What I bought--and what I returned

Banana Republic's tailored non-iron sateen shirt 

I know I sound like a shopaholic these days, but there's a good reason for it. I really need new clothes.

Since June, I've been working out with a trainer at least twice a week. The rest of the time, I've been on the elliptical. Or doing Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. Or running. (OK, that last? Twice. But it counts.)

I've also been tracking my food. (More or less-ish. I've been tracking the same foods for so long, I kind of have a good idea of how much I'm eating.) And I'm weighing myself at least once a week, so I'll know if the weight loss stops or reverses itself.

I'm now at 172 pounds, which is less than I weighed the last time I wasted the internet's time by blogging about weight loss. And my clothes have gotten too big. So I've really needed to buy new stuff.

The thing is, I'm nine years older than I was the last time I weighed this much, and I've ... how should I put this delicately, in case my daughter's classmates are still reading my blog ... forded the Red Sea.

Oh, yeah. THAT was subtle.

Anyway, what with my plunging levels of female hormones, I'm afraid I've developed something of a menopot.

Actually, my problem is more midriff bulge. Which is not something I had bothered my pretty little head about much, until I tried to button the new shirts I ordered from Banana Republic and discovered that while they fit well over the balcony, below that, I was asking an awful lot out of the Spandex.

Nobody talks about midriff bulge any more, but when you're as old as I am, you know that muffin top is nothing new. I remember seeing ads for Playtex Long Line 18 hour bras when I was a kid.



Not to disrespect Jane, because heaven knows, she rocked in Gentleman Prefer Blondes,  but I don't want to wear a longline bra.

But I'll need to wear one if I'm going to be able to button Banana Republic's Stretch Shirt of Evil.

I might even need to wear two.

It's just as evil in navy blue.

P.S. I've decided it's time to bore the internet again with my thoughts on fitness, diet, and My Waistline: Gone, Or Just Forgotten?

So I've agreed to blog about it every day for the month of November, for a second crack at NaBloPoMo.

---
Elsewhere:

See Pamela Peeke, M.D.'s article here if you want a quick guide to menopots, how we get them and how to get rid of them.

On LiveStrong: How do I lose midriff weight?

On Women's Health: The Five Rules of Flat Abs (an annoying slide show, but with good info.)

Trip report: England; Day 3; Westminster Abbey and the London Eye

Again, I'll just say what I wore and what we did, although I have no pictures, because I have to use my husband's laptop. There will be photographic evidence aplenty after I arrive in Canterbury tomorrow.

I wore

• white Banana Republic scoop neck t-shirt with satin trim at the neckline
• periwinkle blue BR boyfriend cardigan
• Not Your Daughter's Jeans, medium rinse, bootcut
• black Chanel Cambon flats
• black Chanel Cambon wallet-on-a-chain
• travel guides, umbrella, bottles of water, etc., in the Coach Poppy tote
• black Nordstrom rain anorak

This worked out perfectly for a day of walking. And I'm so very glad I brought the umbrella!

We got started bright and early to make the morning Eucharist at Westminster Abbey. Luckily for us we made good time, because we had to change routes due to the rioting that took place in North London yesterday.

Our new route took us further west, so we drove by Hyde Park, Chelsea, and Sloane Square. The sight of all the shops didn't evoke moans of longing from me. But it was a close thing.

I felt a little underdressed for church ... until I saw the rest of the congregation.

Westminster Abbey

I'm hardly an expert on English cathedrals, having been inside a total of five, plus one in Wales ... but frankly, Westminster Abbey benefits greatly from the masses of history in which it is steeped. Because parts of it look like an English cathedral (with a soaring nave and a positively exquisite ceiling) that has become an antique store specializing in Victorian statues. There is a lot of pompous marble around, and it's trying very hard to be poignant.


But then you start reading the plaques and seriously, it's a name-drop-athon of notables. And that's not to mention various Coronations and the very recent Royal Wedding.

After church, we went across the street to the Methodist Great Hall to use the restrooms in their basement, and yes, I am aware that worshipping in one church only to run into the competition to use their bathrooms looks tacky.

We made up for it by eating lunch in their cafe. It was pretty good--and cheap! The Methodists have gone in one day, from being my liturgical first cousins once removed to my favorite branch of Protestantism. Way to go, Methodists! 

The London Eye

Then we walked by Parliament and Big Ben and over Westminster Bridge. It started mizzling, but we forged on. I come from New England, and we like to think we're even hardier than people from Old England. What's a little rain? Pffft!

Of course, then it poured.

We decided to abandon our original plan of heading to Camden Locks Market and hunker down in the vicinity. We also decided that with the rain and clouds and whatnot, the lines for the Eye would be shorter than usual, because the visibility would be so bad that the entire experience would be kind of lame.

As you will shortly see, we were absolutely right.

Here's the deal with the London Eye; it's only impressive if you live somewhere with no skyscrapers. Unfortunately, I live in the epicenter of skyscraperdom. The Sears Tower and the John Hancock building are both taller than the Eye and afford more dramatic views. I can also state that the Empire State Building, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Montmartre, Coit Tower in San Francisco, and the outdoor restaurant at the Forum Hotel in Rome have better views than you'll get from the London Eye.

