Personal Shoppers and Psyches: A Day in the Life Sunday

Years ago, I worked with an image consultant who was tasked with transitioning me <and my closet> from 10 years of camouflage and yoga pants to my new corporate gig in . . .  in 8 hours or less.

Think personal shopper, complete overhaul and a single woman with too much disposable income.  

We started bright and early and purposefully made our way through a small selection of boutiques, designer stores and fashion enclaves in Philadelphia <that would be hard to find for a person less connected> building my new wardrobe. She loved her job and her energy was contagious.

With a smile on my face and my credit card in hand, we didn't stop until I had a new haircut, new glasses and a closet full of new clothes. Think personal colors, designer eye wear and Max Mara.

It was fun.

There's nothing like waking up to a closet full of clothes you love to wear, knowing how make better decisions when shopping and dressing and best of all, feeling more confident and comfortable in your own skin.

Flash forward to today where you find me in the gym locker room utterly annoyed:

Me: This shirt is too freaking big and it won't . . stay. . in. . .my. . pants when I move!

Friend: Don't think of it as big, think of it as . . . blousy, yes, blousy. That's the style these days, you know.

The thing is, I tried the shirt on before I bought it. What size do I think I am anyway? How did I get out of the store with this shirt, in this size and - here's the kicker - with 2 more like it?

As I wake up today with a closet full of nothing to wear, underwhelmed by my clothing choices and lack of shopping savvy and feeling generally blah <and old>, I know that, without a doubt, I want my power and my image consultant (who BTW now provides impression and relationship management programs to businesses) back.

Knowing the shopping spree of long ago is not happening today and short of taking out a second mortgage on the house, how do I reenergize my closet and my psyche?

Do tell, what's worked for you?

Photo credit iStockphoto

Deck Pass: A Day in the Life Sunday

The kid has discovered her passion - swimming.

She has competed in 2 swim meets since joining a swim club in December. After spending about 10 hours of sitting knee-to-back on hard metal bleachers, observing usually quiet moms screaming at the tops of their lungs <it's always the quiet ones> and being enveloped in air too warm for comfort I have one thing to say:

She absolutely has to continue.

She has to continue not because my pride overflows each time I see her quell her fears, step on the starting block and channel her years of swimming in the river into a smooth, solid stroke to compete with a handshake and a smile.

She has to continue not because it is a life long sport, because this is where friendships are made, or because she is growing stronger, sleeker and faster with each practice.

She has to continue because my new found identity as a swim mom is firmly attached to it.

Hanging with the other parents, cheering the kids on down the lanes <faster, faster, breathe, smooth turn, way to go!> and comparing individual times against standards at the final stretch of each race, I am getting my swim on.

For this group of parents, it's about each kid doing their best and getting better. No intimidating jeers only roof-raising cheers and encouragement.

And, swim moms have apps, too. Want to maintain your kid's races and times at your fingertips for all eternity? Turns out there's a USA Swimming Deck Pass app for that.

My daughter is much stronger across the board than I ever was at her age. How lucky am I to get to enjoy each and every day with this beautiful little girl I am blessed to have as my daughter.

All that aside, in my 2-meet swim mom opinion, she could turn those arms over just a little faster.

Photo credit iStockphoto