desperately seeking fashion

The last few days have been crammed with things to attend, errands to run, shopping (both necessary and therapeutic, LOL), records to update, cards to create, emails to answer, thank you notes to write, and on and on…

Among the items on my list has been to look for something to wear to my bridesmaid lunch. I thought I should look for something sort of “hip,” and as trendy as possible without requiring a personality transplant. I looked, and looked, and looked, and the truth of the matter is that I simply abhor the styles that are presently in vogue. The fabrics are either cheap looking or too heavy and shapeless, never mind in patterns that look like the remnant bin from twenty years ago. I finally found a Ralph Lauren Chaps skirt that had a sophisticated look and came in a classic paisley pattern in more traditional colors. I searched high and low for a top to match and finally found a sweater that would do the trick. Sigh. This morning I tried the skirt on in the light of my own bedroom and am asking myself, "what was I thinking?" The skirt may be just a bit too trendy after all! What to do, what to do? I can swallow my self-consciousness for the occasion of the luncheon, but then what? The skirt has panels in the lower portion that flare out and droop below the “normal” hemline. Not your typical priestly attire, let me tell you, and where else will I wear a skirt?

So the question remains: keep it and make my peace with dressing outside the box? Or return it and save the money and pull something from my wardrobe that I already own? Some days it’s tough to be a bride…