A random list

I went to an operetta tonight. Thus, an excuse for dressing up, and a good outfit to boot! I usually feel sheepish dressing up, as I roll with a crowd that will ask me why I am so dressed up if I wear anything other than jeans. Tonight, I didn't care. I dressed up for Gilbert and Sullivan, dammit. And I bet they appreciated it.

So I have this adorable black wrap dress with a strange cream dot pattern-y thing going on. I never wear it because it is adorable due to it being the perfect cut for my body, and that is not a warm one. However, tonight I found that my one nice v-neck sweater (teal) looks really good with it, as do my favorite gray ribbed tights. That, my friends, is a lot of look for me. No jeans or anything. With red lips and new awesome dangly earrings. Adventurous, one might even call it. For me, at least.

The verdict:

I LOVE dressing up. I need more excuses to do it.

Thus, a random list of reasons and/or excuses to dress up:

for attending ANY musical event, of any caliber above, say, middle school level.

because my legs look about 8 miles long in gray ribbed tights.

for any performance I am personally in, because just because most of my band is retirees doesn't mean I have to dress like them (long story), AND because I am a part of the unsung minority of female tuba players and I'll be damned if I took up the tuba just to be ignored!

because I like the positive attention I get for making an effort. It's not just male attention, making the effort makes me feel positive about myself so I am more outgoing and it means I have a good time.

because the weather is good. Or bad. I can look sartorially splendid in a serious wool coat and dramatic scarf on a wet day. I can look good in a dramatic scarf ANY day. I am a scarf person and I need to share this with the world.

because I need to get out of the rut of feeling self-conscious just for dressing nice, nobody is making me wear a skirt instead of baggy cargo pants but they shouldn't care if I do.

for long walks by the river (yes, I live by the river, and it makes me feel like I should own a dog just so I could walk it there. Instead, I would like to dress picturesquely while strolling among the fallen leaves).

because it is totally not frivolous to feel that I am presenting myself positively and my appearance is part of that.

because my friends are mostly male and while it is good to be one of the guys, it doesn't have to mean I dress like one of the guys. I am not a guy. REALLY. I spent too many years in my childhood with bad haircuts being mistaken for a boy. I am over that. Not, as in, I have recovered, because I haven't. I am OVER it as in I am ready for it to not happen ever again.

because it is a little bit silly for me to read so many fashion blogs and not put a little bit of their advice into practice/because if such erudite and well-written ladies can be stylish while they do it, so can I! obligatory link to one of my current fave cosmopolitan (not like the magazine) and mildly fashion-y blogs here. There are so many smart and well-written blogs by fashionable women out there that I have no reason to feel silly for dressing up/taking some time over my appearance (also the list idea was from there too).

because all these silly prohibitions aren't being put on me by others. They are mine. And I don't want them. I walk out the door in a red skirt thinking, "is this too loud?" and people walking by will think, if anything, "that girl is wearing a red skirt". Not, "how dare she wear that skirt with those thighs!" And if they do, why do I care? I don't need a little Trinny or Susannah sitting in my head telling me what not to wear.

AND I need more reasons/excuses. Anyone? Anyone?

Also: