Buying my timeshare at the retirement village
January 29, 2007
Yesterday I went shopping and discovered that I have unusually fat arms. Honestly that is the only explanation. Every shirt or sweater I tried on was tight on my arms. I hate that constricting feeling.
Also, I hate shirts that are tight enough across the back to show where your back fat plumps out around the bra straps. It is not an attractive look.
Before I left to go shopping my husband said, “Buy something nice. You know, not a frumpy housewife outfit.”
Words I probably took to heart more than he intended. But I am a frumpy housewife, so by definition any clothes I wear would be frumpy housewife clothes.
I learned some things. Or more accurately was reminded of some things.
As I was browsing through the clothing I realized that petite clothing manufacturers think that short people have no taste and want to wear the equivalent of leisure wear for the geriatric set who enjoy wintering at Boca Raton.
That I do not need to see my body from all angles, ever. Especially in flourescent lighting.
Unless you are under 14 and rail thin you should not wear those flowing peasant tops, unless you want everyone to think you are pregnant.
That my color of choice to wear is black. I love black. Also, I hate red.
I am still without my computer. I am just sharing because I know you all care as much as I do.
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So true! Every single item I tried on at Old Navy was skin tight and showed every bit of pudge. I’m sure the dressing room people hate me as I take like 20 different items in. And only leave buying maybe 2. Another thing I hate is, along with being skin tight, clothing manufacturers think that women want the necklines of the shirts to hang down to their belly buttons. I’m not saying that I need turtlenecks but really- something with a neckline you can bend over in without falling out of would really be a bonus. I guess this is asking a lot.
January 29th, 2007 at 10:46 amDude, your arms aren’t fat!
I’m so with you on the back fat-showage, though. Please, someone, stop making my clothes that tight!
January 29th, 2007 at 10:49 amWhen you have spent the last ten years lifting weights you WILL have arms a little larger than a teenager. At my age I still have that problem, yet at age twenty I wore a size 7, 9 at the most, and the sleeves fit just fine. And don’t even mention that back bulge in my hearing. It’s soft skin, I tell you, just soft skin.
January 29th, 2007 at 11:06 amI always wondered why do the stores have this horrible lighting in dressing rooms, because you never -ever look good in that light! It shows EVERY little defect you know about and a few others you were ailing to see ’till that moment… And they dare to whine that sales are not growing enough- fix the lighting I say!
January 29th, 2007 at 11:18 amIf you are a frumpy housewife, than I’m Roseanne Barr, circa 1990.
Note to self: do 800 pushups a day before BlogHer when I meet Chris again. Sigh.
January 29th, 2007 at 11:22 amThis post made me feel a little less alone in the world of fashion.
Thank you!
January 29th, 2007 at 11:31 amThe same can be said for Tall and/or Woman’s clothing (I’m squarely in both category’s so I’m effed)
Simply as an FYI, Ann Taylor has an excellent petite’s selection, and mondo sales.
January 29th, 2007 at 11:32 amI hate shopping for clothing too. I did find this fantastic little boutique that has really cute, attractive clothes and I plan on shopping there for my needs. And the surf shops. Nothing says “I am not frumpy” like a pair of board shorts!
January 29th, 2007 at 11:45 amThank you for not letting me think I was the only one with fat arms (and no, I don’t think that you do). I was beginning to think it was a conspiracy against me. As for your husbands comment, it’s right up there with what my husband told me 2 days ago when I told him I was rejoining Weight Watchers. He said,” good, I’ve been trying to think of a nice way to tell you that you need to lose some weight.” He’s such a nice guy. Really.
January 29th, 2007 at 11:56 amI have not had much luck in the shopping department. I have that unusually fat arm thing…all over my body. I recently went shopping for a swimsuit and my dh couldn’t understand why I came home in a very. bad. mood.
January 29th, 2007 at 12:26 pmYes yes that’s all well and good but WHAT DID YOU BUY?
Don’t make me come over there and look in your closet myself.
January 29th, 2007 at 12:29 pmI finally found a bra that back fat doesn’t hang over. It’s pricey but oh so worth it. VS Angels Secret Embrace. No seams, no back fat. I got the push-up model and wear it with tightish decidedly non-frumpy housewife clothes in black and there is no roll behind my arms. The rest of the time I wear a normal, more affordable bra and lots of loose layers over top. So I guess that would make me frumpy. Shit.
Enough about my bra, your arms are perfect. The shirts are off. Old Navy has some strange sizing. When in that store and in doubt, it’s their sizing, not you. It’s never you.
Also, if my husband told me to buy something nice and not frumpy, there is no way I’d be at Old Navy. I’m thinking boutique. I’m thinking some nice new jeans that break my not over 100 dollars rule.
January 29th, 2007 at 12:33 pmAll the sleeves are tight on me, too…take heart
January 29th, 2007 at 12:34 pmAnd I always thought those peasant shirts were cute, too, but after five children, no way do I want everyone asking if I’m pregnant again
I thought I was the only one with “big arms” and shirts not fitting right. I blame it on the children. When it doubt, blame the children.
