2/25/09 Smoke and Mirrors

I’m always amazed by what I start off thinking I’m going to write and then what I end up writing about here. It’s the thing I like best about blogging…not only do you get your feelings/questions out, but it’s often a total surprise. Today was no exception. I started off wanting to explore something that came up in my last blog…the fact that at the same time I hate to look at my current self in the mirror, I don’t feel fat…in my head…and how could I still be constantly surprised by photos of me? ‘Nuff said about that!!! As I went looking for a photo of a fun house mirror (to illustrate my body dysmorphic disorder...or maybe it’s just my split personalities) I found this out:

DRESSING ROOMS AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE ‘SKINNY’ MIRRORS!!! Oh yes!! They’re scamming us!!! I finally am having a good day clothes shopping! I look like a size 16 in my size 22 jeans at the store, so as I’m skipping happily around the dressing room I decide to buy 3 pair, and come home to find my size 22 butt looks like an elephant wearing dolls clothes.

Here’s how they do it…tip a mirror forward and you look short and fat, tip it backward (even slightly) and you look taller and thinner. And to make it worse, some stores even use slightly curved mirrors…oh yea, just like the FUN HOUSE ones! It’s all an illusion…it’s a house of mirrors!! Is it illegal…no…they make no promises that you’ll look the same at home as you do in their dressing room.

I’m sure I’m the last one on Earth to find this out. As I found article upon article upon this I was finding an increased hatred of dressing rooms. Remember my ‘love’ of dressing rooms anyway (one word…sportsbra…or maybe that’s two words); then I also found the results of a study on women and dressing rooms:
64 percent said trying on clothes in public lowers their self confidence
10 percent have cried in dressing rooms about the way they look
40 percent of the women have bought something that was too small, hoping it would look good once they lost weight
14 percent of the women have refused sales help so they wouldn't have to reveal their size
41 percent have started working out after a shopping trip
and the best one of all…
15 percent have accidentally ripped or gotten stuck in a garment that was too small
I’m just glad I’m not alone…and I’m staying OUT of dressing rooms for awhile…at least until I KNOW I’m skinnier…I have enough body distortion issues.