Buying a Suit That Fits the Body I Have Right Now, Not the Body of My Twenties

Dear Delyara, I had to buy a new suit for an upcoming gallery event today, and for the first time in my adult life, I didn't try to squeeze myself into a smaller size out of pure pride and self-loathing. I looked at the fitter, a calm man with a measuring tape, and told him my actual sizes without a single note of apology or shame. When I put on the jacket that was tailored to my current, broader shoulders and my softer waist, I looked in the mirror and I felt an unexpected wave of pure elegance. The clothes draped beautifully because they were designed for the reality of my physical form, not a ghost from ten years ago. I am done treating my current body as a temporary failure that needs to be punished; it is the machine that has kept me alive through incredible stress, and it deserves to be dressed with absolute respect right now.