Especially if, like the Buxom party, you have just climbed to the top of St. Paul's Cathedral. If you've done that, you've already seen the view. So don't fall for the Yelp reviews and don't listen to your teenagers; skip it. It's lame. And overpriced.

The London Film Museum

When we got off the Eye, it was raining again, so for me to decide which of the tourist attractions in the immediate vicinity was the most compelling was the work of an instant. The London Film Museum won because the Museum of the Moving Image closed before I got a chance to see it; I'm a film geek; I had teenagers with me, and it was still raining.

It's actually a fun museum in a large, rambling, repurposed space. They have props, costumes, clips, scripts, and hands-on attractions. Also a few places to sit. And completely ridiculous photo ops. Which you'll see soon enough.

And then we walked the long walk in now sunny London to head back to the hotel for dinner. My feet appreciated the change out of the Prada loafers but would really like a nice long soak in the hotel sink.

Verdict: my outfit, while a bit casual for Sunday morning services, was perfect for splashing through puddles, gawking at monuments, judging Victorian tomb sculptures, feeling a new empathy for the Parisians who thought the Eiffel tower was a blot on the landscape, posing for pictures with R2D2, and warming up to Methodism.

Trip report: England; Day 1

Thanks for the good travel wishes! We arrived safely in London and have already toured our first historical site. More about Hatfield House when I've managed to email my cell phone pictures to myself.

What I really wanted to report on was the success of my travel outfit. I had a brainstorm when I was packing when I realized that some of the clothes I was bringing to wear as a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral would also be great to wear on the plane and during our first stately home visit.

No one would play along and take a picture of me, but my husband and daughter both complimented me on what I was wearing. My daughter said I didn't look like I was going to be traveling, which given the state of modern travel, is high praise.

Inspired by MaiTai's recent posts on visiting New York, this is what I was wearing:

a gray Banana Republic crew-neck t-shirt with silk trim banded at the neckline
 in case I spilled something on myself on the plane

black Eileen Fisher pants
 with their elastic waist and knit fabric, they're almost as comfortable as sweats--perfect for sleeping on the plane

thin black cashmere Leila Rose cardigan
in case the plane was chilly. And it was.
 
black Chanel Cambon ballet slippers
as comfortable as slippers and just a little dressy, with the patent leather CCs

black Chanel Cambon wallet-on-a-chain
I bought this last spring for this trip because a WOC is so perfect for travel. I could carry my money, passport, boarding pass, pen, lipgloss, gum, and a comb and know that my pocket won't be picked and I won't lose anything. It might be a little matchy-matchy with the shoes, but hey, I'll risk being too pulled together any day.

black and white Hermes Bolduc silk jersey scarf, folded on the bias and double knotted off to the side
This was to add a little pattern and texture to a very plain outfit. And a scarf can help keep you warm (although I had to take it off during our tour of Hatfield House, where, due to the fact that I had nowhere else to put it, I knotted it onto the handle of my WOC. How very Babe Paley of me.)

I only managed to sleep for a little while on the plane, and so,

as dear Samuel Pepys would put it,

to bed.

Overheard in the dressing room at Banana Republic

Ball park hot dogs, here I come!

It's genius. I may never have to sweep the floor again!

Do these pants make my feet look big?

Would you look at that? I have hips!

OK, those people who tell you that you can combine anything,
as long as you look really happy and confident? Clearly wrong.

30 Days to 10 years younger--10 minute tips. Tip 21: Back out of black

Black is chic; black is slimming; black goes everywhere; black goes with everything. But let me tell you something; you don't look as good in black as you think you do.

Think about it. Black washes everyone out. It makes them look sad. That's why it's the traditional color for mourning. It makes you look so terrible that even if you aren't all that upset at the death of your mother-in-law, you can put on a good show. Who wears black clothes and no makeup? Nuns. The rest of us have to wear a full face of spackle to overcome the effect of the black.

There are colors out there that flatter your complexion a hundred times more than black does. Like the lights on a skincare infomercial, they cast a flattering glow at your face. When you wear the right colors, you can wear less makeup. Maybe you don't need to wear any makeup at all.

Figure out what your best colors are and wear them. A lot. If you don't know what your best colors are, ask. And pay attention when people pay you compliments. Example? I went to a party wearing a pale green silk suit the color of Boston lettuce. It had a fitted satin jacket and a chiffon skirt with car wash panels. My friend Ann told me "You should never wear any other color. Ever." Well, talk about a wake-up call. If I thought I could get away with it, I'd paint my entire house that color. (And I'm definitely going to make sure my coffin is lined in it. Might as well make the undertaker's job a little easier.)

OK, here's is one instance where a picture is worth a thousand words. Look what came home with me yesterday:

Aren't those colors amazing?

Let me break this down into its component parts. This is

a pale green Banana Republic cardigan


and two Banana Republic luxe tank tops, one green, one turquoise blue

the pale green Banana Republic ombré scarf I admired in an earlier post

and my favorite--a metallic tie-dye scarf from Express in shades of green, turquoise, and purple.

I feel like I brought home the best bits of a Crayola box. And the effect of them together is amazing. I can't wait to wear these pieces.

Are you ready to make friends with color?