Fashion Industry Es Muy Loco

It rained yesterday.

So it gave me the perfect opportunity to enter a mall and hunker down for some serious shopping. 

The reason for this trip was simple. It's that time of year where I gleefully go through my closet and yank out all the coats and jackets and sweaters and pants and dresses and shirts and shoes I've been wearing all winter and pack those suckers away. It's my "So long Winter! Don't let the door hit you on the way out!" ritual. Whilst doing so (I'm not trying to be pretentious using the word 'whilst', just whimsical...it's fun to say 'whilst' once in a while don't you think?) I unpack all the cute jackets and tops and dresses and skirts and shorts and shoes I haven't worn since September. It's a glorious little ritual for me. 

Before any summer clothes go into my closet or drawers however, I must try them all on to see what still fits. And, to  my surprise most of what I wore last year is too...(wait for it)...big! Yes. I literally can't remember how many years it's been since I could say that! Somehow or other over the past year or so, without meaning to, I've been incrementally dropping a few pounds here and a few pounds there. I don't know how this happened. And I don't want to talk about it too much because I don't want to jinx whatever the deal is with that. When I was a wispy teenager I was a size 4. I started to have kids and that increased to a 7. And then...other stuff happened. Stress. Middle Age. More Stress. And I've spent too many years truly hating my body when I pushed the boundaries of a size 14 then 16. I desperately tried to avoid having to buy anything with an extra X in from of that L. In the last few years I've been hanging out in the size 12 on the bottom/L on the top zone, but in the past year, I been shopping in the 10 on the bottom/M on the top zone. And I was truly happy with that. It felt good. 

So, I packed up most of my summer clothes that no longer fit, and with the exception of a fantastic summer dress I bought last Mother's Day in Chemanius with Heather - a dress that I LOVED - I was happy to open a new size chapter this spring and summer.  

So yeah - when it promised to be an ugly day outside, I knew that was my window to travel to Nanaimo and spend the afternoon indoors under artificial light and eat in a food court. 

I walked into Winners (and if you know me at ALL - you know that's where I buy virtually all my clothing) and my game face was ON.  My friends that have shopped with me in Winners know one thing: this is not a time to visit. I'm not interested in offering up my opinion on what you found and whether it looks cute or not. No, I'm on a mission. Laser focused. I'll talk to you when it's all said and done. My blinders go up, I glare at wayward men that should have stayed home, and navigate other  patrons like the Indy 500 to maneuver myself to the racks I want to scour for treasures. Lolly-gaggers better keep their wits about them because you will elicit a very polite but stern "excuse me" from me then I will move your cart for you. 

So, I spent a few hours loading up my cart. The key to shopping at Winners is volume. You also need to a) know your brands b) know your personal style and c) try on everything that has a possibility. 

Then discard everything that you don't love. 

I tried on 55 items of clothing. 

And I did in fact, find a handful of "winners" (hence the name, right?). But after I paid and was walking to the food court for some guilty sustenance, I did so, shaking my head. This little exercise is one of the reasons women are frustrated when shopping for clothes and hate their bodies. Because the fashion industry is off their rockers when it comes to sizing. 

When you try on a medium and it’s too small, the next one is too big, another too long, the other one gapes in the arms, then you finally find one that is just right...you know that the size "medium" is apparently relative. Relative to what, I don't know. 

When you try on a pair of size 8 pants and they’re too big, then you try on another in a size 9 and they are too small you realize that those sizes are relative too. 

The icing on the ridiculous sizing cake is when I can try on an extra small and it fits. You KNOW there is something seriously wrong with how things arrive at that random sizing designation. (I bought one top that says it's a small - and although I know that's a lie, I'll take the little extra ego boost that comes with wearing that S). 

Shopping for clothes is not for the faint of heart. But my little excursion proves one thing; there is nothing wrong with me or my body. Sizes really are relative. And the fashion industry is clearly overrun with crazy people.