A Tight Spot

My three favorite skirts are a little too tight.

You probably have something like them in your closet, too:  something that you chose when you were a little slimmer and have kept as the inches pushed you to the point that they won't zip properly anymore, but that you just hate to part with.

Why do we keep things like this?  Maybe we want to recall happier days past; perhaps it's a symbol of hope and a test to determine when those good days arrive again -- sometime when we're more motivated.

I was recently moved into motivation mode by my doctor's threat to prescribe medication.  As I have altered my diet and a few extra pounds have vanished, I have eagerly tried on my Christmas skirt -- and its closest friends -- and found that they zip!

But I can't wear them yet:  these skirts are long enough to keep my knees covered, even when I sit; the problem is that they are still too tight to be modest.  How do I know?  Here are some of the tests:

Are there horizontal pull marks across any part of the skirt?  (Horizontal pull lines and gaps at buttoned areas are dead giveaways that clothing is too small.)

Can I pinch at least an inch of extra fabric at the widest part of the hip line?  (A well-fitted article has about three inches of wearing ease.)

Would I worry that the seams (even if it's just the lining) could pull or even rip out if I sit?

Does the skirt cup under the tummy or the bummy?

Since the answer to one or more of these is Yes, I know I need to choose something different to wear, at least for a couple more weeks.



Photos from sxc.hu.  Used with permission of melodi2.