The Lady in Red

Fashion has never been my strongest forte probably because I’m not the skinniest of girls. In fact, I’m very curvy. I have it all. The big boobs, the big bum, the big thighs, even my stomach isn’t exactly washboard. I have to admit, I’ve struggled with the way I look for years. It’s also probably down to having a weight issue all my life too. My mum’s side of the family are extremely thin framed, whereas my Dad’s side are fuller figured and the latter is where I fit in. I’ve lost weight, I’ve gained it. I’ve tried every diet going and probably joined every slimming club available in my town, but for some reason, I can never succeed with getting to a weight where I am happy, and until I do, I’m not sure I will ever be completely content with the way I look. People do compliment me, but for some reason, I don’t ever believe them. I always feel like they have to say it out of politeness. Where this stems from I don’t know, and I have considered seeking professional help to find out, and maybe I will in the future, but something quite extraordinary happened to me at the weekend which I feel I need to share.

I have been having a bad few months for various reasons and as a result, I have been left feeling quite down about myself. I decided to go to my local shopping centre one lunch time in search of a dress I had seen online but found myself buying two other items of clothing instead, one of which was a bright red laced shift dress. I didn’t try either of them on, mainly because it depresses me when I really like something only to find I look hideous in it, so I headed to the till and purchased them both before I had a chance to realise what I was doing. Before I knew it was I back at work forgetting about the impulsive buys I had just made.

Later that evening I got home and tried on the red dress and my initial thought was “I’ll take it back tomorrow”, but I then found myself walking into the lounge and asking my housemate what she thought and her reaction was lovely. A cheeky wolf whistle and a “sexy lady” remark made me feel quite good. She told me I should definitely keep it as did her friends who turned up at the same time as my fashion show began. Walking back to my bedroom to get changed, I felt a strange feeling of satisfaction over me. I looked in my full length mirror again and thought that maybe it didn’t look so bad after all. I even sent a photo of it to my sister to see what she thought and her immediate reaction was how lovely the colour was. I decided then I would keep the dress.

Saturday night arrived and we were getting ready to go to town. Hair was straightened, makeup was done (including bright red lippy), tights were on despite a minor mishap with buying the wrong denier that was quickly resolved thanks to my sister’s spare pair, and the dress was on with my black heels. I looked in the mirror again and for the first time in a long time, I felt good. No actually, I felt confident. I took a sip of my vodka and diet coke, grabbed my bag and was met with more wolf whistles and “sexy” remarks from my friends who were waiting for me.

When we arrived at the arranged cocktail bar to meet with more people, everyone commented on how good I looked and how much red suits me. I walked to the bar making eye contact with a few fit men I spotted on the way and bought myself a drink. As the night continued, I found I was getting a lot of compliments and a lot of men talking to me, something I would disregard and shy away from on previous nights out. I had one guy dance and serenade “The Lady in Red” to me and another even told me I looked “amazing”, which never happens to me. It was lovely, and I felt so special.

It’s been three days since that night out, and I am still getting text messages and comments from the photos posted onto my Facebook page about how beautiful I looked, and I have to say, it feels really good. I don’t know what happened to me that night, but there was obviously something about that red dress and lipstick that made me stand out, but also made me feel good about myself. I still have the big boobs, the big bum, the large thighs and the stomach, but none of that mattered to me for the first time in a long time. Red is obviously what has been missing in my life, and I can tell you now, I am going make sure it doesn’t disappear anytime soon.