"Goldielocks" clothing?

If it's too small and it's a kid it could have something to do with regression. (I remember that being an issue with a kid sozlet knew when a baby sibling arrived -- something about him wanting to be that small too/ get the kind of attention he got when he was a baby and which was now being directed at this new baby.)

Other than "regression" though, I can't think of a hook for searching, and I don't know anything in particular about whether it's an identifiable syndrome in and of itself.

Could it be the same reason anorexics think they're fat? Apparently they look in the mirror and really see fat instead of skin and bones. Maybe people just assume the shirt that once fit will always fit? See what they expect to see?

Good point, that yields another hook -- body dysmorphia.

http://www.medicinenet.com/body_dysmorphic_disorder/article.htm

(This list of symptoms doesn't match up well with what boomer's said so far, but might be a lead.)

The reason I mention it is that some time ago I read a book called "We Need To Talk About Kevin" and in the book Kevin kills a lot of kids in his school with a cross bow. One of the things that is mentioned repeatedly is that he wears clothes that are too small.

The book is a work of fiction but I thought that was a really interesting detail and it has kind of rattled around in my head over the passing months. Since the thought is still clanging around I thought I would ask if there is any signifigance to it.

Since reading that book I have noticed that some people DO consistently wear the wrong sized clothes. I myself am guilty of buying things about one size too big but I think it really comes from hating to try things on and better a little big than a little small.

boomer, that book is on my "books to read" list (which is HUGE...sigh); is Kevin afraid to grow up?

boomer, that book is on my "books to read" list (which is HUGE...sigh); is Kevin afraid to grow up? Does he feel insignificant?

It's a really quick read, Tai. You could knock it off your list in a couple of sittings.

I don't want to give away much of the story -- there is a twist at the end that left me blinking at the page a bit while I reprocessed what came before -- but I don't think it had anything to do with a hesitency to grow up.

But that is a good take on the detail as it makes perfect sense. Maybe I need to reread instead of blink.....

I'm not famaliar with this book but something that seems to me, especially with a child, is that there could be a positive association with the clothing itself.

For example, the clothing they had "before Dad left" or "before grandma died". Continued wear of the clothing could be an association with the past - a way of blocking out the negatives of whatever is troubling them "now".

I know a few people who, after a S/O died, wore the S/O's clothing for months afterwards. That was a bit unnerving.

While maybe not pertinent to this book that is a very interesting thought, fishin!

I've been cleaning out closets and that meant I had to open "the box". "The box" holds my clothing artifacts: my grandmother's moccasins, my father's yellow sweater, Mo's hospital gown, my grandfather's cardigan. I don't wear these things but seeing and holding them does make me feel close to their owner.

It's all kind of holy in my Athiest-Quaker life.

Interesting.

Thank you.

There's a program on TLC called "What Not to Wear." Although it's intended as an entertaining makeover show, the people who are nominated for makeovers fall into the category you mention, boomer. People wear clothes that are consistently too small, consistently too big, consistently age-inappropriate, consistently something. The show doesn't deal with children, so I can't address that issue (although it's possible that the parents are making some poor choices for the kids), but I find this show revealing of human nature.

People who wear clothing that is too small often think it fits or that it makes them look sexy. People who wear clothing that's too big also often think it fits or are uncomfortable with their bodies and are hiding. All these people are invariably resistant to change and can't see what they're doing wrong. There is genuine astonishment when they try on something that fits and that is actually flattering. It's apparent that these folks were incapable of seeing themselves realistically and had no sense of what they were doing.

I refer you to my signature line. It applies in many ways. Body dysmorphia in this case? Maybe.

Self esteem issue:

people dont like me, so I dont care what people think of me.

hand me down clothes? I cant afford better?

I think its tied up with not caring what other think about self.

I practiced law with a woman who was a few years older than me and gaining weight. But she insisted on staying in her Size 8 suits. Partly it was affordability (women's suits ain't cheap), but it was also because (I swear this is true) she did not want to be a person who wore double-digit-sized clothing. It was just not the way she wanted to see herself, it was not something she wanted to admit about herself, even after I pointed out to her that she already was someone who wore double-digit-sized clothing, even if she wanted to admit it. And that wearing proper fitting clothing would make her look thinner. If she had been given a larger set of clothes with the size tags ripped off or altered, I'm sure she would have worn them in order to maintain her fantasy.

Yaya had a few favorite outfits that she still wanted to wear even after she outgrew them, but I can't say it was a consistent issue of wearing small clothing.

Children make "scale errors" where they think they can put on the doll's shoes, or ride a matchbox car, but I don't think that's what you're discussing, either.



It sounds to me as if the author was using it as a metaphor.

I had a case a coupla years ago where the person consistently bought/ordered underclothes that were XL or XXL while ordering top layers in M. Puzzled me every time I pulled that file out.

One set for him... one set for his wife.

I know some women cling to outgrown sizes because they want to believe their pudge is only temporary.

BTW, I'm one of those people who wears clothes that are too big. I've lost about 60 pounds (resulting from illness), and I can't afford new clothes. So I'm wearing stuff that's very big on me. I have some clothes that are the right size (as I swing my way through the weight pendulum), but they're very out of date. So I'm either in stuff that's too big or too dated.

To my astonishment, I don't much care. There was a time when I would have cared greatly. Priorities change, I guess.

People who see me might wonder, "Why is that woman wearing clothes that are three sizes too big?"

Roberta--

Your wardrobe has character--as does its owner.

Thanks, Noddy.