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When I got engaged, I was 27 and a size 12. Karl bought me a ring in a size 8 which fit perfectly in November 2002 when he proposed, but was a bit snug in the warmer months when hands swell.
When I got engaged, I went on a diet. Actually, I went on a few different diets, finally settling on the South Beach Diet. By time I was having my wedding dress altered, I was a size 10. This was the time when we also bought my wedding band, also a size 8.
I got married in June of 2004. By August, wearing both rings was uncomfortable. By December, I was down to just wearing my engagement ring, only putting on the wedding band for social situations. When I got pregnant, the engagement ring no longer fit. I would try to squeeze it on occasionally, but couldn’t wear for long before it got uncomfortable.
I shared on the blog when thanks to Weight Watchers I was able to fit my ring again. But that didn’t last. I stopped Weight Watchers when I saw myself adopting bad habits to stay within my points. I haven’t been able to wear any of my wedding set for more than a couple hours for many years.
This made me feel bad, every time I opened my jewelry box and saw that gorgeous engagement ring Karl bought me. He picked it out himself, I had no say, he just knew me and my style so well. And now I was too fat to wear it. I felt bad about my body, I had no willpower, my priorities were clearly out of whack when I would choose sleep over the gym. It was as clear as that ring collecting dust, judging me.
I am constantly preaching on this blog to buy clothing in the size you are now, not the size you used to be or hope to be or just know you will be if you do X, Y, or Z. Yet here I am, not wearing my most prized accessory because my body doesn’t fit in it.
So last month I got my engagement ring resized. Why the hell did I wait so long? I waited so long because I felt I didn’t deserve it because I didn’t get myself thin again. Thin to a size that even then, 29 and never had a baby, was still hard to maintain.
But I do deserve it. This body deserves it, no matter what size or shape it is. My love for my husband and his love for me haven’t changed even though both of our bodies have changed with the time we have been married. The only person who was punishing me for gaining weight was myself.
We often punish ourselves without even realizing it. No one else sees us as fat, or ugly, or lazy, or bad but we do and we restrict, chastise, criticize, withhold, and feel shame for this invisible fault. And doing this doesn’t improve us, it only makes us feel guilty and resentful.
So buy the dress, eat the dessert, take your shoes off and go on the dancefloor. And resize that ring because you deserve to wear it. Right now, just the way you are.
My husband lost a lot of weight because of chronic illness, and his wedding ring was spinning loose on his finger for over a year. I kept urging him to resize it but he didn’t want to because it was engraved on the inside. Ultimately, he lost it while gardening and mourned it deeply. We got new, matching ones this summer (I wear mine on top of my original band and engagement ring) and recommitted after 23 years. But he still wishes he had had his original one resized!
Bravo…simply bravo. The ring is only the symbol of the fantastic view you portray for all of us.
This translates to clothing – buy new clothes! Don’t wait until you hit that perfect size. My bff has told me for 20yrs that she would buy that cute item when she lost weight…she’s been the same size. Live in the present.
I instill this in my daughters, find clothes that fit you – beauty comes in all sizes! I think the clothing industry doesn’t take sizes over sample seriously because we don’t embrace who we are today.
Good for you! Great decision. And what a lovely, classic ring.
Good for you, and that ring really sets off the sparkle in your eyes. I hope you get your wedding band resized next month.
The wedding band can’t be resized because it’s channel set diamonds and they won’t be secure. But I found a cheap sterling silver and CZ ring on Amazon that looks almost exactly like it and I bought that for the time being! http://amzn.to/2xahMIJ
Brava! Good for you for doing that and sharing it here and inspiring so many others. One other person I bet is really happy is your husband — seeing you wear the ring he picked out, shows him both that you love and appreciate him, and also that you love and appreciate the woman he loves and appreciates. So happy for both of you.
Applause!
I’m just plain lucky that my ring still fits after 14 years and three dress sizes, but I did size up a bit as recommended by the jeweler. I wouldn’t resize it though as it would ruin the pattern and with no engagement ring to speak of. What do you think: style:https://www.weddingrings.com/14k-multi-color-wedding-ring-modern-design-8mm/handmade-wedding-rings/9/34/77/item
That is such a cool ring Sonia! It may mess with the pattern, though it may hide in the back.
Done this and glad to have, thanks fir encouraging others.
It’s not even a matter of putting on weight that does your rings in. I started a drug that made my hands swell, just a bit, and my rings started leaving an indent in my finger. I work near a not too notable mall -CVS, Dress Barn, Post Office- and BINGO – a small jeweler. He resized my rings, it didn’t cost much at all. If they don’t fit, don’t acquit — get’em fixed!
Way to go, Allie! I had several beloved rings resized and it makes me so happy to wear them.
I appreciate your sharing this. It boosts my fragile confidence to know that even a woman as stylish and comfortable in her own skin (and clothes!) as you has moments of not feeling as sure of herself and her right to claim her present body’s beauty. Thank you for stepping forward with courage and sharing your journey with us.
Everyone, EVERYONE feels insecure and unsure at times. Especially these days, it seems like women exude all this confidence and self-love but all of us have times when we look in the mirror and find ourselves less than. It’s important for us to motivate one another, but it’s also important to know we’re not alone. <3
a thousand times this. Well done – and I love your ring, Karl has great taste.
Another great post Ali; thanks for sharing 🙂
This is so brilliant. I am on the other side of this, having unintentionally lost weight because of illness, and wearing my too-big ring felt like a promise to myself that I would be well again and back to the same size, but I am going to go get my ring resized so it is comfortable now instead of waiting until I am “fixed”.
Such a cute pic of you. Great post!!
You’ve really hit a nerve with this one, Alison!! Bravo!!
Why are we so hard on ourselves? I try so hard to tell women they are fabulous no matter what size they are….and we are!!
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
OMG…I blogged about this a while ago (https://pinkchick.wordpress.com/2010/01/09/ponderings/ )
I agree…we shouldn’t be letting our beautiful rings collect dust just to punish ourselves for not being what size we think we should be. I just had my rings resized as well and I wish I had done it sooner. Yay for you, Alison and thank you for being an inspiration to us all!
Edited to fix the link, thank you for sharing!
Wow I’ve got to say this post caught me off guard. By the time I got to the end of it I had tears in my eyes. I’d never really looked at why I feel gross every time I see my too small wedding ring in my jewelry box. But when I read your words “I felt I didn’t deserve it because I didn’t get myself thin again”… that’s when the tears started stinging my eyes. Ef that!! I miss my ring…I’ve been married 18 years and we’ve been through a lot of “life stuff”… it holds even more meaning to me now. I can’t wait to resize my ring and wear it everyday! Thank you!!
Perfectly said! Thank you
This.
Love this! Wear that gorgeous ring and honor your wonderful partnership.
**standing ovation** Yes!!!
I feel like when people are preaching about “authenticity” – this is what they mean. Thanks so much for sharing <3 I'm in the process of planning my wedding. The biggest hurdle for me was to stop looking at dresses with my "what if i lose the weight" blinders on, and find something that I love NOW. Something that I can wear NOW (and maybe for my anniversary?). Shedding for the wedding be damned 😉
Ended up finding the perfect dress for me, and there's no shame in wearing my size 16 dress!
NO shame and I bet you look GORGEOUS in it!
Been there, done this, felt so much better when I had my rings back on my finger! Well done you, and well said.
Thank you for this post, Alison. My rings have been sitting in my jewelry box for the past 4.5 year for the very same reason. Time to get moving on getting them resized!
Oh, I need to do this. Like, literally exactly this, resizing my engagement ring. ❤️