2/25/09 Smoke and Mirrors

I’m always amazed by what I start off thinking I’m going to write and then what I end up writing about here. It’s the thing I like best about blogging…not only do you get your feelings/questions out, but it’s often a total surprise. Today was no exception. I started off wanting to explore something that came up in my last blog…the fact that at the same time I hate to look at my current self in the mirror, I don’t feel fat…in my head…and how could I still be constantly surprised by photos of me? ‘Nuff said about that!!! As I went looking for a photo of a fun house mirror (to illustrate my body dysmorphic disorder...or maybe it’s just my split personalities) I found this out:

DRESSING ROOMS AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE ‘SKINNY’ MIRRORS!!! Oh yes!! They’re scamming us!!! I finally am having a good day clothes shopping! I look like a size 16 in my size 22 jeans at the store, so as I’m skipping happily around the dressing room I decide to buy 3 pair, and come home to find my size 22 butt looks like an elephant wearing dolls clothes.

Here’s how they do it…tip a mirror forward and you look short and fat, tip it backward (even slightly) and you look taller and thinner. And to make it worse, some stores even use slightly curved mirrors…oh yea, just like the FUN HOUSE ones! It’s all an illusion…it’s a house of mirrors!! Is it illegal…no…they make no promises that you’ll look the same at home as you do in their dressing room.

I’m sure I’m the last one on Earth to find this out. As I found article upon article upon this I was finding an increased hatred of dressing rooms. Remember my ‘love’ of dressing rooms anyway (one word…sportsbra…or maybe that’s two words); then I also found the results of a study on women and dressing rooms:

• 64 percent said trying on clothes in public lowers their self confidence
  
• 10 percent have cried in dressing rooms about the way they look
  
• 40 percent of the women have bought something that was too small, hoping it would look good once they lost weight
  
• 14 percent of the women have refused sales help so they wouldn't have to reveal their size
  
• 41 percent have started working out after a shopping trip
  

and the best one of all…

• 15 percent have accidentally ripped or gotten stuck in a garment that was too small
  

I’m just glad I’m not alone…and I’m staying OUT of dressing rooms for awhile…at least until I KNOW I’m skinnier…I have enough body distortion issues.

I'm not surprised at all by this. I know I've bought clothes, taken them home to find out they don't fit, and then made the trip back for a return -- all because I won't use their dressing rooms.

I'll have to lose another fifty pounds before I'll consider re-evaluating my masochism enough to use a store dressing room.

I know this blog is long past but I can't help but piping in on this one.

My grandmother worked in the fashion industry and in that industry it is known that there are things you can do to work around this. It's true whether skinny or not.

First of all, try on the clothes and before looking in the mirror YOU decide if YOU feel comfortable. Comfort needs to be key - of course, when skinny, it's easier to be comfortable in the "styled" clothing. Sit down, stand up, bend your arms, flex your arms - all that stuff your mom had you do when you were a little kid - it is still meaningful through the years.

If YOU have decided YOU are comfortable - then look in the mirror. Do NOT, however, look at yourself but rather look at how the blouse hangs on your frame, how the dress hangs or where the jeans or slacks fall. If a blouse is too blousy - now you know. If jeans are too short - now you know.

Finally - look in the mirror again but only at your face. Are the colors and styles flattering to your face?

You can use dressing room mirrors as aids with these keys. But remember - they also adjust the lights in dressing rooms to also make things look better than they really might be.