Okay. I gained that horrific Pandemic weight. And as I write this, I am on the road to losing the weight my doctor told me to lose in January. I’m down to 162, now it’s 160, but it’s going to be a long road to drop twenty more pounds.
Alright. So I’m 2 ounces over 160 pounds. But I’m losing at a slow but steady rate!
No getting around it. My aging body doesn’t drop the excess baggage as readily as it did when I was younger. And it acquires excess baggage just by thinking about food.
Inspired by the ever-transparent and wonderfully truthful Jamie Lee Curtis (that is her REAL tummy–she refused to have a fake one for an upcoming film), I, too, decided to showcase my piggy bits. These bits are taking forever to lose!
Here’s the thing. Last Fall when I laid my summer clothing into hibernation until Spring, I had no idea that the clothing to be unpacked for winter would be tight on me—or just not fit at all. No idea.
Could you please explain why I had the Gallstones to be surprised that my clothing didn’t fit or was very tight? Could it possibly be because I was a glutton? And a lazy one at that!
There were quite a number of winter clothes that were in hibernation along with the summer ones.
And that brings me precisely as to what I wore during this past Fall/Winter season. It was weird because I hadn’t gained enough weight to go out and purchase new clothing. On the other hand, I did gain enough weight that only clothing with stretch, as in pants, along with skirts that contain stretch and Velcro or elastic waistbands were worn on repeat.
Err, most of my jeans got this tight!
That doesn’t leave a lot of room for different looks each day as I headed into the office. But to tell you the truth, I don’t even care. Not only did Covid change the way I look at cosmetics with a “less-is-more” approach, but I also used that same approach to clothing.
I’m officially “basic”. Not trendy. Not chic. Not elegant. Just. Basic. And I’m fine with it.
Many are so insulted by being called basic. Me? I don’t give a flying fu..(Oops! I gave up cursing for Lent). I don’t care if I’m a Basic.
Not one for over-accessorizing, I wore my Hot Girls Pearls practically every day. I absolutely love the way these menopausal and hot-flash friendly oversized faux pearls (you keep them in the freezer) give my neck comfort and look incredibly flattering with crew-necked tops and sweaters.
I love my Hot Girls Pearls — an added feature is the magnetic clasp, and you can get them on Amazon–Here’s the link
But back to the “basic” thing. “Basic” has become such a negative word in the “fashun” world for a number of years. And it’s ridiculous that this five-letter word (Hmmm. Could Wordle be thinking of using this word soon?) has become such an insulting word. I’m not insulted though.
I would rather be wearing a basic wardrobe as opposed to a trendy one. Think about it. Trends die quickly. The last “trends” I can think of that have stuck around and become mainstream are leopard prints and skinny jeans—and that’s out of how many trends?
Yes. I would much rather prefer to be a basic and blend in than to be garish and vulgar in the latest trends. Take a look at Emily in Paris to see the absolute worst ensembles of all time.
Zara and H & M don’t move my needle. Probably because I have perused both stores and have never found anything worth purchasing. Old Navy? The brand may be fast fashion, but I’ve purchased many basic items from the brand that have lasted forever. And let’s not dismiss my adoration for J. Crew.
Old Navy jeans. $15 on sale. I have worn them all winter. Paired with a J. Crew sweater and scarf it’s a nice basic look!
Anyway, I thought I would just showcase some of the outfits that I’ve worn on repeat from the Fall up until now. And funny thing is, the weather has been on such a warming trend I thought to get my warmer-weather clothing that still fits out of hibernation. And then it went back to freezing cold so forget it for a while.
Although slightly snug, I love this J. Crew blazer I snagged on Mercari for $40.
This outfit has been worn to the office so many times this past fall/winter that I feel as though it is a uniform. The elastic waistband on this J. Crew Factory skirt from years past, and J. Crew now-discontinued Tippi Sweater are a perfect match–as well as the Hot Girls Pearls!
My Christmas-that-covid-still-ruined dress. I think I actually wore boots twice this entire winter. The dress from Loft is a winner because a holiday meal can be enjoyed without having to undo pants at the waist!
The one skirt that managed to zip up to my waist without killing me. Another J. Crew beauty. I wore this when I felt like fake tanning my legs. Honestly, I did that a lot during the winter because it wasn’t super-cold.
Skinny jeans with stretch. Another pair of Old Navy dark wash jeans. Worn with a J. Crew tee, J. Crew blazer and J. Crew shoes found at Goodwill for $7.00 a few years back.
Short skirts, heavy sweaters, tights–proof that one is never too old to wear a shorter skirt. I really did do the basic thing all season!
One of my favorite kilts. I may wear this tomorrow since the temperature took a springtime nosedive back to winter. The velcro waist on this SportsKilt is so weight loss/gain friendly . I love this brand so much!
Basic black. Basic leggings. Basic top. And more Bass Weejuns. I really started to dress for complete comfort last fall!
Another Old Navy frock–and the second time I wore boots. That scarf? It’s from two years ago purchased during the pathetic Nordstrom Anniversary sale. It was probably the only item worth buying and I’ve worn it constantly!
I love these J. Crew Factory pants so much but I had to put them away because my belly got so fat that the waist was killing me. I swear I got sick at work because the waist was so tight. Hopefully, next fall or winter!
Leopard-print pants with a ton of stretch. From Target. A trend that went mainstream. I love leopard print but tend to not overdo it!
These Katy jeans by Kut From The Kloth have become a mainstay during the past few months as well. I wore them to Paris. OMG. It’s SNOWING outside. Okay, back to the blog. I wore these a lot. A LOT!!
Again with the Katy jeans. And the pearls!
The camel coat I purchased in Paris before the lockdown? I wore it almost every day during the late fall into the entire winter. That vintage coach bag? I got it during lockdown for $45. It’s the greatest used investment of all time. I freaking love it.
I wore this recently. My favorite AG jeans are snug around my disgustingly overblown belly, but they are beginning to fit a lot better. Two months ago I couldn’t even zip them up. It’s a rare occurence for me to wear a white button down shirt because I find them so awkward to wear under a blazer but I like the look. Repetto ballet flats–very basic, complete the look!
And another basic look to give a monochromatic winter vibe. Leggings and a heavy sweater. And as is the case when I’m home, bare feet!
And when I am home I mostly live in pajamas these days or leggings and a tee shirt.
Old Navy Pajama Bottoms–how I love you. I’m most comfortable in an outfit like this. Sadly, I cannot dress like this at work!
So how basic have you become? Do you think Covid had something to do with it or just because as we age we become more comfortable with our taste? I think it’s a combination of both! How about you?