Tuesday 9 July 2013

Waist not, want not

We bloggers do love a bad pun, don't we? For any readers who aren't British and don't know - the actual saying is "Waste not, want not". I guess that I could also have named this post "Getting waisted" - the point being that I am referring to my waist, or what was my waist many years ago.

Anyone who has seen my photos in previous posts may have noticed that my usual outfit consists of a top, which skims the area where my waist ought to be, combined with a skirt or pair of trousers. This is deliberate, as it helps to disguise my muffin top. However as a pseudo-fashion blogger I need to challenge myself occasionally and create a few different looks, so this is what I wore a couple of days ago.
When I first tried this outfit on I wore the top over the skirt as usual, but because the skirt has a fair bit of volume and the top is pretty loose too it wasn't a flattering style. Especially as I am only 5'1" and need to try and create as long and lean a look as is possible given my body shape. I decided to risk tucking the top in and wearing a belt. I wasn't unhappy with the result, although as you can see it emphasises the fact that my waist has seen better days. Yes, I know the pose is slightly strange but I wanted to be honest about my shape here, so I resisted the temptation to cross my arms defensively across my middle!

This is an alternative look, which I have worn many times before. You could say that it's my default look, and I was tempted to change into these linen trousers, however on a warm sunny day I thought it would be good to wear a skirt for a change. What do you think? Was it worth risking something different?


There are several factors to take into consideration when deciding on your outfit of the day. Comfort tends to come top of my list, plus I like to wear flattering colours near my face so that the wrinkles don't show up too much. Like many over 60s I'm not as slim as I was, so I usually avoid clothes that cling too closely and reveal all those lumps and bumps. On the other hand clothes that are too voluminous on both the top and the bottom halves - also known as the sack of potatoes look - aren't any better. I also have to take into consideration my lack of height, which means I'm never going to look like a model!  

What I hope to achieve with my blog is to encourage all of you non-models out there to find a look that suits you, especially the over 60s. As I like to say, we may be past 60, but it doesn't mean that we are past it!

5 comments:

  1. I think you look adorable either way. Thanks for posting these hints.

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  2. I love that you're doing this (haven't quite gotten the "guts" to do so yet, especially as I'm overweight and learning to deal with that too...smile). Personally I think you actually slimmer in the skirt picture...and yup, Like Charlotte says, you look adorable either way.

    Great hints and keep up the great work.

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  3. Thank you for your kind comments.

    MamaRed, don't worry about being overweight. What I have noticed from looking at other fashion blogs is that many of the larger ladies have a defined waist, are proud of their size, wear clothes that make people notice them (instead of trying to hide) and look absolutely stunning! Whatever size or shape we are, we should celebrate being ourselves.

    Funnily enough, when I looked at the photos, I decided I really liked the skirt picture after all!

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  4. I think you look great in the skirt. The red belt at the waist is a nice focal point, and echoes your shoes. Well done!

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  5. Thanks, Susan. It's good to try something different, and even better when people appreciate your new look! My next post takes this topic even further.

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