POMS Week 7: Do you have tickets to this gun show?

Years ago, I decided that I would no longer wear long sleeves in the summer.  I had a thing about my arms.  The thing was, I hated them.  They were big, and bubbly.  Other kids made fun of them when I was younger.  So before 2005, I wore cardigans in the summer.  It can get hot here too, so I just told people that I was from the South, and I didn't feel the heat the same way they did.  In short, I lied to them so I could keep covering up my arms.

It got to hot to keep that nonsense up, so I started wearing t-shirts, but there were certain requirements my t-shirts had to pass: they needed to be baggy, and they needed to have sleeves that went past my elbows.  See it wasn't my forearms I hated, it was my upper arms.  My flabby, shameful upper arms.  At least, that's how I felt.

In 2010, I started thinking differently about my arms.  I saw this super cute dress.  I lamented how I could never wear summer dresses because they didn't have sleeves.  I stood and looked at this dress.  Then I did something I never do.  I tried it on.  The saleslady asked to see it.  So I showed her.  She went nuts!  She said that dress never looked good on anyone, but it did on me.

I stopped her.  I said, "I can't buy it, it doesn't cover my arms.  Look at my arms."

She looked at me and said, "No one cares about your arms.  Look at your boobs!  Those look great.  That's where people will look."

I had two thoughts: the first was, oh great, another area to draw attention to; and the second was, "Waitaminute.  She's right, no one cares about my arms.  No one but me."  I didn't buy the dress, I didn't want people ogling my breasts.  But I did buy that saleslady a coffee.  She gave me some food for thought.  So I did something I never thought I would do.

Instead, I bought a tank top.

On the hottest day that year, I wore it and went for a walk.  No one looked at my arms.  I did get one comment about my arms, and it wasn't about their size; it was about the ridiculous tan I had from wearing elbow-length t-shirts all summer.

No one cared about my arms.  No one but me.
 
And now, I don't even care about my arms.  In fact, now I think they are awesome.  Later this summer I hope to cover one of them in a new tattoo.  I went for my consultation, and the artist said, "Whoa.  You have big arms."

I said back, "Its just a bigger canvas, skinny."

 

::Head to toe::

Scarf: Waterford Antique Market

Sunglasses: Winners

Earrings: We Dream In Color

Sleeveless Shirt: Winners

Cropped jeans: Walmart

Straw Tote: San Diego Hat Company from TJ Maxx

Sandals: Gold Birks from here

Have you had enough of me telling you to join this link-up?  Well, too bad.  You should totes join.  Its really fun.  Thanks to Rachele at The Nearsighted Owl for starting it up, and for noting me as one of her faves from the last two weeks!