Fashion Fright Friday: Ginormous Sweatshirt Edition
13 Comments posted by Kristi on Friday, April 20, 2007 at 6:46 AM
Every since I was old enough to buy my own clothes, I've been inexplicably drawn to oversized sweatshirts. In pictures of me from junior high and high school, I'm almost always wearing a big sweatshirt (IOU-remember those hallmarks of the late 80s?-or Notre Dame were the designs of choice), along with a white turtleneck underneath.Somehow, I've never quite outgrown my penchant for them. And I've accumulated quite the collection.
Here's the thing though: I love them. I know they make me look like an Oompa Loompa. At slightly under 5'2, an XL sweatshirt hanging down to my knees isn't exactly the most flattering look. I know that if I actually bought one in my size, which to this day I've never done, I would have to buy a small. And I know that sweatshirts are likely meant for exactly that-sweating-and when I'm wearing one, I'm most definitely not doing that. Unless, of course, you count as "sweat-worthy" the exhausting effort of pulling a blanket up to my chin while sprawled out on the couch watching American Idol while eating Reeses Pieces.
I love my vast array of oversized sweatshirts because they're comfortable. When I'm doing laundry or hauling the babe in every direction, or sitting at my desk working, the last thing I want to experience is the tug of form-fitting clothing. I crave comfort like nobody's business, and while my XL sweatshirts are far from what one might consider haute couture, they ain't going anywhere. And this time I don't care what Stacy and Clinton have to say about it.
Update on my most recent post: Thank you to everyone who offered advice and comfort following my "on the edge" meltdown earlier this week. Your posts, along with conversations with friends, and some personal reflection on my part have led me to the conclusion that despite thinking otherwise, I cannot "do it all," as much as I want to, or think I should be capable of doing so. I need help to find that work-life balance, and I need it soon. I just have to spend some time figuring out how exactly to do it. Whether it's asking my relatives to come over more often (up until now, I've let them decide when to come over) or figuring out some way to alleviate the growing burden of my job, I have to make figuring out my life a priority, or my meltdowns are only going to become more frequent. In the short-term, however, mamacita is coming this weekend, sans #4, which means I should have a wonderfully easy weekend in the babycare department.
And I have also recently rediscovered the body- and mind-altering joys of caffeine, or half-caff, to be more specific. Since becoming pregnant, I've only had sips of caffeinated drinks here and there, not wanting to place my breastfed baby into such a wired state that she's up and dragging her bink along the slats of her crib at 3am, while waiting for me to come get her to start the day. But for the past two days, I've had two full-sized half-caff coffees, and sweet Jesus, the effect has been incredible. I feel like I've swallowed methamphetamine. I have energy again! I've not had to prop up my eyelids with toothpicks at 7pm for two whole days! Now I just have to hope Isabella isn't absorbing the caffeine, because I fear I've become readdicted to my drug of choice, and kicking the habit again won't be pretty.
Ok seriously--- the part about Isabella dragging her binky along the slats of her crib at 3 a.m. made me laugh hysterically!!!!!!!! That is too much!
And I hear ya on the oversized sweatshirt thing. I wear Mike's high school sweatshirt which literally comes down to my knees with my velour yoga pants. In fact, I was sporting this outfit yesterday!
And...do you know that we have received quite the honorable mention over at Growing A Life??? Our blogs were mentioned at the same time--- and she even said she thinks we're real life friends! :) THough it feels like we are, I let her know that we've never met. :)
I hear you on the caffeine thing. I, too, have been reluctant to chase that old dragon again (for the same reasons you mentioned). But I had a cup the other day after a bad night with the babe. And IT WAS NICE (I feel I must say that in caps because that was what it did for my life). If you wait until she naps and pump right before you drink the coffee and then give her the bottle when she wakes up, you can buy youself a few hours without breastfeeding. That is usually all the time your body needs to metabolize the caffeeine (or at least most of it). When I had coffee the other day, I did that and the wee one was not affected at all.
All hail the huge sweatshirt! The PERFECT piece to wear when bidding Sanjaya adieu (freakinfinally).
And hooray for your Mom visiting! Sans #4. Sounds like a perfect weekend to me.
