WHEN WOMEN DRESS UP

Whenever women dress up for a special event, such as the wedding I attended this past Saturday, they always seem vaguely uncomfortable to me. Of course, special occasions call for a special outfit, but nevertheless I have always been aware of a certain air of discomfort which hangs over women who are dressed up, which, in turn, makes me feel uncomfortable as well. I'm sure that most of it is born of uncomfortable comparisons between themselves and other women or even their younger selves, but it may also come from a dress that is too tight or high heels that pinch and blister. My own Sarah always strikes me as the loveliest specimen in the room, and much of her beauty is owed to her self-assured nature, but to me she is most lovely when she is most comfortable, and, in truth, I am most comfortable in her presence when she is most comfortable with herself.