Friday, May 26, 2006

Brought to you by the color grey

First: Thanks again for the many birthday wishes, in the comments, in e-mails and in phone calls. I had one of the best birthdays I can remember. Fifty-five? Not me! I feel like a kid with all the attention I got. And I'm still a little high from making it up that hill.

My closet and dresser drawers are filled with clothes that would be called 'neutrals.' Much denim, khaki, black and grey. Much, much, much grey. I even wear grey pajama bottoms with a navy t-shirt. You can ask my knitting friends and they'll all tell you: "Yeah, that Debbi. She's a neutral, all right." But I'm really a 'spring.' When I wear pastels, especially pink, I get compliments from everyone. Even the dogs tell me how good I look in pink.

The past couple of winters I've made more colorful sweaters. A purple one with green and cream patterning on the yoke, the red one I'm wearing in my profile photo and my favorite, a beautiful mohair-blend pink cabled pullover that I just loved. [I sent it to someone else yesterday, as I couldn't rip it out and it no longer fits.] But I made and wore more that were brown or grey.

The current project is cream-colored, but the last one I finished was the plum V-neck pullover that will fit perfectly very soon, at the rate I'm going. And I'm trying not to buy too many neutrals when I go shopping any more. Which is, to be sure, seldom.

Wednesday I had to renew my driver's license and get my teeth cleaned, and I went to the mall as a reward for both. I wasn't looking for anything in particular, but took my time and tried things on and came away with three shirts – icy lime, deep avocado and a plum/black/white plaid [didja notice how all those colors are foods?] – as well as a pair of creamy tone-on-tone capris and a pair of white linen slacks.

All of these clothes, except the capris, fall into the 'business-casual' category. Now I don't work, unless you count mowing and housecleaning and taking care of dogs and laundry, but I guess I was just overcome with the fact that these nice clothes actually fit! So I bought them … a birthday splurge.

Nicole had a similar epiphany a couple days ago. What used to be an agonizing chore – will it fit and flatter, or will I have to settle for just for fit? – has become something kind of fun!

Yesterday afternoon a delivery truck showed up with a basket of flowers and a gift bag. In the bag were a pink cotton hoodie with a lime-green zipper and a coordinating lime-green polo shirt, all gifts from the Spousal Equivalent's mother. They fit, too! And I can't wait to wear them.

I have some good opportunities coming up, a couple little mini-getaways involving more than just hanging out. Which means two things: that large, colorful woman you see at a ball game or dance recital might be me, and there will be a couple of blog breaks in the next couple weeks.

If you're in the U.S., have a safe Memorial Day weekend. If you're not, have a safe weekend. I'll be back Monday.

1 comment:

M@rla said...

Shopping has been SUCH a different experience for me, now that I can try on clothing and decide whether I LIKE it, instead of having to buy the only thing in the store that I can zip up. Surprisingly, I find that it's actually harder to find a good fit now: I'm choosier about it. I realized that even normal-weight and thin people don't fit into everything in a flattering way.

And I'm going for the funner colors too - I used to wear black all the time, typical fat-girl look. No more!