I believe that how you present yourself to the world and how you carry yourself tells a story. My heart went out to all those women I saw who wore something very similar to the sad look below.
It showed on their faces that it had been many years since they had made themselves a priority. I recognized these women so quickly because I was one of them a few years ago.
It was customary for me to get up and put on anything to get me through the day. If I could zip the pants, they were good enough, and if the shirt (sometimes a man's tee shirt from K-Mart) covered my tummy, that would do. If it was cold outside, I put on a jacket but didn't think about it if it went with anything else I was wearing. I was too tired and sad to care about what I looked like anymore.
Something unexpected happened when I changed my diet to correct health problems. I started to lose weight and feel a lot better, physically and emotionally. I began to care about my clothes again. I began to enjoy putting together outfits and looking for just the right jacket. My outlook on life improved, and my spirits lifted. I felt like going for a walk and working in my flower gardens again. I smiled more and slept better because I was happier and much healthier emotionally and physically. More importantly, I could now do more things to help others because of my improved health and attitude.
Below is a typical, very casual look for me now. I might be staying at home because it is snowing and cold, but I still get dressed. I am now acutely aware of how it lifts my spirits to get dressed and take some time for myself. These days I never spend the day in a man's tee-shirt over sweatpants. That would be very depressing!
The red turtleneck top was supplied to me by Fabrizio Gianni. The Allison Daley vest from Dillard's is several years old, and the ankle-length jeans are from Chico's. The boots are a couple of years old by Ralph Lauren via T.J.Maxx.
