Is it one of the Putian ones?
The Putian ones, Andrew? Yes, the Putian ones.
Backstory
Back in 2004, when my company closed its Colorado office, and I was having trouble finding work locally, Mrs. StandUpRight and I decided to go on an adventure; we would spend a year teaching English in China. Ultimately we ended up at Putian University, in Fujian province, in southern China.
One of the things we discovered in China is high quality silk, for very low prices. Another is high quality tailors, also for very low prices. The combination of the two meant that we came home with a lot of very nice, really well fitting clothes. Including a bunch of skirts which, obviously, I thought this was one of.
Now, the key here is to remember that date, 2004.
Why 2004?
Because the conversation started in the title continued with the response, “No, I bought this in university,” and university was several years earlier than our year in Putian.
“Well, it looks really nice.”
“Thanks, and I think it fits even better today than when I bought it.”
And here we get to the point of it all; my wife likes that skirt more today, that skirt fits better today, than when she bought it 20 years (and three children) ago.
The point?
I’m not the only one in this marriage who does yoga and Pilates multiple times per week to stay fit and healthy.
I’m not the only one in this marriage who can still wear decades old clothes.
A healthy lifestyle, based in eating right and hard, regular exercise will pay dividends in the most unexpected places, like your wardrobe and pocket book. Buy quality, in conservative styles that aren’t subject to the whims of pop fashion, and you will get, literally, decades of use out of them.
But even that isn’t the point of it all. It’s all about looking, feeling and actually being good; healthy, fit and strong.
Maybe you aren’t there today, but you can certainly start today.
