Breast Cancer Fashion Part One: "Cleaning Out My Closet"

Women's fashion:  It's all about the boobs.  Or is it?  This series is about how I've struggled with just that question.

Have you ever come to the realization that you needed to do a serious clean out of your closet?  Either you have too many clothes, your clothes just aren't working for you and your lifestyle, or your body has changed sizes, or, like me......lost a body part?  Do you have emotional baggage surrounding your old clothing?

I am currently in the process of cleaning out my closet, which is no small task.  I like clothes and I enjoy shopping.  I like thrift stores and can't resist a good bargain.  So I've accumulated a lot over the years, but especially over the past year, as I have struggled to learn how to dress and how to deal with my new body, which is now missing a breast.

I'm tired of going to my closet and sifting through too many clothes, some of which carry emotional baggage along with them.   I'm trying to figure out what to keep from my life before cancer while also redefining how I can make fashion work for me as I make changes in my lifestyle as well.  I want to be a more active person now.  Exercise is a priority as I work on improving my health on a daily basis.  And I also just want to simplify my life and to live a life filled with joy.  So that includes my wardrobe.

My goal is to go to my closet each day, grab something that fills me with joy, works with my lifestyle, and doesn't require me to think too much about it.  I've spent way too much time and energy thinking about and dealing with clothing lately.  It's time to take control!

So how the heck do you dress when you only have one boob?  Or no boobs?  How does a woman in the prime of her life (I was age 46 at the time of my diagnosis) who likes fashion and clothing deal with the reality of breast cancer?

Let me tell you, it hasn't been easy.  But I am now to a point where I feel really good about myself and how I dress.  So I've decided to share some thoughts in my next few posts about this process of how breast cancer has changed the way I dress and also how I think about my clothes. Along the way, I'll throw in some advice and suggestions for others facing a similar situation.

I did not arrive at this point overnight.  There has definitely been an evolution in how I have dealt with my fashion challenges.  I've summed it all up in the following categories: 

• Post Surgery:  I was focused on comfort and wanted to keep my chest hidden.

• Transitional:  I just tried to look and feel normal while wearing my breast prosthesis. 

• Radiation: "Oh crap!" I was unable to wear a bra or prosthesis due to skin changes from radiation treatments, and it was summertime!  

• Healing:  Right after radiation, I was still unable to wear a bra, but I began to figure out my new style and what "worked."    

• A New Normal:  This is where I'm at right now.  I know what feels good and what makes me happy.  I have found my new normal.  It may still evolve from here, but right now, I'm happy. 

So join me in my next few posts as I go into detail about each of these phases in my evolution.  I'll try to keep it light and throw in some humor and hopefully this will be useful, comforting, and/or entertaining to read!