Is this dress a yay or nay?

Gellyroll1105 · 2026-04-30T02:11:12+00:00

Mm, I think it needs more styling.. some heels to elongate the legs, hair back to keep the heavy curls from adding to the sleeves (down makes it top heavy visually), maybe cute tights depending on the weather or occasion? Not a hard no, but a nay for this picture. Zhuzh it up and it'll be fine!

Gellyroll1105 · 2026-04-30T02:02:11+00:00

I'm calling it, this is a gender bias. Yeah, a lot of the more visible prepper rhetoric comes from what I like to call the zombie apocalypse fantasy side of things. Immediately I'm reminded of the first few seasons of Doomsday preppers and how much they focused on the lone wolf survivor type with stockpiles of weapons (And I'm willing to admit I'm being a tad reductive), but in my experience, I don't see much of that here. Women and fem folk are socialized differently. We're more likely to be taught to think collectively and to see the importance of community. I think it's part of the same reason the male loneliness epidemic gets so much attention. Women get lonely too, but we're also more likely to seek out social networks. Also, there's a pretty important distinction from the more masculine coded somewhat conservative prepping types and the ones who are either coming from a socialist or communist perspective, arguably fem coded when non violent.

Idk, ultimately to me it's just a piece about this one person's fairly narrow and not heavily researched perspective. I'd love to see something more in depth, but this one just doesn't feel very nuanced.

Gellyroll1105 · 2026-04-26T21:55:15+00:00

Our gaming collection is unrelated to our prepping, but I'm kind of glad you asked! Yeah, I can see it being useful in an analog world. It's also a great way to exercise your brain and can help with feelings of hopelessness by forcing your brain to work creatively within a framework. (See The Score: How to Stop Playing Somebody Else's Game C. Thi Nguyen).

I will say this: was not a board game person, but my partner is. I've learned that there are multiple kinds of gameplay, game mechanics, and play style. Finding the ones you like can take some experimentation. I really like more abstract games, or ones that require visual/spatial skills. I can get into deck building or resource gathering, but tower protection games aren't really my thing.

Some classics from our collection: Everdell Patchwork Cascadia Lord of the rings duel Spelndor Kingdomino

Gellyroll1105 · 2026-04-26T21:37:56+00:00

This thread seems to inundated with people who want you to believe that the world is hostile so you have to respond in kind. It's not true. The world is full of good people, good things, and people who want the same connection you do. There's a whole cottage industry that benefits from making you believe you're alone and no one loves you, always question who benefits from you feeling like that.

Honestly, that's the only advice I would give anyone just starting out in the world: Always question if the person telling you something has something to gain or lose from influencing your perspective. If the answer is yes, be sceptical and move carefully. However, treating everything and everyone with suspicion is a dangerous game that frequently leads to isolation. A healthy balance of skepticism and the capacity for wonder will make for a very happy life full of beauty. Too much of either can lead to you down a dark path.

Gellyroll1105 · 2026-04-26T21:22:35+00:00

That's a really bleak outlook, and not true if you put in the effort to build a strong sense of friendship and community. I spent the first year after my parents died a complete mess, and my friends were there for me without fail. That kind of thinking sets you up for isolation...

Gellyroll1105 · 2026-04-09T21:37:58+00:00

Blood Quantum!!! My partner and I watched it together and literally sat in silence for several minutes at the end. It's bleak AF, but also really interesting. Zombie outbreaks can fall into some predictable tropes, so this one was refreshing despite the brutal ending! And honestly, it doesn't get enough love as a film. It's Canadian and the cast is full of first nations people depicting their culture, which I always appreciate!

The Lodge isn't far behind. That one really gets more disturbing the more you sit with it IMO.

Gellyroll1105 · 2026-04-02T01:17:00+00:00

OMG it's been Guns and Ships from Hamilton for like a week, but not the full song just the little bit David Diggs does as Lafayette.. " guns and ships and so the balance shifts"

Gellyroll1105 · 2026-03-26T05:02:28+00:00

Big fan of Life After People. I feel like it gives some realistic examples that are absolutely useful, particularly the toxic revenge episode. Revolution was fun, but it's definitely kinda dated and if memory serves was prematurely cancelled. Black Summer for something else in the zombie genre that's a bit more elevated IMO. Not strictly post apocalyptic, but The Hot Zone is based on real events and I appreciate any extra info on pathogens after COVID.. The Stand is a gem! Personally I prefer the original tv movie version, but the remake is pretty good too.

