Clothes Shopping is FUN again!

I did a little clothes shopping yesterday. My wardrobe is full of shorts and summery shirts, but the minute it turns cold, I won't have much to wear! So I took some money and gift cards that I received for my birthday and set out. I went to Kohl's, because I had a gift card there and they open at 8:00 AM. So as soon as I dropped the kids off at school, I went there, rather than sitting around and waiting on other stores to open at 10:00 AM. I knew I needed a pair of jeans, a pair of black pants, and a couple of tops. And as I love a zip-up cable-knit cotton cardigan, I was keeping my eyes skinned for one of those as well.

I ended up finding all the items I had set out for, plus a couple more. I surprised myself in trying on clothes. XL's swallowed me, and L's did just fine. I could actually wear many of the M's, but I felt uncomfortable at the tightness of the tops (even though "that's the style"... I know, I know... the sales clerk informed me....) So anyway, I had a dilemma that heretofore I had never really experienced: real, honest-to-goodness choices and decisions to make about which clothes to buy! Not just "it fits, so I'll buy it" or "it doesn't fit, so I won't buy it." That is the kind of luxury of choice someone with a gun to their head has, and the kind I experienced prior to losing all this weight. No, yesterday, I truly had to discern what I liked best, what would expand my wardrobe, was it worth the prices, and what flattered me best, because it all fit! I stood there for awhile pondering, then started laughing. Then I realized how I got to that point and what it took on my part... and my eyes got a little wet. Such simple, unexpected changes and challenges are facing me now. Well, I'm still a practical sort, and not wanting to ruin my mascara, I quickly blinked back the tears, got a grip, and made some choices. And started chuckling again.