My first dissatisfaction with my body focused on my feet.... I outgrew my mothers petite and dainty shoes when I was 10 and finding shoes became the start of a lifelong seasonal panic. It meant that I had to start wearing adult footwear long before I wanted to... but I do remember spending a winter when I was 12 in the most perfect pair of long, lace up boots... we have a name for them now that never occurred to me then!
Gradually, I developed a dislike for my feet - and loved the 24" bell bottom phase of the 70's that hid them completely, while making us all look short, fat and strange! Over the years I have developed a knack for seeking out soft, expensive and comfortable shoes and boots, hunting early in the season while there is still something left in my size. Usually, it is pointless looking on the racks... far better to ask if they have anything in the store in the right size first! Imagine my face last year when I visited a Wellington shoe store and was offered a choice from five pairs of my favourite shoes (boring black), all in my size and I liked them all! The credit card wilted but I stopped at one pair.. but I mourn the loss of the others. My daughter inherited this foot gene... occasionally she ferrets through my wardrobe and borrows a pair... but as I still occasionally use a pair of hers for formal evenings, I don't comment!
One of the joys of boarding school is dorm life. Once, happily preening in front of the mirror as a skinny undeveloped 12 year old, I asked for advice on an outfit... and my bored room mate said, "nice outfit, shame about your bum" ....and 40 years later, after years of reading advice from Trinny and Susannah and Gok Wan... selecting clothes to hide it, minimise it, lift and conquer it, I can still feel that comment in my head. But you know what, I also realise it is not that bad... bootylicious is the in shape anyway, and the lingering remains of my phobia about it just means the world is spared the sight of it in white, tan or pale grey trousers... tough, sure they are fine with that as not many of us look like this!!!!!
My long back comes courtesy of broad shoulders, and judging by the number of clothes with shoulder pads, this feature is required for femininity!!! Yeah right. As I don't need the extra padding to fill out the shoulders, I have become a master at extracting them from jackets. After I progressed from a 10AAA trainer bra, I had my first real fitting. "Ahhh", she intoned in a superior tone... "a sportswoman... broad back and no boobs"... Already crushed at 14. On that front, I can say that four kids, breastfeeding, weight gain, less sports and good bras have left me in ok shape, many cup sizes larger than then, and happy with my lot! While searching for pictures... I did find this ad for a bra- quite sure they use these on tv.
So overall, I can moan about the road map of stretch marks, the post caesarean body look, the grey hairs and wrinkles, but I really am ok. It all works just fine for now....
Except for the thighs... did I mention them???????
Ps - to follow up my last post; the kitchen light works and the cat door has cardboard across it, which probably doesn't have the insulation rating that glasss offers but is better than a hole. The snow didn't arrive here - just for those further out of town; but it was cold and there was hail, so I spent a glorious day inside rewatching Harry Potter 1 (with my friend of the red shoes) and Lord of the Rings... eating hot soup and crusty buns. Off to see my parents... so good to have a long weekend :)
