It's all about the clothes
Sunday, July 27th, 2008 12:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rolanniIt occurred to me this morning, at Con-minus-ten, that I am going to be traveling to yet another part of the world where it will be Hot, and that all of my summer clothes are either: (1) ratty t-shirts and jeans, (2) not-so-ratty t-shirts and khakis, (3) long-sleeved -- and that maybe I ought to Do Something About That.
I do possess one man's short-sleeved blue cotton camp shirt with block-printed leaves on it that I successfully finessed into a "jacket" for the purposes of Steve's parents' 50th Anniversary Party, pairing it with a black tank top, sorta-green khakis, and sandals. I was planning on reprising the look for Denvention, but that leaves several hot days on the calendar and me with a closet full of long-sleeved t-shirts.
Along about this time the caffeine hit and I realized that I could -- indeed, should! -- betake myself to JCPenney, where there was undoubtedly a Sale in progress, and provide myself with another couple camp, or, failing that, Hawaiian-print shirts. Directly after breakfast, I took off for the great city of Waterville and found that, indeed, Penney's was having a Sale.
Alas, it was a back-to-school sale; I had missed Hawaiian shirt season. Disconsolate but determined, I wandered the aisles, locating a very nice cream-and-brown embroidered bracelet-sleeved tunic at half-price, which will lend a much-needed note of elegance to my wardrobe, and a man's short-sleeved silk Hawaiian shirt, likewise at half-price, though unfortunately in blue (mind you, I like blue, which is immediately apparent to anyone who does look into my closet), woven with a pattern of white palm trees.
These additions should enable me to maintain an unprecedented level of Professional Decorum for those days when I am actually scheduled to perform, so I am, if not a happy woman, at least a less-panicked one.
I should mention that there were a lot of women's clothes on sale at Penney's, most of them entirely unsuitable for a six-foot woman in her mid-fifties who is carrying twenty extra pounds. I don't want baby-doll puff sleeves or figure (hah!) hugging shirts made out of tissue-cotton. I want casual tailored -- which is why I mostly shop in the men's section.
I keep thinking that there must, somewhere, be a store or a designer who has realized that the aging population of clothes buyer is becoming at least as important an income-stream as the Young and Beautiful population. Is this just a pipe-dream? Does such a store or designer exist? Where do you buy clothes?
I do possess one man's short-sleeved blue cotton camp shirt with block-printed leaves on it that I successfully finessed into a "jacket" for the purposes of Steve's parents' 50th Anniversary Party, pairing it with a black tank top, sorta-green khakis, and sandals. I was planning on reprising the look for Denvention, but that leaves several hot days on the calendar and me with a closet full of long-sleeved t-shirts.
Along about this time the caffeine hit and I realized that I could -- indeed, should! -- betake myself to JCPenney, where there was undoubtedly a Sale in progress, and provide myself with another couple camp, or, failing that, Hawaiian-print shirts. Directly after breakfast, I took off for the great city of Waterville and found that, indeed, Penney's was having a Sale.
Alas, it was a back-to-school sale; I had missed Hawaiian shirt season. Disconsolate but determined, I wandered the aisles, locating a very nice cream-and-brown embroidered bracelet-sleeved tunic at half-price, which will lend a much-needed note of elegance to my wardrobe, and a man's short-sleeved silk Hawaiian shirt, likewise at half-price, though unfortunately in blue (mind you, I like blue, which is immediately apparent to anyone who does look into my closet), woven with a pattern of white palm trees.
These additions should enable me to maintain an unprecedented level of Professional Decorum for those days when I am actually scheduled to perform, so I am, if not a happy woman, at least a less-panicked one.
I should mention that there were a lot of women's clothes on sale at Penney's, most of them entirely unsuitable for a six-foot woman in her mid-fifties who is carrying twenty extra pounds. I don't want baby-doll puff sleeves or figure (hah!) hugging shirts made out of tissue-cotton. I want casual tailored -- which is why I mostly shop in the men's section.
I keep thinking that there must, somewhere, be a store or a designer who has realized that the aging population of clothes buyer is becoming at least as important an income-stream as the Young and Beautiful population. Is this just a pipe-dream? Does such a store or designer exist? Where do you buy clothes?
