Empire Waist Dresses are Wonderful
Not too long ago I discovered the style and comfort of the empire waist dress and top.
My waist no longer goes in much from my hips and dresses that have a waistline highlight that fact. Dresses that go in just under the bust and gently drop from there, do a great job of shaping the dress without screaming “she's not skinny anymore!”
I just discovered this style because for most of my life I avoided it. When I got married the first time in my late 20s, I put on a few pounds. I'd gone from playing racketball several times a week to staying home watching TV as a married couple. About 6 months after the wedding, we decided to move out of state.
One of my coworkers at the job I was leaving asked if I was going to work after the move.
Puzzled, I asked him why.
His response was: “Well, you have been putting on weight lately...”
He thought I was pregnant! At that point in my life, thoughts of having children were not on the radar.
His comment affected my work wardrobe for years, decades even.
Being a woman in a predominately man's profession, I was always afraid that if someone got the impression I might be pregnant that I wouldn't get the good project or the promotion.
So for years, I dressed to highlight the fact that I had a waistline thinking that if I was careful to control my image and did really well on my work, I would be rewarded.
It took me many years to figure out that men at work will think what they want regardless of what a woman wears and that hard work is not always rewarded in a male dominated field.
So now my career wardrobe contains deep V-necks, skirts a few inches above my knee and empire waists. Though still work appropriate attire, I look good and feel great in these styles. Now I dress for me!
Here's a dress I've got my eye on for summer. It's from JCPenney and would be perfect with a black or fushia sweater to ward off the air conditioner breezes.
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