One of the reasons why I'm trying to lose a significant amount of weight is because it is hard to find clothes that fit me. I am short, and I am plus-sized, and the fashion industry in general seems to think that if you're short, you're also thin, and if you're plus-sized, then you're tall. I always see an abundance of 6-petite and 14-tall when I go pants shopping.
But honestly? I can't say that I would dress much better if I
were a size 6, because the truth is that I'm not sure what my style is at all. I have no style. Or, rather, I am attracted to so many different styles that I have no clue where to put my focus, and my closet is a huge mishmash of all these things. (Not unlike my hobbies and interests and the rest of my life.)
 |
| Anthropologie's Wispy Cirrus blouse |
My favorite store is Anthropologie. I love soft, romantic looks and intricate, feminine details - the clothing equivalent of English countryside or French shabby chic. Mind you, I can't afford to shop here, but I tend to be drawn to things that are "Anthropologie-ish." My knitting queue is full of things that are similar to what you would find at Anthropologie, as I figure that it'll be cheaper for me to make these items than to buy them (and I'm more likely to be able "find my size" by knitting than by buying). This is the part of me that loves Romantic poetry and Victorian novels:
 |
| Cathy Carron's Drop Stitch Pleated Tank |
Other times, I totally want to be retro pinup girl, and wear curve-hugging pencil skirts and cute dresses, and I find myself scouring the racks at Torrid or something like that:
 |
I do actually have this dress,
from pinupgirlclothing.com |
Sometimes (but not often), I feel like I want to dress up in smart-looking business attire for work, although that doesn't last very long, because the reality is that I'm just way too tired to get my s*** together most mornings:
 |
| Ann Taylor |
When I'm deep into derby or yoga or training for races, I suddenly want to be sporty too:
 |
| From Lucy, whom I used to work for |
When I was in college, and trying very hard to fit in with the intellectuals, the music snobs, the indie hipsters, the coffee-shop crowd, I wanted very much to achieve this look, complete with messenger bag full of British literature, a laptop, and a Nalgene bottle, though I never quite got it right:
 |
| Old Navy calls this "Boho Chic" |
Most of the time, I kind of just end up defaulting to a tshirt (or sweatshirt, if it's cold) and jeans:
 |
| Threadless Tees |
You get the idea. In short, I don't know what my style is because I don't know who I am. Or rather, I am ALL of these things, and I don't know how to put them all together. I also have no clue how to accessorize. Like, zero. I'm NOT one of those women with a huge collection of jewelry, because I don't know how to wear jewelry. I only own a lot of scarves because I like to knit.
So, take the fact that I have no sense of my own style or how to shop for myself, plus the fact that my body size and height make it difficult for me to shop in the first place, and... what you get is a very crazy closet and me standing there in a towel saying, "I have nothing to wear!!!"
So, if you would like to help me out... I'd greatly appreciate it. Either helping me shop or helping me figure out who the hell I am. Because I am one confused woman.
