Fashionably challenged

Hi! I'm Dawn! And I'm fashionably challenged.

(This is where you all collectively say, "Hiiiiii Dawn!)

Considering I've done over 500 posts on this blog. I'm almost positive that I've done at LEAST one on fashion...or at least what I consider fashion talk.

But this post will be a little different.

Here's the thing, I'm in kind of a rut. A fashion rut of sorts.

How bout ya'll have a seat and hear a sista out! 

A couple months ago, I had a MAJOR breakdown over having to purchase shoes for myself. For those of you who follow me on Facebook; you may remember this.

Anyhoo...Mister M. told me that it was due time for me to go buy myself some shoes.


Some of you may be saying to yourselves, "Uh, so what's the problem?" WELL, my dawlings, the problem is...uh, how do I say this? I don't know how like to shop for myself. I mean, I CAN! I just don't do it very well. And I've come to the conclusion that my fat, flabby self body image isn't 100% to blame.

(Pardon the interruption: Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to shop. I just enjoy it more when I shop for other people...or for crafting supplies for myself. Ok, ok...keep reading!


Who am I kidding?? Yes it is my body image who's at fault! (insert big ugly cry here)

Back to the shoe thing for a minute. When Mister M. suggested that I go shoe shopping, he gave me a budget and a few "guidelines". Those guidelines were as follows: NO colored rubber flipflops! NO Converse! and NO cheap shoes!

OK, I can handle that! Of course I can...right up until I walk in the first shoe store. ARGH!!! Ya'll know how it works, you see TONS of stuff you like when you don't have a DIME! But now that the sky is the limit...so to speak, you can't find a dang thing! I sat in my car and cried after I left each store. Everything is SO expensive! I just can't justify paying so much on me shoes!

Let the crying shopping begin!! Oh how I hated this task! It would've been SO easy for me to just grab a pair of the Chucks and be on my way. But Noooooo! I have to buy grown up/girly shoes! Part of the problem was, I didn't really have a game plan. Alls I knew was I needed shoes; some other than what I normally wear. Like, I needed shoes for church and just something ELSE to bum around in.

ANYWAY...that's how this whole fashion thing started. Now that I have a few pairs of painful nice shoes. I need clothes to wear with 'em, right? Again...WHAAAA!!!

Alright...ALRIGHT!!! I'll say it...I have ZERO little sense of style! Happy now??  I mean, I have an idea of what looks nice. Case in point, check out this little "board" that I created over on Pinterest.

http://pinterest.com/dmbibbs/ok-now-i-d-wear-this/

This, my fine feathered friends, is how I would LIKE to dress!

There are items here that I KNOW would look REEdiculous on me. But I like 'em anyways! There are shoes on here that I KNOW would make me fall and break my ankle again! There are things on here that I KNOW they don't make in size HUGE! But again, I like 'em anyways!

Here's what I've been experiencing lately. I've purchased a few new things recently. My normal/everyday "uniform" consists of jeans/a skort/shorts, a tank top/t-shirt, and Converse/flip flops. Nothing wrong with that, right?

RIGHT???

So I've tried to change things up a bit and wear a cute little dress with my new ballet style shoes. Or a pair of my new wedge heels with some jeans. And maybe some jewelry every now and again.

But the problem is, when I wear something out of my "norm". People compliment me!

Ok, I know that's a good problem to have. But they say it so...so...like their surprised! I hear things like, "Oh Dawn, you look so cute/nice TODAY!" Or, "Dawn, where are YOU going all dressed up?"

Even Mister M. asks me why I'm "dressed up". And what's with TODAY? Do I REALLY look THAT bad on a day to day basis??

That's the thing, it's so out of my NORM that it looks like I tried too hard. And that's exactly how I DON'T want to look.

Ya feelin me??

I'm 45 years old! And I'm not ashamed to admit that. If someone asked me, I'd say that I thought I looked pretty good for my age. Of course I could stand to lose about 200 100 pounds! But I'm pretty much ok with ME! I have no desire to look like a 25 year old. I just need to learn how to work with what I have.And step out of the box sometime without being "offended" when people comment...even when it's nice.

I've mentioned before that I'd LOVE to be nominated for the show, What Not To Wear! But I'd be a HOT MESS in front of Stacey, Clinton, America and GOD! Oh well, guess I don't have to worry about that ambush happening...episodes for the rest of the year have already aired! :-).

Anyhoo...how are ya'll fashionably challenged? Or ARE YOU??? Holla at me!!