Hey Urban Housewives! I feel like the last couple weeks I’ve been all talk about spring, but the cold weather has been stubbornly sticking around. Well it’s officially spring (on the calendar at least,) and I have to say I could not be more ready. Spring means flowers, and sunshine and finally packing away all the boots I’ve worn out during these chilly winter months. But it also means the return of going out with the girls (and the guy) in your favorite party dresses.
Now, the party dress more than many other clothing items can illicit feelings of joy as well as feelings of dread. Let’s face it – most of us have begun throwing in the towel, trading rigorous workouts for cozy evenings home on the couch reading the New York Times (or Cosmo, who am I kidding.) But I don’t care what Cosmo says; bikini weather seems too far away to give up sitcom syndication reruns over soup in favor of pilates and treadmills. And that means that come party dress season, I’m suddenly not as ready to peel off as many winter layers as I thought I was!
But I’m here to remind you that the reemergence of party dresses that comes with warmer weather should be kicking your spirits into high gear, not sending you running for the hills. Nobody’s body is perfect, and the best we can do is try and be good enough to ourselves that we believe it is anyway. For me that means resuming my trips to the gym. Don’t let the magazines fool you! If you live in New York like I do, you’ve still got a few months of cool weather before it’s beach season (for better or worse.) So face down the scale, set some healthy goals and get to work! I’m promising myself at least two pilates sessions a week and at least one sit down dinner that involves salmon. Omega 3s, people!
What else am I doing to be LBD ready? Well, I am a big fan of spring cleaning, and I mean that in two different ways. The first is the literal sense of cleaning out my apartment. It’s not that big, so a full sweep (pun intended!) doesn’t take more than a weekend, and it means a chance to rifle through the back of my closet. That gives me a chance to try on last season’s dresses, figure out what still works, and then decide what I’m going to put on my spring wish list. Then I set goals like volunteering or new workout milestones as changes to reward myself with that pink little number I just know I’m going to need this season.
I also do “spring cleaning” in the sense of my personal style and look. Beyond a return to pilates, a spring season haircut is an absolute must for me, since it’s a chance to trim off the burnt ends of winter or maybe try a funky new look. Plus it’s getting warmer, so a little less hair is never a bad thing! And while I’m a pretty consistent at-home manicurist, I treat myself to one of few professional mani/pedis I get throughout the year to pick out a new vibrant spring color. (I think this is the bliss my husband must feel at the return of football season each year.)
So never fear, Urban Housewives! Winter is finally over, making way for party dresses, healthy living and a fresh coat of paint. Happy spring!