Renewing My Energy Source

I wanted to write today about adventures in clothes shopping. I am having a recital for my students (Monday April 5th at 7pm at the Sherman Clay Pianos in the Pearl fyi :) and I decided I should get a dress for this event. In all honesty, I could probably just wear something I already own. But what's the fun in that? This is why I became a singer. To buy pretty things to wear when I sing. Well, and because it's what I love to do. At any rate, I went to Target to try to find something suitable. I wanted something that was classy but not matronly, trendy but not too young, and something I could wear with heels and a sweater or with my boots and a jean jacket.

So I tried on practically every dress that they have. And they have many dresses out for spring right now. Apparently the trend is floral patterns cut into a party dress kind of shape (which flatters me pretty well actually) and the length is just above the knee. The problem is that I liked the length in the front, but not so much in the back. I am blessed with my genetic big booty. It does not do well in short flared skirts.

The reason I felt the need to write this today isn't because I couldn't find a dress to wear. It was because I was actually surprised that things were fitting me the way they were fitting me. I kept thinking something was up with the dressing room mirrors...like maybe they'd been angled to make me look taller. My legs looked slimmer. My belly didn't seem quite so swollen as it usually does. Zippers were zipping all the way up. Elastic wasn't stretching to it's maximum capacity. The XL's were baggy.

My pant size hasn't change one iota. The scale has not been my friend. My measurements aren't consistent enough to tell me if I'm making any progress. And even though some things were a bit less flattering than others, I felt good trying on clothes today. Sure, it would have been awesome to fit into a 12 instead of a 14. But I felt like I looked the best I could look in a 14 - well, besides that my legs are a delightfully pale shade of white. But they looked toned and I looked leaner.

This is what is going to keep me running. It's worth the toil and trouble to spend an entire day trying on dresses without wanting to drown my sorrows in a pint of ice cream. C'mon ladies, you know what I'm talking about. It can be so frustrating not to find what you are looking for, or to find it and have it not fit!

I found two dresses that I'm debating between at The Limited. I need to reactivate my credit card so they'll start sending me coupons again and then I might be able to afford one, so I'm going to have to wait awhile before I can pick one. Hopefully by the time I need it, I will be able to drop a size down. Thus my new motivation for getting my butt back outside and on the running track again!

Here's the two. I'm curious what people think.

Sleek Strapless Dress

Sweetheart Strapless Dress