My Wardrobe, Myself

Fashion Isn’t Frivolous

Debbie Roes

August 13, 2010

NOTE: This post was originally published on my previous blog, Body Image Rehab.

Today’s post is dedicated to a topic which some may consider to be frivolous… fashion. I have always enjoyed clothes and shopping, but it has only been in recent years that I’ve come to learn the power of what we wear to help improve our body image.

I’m not talking about being a “fashionista” or a slave to trends (although there’s nothing wrong with that and it can be fun); rather, I’m referring to the way that clothing can help to enhance our positive points and encourage body acceptance.

“What Not to Wear”

About five years ago, I discovered a show on The Learning Channel (TLC) called “What Not to Wear.” The premise of the show is that a woman (they used to make over men, but now it’s just women…) gets nominated for a makeover by a friend or family member because she dresses in a way that’s either frumpy, age inappropriate, or just plain over the top. That person gets “ambushed” by the show’s hosts, Stacy and Clinton, and is shown secret footage of her “crimes against fashion.”

Six Months Already?

Debbie Roes

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August 11, 2010

NOTE: This post was originally published on my previous blog, The Healing Project.

It’s hard to believe, but it has been 6 months since I started “The Healing Project.” My first post was made on February 3, 2010, and outlined my quest to heal my health and my life over the course of one year. My healing project utilizes the principles of Louise Hay and other teachers and also involves treating myself with more kindness and compassion.

Insights and Wins

Last week, upon the occasion of my 44^th birthday, I posted my “Reflections at Mid-Life.” This week’s post is dedicated to sharing the insights I’ve gained and the triumphs I’ve made at the half-way point of my “healing project.” These powerful wins can be encapsulated within the following categories, each of which will be covered in the body of this post:

Gratitude
Attitude
Hope
Healing

Gratitude

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears” – Anthony Robbins

The quote above exemplifies the power of gratitude as a spiritual practice in life. When one reflects on the many blessings which are present in his life, he is less likely to experience fear and anxiety. The practice of gratitude involves having a “glass half full” outlook and looking for what’s right in your life instead of what’s wrong. It is definitely true that if you look for something, you’re going to find it, so why not look for the good instead of the bad?

Body Gratitude

Debbie Roes

4 comments

August 6, 2010

NOTE: This post was originally published on my previous blog, Body Image Rehab.

Those of us who grapple with body image issues tend to spend a lot of time and energy focusing on our physical imperfections and lamenting all the things we feel are wrong or missing. We are often so keenly attuned to the perceived negatives of our physical being that we completely lose sight of the many positive aspects inherent in having a body.

An Exercise on Gratitude

Today, I completed exercise #3 from “200 Ways to Love the Body You Have.” This exercise, simply titled “Gratitude,” challenges us to list all of the ways our bodies serve us, those things we wouldn’t be able to experience if we didn’t have a body. Surprisingly, I had no trouble at all creating my list and within a short fifteen minutes, I had listed 25 blessings for which I feel gratitude toward my body.

My list mostly encompasses the many joys of experiencing life through the five senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. Below is a sampling from my list of “body gratitudes.”

Reflections at Midlife

Debbie Roes

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August 3, 2010

NOTE: This post was originally published on my previous blog, The Healing Project.

This coming Sunday, August 8^th, is my birthday. I will turn 44, which officially places me in my mid-forties. There’s no denying it at this point; I’m now “middle-aged.” I don’t like the imagery evoked by that term, but I know intuitively that the term has no real intrinsic meaning.

The labels we place on ourselves are what we make them, much like life itself. To quote an old Talk Talk song from the 80s (I don’t have to worry about “dating” myself since I already gave my age away!), “Baby, life’s what you make it. Celebrate it!”

What have I learned about life and myself over the years?

Instead of fearing the aging process or denying it, I choose to embrace it and face it head-on. Although I have the requisite wrinkles and grey hairs that inevitably accompany middle-age, I feel the positive points of having reached this milestone far outweigh the negatives.

I’ve decided to dedicate this post to my reflections at mid-life.

What have I learned about life and myself over the years?
What would I tell my younger self if I could be transported back in time to talk with her?
What wisdom could I impart to her to help make her journey a bit less troubled and fraught with difficulties?

Just What IS Plus-Sized?

Debbie Roes

6 comments

July 27, 2010

NOTE: This post was originally published on my previous blog, Body Image Rehab.

I recently read an article in People Magazine about plus-sized model Crystal Renn. The article mostly focused on a recent retouching scandal in which Crystal had been made to look shockingly thin in a fashion spread by a photographer. While unrealistic retouching of photos is definitely an issue worthy of discussion, my focus for this post is the definition of “plus-sized” and how outrageous it has become.

Crystal Renn is 5’9,” weighs 150 pounds, and wears a size 10, yet she is considered one of the most successful plus-sized models in the industry. The mind boggles that size 10 is now regarded as plus-sized. If you look at the photo of Crystal in her swimsuit in the People article, you’ll see a slim and fit looking woman who does not appear to be overweight or even particularly voluptuous. At 5’10” and size 8, I am not much smaller than Ms. Renn and am generally regarded as lean and slender by those who know me (I sometimes disagree, but I’m still working on my body image, as my readers well know…).

At What Size Does “Plus” Begin?

Of course, there is nothing wrong with being plus-sized, but shouldn’t the women who model clothing designed for plus-sized women actually be able to fit into the sizes? Lane Bryant is probably the most popular and well-known plus-sized clothing store in the country. I visited Lane Bryant’s website to see what sizes are sold in their stores and learned that they start at size 14 (and sell up to size 32). If Crystal Renn modeled for Lane Bryant, the clothes would either have to be altered substantially or pinned back for pictures.