The Woman Without A Coat.

For the last five years I haven't really been able to wear a winter coat. Now, I am not the sort of woman who has to buy a new coat every year. A winter coat is a good investment that should last a good few years to my way of thinking (or am I being hopelessly old-fashioned and thrifty?)

Winter 2005 and my coat had become too small for me. The buttons were straining and it felt tight across the back and under the arms. I was feeling down and had been ill for much of the year. Now, my fuller figure and increase in weight left me coat-less. I'd also resigned from my job - for health reasons and had a much reduced income. It wasn't the best of years!

I decided rather than invest in a BIGGER coat I'd wrap up in cardigans and fleeces and if the day was cold, icy and grim I could put my light spring 'mac' over the warm layers. I had a brolly and boots. I'd be OK.

And for the last five years I have been OK. Fortunately I drive, so I am not often out in the elements when the weather is bad. Every winter I delayed buying a winter coat. I like my winter coat to be a wool one, a smart tailored one, and they tend to be expensive. Because I was bigger I decided I wouldn't buy a larger coat - after all, it would go to waste when I'd slimmed down. Not only that, there wasn't the cash to splash about any more, so I continued to improvise, thinking I'd treat myself to a new winter coat when I'd lost a bit of weight.

Ha. Ha. Ha. That was five years ago.

I am bigger now than I was in 2005 and since then I have been winter coat-less.

Today I went out to town and of course the clothes shops are full of winter wear. I eyed up some very nice coats. I liked the look of them. There were two in particular that I fell in love with. They looked just right!

So, I tried them on. We all know winter coats tend to be heavier and bulkier than other coats.

WAIL! WOE IS ME! <~~~ imagine tears flowing here.

 I looked like the Incredible Hulk in both of them.

OK, so not exactly like him. I am not green-skinned.

I looked chunky and bulky and dumpy. Just huge. That's not false modesty. I didn't look good in them. They didn't feel good on me either. Those coats looked SO good on the hangers. When I looked in the mirror the coats seemed to make me look even bigger.

Today was one of those days when I really wished I was straight up and down and had no flesh on my bones. It would be so nice if clothes draped me, rather than clung to my lumps and bumps. I imagine fat people everywhere know what I mean.

I tend not to buy myself many clothes now, because no matter what I wear, if it looks good on the hanger, it doesn't look so good on me. I try to make the most of myself, and if anything, my 'cheer myself up' impulse buys these days tend to be bits of jewellery - costume jewellery - beads, bangles and sparkly things - not stuff from Cartier.

Ah well. Another year without a coat.

Next year I intend to buy one. Watch this space :)



I suppose there is some truth in this ~ "The expression a woman wears on her face is far more important than the clothes she wears on her back." ~ Dale Carnegie