Black Velvet and Pearls

Patience is a virtue. Willpower is something else entirely. It's definitely not an attribute I would have credited myself for a while back. Now though I am proud of my patience and willpower. 

A while ago my Mum dropped up a stunning dress for me. Black velvet, ruched in all the right places, a stunning velvet creation.

It was a size 12 :(

This time last year I was still in my size 20's. And so the dress hung, lonely, on my wall as an incentive for my Slimming World journey. 

And so I started that journey with a vengeance. This was at the beginning of my Slimming World journey, April 2011.

From where I stood that size 12 dress looked a lifetime away. 

This week I finished slimming as such. I reached the target I had set myself and now there are new targets in mind that don't focus so much on the slimming side of things. I gave it my all for a year and I'm glad I did. It showed me a few things about myself that I think I needed to learn both in regards to my relationship with food and my confidence issues. Which, I was surprised to learn, didn't have anything at all to do with my size. So, in a sense I guess I'm saying if you think slimming will just suddenly flick a switch in your head and make everything ok.... it won't BUT it has given me the tools I need to work on other areas. It was a great test of patience and willpower. I've never stuck at anything in my life but I'm proud and pleased as punch I stuck to the plan. 

And so, today, I slipped that beautiful black velvet dress over my head. I slid it down over my hips (albeit holding my breath). The zip slid up easily and a few adjustments later... I was IN the dress!

I do, in some respects, feel like a different woman. I enjoy clothes whereas for whatever reason I didn't before. I lived in a black skirt (floor length, constant tripping issues) and a black top. It's not that there weren't clothes out there, I just was not interested.

Now? I'm an all out FROCK DEMON!

I could only team it with 2 things. Anything else would spoil the ensemble in my opinion. Plain black court shoes (from a generous twitter friend) and I chose this occasion to debut a very special piece of jewellery that will be in my jewellery box for many many years to come.

 

You've seen Life's Big Canvas (link!) gracing these pages before. Their one-off pieces are stunning. Would-be classic pieces of jewellery are given a twist in such a beautifully unique way.

Pearls and Chains. Could it BE more perfect!?

And so that brings me to the end of these weight loss themed posts and my Slimming World slimming journey. For now. Thank you to everyone who supported me here, on Twitter, on the Sera's Slimspiration FB page (now closed) I honestly could not have done it without you all. On the nights I wanted to dive face first into cake - you were there. When I needed recipe inspiration - you were there. When I needed advice on breaking through a wall - you were there.

So thank you, thank you for getting me into my Target Dress. 

 

 Sera

xo