25 is not the new 19

You've been on your feet for the last two hours. They're sore and blistered; your new fancy pumps are just not holding out. And of course it starts to rain. Your lovely hair that you spent an hour on is going flat. You think to yourself, if only you had got here at 8:00 instead of 9:30, you wouldn't be stuck in this line up to get into <insert Vancouver bar/club name here>. Or at least if you had thought to have a couple drinks first before leaving, then you would be buzzed enough to tolerate the obnxious trollopy drunk girls in front of you in line whose voices are so high-pitched that you're sure it can only heard by dogs.

It hits midnight and you're finally let in. You walk in and everybody is already ridic drunk, so you feel the pressure to catch up. You wait another 15-20 minutes in line to double-fist two overpriced hi-balls (because that's how you roll) and hit the dance floor. There, three awkward guys (on separate occasions, not a triple team thank god!) try to grind up behind you despite your obvious attempts to pretend that they don't exist in life. Two drink spills and an ass grab later, you look around at all the crazy kids around you, decide that you're not 19 any more and leave the bar at a reasonable time because, really, all the drinks in the world will not make any of the boys in here any older.

Alas, this is a typical night for most Vancouverites who are over the age of 24 and try to relive their youth by going out to their favourite bar or club from back in the day. And by no means am I saying that if you're 25+, that you're too old to have a good time or even that you're too old to go out to a club. All I'm saying is that Vancouver bars and clubs cater to 19-23 year olds who love waiting in lines, wear clothes that are too small and put on way too much makeup in life. In contrast, there are so many other cities that don't have lines or cover ever and actually attract people who know what a Zack Morris phone is (which is another story for another day).

But I think I'm okay with this. We've had our fun, wild party weekends filled with random boys and too many drinks. We've learned from all the craziness to become better, more intelligent people (or at least I'd like to think so). Of course, we do still need an outlet to go crazy every few weekends but until somebody decides to start at 25+ bar/club (which should really happen!), bouncers start turning you away because you're actually too old to go into a club (which could be a good option?) or we hit the age where it's cool to hang out at hotel bars or can afford really fancy restaurants every weekend -- we should stick to our after work drinks on patios and dinner parties because in Vancouver, clubs/bars are not a thing. ^L

Wear what you want - but make sure it's your size!

When was the last time someone reached to the back of your shirt and checked your tag for the size? Its not really an frequent happening, right? So then why oh why is society so obsessed with what size they are? So many times I've been out shopping and I see people asking for sizes that they so clearly aren't. And it's sad. It's sad that people are in denial about their real size. Dress for yourself - not for other people. Don't be embarrassed to ask store associates for your real size - they're not judging you (although they might be if you're asking for something that's 2 sizes smaller).

Do you need to starve yourself to fit into those size 4 pants? NO. Most people can't actually tell the difference between sizes! It's all in your mind. Actually. Besides, squeezing into a size 4 and looking like a squished sausage is really not attractive - wouldn't you rather look sophisticated, polished and slimmer in a size 6? Just planting the seed...

So here's the thing. Wear whatever your little heart desires - but please for the love of mankind, make sure it's in your size! When clothes fit better, you look better, you portray a more confident image to the public, and ultimately, you feel better. So next time you're in the fitting room deciding between a blouse in a small or medium - take a step back. Is there unfriendly clinging happening with the small? Opt for the medium - it'll make you look smaller. Trust me. Dressing your size? It's a thing. And at the end of the day, size ain't nothing but a number.  ^K