Perhaps clothes DO make a difference

I've always hated dressing up.  Most of my life I've simply worn T-shirts and jeans in cool weather, or t-shirts or tank tops with shorts in summer.  It's been my uniform.  I wore nothing but dresses when I was a child, because that's what little girls wore, and school required it until the year after I graduated (just my luck), at which time girls started wearing jeans to school.  I went through some of my mid-life years wearing dresses to church (partly because someone gave me a bunch of them), but the truth is I was never comfortable wearing dresses as an adult; I guess I was making some concessions to popular opinion at that particular church at that time, trying to fit in (that never works).  In these later years, I've worn jeans exclusively; many women wear them.  Some even wear shorts.  

I didn't wear T-shirts to church though; I'd watch the Walmart bargain racks and get a cheap blouse occasionally that was perhaps one step better than a t-shirt.  One of my favorite quotes is "Beware of all enterprises that require new clothes."  (Henry David Thoreau)

I have a Kohl's credit card, and a year or two ago when one of their huge sales was going on I decided to actually buy a couple of decent tops.  I think at that time I was between churches, so I didn't buy them for church.  My thinking was that we are going to be going to funerals at this stage of our lives (maybe our own), and it wouldn't hurt me to look a little better.

Now get this:  People who have known me for years began telling me, "You look nice," or they'd compliment me on the top I was wearing, one of two I'd purchased at the time.  I still had no makeup (and likely never will), and had tennis shoes on, but suddenly I looked "nice".  So I got to the point where I'd put on a blouse or other nice top just to go to the grocery store.   

I decided I may as well have a larger selection of tops.  When Kohl's puts clothing on sale it's usually at a good price, and then if you have a charge card and get one of those thirty-percent discounts in addition, you can make a haul.  So each time they gave me a 30% discount I'd buy something.  I didn't spend a lot at a time, and as is our custom, of course, I paid each bill in full when it came due.  

So now if we happen to go to a concert... that happens twice a year at most, on average... I browse through my new tops and feel pretty good about myself.  I've spent my money wisely.  I know this because I'll be waiting in line at a rest room and some stranger will say, "I love your top!"

Really?  I must have better taste than I thought.  Just today, when we were at the license bureau, as I got out of the car a lady said, "Oh, I like your top!"  

It isn't a fancy one at all, and I found it peculiar, once again, that strangers walk around complimenting me on my choice of clothing.  I could sort of understand folks who've known me for a long time saying something complimentary, simply because it's a departure from what has been my normal garb; but strangers on the street?   It boggles the mind.  

Anyway.  I do have a nice variety of tops to wear; I just took a count:  Ten!  I have ten decent tops!  And usually the only place I wear them is to church or to Walmart, so they ought to last awhile.  

When I sat down here at the computer, it was to blog about my current adventures with Gabe-the-dog, but clothing came to mind, so that's what you get.  If nothing earth-shaking happens between now and tomorrow, I'll ramble about my dog in the next entry.

Sincerely,
Donna