NO LIFE BUT THIS: A Novel of Emily Warren Roebling is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.


It is biographical fiction based on the life of Emily Warren Roebling considered to be the first female field engineer and highly instrumental in the building of the Brooklyn Bridge.


http://atbosh.com/authors/diane-vogel-ferri/

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

One Thing that Never Changes

Just to torture myself on my spring break I've spent the last two days shopping. I am 5'2", as are many other women I know. On professional charts I am still an average weight for my height - barely. Yet, every single t-shirt, blouse, sweater and top lands half-way between my crotch and my knees. Anyone who's ever watched "What Not To Wear" knows that long tops on short people just make your legs look even stubbier! Duh! I also require some type of sleeves to keep my upper arms from waving in the wind. I scan entire aisles just by the sleeve lengths. But it must be a little known law that women are only allowed to go sleeveless all summer - and sometimes winter too. This year another style we are apparently being forced into is wearing ballet flat shoes. What if I don't want to wear completely flat shoes? No choice at this point. Of course, that also adds to the stubbiness of one's legs. My point? Fashion designers out there dictate what we can wear, how much time we will waste looking for items that don't exist anymore, and how much pain and suffering we must go through to display some sort of individual fashion sense. When I finally find some sort of summer top that has sleeves and ends at my butt it costs $98 - for a frickin' cotton t-shirt! After two days of this I feel used and abused and resigned to hate my body - just because the stores have convinced me that my body type must be freakishly deformed. So that's my one thing that will never change and that's my rant for today. The end.

7 comments:

Moohaa said...

That's okay, the clothing manufacturers think overweight women want to dress in moomoos and disgusting blouses with horrid, nightmarish geometric or flowy designs in colors that blind the general public.

My sympathy is with you.

james2285 said...

As a fashion savy 5'2" male (who is also very cheep). I find that the salvation army has clothes that are last season or older are like new, some still have tages on them, and the store help seems genuinely grateful for me shoping there. It took some extra time and a lot of pride swallowing but it has paid off.
Jim
PS. you are beautiful.

Mary said...

I absolutely hate shopping for exactly the reasons that are issues for you. I'm 5'1" and not amused. I've tried petite sizes and they aren't right either. Grrrrr!

Before I retired I kept a tailor busy making my business suits and altering my blouses and casual wear. Now I only wear jeans and casual tops - most of which are a couple of years old. Lands End does have some t-shirts that are short enough.

Happyone said...

I suppose you won't want to hear this but I'm 5'5" and live in jeans and tee-shirts (sleeveless, short and long sleeves). I never have trouble finding clothes to fit me just right. Sorry!! :-)

SweetAnnee said...

Not only are we the same age
we are the same height!!

and I love
"What NOT to Wear"
I know what looks good , but they don't have it anywhere for gals with
legs to their thigh instead of to their breasts!!!

Oh what I wouldn't do to be able to
design a line of clothes for the 5'2" gals..
lol
deena

Jamie said...

I LOVED this post!

You really hit the nail n the head. I am not short, I am tall, (lucky you, btw), but it's the same for us.

Thanks for the rant, and thank you for visiting my blog.

:)

bonnie said...

Another 5'2" here. I never knew how many of us are so short. I like to wear shoes with platforms to make me taller (thinner). You look too young and beautiful to worry about arms and legs showing. My legs are shot from ugly veins and age wear so they will most likely not see any sun this year. So sad for the loss of youth.