And for life/balance.... you've got the team, all you have to do is call them to bat!
Half-caff didn't seemt bother my babe when I was breastfeeding. It did however save my sanity on more than one occassion and gave me that push I needed to keep going. I know all moms want to be supermoms and we all are in one way or another, but we CANNOT do it all and it is okay to ask for help. Every so often, make sure that you get some alone time to recharge yourself and you will be a better mom and wife. You are doing a great job, motherhood is not easy, but the reward is so worth it at the end of the day.
Ah the huge sweatshirt. How I loved them - in junior high and high school it was a maroon BC one. Then in the 90s it was Polo - I had eight of them - all three sizes too big. While my personal collection has been given to those less fortunate. I'm still holding onto and relishing in my pale orange XL men's Polo with tears in the cuffs (incidently it was my first ever credit card purchase back in the day - from Jordan Marsh). I did add one more to my bulging closet - I swiped a super large, super comfy green one from C - and more than a year and a half later he still hasn't asked for it back :-)
Oh the oversized sweatshirt. I wear all of Tony's, since I decided a couple of years ago that they weren't doing me any favors. But lord, comfortable!
Glad to hear that you're back on the caffeine. So long as you aren't mainlining crystal meth or snorting ritalin to get by, I would say you're just fine.
I do find it's easier to tackle life now that I've allowed caffeine to be a part of things. Which is sort of funny, since I never have been a "Don't-talk-to-me-until-I've-had-my-caffeine" sort of person. I'm glad that's working for you, and that you're brainstorming on other ways to make life a little easier. I think I started to comment on your previous entry and then had to tend to a complaining toddler, but what I was going to say (in addition to extending my deepest sympathies, because, man, I know where you're coming from) was that one of my favorite ways to recharge is to go to the one Starbucks drive-thru we have in the area at a time when I think MrMan will fall asleep in the 15 minutes it takes to get there. I order my beverage, park, and read a book. I escape. He sleeps. Win-win. I hope you have a drive-thru nearby. If not, I bet you could pull up and ask someone to run in for you and get the beverage of your choice. Just quietly point to the cutie in the backseat.
Don't forget the B.U.M. Equip sweatshirts. Those were gems.
And yay for you: Caffeine SAVES. It does. Welcome back to the fold.
You haven't been caffeinated during all this?? Good God woman, you are amazing! Well, I think your sanity needs some caffeine. It isn't the bad stuff we used to think it was (she said, rationalizing madly)
Do not get rid of the sweat shirts!!!! Stacy and Clinton wil have so much fun when you finally get accepted by the show, and they can make fun of you. And ask people for help with Isabella. If I lived near you I would love that. After-all, we are primates and your supposed to have a big group of fellow primates grooming you and taking care of your child while you take a snooze or a bath!
".....the last thing I want to experience is the tug of form-fitting clothing. I crave comfort ...."
ME TOO! Nowadays, I am an XL, so I have to buy XXL's to be confy!
I'm so glad your mom is coming for a visit, and without #4!
I can totally understand your love affair with the oversized sweatshirts. My favourite attire are Greg's XXL t-shirts.
M-Does Maddy do that yet? If not, she will!
Sasha- That's great! So far, so good on my end too. Going on a week of half-caff and so far, no reaction.
Marie-That boy stayed on all our tvs entirely too long.
Sunshine-Thanks. Yeah, that mistaken belief that I can do it all has totally gone out the window. Clearly, no one is capable of this.
Liz-They're awesome, aren't they? I wish I still had some of my old ones from high school.
Christine-I believe caffeine will remain my drug of choice...for now.
Shokufeh-ohhh... great idea. I think I might steal it!
Karrie-I'm very glad to be back to the land of the caffeinated.
Sher-You're so right. I need a live-in team of people to help me raise Isabella and maintain my sanity. :)
Kenju-Great minds think alike!
Ramona-They are the best, aren't they?
Well, sweats *are* really comfy!
I have reluctantly avoided caffeine for the same reason -- I want to avoid the possibility it will end up in my boy, who does *not* need any extra encouragement to stay awake!
;)