Dresses
 

Clothing has always been an issue for me. As a kid, I was teased because my mother would not allow me to wear anything current or have more than a few outfits to last the entire year. I never wore hand-me-downs (sister was 6 yrs older), but the clothing my mother chose for me was intentionally plain, sturdy and big enough to last an extra year. I wasn't allowed to look pretty.

When I was able to break free and get a job, it felt so good to wear nice clothing. I remember a woman at work telling me she and her co-workers considered me the best dressed person in my department. I didn't dress well in order to stand out. I dressed well in order to fit in - in order to not have to worry about being teased for my "rags." At home, even my casual clothing looked good.

My illness (amyloidosis) causes overall skin irritation. Orthostatic hypotension makes it virtually impossible to shop and try on clothing without fainting. Our funds are limited, so my husband came home one day with three dresses for me from the flea market. They are full length, sleeveless, very soft embroidered dresses made in India and they are VERY comfortable.

However, I am NOT comfortable wearing them outside in public. I stand out like a sore thumb, and the "hippy chick" look has NEVER looked good on me. I gathered my nerve one night and sat out front with my husband. My neighbor comes over, looks me up and down and says "That looks....um.....comfortable. Where did you buy it?" I felt a little humiliated saying it came from the flea market.

A few days later, her daughter (10 yrs younger than I am) tells me she has some old "gypsy" dresses she doesn't wear and will pack them up and give them to me. It made me feel like a charity case - only worthy of other people's garbage. Is that what I've become? :(

She didn't give them to me. She gave them to my husband to give to me, so now I'm stuck with them.

I've swapped clothing with friends of mine in the past on occasion for special events, but I've never had this happen to me before. It was a real swipe at my dignity and pride. I doubt I could feel good about myself, inside or out, knowing I'm wearing my neighbor's "good will." If my other neighbors find out I'm wearing her clothing, they will think my husband can't afford to buy me clothing. :(

What should I do with the dresses my neighbor gave me? What should I tell my neighbor?

What can Kathy do with the dresses hummm

1.Save them and use them to make a Halloween Dummy or Disco Witch

2. Make Groovy napkins or do some other Martha Stewart project with them.

3. Keep one pass the rest along to charity.
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I came from kinda big family 6 kids. the 4 oldest are at least 9 years older then me and my twin. My parrents were also sick allot when I was growing up . most of my cloths were hand me downs or used.And even now when friends clean out their cloths and I too ,we always... Trade off or give to friends first what ever is left goes to good will or the local womans shealter.
I would not be insulted or have myself feel like a charity case or only worth other people garbage KATHY!!!! Just thank her for her thought and also mention that the style wasnt you so you found someone else to share her kindness of giving with.
I bet others here have ideas too but all of us agree THAT YOUR WORTH A HECK OF ALLOT MORE THEN OTHER PEOPLES GARBAGE!!!!!! :grouphug:
PEACE TO YOU ,YOUR FAMILY AND OUR TROOPS.:grouphug:
BMW













p.s. BMW HATES TO WEAR DRESSES ! :vomit::vomit2:

LMAO BMW - I love her too much to use of of her dresses as a Halloween display. :D

I used to hate wearing dresses at home too, but I liked wearing them to work - especially with high heels. :p

I consider her my friend and love her dearly, but we were never the kind of friends who hung out together or swapped clothing - not even once. I used to be her babysitter when she was little, and she lives next door to me.

I do appreciate her gesture. It just took me by surprise.

there are goodwill stores and there are goodwill stores....I often shop at one up in Michigan...they have dynamite bargains and really nice stuff!

And I clean out my closets regularly and donate things to them..I see no shame in this. :rolleyes: Do you remember moo moo's Kathy? Talk about loose fitting...nothing more comfy than a moo moo. :D

Actually, Alffe, I've decided to toss my silly pride and go all out on comfort - to heck with what people think! I'm going to see if I can find me a nice cotton burka. Not only would it solve all my problems with clothing, it would solve my problem with hair management and makeup. :cool: I wonder how many people would stop to give me donations - or even say hello. :p

I'll make a deal with you. Let's plan to meet downtown for lunch or dinner. I'll wear my burka if you wear your moo moo. After lunch, we can go shopping along Michigan Avenue or maybe catch a play. :D

ROFL...or maybe just hang out in Millenium Park...wade in that pool..get wet in the waterfall. :hug:

Well, since your questions have been solved...LOL I didn't have an answer anyways, I don't wear dresses.

but I did see many angles from this and it is very interesting...

my "stuff" makes me very uncomfortable to many materials as well. So I am very picky about my clothes. And almost anything with a collar, I detest. You can imagine how I hated to get DRESSED up to marry da wife. LOL

When we lived in NYC when we were kids, we had one pair of jeans. We wore it five days a week. My mom hand washed them everyday. We had 2 shirts, we alternated them everyday.

One day, some kid in school asked us why we wore the same clothes everyday...

I went home and I refused to go to school the next day unless my parents bought me some new clothes...

they bought me another pair of jeans and one more shirt. The irony was that the jean was the same brand and same color...LMAO...

anyways, just brought up that memory for me...LOL

glad you got it all sort out. I'll spare you my zen approach...LOLOL

Hmm. I happen to like those dresses! In fact, I bought one of those dresses at a flea market in an Amish town one of the times I visited Alffe. It's soft, it's comfortable, and it's purdy. I can only imagine that you look very nice in it. :hug:

Thanks Moi

Alffe - Millennium park would be great, but I doubt anyone would bother to notice us. We took my mother-in-law to the Blues Fest one year. Her first trip to Chicago. We were standing in Grant Park and a man walked passed us. He was dressed like Jesus and dragging a HUGE cross. My MIL looked at me with a shocked look on her face. :eek: I just shrugged and said "We all have our crosses to bear." The funniest part of it was watching him walk by everyone else. No one bothered to notice his attire. :D

Doody - You'd probably like the dresses my husband bought for me. My sister was the hippie in the family, and that style looked good on her - still does. I used to love my faded jeans and halter tops, but I never felt comfortable going all out in the style - still don't. Sometimes it feels as much as we change in life, nothing really changes. :rolleyes:

Way to go on enduring your visit with your ex. You won! My sister had to do that recently when her ex-father-in-law passed away. Not only did she have to endure a weekend with her ex-husband and all his relatives, she had to maintain her composure around the new WIFE he dumped her for! Her friends and I stayed by our phones in case she needed a sounding board. :D