Hiking Ruffles

Dress: Free People

Sweater: Anthropologie Hiking Ruffles Cardigan

Belt: Anthropologie Looping Lanes Belt

Tights: Anthropologie Floral Spray Tights

Shoes: Steve Madden Candence Boots

Hair Pin: Anthropologie

"Scar tissue that I wish you saw. Sarcastic mister know it all. Close your eyes and I'll kiss you. 'Cause with the birds I'll share this lonely view." - Red Hot Chili Peppers

I was standing in my closet trying to figure out what to wear this morning, which is a really daunting task lately given all the criticism I've received. However, despite all that's happened this week, I was feeling really good about myself and decided to create an outfit that really personified me but broke all "the rules." I dare ya to call this outfit frumpy! Hell yeah, I'm a brick...a brick house, that is!

I started with the tights. I really wanted to wear these tights. One, because it was cold. Two, because they're cute. And three, because these are the only pair of tights I own where the toe seam doesn't go under my foot and aggravate me all day. I looked in my closet for a dress that would go with the tights. There were a couple of options, but I had worn those dresses with these tights before. I wanted to do something different this time. I noticed the body con dress I purchased from Free People over the summer went pretty well with them, so I grabbed it. Next, I knew I needed a warm sweater to wear over this sleeveless dress. I love my cozy Hiking Ruffles Cardigan, and I hadn't worn it yet this winter, so I decided to give it a try. I added a belt and some boots, and I had myself an outfit. As I stared into the mirror I thought, "Damn, my hips look big!" I'm no expert at "the rules", but I suspect it has something to do with wearing a lighter color on my bottom half and topping it off with bulky ruffles. I battled with myself over whether to go out into the world with such scandalously big hips. In the end, I felt really good in this outfit and decided to go for it.

It takes courage to go out into the cruel, cold world these days knowing you don't look as skinny as you possibly can. We've been taught to minimize our hips, flatten our stomachs, elongate our legs, and hide any hint of a curve that might make us look OMG fat. Well, today, I decided to let my curves hang out for all to see, and it felt good!

I have to say all these people calling me fat and ugly has really sucked, but it has also been good exposure therapy for me. I feel like I've developed some pretty strong scar tissue at this point. I'm like, "What else you got? Huh, punk? Bring it!" I had a commenter recently tell me that they keep seeing me go through these same patterns, but I don't seem to be learning anything or gaining any strength. I want to assure you that I am. I like to think of myself as climbing a mountain. I stumble and fall sometimes, but I gain my composure and keep on climbing. It gets easier to gain my composure each time because of the things I learned the last time I fell. So far it's been a really lonely view from the side of this mountain, but I've heard that once you reach the top, the view is spectacular.