OH MY GODDDDDD!!!!!!!

I remember going clothes shopping for kindergarten. I remember me and my mom going to Sears to the McKids clothing section. Yes, McDonalds had a clothing line in the late 80s. And apparently, McDonald's knew their target demographic because they had plus/husky kids sizes.

From that day forward, I had a love/hate relationship with shopping. I love getting new clothes and the excitement of expressing my personality through clothing. But, I hated that I had to try so had to find clothing for my chubby, tall, non-curvy body. It was so hard.

More than anything, I hated shopping for jeans. The waist was never right. The inseam too short. The hips all saggy. Just a nighare.

Don't cry, Niki!  

I always had  to shop at Lane Bryant, Torrid, Avenue, Ashley Stewart...some iteration of clothing that was plus size, over embellished, and often not trendy and young. But today, I stood in the Old Navy fitting room and I button and zipped up a pair of jeans. I wanted to scream! I wanted to cry! I'm still in disbelief! 

If you don't know about women's (not teens) sizes, they tend to run from a 0 to a 20 regular/misses. Then they go from 20 plus to a 28 plus. In high school, I was a 28 plus. I just bought a 20 regular. I actually tried on, zipped and buttoned an 18, but I feared someone at work might get a button in the eye when I sat down. An 18?!? What is this life?!?!? 

Header Photo by Jill Greenberg