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no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 05:12 pm (UTC)1. The thrift stores on the Upper East Side, where anything 20-minutes-past-cutting-edge is available for less than half the original cost (and can be worn without shame in fashionable company for 3-5 years). Going downtown nets me the funkier stuff. All in fabulous condition, which makes me hate the Rich Folk just a little bit less.
2. Eddie Bauer. If it has to be comfortable and durable and have pockets, it's from EB. Finding the right size from them is always tricky, tho.
3. Any random outlet store that happens to have something that catches my magpie eye. Although less of that since I stopped having to wear Office Garb, and The Gap decided they were only designing for hipped, yet thighless 12 year old boys.
4. And you two were the evil beings who introduced me to The Territory Ahead, weren't you? Remind me to get revenge for that at some point...
no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 05:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 05:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 05:55 pm (UTC)Last year the linen button downs from Eddie Bauer kept me quite happy. This summer I'm living in my EB tanktops and REI shorts and skirts.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 05:48 pm (UTC)Uh, yeah...that was us.
*looks around for something to hide under*
no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 05:28 pm (UTC)I recently discovered a store called Coldwater Creek. Their prices are crazy, but they have good sales and they sell pants that actually come up to my waist!
You are so clever to shop in the men's section. Alas, that doesn't work for me as I'm too small:(
no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 05:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 05:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 06:30 pm (UTC):)
no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 05:28 pm (UTC)1. Land's End - their online Outlet has terrific sales
2. recently discovered DuluthTrader - blue collar work clothes - great Tshirts
3.Cabela's
4. Echo the recommendation for Eddie Bauer - also Orvis or LLBeans - I get emails about all the sales...
psw456 - can't get my logon working...
no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 05:29 pm (UTC)Shirts are iffier, since sizes seem to be all over the lot.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 05:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 05:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 05:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 06:47 pm (UTC)Given my budget constraints, I'm more in the Wal-Mart/K-Mart demographic (I like Target but they've decided women my size are Right Out), and if I go with no preconceived notions, I've gotten some great things.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-28 01:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-28 02:00 am (UTC)clothes
Date: 2008-07-27 05:37 pm (UTC)I buy in Santa Fe, broomstick skirts, loose cotton shirts ( usually guatemalan men's- or the Boulder Army Store- at least affordable and un- froo froo ) (Is that a word?) Once in a while Macy's has a sort of respectable matronly something on sale. Sometimes. Rarely.
I despise fashion designers, dept. stores, and media moguls who make endless fart joke movies. Sigh.
Welcome to Denver. It is HOT, dry, but you will die of cold in the air-conditioned hotelness, I bet.
Nanette, who hopes she has figured out this comment thing.
Re: clothes
Date: 2008-07-28 12:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 05:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 09:13 pm (UTC)Not my style, either, because, well...truth in advertising and all. And, honestly, the last thing I had with an appliqued feline on it was the felt circle skirt I had in...fifth grade? Ghod, I loved that garment.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 06:02 pm (UTC)I'm thinking there's bound to be a laundromat in Denver.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 07:10 pm (UTC)you can print out a coupon.
I'm just packing 3 day's worth (plus two dress up outfits), and sending my laundry out to be done.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 07:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 06:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 06:03 pm (UTC)so I went online to the lands end sale (this was a week ago, before the daughtermobile piled yet another thousand bucks onto the debt, or I would just be wearing the holey stuff yet another year) and found about eight items in plain colors, some of them men's clothes, for fifty bucks.
I do wish that there was someone who'd wake up and see all of us aging Boomers, because there is a potential market there, but I wonder if this is yet another way that older woman just plain become invisible.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 06:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 06:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 06:51 pm (UTC)With the coming of Budget Tightening, I've started going to Ross. I can find tons of pretty T's that fit me without making me look like a 20-year-old wanna be. It's the only place to buy jeans - I can find something that fits and they don't cost $140...
no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 06:57 pm (UTC)I fear what the thrift shop selection will be like in two years, when the styles on sale lately have been discarded. Truly horrid stuff out there now.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 09:11 pm (UTC)The local area is a little thin on quality thrift shops, though I did score two wonderful wool suit jackets at the local Goodwill last fall. Fit like they were made for me.
