Playing "dress up"

In hopeful anticipation of getting the position I interviewed for at the hospital, I went clothes shopping yesterday. Most women would get all a-tingle at the prospect. While I tried to make the most of it, I can't say that I reveled in the endeavor.

First off, the position I interviewed for involves a lot of politics and networking with heads of departments, managers, and board members. Therefore, I will need to dress the part. As most of you who've known me for any length of time know, I am a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl. I am not comfortable in clothes that have to be ironed and/or dry cleaned.

Secondly, due to the girth of my butt, buying clothes (of any sort) is typically depressing. I have been flirting with the 200# mark on the scale the last few months (primarily due to stress-related eating). So, I knew I was not going to like having to deal with buying a bigger size than I did a year ago.

Fortunately, when I feel the need for nicer clothes, I shop at Dress Barn. Dress Barn has affordable clothing and a flattering sizing philosophy. So, the size I thought I'd have to buy was actually too big. (Yes, it is an illusionary victory, but I'll take it.) Plus, I found two asian-inspired shirts that look nice but are just quirky enough to make me feel like an individual while wearing them.

Shirts are really not a huge issue for me. I struggle on many levels with pants. First off, I am somewhat pear shaped. So, sometimes I have to buy pants that are one size larger than the shirts that I buy. Secondly, I have issues with the color and style of most dress pants. I prefer dark colors since they go with more things, and they (somewhat) mask the size of my butt. Also, in my universe, all pants must have front pockets, preferably to the side, and deep enough to put your hands in. (Yes, I know this isn't a professional image. However, I like putting my hands my pockets at times. It relaxes me.)

So, my haul from yesterday's trip was four blouses and one pair of black dress pants. I already have a pair of dark gray dress pants with a muted turquoise pinstripe in them, along with several other dress shirts.

If this position works out, I suppose I'll be making friends with my neighborhood dry cleaner. Not only will my clothes clean up nicer, but they iron the wrinkles out of them. I'll probably take the time to research the dry cleaners in the area to identify one that has adopted the milder chemical process that is less harmful to the environment. Then I can do something good for the planet while I dress (albeit uncomfortably) for success.