Thursday, June 23, 2011

Does this dress make me look fat?

MMJ day 21, and I'm wearing another personal favorite.
I spent a lot of time making sure this print* wasn't lost in the smaller parts of the dress (S3874). I matched it at the sides (as well as I could - one side is better than the other),
and even in the casing across the back, (the seam is at elbow level - look closely and you'll see it) piecing part of it to get the match.
see how that palm frond goes right across the center back zipper, up near the top? I did that.
The front ties even ended up matching where they lay on the dress front before I tie them. (Totally coincidental.)

Thing is, I really really liked this dress, from the moment I made it. Then, last August, I wore this to my brother's wedding, and I later saw this candid photo of me standing at the buffet:
not exactly flattering.
(Hey, check out the matching on the seams there - you can really see it! Especially the bit where I matched the casing to the lower back - see that seam? Right at elbow level? And the side seam, just to the right of my arm? Yup, I got skilz.)

So I started to question my love of the dress.

Do I generally look like that, and somehow, I just think I look good when I see myself in the mirror? Am I intentionally ignoring how my upper arms look, because I know I look better with them under cover? (Probably.) Or was it my posture? (I should work on that - I know I slouch.)
My current weight is about the same as it was last August, so it's not that. You can see that I'm just as fair-complected now as I was then, too.
I know I pose myself at what I hope is a flattering angle when I take my daily me-made photo, but I just didn't think it was quite that much different from what you see in real life, you know?
I haven't worn this much since that time, because, after seeing that photo, I didn't have any confidence in the dress. I hesitated to put it on at all, but once I did, I loved it all over again.
I like where the bow is. I like the length. I know it's not tight anywhere, nor is it too big. Sure, if I had my way, there would be some sleeves on this to cover my upper arms. I know that about myself. I have read my Trinny and Susannah, and watched What Not To Wear enough times to know that everyone can look fabulous, no matter what the figure flaws. I know what mine are, and as much as possible, I work within the restrictions I've set for myself, because I want to put my best self out there.
I am a firm believer in dressing to flatter the figure you've got, even if it's not the figure you want. I know that fit makes a huge difference, and therefore try to fit my clothes with the proper amount of ease, so that I (hopefully) never look sloppy or as though I imagine I'm thin (or fat) when I'm not. Nothing looks as bad as poorly fitted clothing. Sort of in the same way that you don't really notice a persons crooked teeth as much as you might notice that they just don't seem to smile much, I believe that well-fitted, proportioned clothing can make you forget that someone is over-weight.

What do you think? Is this a flattering dress, or do I look dumpy in it?

*Incidentally, this fabric was picked up on the same shopping trip that netted me the hot pink & orange rose print. That was a good fabric shop day.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I think it is flattering. Just as you can take a shot from a "flattering" angle, you can be unwittingly caught from a rare "unflattering" one. Don't let one photo make you feel bad about your cute dress!