Do I Dress Like A Man?

There’s now a constant battle between me and the wife…it’s about how the husband should dress. Yes, that’s right, I’m saying that I actually fight back. I’ll give you a little background into the advent of this phenomena and you let me know who’s right.

It was around September 2008. I had left my previous employer to help with INO and with the house. It was all still very new and I was not 100% sure what my place was, how to act, etc. I had much more time than when I was consulting…less hours, no travelling, it was great. I found myself with enough time to take a look at myself. I mean, to really take a look. Then one day it hit me…man, I was a fattie-fo-fattie! I never realized. Granted, I did hold the weight well (it’s true), but it’s amazing how comfortable one gets in their own skin. I went to the doctor for a physical…252 pounds, at 6’0″! Are you kidding me? 225, 230 maybe, but over 250. This had to stop, immediately. I went on Weight Watchers (hardcore, like 1 beer in 6 mos hardcore) and stated to exercise. After 6 months, I was down to 192!!! I was so psyched, it felt amazing. I then hit 189 and have since been in that range (189-194) for almost 1 year now. It’s great. But now…I needed a whole new waredrobe. Cha-ching, the wife was all over it.

At first, I didn’t want to be bothered, figured I’d let her do all the work, I’d just nod and act like I cared. After a little while, I found that I actually did care. First, I did care about the way I looked, since I felt like I was 32 (now 33) and should dress like a man, with a wife of 8 years, 2 kids, 2 dogs, a mortgage, etc. But then, it happened…the magic came-a-down-on-me! I tried on some clothes and lo-and behold…I could actually fit into MEDIUM shirts. Are you kidding, that can’t be right. I would make fun of guys in Medium shirts…they were like toddlers or something to that effect. No, no, I could fit into Medium, and look good doing it. Then…34 inch pants. Now, even when I was in great shape in high school, I dressed in baggy-as-hell jeans, so it’s been well over 2 decades since I owned pants this size. It was great, amazing at that. All you with a little, um, holiday weight (by holiday, I mean, every day if the year).

Now, on to the debate. I like the preppy, country club-ish style of, say, Ralph Lauren, Hilfiger, and Vineyard Vines. I love to rock the pastel polo shirts, blue topsider shoes, pants with whales on them. That’s right, I like it. For any number of reasons I like it. My wife, on the other hand, wants me to dress like Mr. Trendoid, magazine boy…whatever that style is at the moment. Perhaps it’s a skinny, 1980’s style tie, or some kind of dopey shirt with a hood that has no business having a hood. I have to say, for the most part, I’ve won. I think she’s just so happy with the new, skinny, me…I get compliments still all the time, that she’s actually not had much of an opinion. It’s great, everyone’s happy. I even bought a cloth, whale-print belt…it’s awesome.

It’s a new dawn, a new day, a new life for the in-shape me. Yes, it’s also one that sometimes involves me giving a crap about what I look and dress like. Amazing what 63 pounds will do to a guy.