Friday, April 18, 2008

Letting go ... of fleece and other armor

I know what you're thinking: "Sue J! Not another post on fashion!" Bear with me. I do have a point. Plus, I'm getting tired of "Clinton vs. Obama," as it is now known, so I thought we could all do with a change of subject. Temporarily.

It's a sunny 80 degrees in Maryland today, and I'm not ready for it. I've seen the college kids wearing shorts and flip flops for a couple of months, but they're such renegades. I have yet to wear shorts outside of the range of the eliptical trainer room. And my flip flops are still in a plastic storage bin somewhere in the back of the closet. I guess it's time to make the switch from winter clothes to summer ones. (Any one else who lives in an old house built before the word "closet" was apparently in the American vocabulary will know what I'm talking about there.)

But I like my fleece (as you can see), and I'm having a hard time letting it go. It's warm and soft and familiar. And it covers me up. So don't even get me started on wearing flip flops. I think my feet are ugly. I mean, I don't have any extra toes or anything (not that there's anything wrong with that), but you know at this point they're really ... white. As in haven't seen the sunlight in a long long time white.

Yet I know I can't fight it -- and I know that I shouldn't. Although we'll have a few cool days ahead, the warm ones will soon outnumber them. Before long it will be 90 and humid and I'll be happily sitting on the front porch wearing my cargo shorts and flip flops -- or perhaps going barefoot.

(Yes, Sweetie, I'm sorry but it's almost time for my dreaded cargo shorts. I know you hate them and think they make me look like a boy. But they're sooo comfortable. Maybe I can paint my toenails and look purty. Besides, I'm getting my haircut tomorrow, and as I told you: unless I chicken out (big possibility) it's gonna look really good.)

So why do I fight it? It's really not a "self-image" thing, because honestly, I think I'm in pretty good shape. And in just a few days I know that I'll be back to thinking that if I could wear cargo shorts and t-shirts every day I would be in heaven (yeah, I know, it is a little boyish). So it's just this transition from what's comfortable and familiar, from being protected from the elements, into a world where it's just me and the world. A world where I feel the stones under my feet, the rain drops on my arm.

I'm almost ready, but there's a cold front coming next week.

16 comments:

Mary Ellen said...

New haircut? Scary! I always say I'm going to cut my hair short, but end up with a trim. I have to do something soon, or I'll start tripping over it.

I won't wear shorts outside my own yard, and I'm too clutzy for flip-flops. The first sign of spring for me is when I switch from my White Sox Sweatshirt to my White Sox T-shirt.

Sue J said...

My Cal Ripken t-shirt has been out a couple of times already this season. But it's a little worse for wear so I have to pace its appearances ....

Yes, the Orioles. Sorry about your White Sox last night.

Ha ha ha ha ha!

G said...

As Sue knows, I wear black tights with skirts all winter to school. Today was going to be so warn that I deemed the uniform inappropriate. I didn't want to wear jeans because I am tired of the only two shirts that I can wear with jeans and look halfway not fat. I opted for a longish denim skirt and wore black clogs and shirt. As I was crossing the street to my car this morning I looked down and nearly laughed out loud. Rising up from the black shoes were two of the whitest legs on earth. I swear they almost glowed. They could have been marble. Guess it's time to a. shave the legs and b. start with the self tanner. By about the middle of June I should have achieved beige.

Anonymous said...

don't you just love being comfortable, even if it isn't fasionable!! you go girl!!

BAC said...

I'm with you, Sue. I have one of those houses where they forgot to include closets -- though I did add three of them last year, but that's another story.

I'm terrible at clothing transition time. Probably because I don't really like to shop for clothing, so if I find something I do like I just get it in every color and I'm done. (Yeah, that's probably why I'm still single ... don't rub it in! ha)

So will you be posting pics of the new haircut? Inquiring minds want to know???


BAC

Sue J said...

I want you all to know that I did try to buy some shorts yesterday that were a little more, ahem, "fashionable." But everything I saw was in about a size "2". Really. 2?

Put a "1" in front of that and you've about got it.

So went to the store next door and bought some books....

Hey -- they were on sale. As the clerk said, "Wow, Zinn for 5 dollars!"

Sue J said...

and we'll see about posting the new haircut. depends on how it goes!

Anonymous said...

Which Zinn did you get?

Anonymous said...

come on, let us see the new haircut. we'll be nice, promise!! LOL

Sara said...

I have friends who mark the arrival of spring by my wearing shorts. From about mid-March to November, I'm in shorts.

one would think I'd like dresses. NOT.

you are right, all feet are ugly. period.

I think it's hard, as we get older, to change anything. I mean... why? if you love your cargo shorts, then wear them.

and dress up purdy for date night. makes it even more special...

Anonymous said...

There is nothing really to fight... it's just the transitioning of one comfort level to another. Each on different ends of the spectrum, so the travel across is the unknown journey. You know I'm with you on the cargo shorts. My hardest transition is letting go of my sandals each year. I don't mind wearing shoes, I just don't care for socks. And yes, paint the toenails! Always a fun expression. It has become a requirement before getting in the pool at our house for pool parties. Out comes the bucket of paints and everyone gets to choose their expression for the day!
Please show the new do! As Donald said, "we'll be nice".

Sue J said...

Well. I am definitely having trouble transitioning to this new haircut, I'll tell ya that!

I think my stylist was on speed or something. It's way shorter than I asked for, and is really not at all the cut I asked for. That's kind of a double whammy to adjust to, you know? I really have no idea if it's decent, or not. My sweetie was very kind when I got home yesterday ("It's cute! I really like it!") But as Saturday evening progressed there were references to "an 80's bi-level" -- which it is NOT!

So give me some time, dear readers. As you know, I have trouble with transitions ....

Maybe I'll go paint my toenails, Morgan, for distraction, and read my new book, Cootamundra w. ("Original Zinn"). And I'll definitely put on my cargo shorts!

Mary Ellen said...

suej- I've had some pretty nightmarish haircuts in my day and for some reason, some hairstylists act as if they're deaf. Even if you bring a picture, thinking the visual should be enough, they do what they want. I tried a very very short haircut once and loved it for about five minutes. Then I spent the next two years growing it out. Now my hair is 9 inches past my shoulders in the back, but it's layered and the sides are feathered so it doesn't look that long from the front. I'm so sick of it, though and I'm ready to cut it all off.

Anonymous said...

well sue, no matter how bad you might think it is, it will grow out in no time. just don't use that sytlist again! LOL

Sue J said...

Mary Ellen, even though it's not at all what I asked for (yes -- I had a picture!), I'll probably really like it in a week or so, especially once it starts to get humid and hot here.

Donald, I've been going to this stylist for like 10 years or so, and she was always great because we would talk about organic food and good karma and lots of crunchy stuff. Now all of a sudden she's telling me about her chemical peels and getting botox.

Time for me to run away!

Mauigirl said...

I am SO ready for flip flops! I've had them out for a month now for at least wearing around the house. I put away all my fleece in the attic on Saturday when it was 80 degrees here; of course today I was freezing and wondering if I was too hasty!