I'm feeling weak. Pierrette, my personal shopper has been with bags and bags of clothes she would otherwise take to the flea market, to lead me through a voyage of discovery. Cut-offs, nifty tops, Marie-Sara (the torera) jacket, elegant dresses, the odd couture garment and items from the boutiques of St Tropez.
How can a girl resist?
Frankly, I can't. In my defense, I don't shop in shops, buy nothing new, and just ravage through Pierrette's bags twice a year. I have a mound of clothes I must now find homes for in my wardrobe, but only last week I had been looking despairingly at my wardrobe and wailing inwardly that I had nothing to wear.
Not true, natch, but nothing leapt out at me crying 'WEAR ME' from the depths of the cupboard, so I resorted to wear the same old same old stuff. It's not easy at the moment either, with temperatures starting at 7°C when I leave home, reaching nearly 20°C at lunchtime, and falling again by 5pm. Boots or shoes? Stockings or bare feet? Pullover or jacket? So many decisions, such painful moments spent staring at clothes I've been wearing all winter.
It's much like the catfood counter when one feeds one's cat tinned catfood. I remember standing staring at Whiskas, and the like, if not for hours, certainly an inordinate amount of time compared to the rest of the family shop, just because the resident cat had gone off most of what was available. Ulysse is not spoilt for choice in this way. He gets posh crunchy catfood (Royal Canin) and that's it, bought in 50kg sacks which last about six months.
So, while my chequebook is feeling faint, my cupboard is feeling bullish at the prospect of a wad of newcomers all vying for room. Hopefully I'll be able to consign my pullovers to the winter suitcase soon so making room for spring and summer stock. No new shoes though. I might have to brave a shop or two if I am to make the most of my new looks. They won't go with the shoes I've got. At the very least I'll need espadrilles.
Clothes, even d'occas, are so terribly good for the moral. I feel I'll have a spring in my step tomorrow.
And who knows what tonight...
My SinL is the greatest buyer of secondhand clothes from stalls or the Croix Rouge and I used to 'inherit' loads of stuff from her - as she is short and not too thin, and I am tall and lanky, the system worked beautifully - until I discovered one day that I had loads and loads of clothes that I never wore! So a couple of years ago I stopped doing this and took bags and bags of stuff to the Croix Rouge.
ReplyDeleteI then sat down and thought about what I really needed and restocked. It cost a bit to get it together, but since then I haven't bought any clothes and my wardrobe is at last manageable! I also discovered that even when I had an enormous choice, I'd still pull out the old faithfuls.
My only concession is shoes - I don't have 20 pairs but am ruthless about disposing of them when they become tatty! Thus saying I spend six months of the year in snow boots, which I am getting heartily sick of! My silliest buy recently was a gorgeous pair of boots last autumn - however until the snow arrived in December it was too 'hot' to wear them and from then on I couldn't wear them as I was too frightened of getting salt marks on the leather or sliding down the street on my bum! However, they seem to like their box!
I had a friend - a gorgeous woman who sadly died when she was only 48 - who used to buy most of her clothes second-hand at the market in Aix-en-Provence. She could recognise quality and designer labels (without the labels!) and would buy wonderful clothes for me too.
ReplyDeleteThat was in the days when I was slim and enjoyed wearing pretty things. And those days will come again...they will, they will! I just hate buying clothes at the moment because a lumpy potato just does not look good in anything...
Isn't it lovely that spring is on its way?
Spring, oh yes, it's lovely. My daffodils look just splendid, all gold and proud.
ReplyDeleteThe change of season is also quite tiring, or maybe it's just me. I could just do with a snooze!
Have you tried joining Weight Watchers, Gigi? Their encouragement may help you.
personal shopper, you lucky thing. I hate shopping - every second spent in a clothes shop is one wasted for me,(Every man's dream?!) but I hate my wardrobe too *sighs*
ReplyDeleteHey, Gigi - what's this 'I hate myself' thing? Lumpy potato - really? Or just a couple of extra kilos?
ReplyDeleteMy 'personal shopper' sounds very glamerous, but in fact she's a lady who goes to the flea market every Sunday to sell clothes. I like what she has, bought quite a lot, going cheap, and eventually she suggested coming to my house with the stock she built up.
ReplyDeleteThis means I can try everything on in comfort, and examine myself in the mirror.
Stuff costs from 5Eur to 45Eur for a posh dress. I even bought an astrakhan fur coat off her once (in grey). She comes twice a year.
No shops for me - too depressing as nothing ever fits or is too long. It's either La Redoute online for the odd pullover, or flea market lady.
er - Louise - I'm ashamed to say this but emotional turmoil has taken its toll on my body...there's a picture of me on one of the posts on my blog and I'm not skinny there but I've put on...30 kilos since then :-(
ReplyDeleteYes. 30. More like a lumpy 3-seater sofa than a potato actually :-(
Whoops! Time to do something, Gigi! No man is worth an extra 30kg! Why not try Weight Watchers, as Sarah said - I even believe you can do it on-line now if you don't want to go to meetings (sounds like the AA, doesn't it?).
ReplyDeleteWithout wishing to rub salt into the wound, I read recently that woman who have extra kilos around the age of 50 will keep them for the rest of their lives - so time to do something! No crash diets though - you eventually put back more than you lose!
My problem is exactly the opposite - I have to eat like a horse all the time, just to keep some weight on! It's just as bad as having too much - my dear mother calls me a bag of bones (she's jealous, but right!).
Anyway, you know all this stuff - that's the end of my Agony Aunt remarks!
I agree with Louise. No man is worth 30kg. Is it snacking that's piled on the weight? If so, stop buying them, then you won't be able to eat them.
ReplyDeleteWith the money you save, and weight you lose, you'll be able to buy a gorgeous summer dress.
By the way, from what I remember of the food science programme I watched, if you eat a high dairy product (0% fat) diet, excess fat is excreted from your body much more quickly. Also, eating meat will make you feel full for longer.
Good luck and keep us posted!
Dear Gigi: I know how you feel, but I think its more in my head than my body! I have put a bit of weight on (5kgs), and probably for the same reasons - but as his Lordship whished away saying I was old and of no more use to him as a dashing playboy - I think I feel like a potato in my head. The 5 kgs are much more becos I cannot do hefty sport any more (health throwback), and have to content myself with very "soft" gym re-education an hour or two a day. But I feel like a three place sofa just the same!
ReplyDeleteJust suppose we say to ourselves that we are glamorous, and fantastique for our age? Mind over matter sort of thing.
I think we are as we see ourselves - and others see us quite differently. My friends and closest say I'm "snazzy" and have unusal and good taste, but I still feel like a potato!
However having read your little word, Gigi, I think we will both encourage ourselves to do better, and as Sarah says no man is worth all that - certainly not the silly jerks who let us down!! United we stand.
Aren't we getting glamorous immediately!!! At a girl. Start right now, empty the cupboards of dangerous food, and clothes you don't like - and be prepared to change clothes often as you are definitely going to slim down slowly but surely!