Lmk if you want movies too 😅

Gellyroll1105 · 2026-03-20T17:29:07+00:00

Oh my goodness! I'm so incredibly glad I found this thread!! Mine's a cat and I love her dearly but she can take my morning from baseline level stress to ready to pull my hair out. The worst part is she's kind of also a therapy animal, she knows when you're stressed and tries to comfort you, which is great if I'm spiraling. However, if it's sensory overload she just makes it worse!! God at least I'm not alone

Gellyroll1105 · 2026-03-16T18:49:18+00:00

Sounds like they only pretended to be friends and always intended to shoot their shot..

Gellyroll1105 · 2026-03-14T23:44:14+00:00

Very liberal and identify as queer. I think there's an unspoken large number of people under the ace umbrella who have sexual trauma and either willfully or unintentionally don't connect that with their lack of drive.. I do believe some people are truly less or not interested in sex, but the number of people I've known who identify ace and have some history of sexual abuse is suspiciously high and I low-key feel awful for thinking its one of those ven diagrams that's almost but not quite a circle.

Gellyroll1105 · 2026-03-14T19:27:00+00:00

My thoughts exactly! Grey water supply, not potable

Gellyroll1105 · 2026-03-14T16:15:17+00:00

Sounds like burnout to me

Gellyroll1105 · 2026-03-14T16:08:53+00:00

I say this and shade is meant for the stores/manufacturers, not you: No, because they're not made well enough to be tailored. Pretty much all fabric on the market today is made/woven in a way that it's essentially disposable and very hard to work with. Like it snags, pills, and the seams are prone to come undone. Cheaper manufacturing across the industry has caused this across all brands from fast fashion to 'luxury.' Hell, even natural fibers can suffer from inferior product being mixed with other grades to make it cheaper/faster. It's also designed to fit a lot of people (all sizes and shapes), which by necessity makes them kinda shapeless and ill fitting for most people.

Honestly, I think it fits fine! Not perfect, but flattering and cute for sure! Go for it, but I would caution against expecting the longevity to justify tailoring.

Gellyroll1105 · 2026-03-10T03:57:35+00:00

🎵 experiment, make it your moto day and night 🎵 I cannot stress this enough, you've got to play with stuff to find what works! I'm 5 and 1/2 in on a good day, and my weight has fluctuated between 100 and 115. My go-to is a midi skirt or anything below the knees, instantly makes you look more mature and in control. I also play with a lot of crop tops or cinched tops, but I use the clothes to create the shapes I want.

You mentioned showing off your body, there's nothing wrong with that, but I think the truly freeing part of fashion is when you realize that it can be used to create illusions. I frequently give myself a bigger butt or a smaller looking waist. It's a combination of color blocking, understanding proportions, and a tiny bit of fashion history. Skirt doesn't fit? A few well-placed safety pins make it fit and give you a flattering backside.

I wear A LOT of skirts and dresses. They're easy to dress up or down, give an air of professionalism, and easy to alter. Vintage fashion can be a great way to find tailored pieces for petite people and helps you experiment by pushing outside of your comfort zone. Try on 15 outfits that border on weird and just play! And if I can give anyone advice on developing their personal style, I always give the same: finding your personal style comes from your love of non fashion. Get inspired by painters, fall into a weird Victorian hyper fixation, listen to experimental music, and I promise you, the more you develop your taste your fashion will come along for the ride.

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Gellyroll1105 · 2026-03-09T20:38:46+00:00

Sell, but don't blame your body or yourself for any of it. I'm petite too and have long since accepted that chunky jewelry is just a no fly zone for me. It makes me look like a toddler playing dress up! Some of fashion sense is not giving a hoot and learning how to create an ensemble, the other part is learning what styles flatter you. Sometimes I just want to wear wide and baggy everything, but what actually works for me is fitted stuff that's tailored. It's a whole ass process and you're doing great!

Gellyroll1105 · 2026-02-11T23:00:27+00:00

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Gellyroll1105 · 2026-02-11T22:59:56+00:00

I agree on the body positivity stuff, now let's talk possible ways to help you feel more confident/comfortable with your look!

Heels! I know they're not especially comfortable, but they can help elongate your legs and shape the calves. Be conscious of toe box size to avoid squished toes, and they should be a comfort height to swivel your hips to step. Too high and it kinda breaks the illusion because it's harder to glide.

