What Am I?

Despite the title, I'm not sure I want an answer. You see, it all started when I began looking at dresses online to wear to Son#2's wedding. I know I have several months to go yet but buying clothes is something that stresses me out immensely, so I decided to start early.

I found a dress I liked. In fact, I found a few. Contrary to my usual habit, I decided to read the small print - that is, the length of the dress. One forty five centimetres. That's shorter than me, which is a good start - or so I thought until I did a few quick calculations and realised that I'd have to wear 20cm (8") heels unless I wanted to be tripping over the hem.

Cross that one off the list.

Next choice: a dress just below the knee. Even if it fell half-way down my shin it would still be okay. Again I read the small print and did the calculations. No go! This dress that was designed to fall just below the knee on the average person was still going to wipe the floor on me. Surely there must be some mistake!

Unwisely I shared these observations with my family who thought my descriptions were hilarious. They cannot understand how buying a dress can be such a frightening experience.

Worse was to come. After reading this guest post and doing the quiz here I learnt to my horror that my 'colour' is Autumn. Why horror? Because of this:

Your natural coloring is fiery, earthy, golden and natural. The Autumn palette is easy to remember if you think about a beautiful Autumn landscape. You can wear both muted and rich, warm colors like the autumn foliage or exotic spice colors.

You receive compliments in shades of the autumn season: moss, rust, terracotta.


Sorry, but when I wear those colours people ask me if I'm sick! But if I wear blue or red just watch the compliments roll in! And apparently I "can't" wear true white but instead should choose oyster and ecru instead. Strange. I always think I look my best in pure white.

So now I'm confused. Firstly because I'm either the shortest woman on earth who ever tried to buy a dress online (does this mean that I'm petite? I love that word 'petite' but I've never used it to label myself because I've always thought I was too 'round' to be truly petite) and secondly because every item of clothing in my wardrobe (except for that moss green jumper which I hate and which makes me look like I'm suffering from some awful disease) is the wrong colour for me!

Comments

Noel said…
this truly is surprising to me, the pictures of your long hair make you look so tall! Good luck on the hunt for a dress, that's a tough one. Do you sew???
Daisy said…
Hey Jules ... how tall are you? For some reason I never thought of how tall you were. I guess I just assumed you were as tall as me. :) Good luck finding a dress. I know it can be stressful, I hate looking for things too. It's hard to find what you want sometimes. You're smart to begin looking now. I find I usually have to try on clothes, I wish I could order on-line like you. By the way, I say wear what colors look good on you. I'm finding that brown of all colors looks nice on me!
java girl said…
Oh Jules...

That just made me smile!! I'm TALL so my struggles are a bit different, like high water looking different! But I share the pain....

On color charts, well I can't remember what "they" say I am. I will have to go give this a try and see what I find out about myself and see if I know what I should be wearing :O)
SchnauzerMom said…
The best way to determine the best colors is to try them on. If they make you look sick then they're not for you.
Jules said…
Noel and Daisy, I've been told before that I look tall - by people who see me in real life - so I think it must be all that hair that gives the illusion of more height (funny because the books I've read tell short people not to wear long hair because it's too 'overpowering').

Moment of truth: I'm 157cm or 5'1.5" (that half inch is very important).

Simplebeauty and SM, since the quiz was only based on hair colour and not skin tones at all I don't really place much stock in it. But I thought it was funny that every colour I avoid wearing I was told to wear!
Unknown said…
I always thought you were tall! Like Daisy, I always thought you were as tall as me (I'm 5'6"). It has taken me years to figure out what colors look best on me. My Mom had this book on how to figure out your season. It was the most confusing book! According to the book, I was a "summer". Well, summers are cool tones, and I look horrible in cool tones! I finally just started trying stuff on, and if the color looked good on me then I would get it. I figured out that I look better in warm tones. So I think those books (or quizes) can be way off!
Jules said…
I've just rechecked my height because I was out somewhere last night and some ladies I was talking to wouldn't believe that I was shorter than them at 5'3". I told DH and he asked me if I was sure of my measurements so I rechecked. Turns out I could be slightly taller than I thought - at least when it comes to feet and inches. Still 157cm but that translates to 5'2". Still not particularly tall.
busymomof10 said…
Jules,

I used to have a color analysis business -- many years ago! One thing I used in addition to draping the client with different colors of fabric was to ask her which colors she was naturally drawn to, which ones she felt good in, and which ones she received compliments in. That is the whole reason for learning your season -- to discern which colors naturally bring out your best. If sounds to me like you are not an Autumn, and just guessing from the other side of the world and a few blog pictures, I would suspect you were a winter with olive skin tone. Maybe you should do a little more research on this season thing! ;)

As far as your dress size, you probably are a petite. I think under 5'4" qualifies one as a petite, and a lot depends on your torso length, or so I've been told. I hope you can find just the right dress -- in the right length and in the Right Color!

blessings,
Elizabeth
Jules said…
Hi Elizabeth, thanks for your input. From just looking at the different colours for the seasons I'm drawn more to the winter colours than any other season. And yes I do have olive skin tones which seem to clash with every Autumn colour. As I get older I've noticed that I can't get away with wearing colours that aren't really me - that's why I did the quiz: to find out what will make me look my best now. However since I can't seem to find a dress that fits it probably doesn't matter anyway! lol