Of course I can lay my dress on the bed

NYE ball outfit - aged 22

In my early-mid 20's, when we had a big party or ball on, my friends and I would hang up our outfit or drape it on our beds along with our shoes, jewellery and bags and take photos - like the one here that I wore to a NYE ball.  It was just a bit of fun putting the whole outfit together and then seeing it hanging up in the lead up was exciting.  Everything was 'just right'. :)

Then I put on a stack of weight and had no clothes to choose from except for standard black uniform pants and top.  These were not clothes I would hang up and get excited about.  I hid them away because they depressed me.  Besides, they were probably clothes I wore day to day anyway so I was probably wearing them!  And over time, I forgot how it felt to be young and excited about dressing up.

Until this week baby!

Sewing floor

So I found my finale dress :)  Of course, in true Coco style, it was the first dress I tried on, and it still took me overnight to decide to actually buy it.  I am sometimes frustratingly indecisive.  I took the fact that I couldn't stop thinking about it as a good sign that this was the dress that I wanted. :)

Marilyn Monroe dress

I almost tried to make it.  I decided it would be a bad idea though.  I have done it before!  I worked in The Philippines when I was 23-24.  For our work Christmas party, we had a Hollywood theme.  I wanted to go as Marilyn Monroe.  I couldn't find any costumes over there, let alone a Marilyn dress, let alone one that wasn't in a petite Philippino size.  So I made one.  Now I seriously have no sewing bone in my body.  I hate it and I am bad at it and I still get my Mum to sew buttons for me.  But over there I had this semi idiotic idea that it would be easy for me to make a Marilyn dress.  I stood in front of a mirror with material wrapped around myself to work out the 'pattern'.  Then I spent many drunken nights lying on our loungeroom floor, tacking it together.  And I mean tacking - it was as messy and shocking as anything.  But I made it and then I won "Female Hollywood Superstar" of the night at the party. :)  The dress fell apart on the night but it looked good in photos earlier.  (Hang on, maybe that's why I won??) ;)  Then for my birthday over there I had a Barbie and Ken party.  Again - no such dresses to be found, so I made another dress for this, the creation being fuelled by many San Mig Lite beers very late at night.  That dress also fell down on the night.

Barbie dress

For finale I had an idea of an outfit I would like to have worn.  I thought back to my drunken Philippino tacking days...sure...I could do this....I even went to Spotlight and felt the material for this dream creation!  But I decided that this was not a night where I would like my dress to fall off - and the stress of making something that I had no idea how to make was not a good idea.  A tacked finale dress that could fall off was not such a brilliant plan.  Soooo- I decided to get the dress that I had first tried on. :)

Since then I have been trying to work out accessories and bag etc.  I'VE MISSED DOING THAT!  I haven't done that in ages.  For years it's been a last minute decision as to what I will wear to events.  And then it's been ultimately a decision between black....or black.  And I haven't cared about accessories.  Not because I don't care about accessories, but because I didn't care about myself.

The Triumph set I ordered!

I've been working out accessories for finale and I realised I was excited!  And I realised something else.  That I am SO not near goal weight and I am so big that literally I had one dress to choose from out of an entire shopping centre (this is only a slight exaggeration - really, there was one dress that looked ok - a couple that didn't look ok but fit, and a zillion others that didn't fit).  But the point is, I am not at that perfect point yet, or anywhere near it.  But I realised, that shouldn't mean stopping enjoying dressing up!  Why can't I dress up and get excited about an outfit?  Accessories are one size fits all - there's no Pretty Woman moments when it comes to necklaces...

And the other thing is, I did that pampering today that I mentioned.  And it was cool.  I tried doing it without feeling like I had worked for it.  Years ago I would have done all of this stuff in the lead up to an event and felt awesome.  Today I did it when I didn't feel like it and still felt awesome. :)  I had a good day.

Thanks 12WBT!

I won a $100 Triumph voucher through 12WBT so today I placed my order.  I wanted 'goal lingerie'.  I wanted it in red to match my ultimate goal Size 10 red dress, but they don't have stuff in red so I ordered pink.  The photo above is what I ordered.  And then I had enough $ to get some Triaction shorts!

Then I went to pick up my finale dress.  Then I went to use the vouchers that I got when I left my old beautiful job.  They gave me the most amazing presents which included a beauty treatment voucher and a manicure.  So I chose a pedicure because my feet were not in good shape, especially after being barefoot since the #princessaccident.  So that was really nice.  Then the manicure.  Then I went and got my hair cut.  3 years since I lost half of it, it is now even all over and it feels amazing.  My hairdresser who has been 'evening me out' for years and I had a little virtual high 5 that my hair is now ok.  It's still mega long - but it's back to normal. :)

Pedicure :)

And then tonight Mish answered my question on live chat!

Manicure :)

Tonight I've been working out accessories.  My dress is white....so I'm going 'dusty pink' accessories.  I have my bag and necklace...I just need to work out the rest.  Oh, and I have my shoes.  Well, shoe.  LOL.  I think it's funny now.  Not funny as in I am in pain and exercise is a stressor etc..  But I'm over the panic about it.  After I left hospital I calmed down and decided it's a 'first world problem' and I'm lucky I get to take the space boot off next week.

It's all ok again.  (And how cool is this photo?!)

I'll let you know how I get on.  And after I have everything worked out, I am taking a photo of my complete outfit hanging up or draped over my bed.  Just like when I was younger.  Why shouldn't I do it now? :)

My finale bag and necklace :)  The bag is actually pink but I like this Instagram lens ;)

Not exactly a glass slipper.  This is one of my finale shoes :)  I have no idea what to wear on the other foot....also this photo looks like I have no leg above the space boot :)