The Struggle to Define My Own Signature Style

The Question I Can't Really Answer

For as long as I can remember, for me, style has been about not looking so fat. Even as a child, it was all I wanted.

And once I became an adult, it became a singular style focus: to do whatever I knew would work, to look thinner, and to camouflage my overly-expanded belly.

Need to hide a pregnancy? I know how!

Other considerations were about damage control - wear the right colors, wear beautiful makeup and the right hairstyle, all in the hope that the first thing people thought about me wouldn't be, "boy, is she fat!" or "what is the deal with her stomach?"

And the question I can't answer is, what would I most want to wear if my weight or my belly weren't issues anymore?

An Eternal Style Struggle

Believe it or not, in the course of my long adulthood, I have had 5 belly surgeries. Some were because they didn't get it right the first time!

So my "Hitchcock" belly issues are now eternal. 

And right now, I weigh more than I ever have in my life. Menopause has certainly not helped. Nor has medication that - as a side effect - increases your appetite.

But the truth is, I was a comfort food overeater long before I had to contend with either of those issues. And I have not yet resolved that problem, either.
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Where I'm at Now, with Style

All we really can do is the best we can with what we have. Can I get an amen?

I'm trying both to lose weight and to get healthier. Not just because I want to look better, but also, because I want to live longer.

Meanwhile, where style is concerned, my emphasis is three-fold...

(1) Wearing myself - reflecting the inside me on the outside.

(2) Aligning with my body - wearing what looks best on the body I have now.

(3) Having as much fun with my style as I possibly can.

​I wear the colors I love, and have a great time mixing prints and patterns, wearing big earrings and creating my own version of big hair!

Have you ever struggled with your weight? And if not, what would you say is your biggest style struggle?

See you tomorrow!

Love, Jeanine