Summer Shapes

Summer is great after a long, cold winter. We shed coats and sweaters and go sleeveless, and replace jeans with shorts, and boots with sandals. And we feel the joy of total freedom. We can walk faster because we’re not weighed down with clothing and there are no icy sidewalks!

            However, there is one drawback to light clothing: flaws have nowhere to hide. The world sees the real you whether, like me, it is varicose veins in the back of your legs or an ugly scar on your upper arm.

            But what I find is most evident in summer is the extra pounds people carry, a fact that is mostly hidden when we dress for colder weather.

            Recently, I was in a large mall and found myself people watching as I sat waiting for a friend to join me. I could hardly believe the percentage of people who carried extra pounds. And I am not talking about a few pounds we all seem to put on as the years pile on. I’m talking about massive poundage, often as protruding bellies or wide rear ends. It is not pretty! Especially when people choose tight clothing.

            But I think there are ways to improve the look these people project. For one thing, as far as I am concerned really overweight people, whether male or female, would benefit from staying away from knits, especially tight t-shirts. However, if one’s arse (as the British tend to say) is wider than two regular theatre seats, you owe it to yourself to consider wearing flowing garments. As I heard a woman telling a friend not too long ago: I took a good look at myself in the mirror and realized that soon a tent would be the only thing that would fit me. I decided it was than time for me to spare people’s eyes and trim down.

Great idea. Not only would overweighed people look better in summer apparel, they would be doing their health an immense favour.