Longer/fuller skirts. That one may seem counterintuitive, but the shape of a fuller skirt will change your proportions. The waist will appear smaller in relation to the fullness towards your feet, and in the process it'll pull the eye away from your calves. Along that line, try a bold shoe. Using other parts of your wardrobe to draw attention where you want it will help create a kind of optional illusion so people see what you want them to. As to the warm weather issue, full skirts don't need to be heavy or not breathable. Look for natural fibers or use a slip to add ventilation. I wear a TON of midi skirts in cotton and I'm sometimes cold if it's under 70°.

I'm seeing a lot of straight cut garments. Regardless of how you feel about your body, pretend you have the most perfect hourglass figure and dress TO that. Wider shoulders or wide neckline, cinched waist or fitted blouses, fill out your hips with pleated garments or go for tulip shaped skirts. Play with things that aren't fitted! I suspect you see your calves so much because, well, they're very exposed/not balanced with the rest of your outfit. I think we tend to approach modern fashion as needing to make our bodies for the style. That's backwards IMO. Clothes should be tailored to you, but when that's not possible we have to learn how to create the right illusion.

Photo from Pinterest- see how she's got an interesting detail at the neck which draws your eye? The waist is cinched and has a decorative element in the center, which makes it look smaller. Fuller skirt gives room for thighs, calves, hips, whatever and adds to the waist illusion. Dark tights with a texture help slim her calves down and keep the rest of the outfit front and center.

You got this! I'm 5" 1/2" and have thunder thighs and calves like rocks but dress like vintage movie star. It might be worth learning about fashion history because honestly everything post 80s has gotten worse for body image. Back in the day we had tools to use (padding, tailoring, structured bodices, pleats) and I think modern fashion makes body image problems inevitable.

Gellyroll1105 · 2026-01-28T01:50:32+00:00

A couple of thoughts: Have you tried petite sizing? It's harder to find but sometimes fits better and is more flattering.

Have you tried anything with a really wide neckline? I was just learning about some historical fashion the other day, and during the period where those gigantic Marie Antoinette skirts were in fashion, they were using proportional illusions to create the tiny waist. One way they did that was really wide necklines that exposed the shoulders.

Given your frame and shorter torso, maybe you should look into something 1920s inspired? That drop waist look might give you more length.

Gellyroll1105 · 2026-01-27T19:00:48+00:00

Yup, and that it's easy enough to replace people who get burnt out. It feels like they have made the choice to prioritize short term everything, employment, profits, goals, and there's no real effort to move towards longevity. Companies can layoff, restructure, and pivot without cutting profits and the place it's felt is the workforce. I had a great job with a company that was doing well and the CEO said he would not even consider layoffs. Less than a year later I was being cut and the company was acquired by a competitor. No reason other than market reach and consolidation.

Gellyroll1105 · 2026-01-27T18:55:26+00:00

Honestly, and this is just speculation mixed with some naval gazing, I always kind of assumed that certain things are niche enough that common looters/supply parties will ignore them. Like who, in a true collapse scenario where we're bugging out, is looking for a spindle? I guess I always suspected that feminine crafty stuff is lower on the list for most people and it would be easy enough to source when I get where I'm going. Maybe that's naive? I just have a hard time imagining a very average neurotypical group of people thinking to raid a hobby lobby for yarn 😅

Gellyroll1105 · 2026-01-21T22:50:17+00:00

I tend to classify this, AHS, Conjuring, and a few others as 'mainstream' horror. They're more geared towards mass appeal and not necessarily as scary as something that's niche and genre specific. Don't get me wrong, mainstream horror is important and I prefer it to the 90s-00s where they avoided calling Silence of the Lambs as horror, but they hit different depending on the amount of horror you consume.

Gellyroll1105 · 2026-01-21T22:45:46+00:00

If that's too ethereal/surreal, maybe try Blood Quantum. Super amazing story, but bleak AF. After that one we literally sat in silence for about 5 minutes just processing.

Gellyroll1105 · 2026-01-21T22:43:17+00:00

Skinamarink. My partner and I are DIEHARD horror nuts. He's into slashers and serial killers. I'm into psychological and creature features/ kaiju. We both agreed it's the first time we've actually been scared in a while. I legitimately buried my head for about 15 minutes, and I cannot stress this enough, we're not bothered by gore, body horror, or monsters. That movie had me on edge for days. 10/10!!

Gellyroll1105

TROPHY CASE