The skinny mirror is your frenemy.

 

I have a skinny mirror. Any fellas reading may not be familiar with what this is. Most girls will be. It is a mirror that somehow makes the reflected you taller and slimmer than real-life you. I didn't always know I had a skinny mirror, but I know it now. And guess what?

A skinny mirror is not your friend.




I'm not sure, but I think I've had this mirror since I moved out of my parents' house back in my second year of college. That means that for about a decade, I've been dressing, checking myself out (all angles--the back side counts, too), and walking out into the world, confident that I know what I look like.   

I look good, do I? Yeah. I do.
And yet, when I'd catch my reflection elsewhere, or see a picture of myself, I'd always think, "That's NOT what I looked like... was it? I don't remember looking like that. Why do my legs look so short? Why is that outfit not nearly as flattering as I thought?" I just assumed that over the course of the day, my clothes must have stretched as I wore them, which meant my look was only pristine for those first few hours of the day. Or all these pictures and other reflections were just really bad angles. (The lies we tell ourselves...)

Then I learned the truth. My sister and my sister-in-law separately commented on my mirror being a skinny mirror. It took both of them saying something for it to click with me. It was hard to face, but eventually I came around to realize it. My mirror was my worst frenemy.


I look amazing from this angle!
"Oh, Rebecca! Looking good today! Those pants make your legs look so long! How tall are you?--5'10"? Oh, and that shirt looks great. No, really! It doesn't add ANY bulk around your waist line! You can totally skip the control top tights. You look so tiny! So put together."

 "Oh, wow, thanks mirror! I really appreciate your feedback!"

That lyin' B---- had me fooled.

It sounds all great to have a mirror that makes you look great, even better than reality, but the rush of disappointment when you find out how you really look--it's just not worth it.

I'd like to say I got rid of her, but I didn't. Why not? Well, I'm cheap, for one. But I've had her this long. She's my oldest frenemy. You just can't throw away that kind of history. You just can't.

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