I think I also forgot about the fact that I would have to work an event in the evening, so I couldn't rely on a casual denim ensemble to take me through the body frustration issues I was experiencing. (Thank you, PMS.) Instead, I needed to find a comfortable, forgiving, yet dressy outfit - wouldn't you know it, those are pretty much the hardest to put together when you need it! Murphy's Law. As a result, I stayed up much later than I should have, tearing up my closet and hating on my body in the most fierce way. I eventually gave up and went to bed, with barely an idea of what I would wear, and the remains of my closet still splattered all over the floor.

Blazer - NY&Co. / Printed top - Anthropologie (via eBay) / Brown wide-leg pants - NY&Co. / Brown faux-croc heels - Nine West /
Maroon skinny belt - NY&Co.

But it's amazing what a new day can do. Not that I had any revelations or anything, just that I knew I needed to wear a jacket (structure + camouflage = perfect PMS clothing cure) and I preferred wearing pants. Looking through my closet at the few things still hanging there, I kept coming back to this Anthropologie top I had won on eBay. I wasn't excited to ever wear it because, though it was a rather flattering top, it wasn't terribly interesting or even colorful - just kind of blah - and I hadn't yet found away to punch it up with needed color. Well, add the light color dressy blazer I knew I had (requirement #1), a maroon belt to pick up more color in the top, all worn with easy wide-leg pants (requirement #2!) - and I had my outfit!

Looking back, I can't believe how easily this outfit came to me the next day. Nor can I believe the severity with which I hated my body while still recognizing that the feeling was a monthly phenomenon that would eventually dissipate. It's made me more thoughtful about my body image during that finicky time of month, and to consider how much it affects me. And you know what? Documenting that here I hope will help me work through that more productively. Or, at least know that that there is always light at the end of the tunnel...

Handbag - Tano "Minilisa" in Blue Marine

The icing on the cake? A number of people at work complimented me on this outfit, and it really felt good. =)

How do you guys get dressed during difficult body issue moments?

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