Do you feel fabulous?

I came across this recently: If it doesn't make you feel fabulous, don't do it, don't buy it, don't keep it!

Isn't that a marvellous approach to life? It makes me realise that we settle for so much less than we should in so many ways. We should be taught this from our schooldays, along with other life skills such as managing finances, saying no when yes is not the right answer and learning to think for yourself, questioning everything.

All my life, I fancied I might feel fabulous in long, flowing dresses in vibrant colours but, not being a hippie at heart, much less a flower child of the 60s, there has never been an occasion when I could wear them without raising alarm in the family. So a few feminine follies hung on hangers in my wardrobe over the years but never saw the light of day unless I was gardening. It just felt wrong and so I didn't feel fabulous - and after yesterday's southeaster, I remembered how loose clothing is prone to being whipped over your head when the Cape Doctor blows! So perhaps it was all for the best. 

A close examination of my clothing choices reveals that there is very little that makes me feel fabulous, except for 'going out' and 'special occasion' outfits, and in these casual times these also barely see the light of day. If I put on anything that looks remotely as if I wouldn't be gardening in it, it is assumed that I am going out to a fancy lunch, when in fact I don't always want to look like I'm down to my last T-shirt and track suit pants. I like to dress up, even for no occasion.

Having shed many kilos over the last year, and with no intention of putting them back on again, it is once more time to examine the wardrobe. Everything is now too big - what a wonderful thing! But it leaves me in a quandary - it's all new (I didn't know I was going to go hiking so much!) and some items haven't been worn. Is it Hospice, second-hand shop on consignment, give away to friends or have the local tailor work magic with a needle?  Do I throw it all out and start again? Should old favourites be kept to wear at home only? 

I will have to ask myself every day: Does this make me feel fabulous? After all, isn't that what we are here for?