But the trauma doesn't end there. Next began the quest for formal dancing shoes….truly a whole other saga. Stiletto heels are sexy. And painful. As a one hundred pound ballerina used to dancing on my toes in my youth, I used to find walking around on the balls of my feet uncomfortable. As a two hundred pound adult, it proves excruciating. Even with foot gel inserts, dancing in heels all night becomes more like enduring a marathon for me. Ultimately, I settled for crystal studded, rose metallic leather, three inch heeled sandals in hopes of wearing them again after breaking them in. Yes, they hurt my feet. Yes, I danced barefoot for awhile. Yes, I wore them for several years, anyway. Was I acceptably dressed for the occasion? Yes. Did I feel sexy? Not even close. Did anyone but me care or even notice? Probably not, we were all too busy throwing down and making memories.
Despite the ever expanding choices that storefront and online retailers now offer, weighing sixty pounds less and curing the chronic arm rash by eliminating grains certainly opened up more options the next year for a suitable outfit. Those epically frustrating shopping experiences have opened my eyes and left me with much empathy for women who wear larger sizes. I want to buy into the marketing slogans about ‘big is beautiful’, and ‘fifty is the new forty’, so why don't ready to wear clothing lines reflect these truths? Retailers, please offer more appropriate designs for full figured and middle aged women because we want to be fashionable, look sexy, and still feel confident!