Cross Country Fashion Consult

As I’ve already made well aware, I am not exactly a fashion guru.  You won’t find me flipping through the pages of Cosmopolitan in my free time.  My nails are rarely done and my idea of styling my hair involves taking the time to blow dry rather than air dry.

I wanted to look cute when Scott and I went on a date a few weeks ago.   I was so excited because my friend had just lent me some adorable maternity clothes so I didn’t really give my thought to my wardrobe till about 30 min before we were going to leave when I began to change.  Only to discover that those cute dresses were not going to fit over my very pregnant belly.

No problem, I’ll just wear that cute jean skirt she threw in there with a maternity top. 

Only that cute small jean skirt wasn’t looking so cute on my not so small hips. 

With 4 outfits discarded on the bed and Scott due to arrive home in 15 minutes, panic was starting to set in.   After all, I didn’t want to wear my sweats and my Indian tee to the Cheesecake Factory!!

I found a maternity dress that I thought would work but the problem was it had spaghetti straps and the weather outside was rainy and in the 50s…

Here is where my insecurity and lack of fashion sense creep in.  Can I just throw a cardigan over it and call it a day?  Is that cute or lame?

I don’t know.

And to be honest, I don’t think my husband would know either.

Thank goodness for technology.  I quickly texted my SIL in Texas and told her I was e-mailing her a pic and I desperately needed her fashion advice.    See Karen is my go to girl when it comes to fashion.  She has a good fashion sense about her, but not only that, she knows and gets me, so she doesn’t try to make me into something I am not.  She is my favorite person to go clothes shopping with because she will be honest and say, “No, Crystal, do not get that.”  (which I sometimes need)  And yet she helps me find things that are me, so I don’t feel like I come home with a closet full of clothes that aren’t really my taste. 

As the sister I never had, I knew I could trust her to tell me if this outfit was acceptable or if I needed to try, try again.

I attempted to snap a pic with my smart phone to e-mail to her…. But every pic was either of my head or my chest, neither of which would help her determine if I could wear that dress or if I could wear the dress with that sweater.

So, I asked my son to take a picture for me with my camera phone.   Seriously, what did we do before technology??

And I quickly sent out this S.O.S. from Annapolis to El Paso.

from: you

subject:  HELP!!!!

to Karen

Do I look like a whale?? Can I wear this sweater with this dress?? Be honest…I need help

I then texted her again to say, by the way, I know I need to blow dry my hair, just pay attention to the dress and sweater.

Within 10 minutes my phone was ringing and help had arrived.   Not only did she provide fashion consult… telling me the cardigan provides a slimming effect….but she was also super cute and encouraging… instilling confidence in the insecure girl who had a bed full of discarded, too small, inside out, clothes.  I know the dress isn’t the most flattering, but it was all I had and at least I had the confidence of knowing it wasn’t completely ridiculous.

Hooray for technology….it truly bridges the gaps and shortens the miles…providing the “across the hall” type fashion consults for sisters who are miles a part.