



"These models look hungry, feed them!"
Just take a look at these models from Bargello Shop modelling the latest in Pakistani fashions. They are all skinny as a rail with no muscle tone. Apparently, this is what most of the girls in Pakistan look like, it's the "ideal look". Pakistani fashion boutiques don't sell Ready-to-Wear fashions in anything larger than a size 10. If you are bigger than a size 10, you need to haul your hefty butt to to a tailor who will custom make clothes for you.
My husband recently went to Pakistan to visit his family, and tried really hard to buy me a shalwar kameez suit from one of the trendy boutiques. Nearly all of them said, sorry we don't carry her size. Only one boutique, Maria B., seemed to empathize and altered their size L shirt to fit me.
Why has it come to this? They might as well hang a sign on their front door that says "Sorry we don't carry fat sizes." Is a size 12 really that big?
To make matters worse, I got a call from my Mom the other day. It started out pretty typical with a "Hi, how are the kids, blah blah blah," then she got to the point and said, "Actually, the real reason I'm calling you is to tell you that you are fat, you are starting to look like an "Auntie"(transalation: a woman as old as your mother whose plump body shows clear evidence she has had kids and didn't do anything to get her body back) and you are too young to look like that yet. You should look like a "larki" ( transalation: young girl with perky everything). You need to get get your body back and join a gym that has babysitting. Find out what the rate is, I'll pay for the membership."
My mother is very blunt (ya think?), but I know deep inside she has good heart with good intentions. She reminds me very much of Joy Behar from "The View". She is of the philosophy, "I'm your mother, if I don't tell you the truth, who will?"
My cousin in Pakistan was like "Why don't you just lose weight? Then you will be able to fit into boutique clothes." Okay, I get the message. I know I've been obsessing a little to much with handbags to avoid the fact that I still haven't lost the baby weight, mainly because I'm too tired and sleep deprived to even think of stepping on an elliptical. When the kids go down for a nap, I feel like napping too. But starting today I'll make an effort to eat right and start exercising. But who will eat my kids leftover mac n' cheese and tater tots? My mother's response, "If you want to lose weight don't be a garbage can." Now this statement, albeit a blunt statement, actually made sense. Thanks Mom for not beating around the bush and telling it like it is. I don't want to look like these models, but I'll be happy to get down to a healthy size 8.






