What else? Losing your luggage.

As I pack my meager little bag in anticipation of a flight back east to visit family and friends I am fraught with mixed feelings.

I want to look the best I possibly can when I see the folks I’m lucky to visit once a year. But do I want to risk losing my prized possessions? The handful of garments that look good enough (at least in my perception) to enable me to put my best foot forward? It’s a huge risk!

precious luggage

And trust me, there are a handful at best!

In my twenties I feared lost luggage because I knew the airlines would not compensate me enough to replace lost wardrobe items. Not that they were all that expensive – especially back then – but rumor had it that airlines barely cover the cost of the actual luggage itself.

The garments themselves were not a big deal. Such a loss would give me a chance to shop and buy all new – I’d like that. I also had enough attractive options back home that I would barely notice the loss of any specific outfit.

Not so now. As I fold my precious jeans and place them in the suitcase my hand trembles. How many painful shopping trips, trying on pair after pair that either aggravated the scar tissue from my hysterectomy, looked like crap or were so loose they would barely stay on without suspenders?  How many purchased pairs that seemed like the perfect solution and turned out to be painful in a sitting position, stretched to clown pants after a few hours?

I had a lot invested in those jeans – would I trust them to the folks who fly the friendly skies?

Then there were my dress slacks. Even after eschewing zippers many years before, the perfect pair – the one that flatters with an elegant look, i.e. never saggy, baggy or bunchy – is just not that readily available. And beyond that, what about that rare pair of slacks that meet all the criteria AND are in a business-acceptable color other than black? So few designers offer those flattering and comfortable styles in anything other than black; and although black is my “go to” color – you can only have so many pairs of the same style black pants without giving the impression that you never wash clothing! There are just not that many fabric choices.

I just can’t afford to take that rare pair of non-black slacks with me!

Even the jammies really matter if a/someone might stop in for morning coffee, b/you’ve had to get up on more nights than you can remember to change because of night sweats (those breathable fabrics can be a lifesaver) or because the waistband is cutting off your circulation even though they were perfectly comfortable the night before!

Are you starting to see a trend here? Finding clothing that works for me, post surgery, post menopause is a major challenge – letting even one piece go is a life changing event. The thought of losing an entire suitcase worth of vacation clothing is terrifying!

I’m thinking airlines will have to start offering the menopausal woman a seat and an accompanying shelf for her wardrobe. When you consider the buying power of the menopausal baby boomers – they damn well should make sure they take care of us! Don’t you think?