Last year was a bit of a financial hit for me and mine, and as most of you know, my blogging dropped off quite a bit, too. I took three weeks off for my father’s hospice time and funeral, and another month off at the end of the year for my wedding and honeymoon. Since I’m self-employed and my husband is working on his PhD, this means that I have to think very carefully about where and how I spent my money. This has meant three things: inventive digging into my closet, a deliberate cutting of my wardrobe by about 60% (the excess choice actually led to more waste) and really milking the clothing I have onhand. It’s all about dressing for the life I have.

I wore this for a dinner-and-movie date with my husband. This outfit is a combination of items in my closet purchased in years past. The newest thing on? The boots. I bought those at Avenue.com last year and was delighted to finally have a pair that came in my calf size (21 inches.) The tights are from Avenue circa 2006 (temperatures drop fast in April in Minneapolis), the skirt is from Dots circa 2007 (when will you guys to web commerce???), the denim jacket is also Dots, around 2004, and the blouse is a Fashion Bug purchase also from 2007.

Remember, I am not your human Barbie doll. I am fat, so no matter how good the outfit, I will still look fat because I am fat. I’m cool with that. I am a bit nonplussed by the blousing out of the top: it is cut a bit longer, but I vaguely remember the skirt being a tad tighter when I first bought it. I’m planning on finding new ways to wear the top especially, but also the skirt: I feel like I’ve seriously underused the potential of both. This doesn’t mean a big shopping spree: my first stop will always be my closet, second a thrift store, and only as a last resort a clothing store.