I Got My Own Back

While you may be fortunate enough to have friends and family available to you when you need them, at the end of the day you really have only yourself to rely on. That realization always makes me a little sad, but…it’s true. It doesn’t mean people don’t love you or care about you or want to help you, but people have their own stuff. When and if they can help you, they will. But sometimes they can’t…and then it’s on you.

 

I have a friend who recently said to me, “don’t expect me to rescue you.” I was a little taken aback because I have certainly never asked him to rescue me…or anyone for that matter. Well, maybe when I was younger. I do come from a generation when women still expected to get married and be supported, more or less, by a husband. For better or worse, that’s the way it was at the time – I was just on the cusp of that changing, but…when I was young I did have that expectation. But it has been a lonnnggg time since I’ve expected to be “rescued.” I expect to be taking care of myself til the day I die.

This is not to say that I don’t appreciate help. I like to say “someone in the boat with me.” Sharing the load of rowing. Sometimes my arms get tired and it’s nice for someone to take over for a bit. But if they fall overboard and get eaten by sharks (heh heh), I’ll just row alone. I am woman, see me row.

And what on earth does all that have to do with today’s post? Well, I’m still without a photographer. Ha. And I was panicking that I posted no outfit post last week and I didn’t want to repeat that this week, so…I got up at the crackadawn on Saturday and me and the tripod went down to a little nearby beach (where I hoped I’d have no witnesses!) to shoot. One hour, 200 shots, less than ten usable. Not a great ratio. BUT…I managed.

I call this my Carolyn of Un-Fancy sweater. It seems like in every outfit she has this chestnut brown color in something and I have coveted it for sometime…and searched high and low for something in this color. I finally found this poncho sweater on Ellos.com…and it was back-ordered. I’m usually too impatient for that sort of thing but I was so in love with this color that I ordered. And waited. And waited. And finally it arrived…in all its chestnut glory, exactly the shade I’ve been dreaming of.

In all honesty it’s a little big. Ellos is a sister to Woman Within, my “everything is too big” nemesis, ha. That sizing, combined with the fact that it’s totally open on the side (a fact that, despite it being called a poncho sweater, was lost on me when placing my order. I was blinded by the color), makes it quite voluminous. Even on me. It’s a little like wearing a blanket with sleeves. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. Anyway, I’d waited so long to get this one, I was certainly not sending it back and starting all over.

So I love it. The color, the lightweight, stretchy cushy knit, the color, the open sides, did I mention the color? I think this color will go with everything. Blue denim, black, grey, white. All the denims. It does need to be worn over something (have I mentioned the open sides?), so here I have it over a black cami, but you could put it over a turtleneck or a collared denim shirt, etc.

I’ve wanted to order from Ellos.com for a long time. They have Woman Within prices and plus-size sizing with a Scandinavian style aesthetic. A good combo. I will definitely be ordering from there again. Look, another first (a la my new year’s resolution)!

So. I did my own shoot. I finally got chestnut brown into my wardrobe. I DON’T NEED NO STINKIN’ RESCUING!!!

Bye now!

What I’m Wearing

• Chestnut brown poncho pullover from Ellos.com. Size 22/24.
• Black plus size Refuge high rise skinny jeans from CharlotteRusse. Size 22.
• Adidas Cloudfoam trainers from DSW. No longer in stock. Similar-ish here.

I’m linking up today with the lovely Catherine for her #IWillWearWhatILike linkup party. Be sure to check out all the other bloggers who have linked up on her page…Not Dressed as Lamb.