Come again?

I've lost a considerable amount of weight lately.

Yesterday I popped in to see my ex manager and colleagues who remarked on it and said: "Oh, now you can stop wearing all those t-shirts and baggy clothes, and wear nice fitted tops and stuff, all feminine and lady-like".

Lady what? I replied. To which they all laughed. They've known me for almost 15 years and I think my complete disregard for clothes and preference for extremely casual wear is no secret.

So I was slightly miffed later in the evening when my aunt called (who's known me since I was born). In the past week or so there's been a major family disagreement: I received an invitation for a cousin's wedding to which I have no intention of going, reason being that I couldn't care less about this cousin.

Obviously she's aunt to both of us so it wouldn't be a good idea to slag her off to her, as that would put her in a position of taking sides, which is not desirable. For this reason I've been trying to be as subtle as possible, without coming out and clearly stating that I don't give a toss about the cousin nor her wedding. A friend being in London on that very weekend has served this purpose very well, as I can't be in two places at the same time.
However, subtlety was obviously being interpreted as "she really wants to be here for the wedding and wishes there was a way of getting out of the friend's arrangements".
So, the conversation went a bit like this:

Aunt: "Well, I understand that she's a very close friend of yours, but see how things go and maybe nearer the time you might decide to attend after all".
Raingod: "Actually, I don't think so, I don't think it would be a good idea".
A: "I understand, really, if it wasn't this friend it'd be easier to make it. But don't worry, there's still time".
R: "...".
A: " And you know, it's not a problem at all 'cos even if you decide at the last minute, there's that black dress you wore some time ago you could use, or one of your linen suits. Even I'm not having anything special done, I'd initially thought about a dress but then the seamstress suggested that a skirt and jacket suit would be better because I can use it again (cue a half hour disquisition about the pros and cons of a summer dress with cardie in September versus a skirt and jacket suit)".
R (and I'm proud to say, I managed to keep the next bit an internal exclamation, not uttering one word of it out loud): "What... the... fuck?!? You and the rest of the family have been playing every guilt trick on the book to force me to attend a fucking wedding I don't give a damn about, of a person I don't give a damn about, and you'd expect *me* to turn up in anything other than jeans and a t-shirt?!?".
R (out loud): "Auntie, friend or no friend, I really think it would be inappropriate to attend the wedding of someone I haven't talked to in 5 years. My cousin could have found the time to ring me some time during those 5 years if she'd been interested, so could I. Fact is, neither of us did, 'cos we weren't interested".
A: "Oh".

Now I've only got the other aunt to deal with (the bride's mother), and my father (the bride's uncle). Fun times ahead!

But the other interesting question arising from yesterday is: why is what you wear so important? Or rather, why do people think that when you lose weight, you automatically acquire an irresistible urge and desire to wear "pretty", feminine, lady-like clothes, after a life time spent happily wearing jeans and t-shirts?
And why do they think you're the tiniest bit bothered about what to wear at a wedding you have made it clear you don't want to go to in the first place???

Enquiring minds need to know.