Smackdown Updates: Reunion Fashion & Bra Dilemmas
Photo by jenny downing (on the run)
Hooray for updates! A couple follow-ups on recent (ish) questions. Have you asked a question, or maybe just seen yourself reflected in a question, and happened upon The Perfect Solution? Send it in!
UPDATE ON: What to Wear: High School Reunion
Hi, Amy,
I asked you a question a couple of months ago that you so kindly answered about what to wear to my 20th reunion. I wanted to let you know that your advice was super-helpful, and so were the comments — particularly the self-tanner suggestion. I am now hooked on the Nivea one! It has a better smell than most of the others.
I didn’t get the Anthropologie dress but found this one in a similar style — V-neck, ruching at the waist, sleeveless, drapey skirt. It was black with white dots and I wore cute little red sandals and my favorite red necklace. Also, the dress was $35 on sale (yay, me). I shouldn’t have worried so much; everyone else was pretty casual, but I felt super-fantastic and don’t regret all the obsessing over what to wear! Best of all, I had a GREAT time at the reunion and am looking forward to the 30th. Except for the part where I’m ten years older.
I’m attaching a picture—not for posting!—it’s not great but you get the idea. My mom offered to take a pic before I left and I got all teenagery—“Moooooom, no!”—so this is the best one I’ve got. Thanks again for your help!
Sign me,
Reunions Aren’t That Bad
Houston, TX
Hooray! I’m glad it went well and you had a good time and that you were able to glean something vaguely useful from my ramblings. See…I’m so with you on the whole “I felt super-fantastic and don’t regret all the obsessing” thing. I always, ALWAYS prefer to show up a tad overdressed, or at least wearing something that I truly love and feel great in instead of “well, this is sort of like what I expect OTHER PEOPLE to be wearing.” You do that, and you blend in. Which is safe, I suppose, but personally my social anxiety gets worse the more I disappear into the wallpaper, silently wishing I’d just gone ahead and worn my favorite dress and High Heels Of Confidence.
And bonus, your obsessing has resulted in a perfect go-to, wear-anywhere dress that you’ll get waaaaay more than 35 dollars worth of wear out of.
(PS I covet your hair color. Please mail me some.)
UPDATE ON: Your Bra-Fitting Dilemmas: SOLVED!
Amy,
I wanted to share with you the success I’ve had after reading Nicole’s response to my ill-fitting bra issues in your column (“Your Bra-Fitting Dilemmas: SOLVED!”). Though answered MONTHS ago, there wasn’t a decent lingerie store anywhere near me in small-town Ohio. However, the parents? They live in northern Virginia. Lingerie stores galore. On my most recent trip home I found a store via Nicole’s suggested link and went in. The fitting? Not at all what I expected. One band measurement and a quick hand-to-cup measurement over my shirt and we were done. Then she brought me the bras. The glorious, perfect-fitting bras. All these years and I didn’t know bras could fit that well. I obviously knew they could fit better, but not like this! And my, did they make everything look better. So. Much. Better. And as recommended, I’ve now sworn off of Victoria’s Secret. Last I was measured they told me I was a 36C. I knew this was wrong so I went with 36D. Still very very wrong. My actual size? 34G. The bras were somewhat pricey so I could only afford one at the time, but my new promise to myself is that every time I’m visiting the parents (about twice a year) I will go back, make sure my size hasn’t changed and buy a new, well-fitting bra.
Thanks to you and Nicole!
M
Oh, this one is all Nicole, who I think totally rivals Oprah when it comes to bra-fitting dilemmas and the importance of a good, real, personal fitting. Now that you know your size, don’t forget to visit the websites Nicole recommended and keep an eye out for sales in your size and preferred brands and styles. Sign up for email newsletters to get notified of clearance deals. As happy as I am to hear of your success, you NEED MORE THAN ONE BRA. Your glorious and pricey bra is going to wear out quickly with too-frequent washing and wearing, so now that you’ve done the specialty boutique fitting, it IS okay to buy bras elsewhere when you find them within your budget. Just…not Victoria’s Secret, of course, but it sounds like you’re in perfect agreement there. Heh.