January 29th, 2007 at 12:56 pmFat arms here too. Why do they do that? I absolutely hate to FEEL my clothes.
As for the bra thing: I’ve seen advertisements in some women’s mags for a bra that doesn’t do that. Designed by an ex-model or something. Anyone else seen it? Or better yet, tried it and can testify that it does, in fact, erase that lumpy look.
January 29th, 2007 at 1:07 pmI. HATE. FLOWING. PEASANT. TOPS. Gah.
I live in married student university housing, and go to church with a bunch of gals who are married and of child-bearing age. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve asked someone wearing one of those if she was pregnant. Sheesh.
January 29th, 2007 at 1:41 pmI went shopping yesterday too - with my 13-year-old son. You should read of my experience. You know, as a warning.
http://overdressedconfessions.blogspot.com/2007/01/mall-rats.html
January 29th, 2007 at 1:49 pmI hear ya short sister, I hear ya. 5′2″ and I hate clothes shopping.
January 29th, 2007 at 2:16 pmI also think they changed the length for petite clothes. I purchased two pairs of jeans that said they were petite but they are 3 inches too long. VERY frustrating.
January 29th, 2007 at 2:39 pmI hate clothes shopping.
I need a personal shopper!
January 29th, 2007 at 2:40 pmI used to be able to walk in a store and grab clothes in my size and take them home. Now I have to visit the dressing room because what I think will fit doesn’t and what I don’t think will fit, does. And it is not because I think I am skinner than I am. Clothes are made sooooo weird now.
January 29th, 2007 at 3:27 pmI.hate.shopping. I hate that I am 4 sizes bigger than I used to be. I hate that even as I acknowledge the fact that I am overweight I don’t do anything about it. I hate to spend even a second of my day thinking about how overweight I am…and of course, I hate that I actually do spend a lot of the day complaining about my body. Just to end on a positive note: there is a beautiful sunny day today on this hemisphere of the world (and I’m NOT wearing a bikini).
January 29th, 2007 at 3:57 pmI’ve never understood the petites dept of big stores. Ann Taylor does generally have a good selection, and not frumpy either! Their sales are great, too.
January 29th, 2007 at 4:20 pmYou? With fat arms? Noooo wayyyyy. This cannot be. Because if it is, then I’m in so much trouble.
I’m going to shop in the Bulky Women Who Lift Weights section. Just where is that, hmm? Can anyone direct me, please?
January 29th, 2007 at 4:31 pmall about the black. slimming. goes with everything - including baby snot.
my husband once told me that the jeans i was wearing looked ‘kind-of-like mom jeans.’ if looks could kill…..
January 29th, 2007 at 4:57 pmI hate the styles right now. Virtually NO ONE looks good in those stupid cap sleeve tops, yet that’s all you can find anywhere. Pisses me off to no end. We’re going on like the 3rd or 4th summer or virtually non-existent sleeves in clothing. I am praying for an unending winter (VERY likely here in the Mojave Desert - heh).
And I hear you on the tight clothing. I end up buying one or two sizes bigger than what I actually should wear just so the shirts don’t cling to every bulge on my torso.
BLECH.
January 29th, 2007 at 5:35 pmclothes shopping….ouch. I’m the sad fashion case that buys 5 of the same shirt in varying colors. 4 of the same jeans….etc. Tank tops are my god….even if technically I shouldn’t wear them. I can’t wait for summer!!!
January 29th, 2007 at 6:29 pmDo they have Reitmans in the States? I’m short and live for the Petites section in their stores. They’ve always got some pretty stuff that’s usually not too trendy (read: only wearable for one season). Also, they’re always having sales.
p.s. I hate back-fat. I spend $100+ on every single bra I own, and I still have back-fat. Blech.
January 29th, 2007 at 9:08 pmTry being an inch and a half too tall for petites, but too short for regular pants! I hear you on the arms. And the back fat. Are there any excercises for that? Please, pretty please tell me that there are!
January 29th, 2007 at 9:32 pmI hate that every store, every brand has it’s own size. I would *almost* be Ok wearing that larger number if it meant that I could go in a store and know that my size was my size. Yes, if my size changes because of something that I did, hopefully lose weight but be real, well then again, I’d have to deal.
You are definitly not alone in the arm department. I had lost 35 pounds. Before that I never had a problem with arms. Now that I weigh less I can’t fit my arms in anything. I DO NOT HAVE FAT ARMS. Well at least not out of line with the rest of me.
AHHH!
January 30th, 2007 at 9:30 amI would love to find jeans without that damned gap at the back of the waist.
I have some shirts that are snug in the arms by nature- I perform the “stretch them out” ritual before I wear them so they won’t be so snug. So sad.
January 30th, 2007 at 11:32 amIf hubbies had their way, we’d be prancing 24/7 in 5-inch stillettos and a “french maid” outfit . . . even with the fat, beefy arms inherited from my peasant stock.
January 30th, 2007 at 9:36 pm