Que Linda

As you may have noted, Herself's self-esteem and self-perception have taken a bit of a beating of late.  It is rather difficult for her to come to terms with her rather short, plump, ordinary and middle-aged appearance, particularly in this age of pervasive media images of youthful, slender and voluptuous women.  She harbors (and tries to tackle) her exercise- and food-related issues.  She struggles. The mirror is not her friend.

Despite her self-consciousness, though, Herself dresses up for Halloween.  She does like to dress out of character on occasion, and Halloween is a perfect opportunity.  This year, she chose "1950s housewife."  She selected a polka-dotted dress fashionable for the time period, as well as a crinoline and festive apron.  She attended to all of the era-appropriate details:  dark lipstick, pearl necklace and earrings, garters and stockings with a seam up the back, and proper heels, which were actually rather high for her - somewhere over 3 inches. Fancy!

Herself was quite pleased with the outfit; she was sufficiently happy, in fact, that she mentioned it to her long-standing Acquaintance during a telephone conversation. Herself joked that Beloved Husband would hardly recognize her all dressed up so nicely.  Her acquaintance replied, "You'd better be careful.  He works in an office where women dress nicely and sexily every day."

:::sigh:::

Best for Herself not to think about how she compares to Other Women.  She can only be herself.

Herself put aside the comment, and donned her costume. It was fun. She enjoyed it.  She worried just a bit that she might have looked frumpy, foolish; but then, one of the small trick-or-treaters who had chirped a slightly Spanish-accented "thank you" as she received her lollipop, turned back to look at Herself again when she reached her mother at the sidewalk and commented aloud, "que linda."

We are firm believers that small children speak from the heart.

Thank you, tiny child.