Whee!! I hit a new low on the scale today . . . this makes my total weight loss since last September somewhere in the 25-pound range, and although I have at least as many to go, I've hit the point where I can stand to look at myself in the mirror once more. Yippee!

And so, with School Impending, I've spent the morning going through my closet, seeing what fits and what doesn't. This has been really fun because there are many items that have once again entered my repertoire. Sadly, I got rid of a lot of items a few years ago, thinking that I'd either never [a] be able or [b] have occasion to wear them, but there are some gems left. I completely forgot about that red Jacobson's blazer, for instance. Needs a button and a dry-clean, but there's plenty of time for that. And I have two summer dresses that I absolutely love that I can now wear. And I'm sitting here in my favorite short skirt, which is at the top edge of wearable . . . it'll fit better five or ten pounds from now, but it's still looking pretty good . . . And my Dissertation Defense Dress fits again! Hurrah!! Now I have to find an occasion to wear it . . . few occasions are formal enough. And I am trying really hard not to rush out (or online) and buy a bunch of things . . . but Second Time Around is beckoning, and I'll be in the vicinity with time on my hands in a matter of a few short days . . .

Now that I have choices in the matter, I have to think about how to clothe my Classroom Persona . . . It's such a tricky enterprise if you're female. The male professors I most liked (and whose lives I most wanted to emulate) routinely showed up to class in jeans and t-shirts. That's mostly what my male colleagues wear now; heck, Rob even wears shorts. But if I did that, I would get no respect whatsoever. Or, possibly more accurately, I could get respect, but I'd have to work twice as hard to earn it.

So I have to dress somewhat professionally. But I can't dress like a secretary (ie, frilly dresses or skirts and tops but no blazer) because of that respect thing. And I can't dress in a manner that's too sexy, for obvious reasons. And I can't dress in a manner that's not sexy enough, either, because then I'm back to that respect thing.

For someone who would prefer not to think about clothes at all, it gets to be a bit overwhelming . . . Better to stay in the zone where it's fun to try things on - and if I get really overwhelmed, I can console myself with a purchase or two . . . :)