There's bound to be a better grade of thrift shop in Camden. Any excuse for a road trip *g*
Back when I was a nip of a thing, living in Baltimore, and wearing guy's Slim Jeans, all the Roland Park ladies donated their, ahem, old fur coats to their church thrift store. Now that was worth a road trip...
Nice pic of you and Steve
Date: 2008-07-28 12:39 am (UTC)Would you have any time between the Con and carousel hunting to shop in Denver?
Being on the scene they might still be selling suitable attire. And some of the locals might be able to steer you to some real bargains.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 07:13 pm (UTC)Talbots
Chadwicks.com
Everyone seems to be having a massive sale right now.
Clothes
Date: 2008-07-27 07:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-27 10:09 pm (UTC)why don't they cater to us?
Date: 2008-07-27 11:24 pm (UTC)As a grad student teaching assistant in NYC in the eighties, I wore my normal jeans-an-a-T-shirt while teaching biology labs. My students were almost uniformly in skirts and ruffled blouses, and many of them in heels. In Biology Lab! I'm out of touch, I don't know what they would be wearing today.
Abigail
no subject
Date: 2008-07-28 12:29 am (UTC)Sometimes I have a difficult time because most of the clothes are for the vertically well endowed but they are quality clothes and very reasonably priced at the outlet. Also Kohls and Costco, yes I buy clothes at Costco.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-28 12:38 am (UTC)Oh, wait! It's like Sam's Club, right? We don't have them here. Must not have been in existence for twenty years*.
*ref: A friend's comment, upon finding that we had moved to Maine: "In case of nuclear attack, I'd definitely move to Maine, because it takes everything twenty years to get there."
no subject
Date: 2008-07-28 11:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-28 01:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-28 01:35 pm (UTC)But my inseam is 34" (my husband wears a 30", we find this a source of vast amusement... okay, me more than he), which makes jeans difficult although the women's jean industry is Finally Getting a Modicum of a Clue. (Thank You God!!!) At least we now have petite, average, and tall! Oh and I wear a DD. And have very very very... make that VERY long arms. Which makes finding shirts that are long enough, fit me in the bust, and actually fit my torso... interesting. ::rolls eyes:: Add to that the fact that I have a tendency to walk into the so-called women's section and walk back out. Okay, except for some of the silk items. I like silk. Silk is Good. And linen. Linen is Good too.
It's worse when I'm at my healthy weight... which is 125-135. heh. We won't even go there. Which is why I tend to shop at consignment shops. At this time of year most of them will be buy winter clothes but if you hurry you'll find summer stuff on sale. RUN! Run like the wind!! They have sillllllk. They have linnnnnnen! Go. Go now. Do not pass GO. Do not collect $200. Truuuuuust me. Don't you trust. Look at my innocent face. ::grin::
Tried looking at Mardens?
Date: 2008-07-28 02:26 pm (UTC)We stopped at several branches of Mardens (for those who don't know, http://www.mardens.com, an odd lot and deep discount store) and I saw women's clothes in many sizes including some plus sizes, very well priced. And some BEAUTIFUL men's shirts, alas they were too large for me. I was sooooo tempted by the linen-look tiny floral print....You can never tell what you'll find, of course. We stopped at Biddeford, Portland, and Grey -- never did make it over to Sanford or Lewiston-Auburn, which was always my favorite Mardens.
If you're looking at chain stores, try the Avenue; they specialize in plus sizes. While some of their stuff is much younger than I like to dress, there are some classics like this:
http://www.avenue.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langiId=-1&store=326&partNumber=1262389A&storeId=326&backURL=MercadoSearch?rBack=textValue=Perfect%20Shirt;sortValue=Relevance;pageValue=1
I have that style in a print that's become my favorite casual-dressy shirt.
Don't think they have a store nearer to you than New Hampshire, but they're running a sale on-line at the moment.
I also like a lot of the Columbia sports clothing -- some of it is very tailored and neat. They often have women's sizes up to 20, although I buy the men's stuff too. I often web or mail-order from Campmor
(http://www.campmor.com ); some items are up to 80% off original retail.
--Susan
another clothes idea
Date: 2008-07-28 05:08 pm (UTC)Sierra Trading Post
Date: 2008-07-28 07:05 pm (UTC)Laura
Clothes
Date: 2008-07-31 03:26 am (UTC)