<p>I don’t wear jeans much (find them uncomfortable) but I think they’re fine at any age. Of course, the style of jeans could make a difference. </p>
<p>I’m seeing a trend here (okay - not a trend yet but have seen it on three women this week) of wearing short dresses with cowboy boots. The college/hs crowd has been wearing those for a few years but these were all middle-aged women. It looked sort of silly, IMHO.</p>
<p>I love my cowboy boots, but I only wear them with jeans or cords ( not tucked in).
I also love my jeans but I guess one of my favorite fall outfits would be a knee length skirt & sweater, tights & flat boots. Being 5’2", I can wear dresses that I think would be shorter on most people but on me they hit about the bottom of my knee- which seems to be a good length.</p>
<p>But I have noticed that I have to try on several dresses/skirts to find something that hits mid knee, so people of average height must have an even harder time.</p>
<p>Semi formal event tonight. I have 3 cocktail dresses: 2 black and 1 shiny beige. I want to wear the beige since it is pretty, but I know in advance that 95% of the women there will be dressed in black…why is this??</p>
<p>Go with the beige. You don’t want to look like everybody else. My D is on the med school interview trail, and everybody seems to be wearing black suits with white blouses. They say they all look like funeral directors. She is wearing different blouses. Go with the beige.</p>
<p>If it is an evening event leaning more towards formal/glamour than not, go with the shiny beige! The reasons everyone wears black are (i) we all have at least one black dress in our closets that still fits and is not out of style; (ii) it is a safe choice; (iii) it is easy to accessorize; (iv) we are being told that LBD is THE way to go. Frankly, I like black, but I’m tired of it, and for the year end festivities I’m going to go with blue and teal.</p>
<p>I like the knee length skirt, tights and boot look also. That’s become one of my go to looks for the winter, especially at work. There was a time when longer. fuller skirts with boots were very popular but I haven’t seen that look around here in a while. Wonder when it will make a comeback?</p>
<p>*There was a time when longer. fuller skirts with boots were very popular but I haven’t seen that look around here in a while. *
I am still hanging onto my Laura Ashley cord dresses 
momlive- One is really a gorgeous corduroy print that I would wear for holiday dinners- but I did just order a Boden cord dress that is more current- so crossing fingers it works.</p>
<p>Longer, fuller skirts with boots:
I can share my first-hand experience that such skirts (say…6 inches above the ankle) can get caught beneath the wheels of desk chairs to undesired results.</p>
<p>LOL, a couple years ago I realized that yes, I had clothes that were catching on the wheels of the desk chair. I brutally attacked my wardrobe and had my favorite things shortened and gave the rest to Goodwill.</p>
<p>I never had problems with skirts vs rolling chairs, because I mostly wore/wear pencil skirts (for some reason, I never looked good in fuller skirts).</p>
<p>After my run and some garden work, I went mall walking, since DH needed a few things for his upcoming business trip. I stopped by the Nordie’s women’s coat department. Ladies, Fleurette has some great coats this season. This one is amazing:</p>
<p>[Fleurette</a> Double Breasted Wool Coat | Nordstrom](<a href=“http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/fleurette-double-breasted-wool-coat/3211352?origin=keywordsearch&resultback=242]Fleurette”>http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/fleurette-double-breasted-wool-coat/3211352?origin=keywordsearch&resultback=242)</p>
<p>The fabric is Italian-made Loro Piana wool, and the coat is made in the US, which would work great for my ongoing experiment… OMG, where can I find $800? I bookmarked it in hopes that size 4 will still be available when it goes on sale.</p>
<p>Love the coat color, Bunsen. It would certainly pick your spirits up on a dreary day. Lord and Taylor has a very similar coat by Fleurette fpr $725 with a ruched collar.</p>
<p>BTW, I wore the shiny beige dress on Saturday night and felt just great! It was still conservative, but not black Thanks!</p>
<p>Ah short skirts!! I love them but being that I’m 55 and have major cellulite above my knees they are a no-no. Went to a swanky wedding in New Canaan, Ct. this weekend…just wore a dress I bought on sale at White House/Black Market…black and white with some royal blue thrown in. Above the knee with black pumps…the bride had never met me and told my husband I looked sixteen. ?? (maybe she had too much to drink but I was pleased considering that I wasn’t the least bit “youth-ed out”…) Made my week anyway!</p>
<p>Bunsen,</p>
<p>The Flourette coat is gorgeous. I have also really liked some of the Flourette coats wnp has shared with us. Here is a much cheaper Ellen Tracy coat that I bought two years ago and still is carried by Nordstrom. I bought it in the spice. Always get some nice compliments.</p>
<p>[Ellen</a> Tracy A-Line Wool Blend Coat (Nordstrom Exclusive) | Nordstrom](<a href=“http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/ellen-tracy-a-line-wool-blend-coat-nordstrom-exclusive/3233196?origin=category&resultback=0]Ellen”>http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/ellen-tracy-a-line-wool-blend-coat-nordstrom-exclusive/3233196?origin=category&resultback=0)</p>
<p>I keep lingering on this coat on the Nordstrom website. I don’t need another parka but something about this coat just grabs me:</p>
<p><a href=“http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/trina-turk-down-jacket/3201654?origin=category&resultback=961[/url]”>http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/trina-turk-down-jacket/3201654?origin=category&resultback=961</a></p>
<p>sewhappy, when I was looking at the Fleurette coats, I noticed that Ellen Tracy one and have been coveting the purple one. Which I need like a hole in the head. Maybe I’ll order it with the free shipping just to see if I love it.</p>
<p>Speaking of Nordstrom, I went to the closest Rack store this past weekend and bought a small Hobo handbag. When I got home, I saw that it had a spot up by the strap attachment where the color was missing. I returned it yesterday. Is that common for that store? Is the stuff often damaged or is it just from last season? I hate having to check stuff over for flaws.</p>
<p>Sewhappy, I think you can do better than that particular coat. I know you have a hankering for a down coat, but I don’t see that as being especially flattering. I love the Ellen Tracy coat. Actually, I was online thinking about replacing my long parka (I bought when I was at my highest weight) and I thought some of the Eddie Bauer coats weren’t bad. I will never get really excited about a parka. </p>
<p>[Essential</a> Down Duffle | Eddie Bauer](<a href=“Page Not Found”>Page Not Found)</p>
<p>What I like is that it is lined in flannel and I would pick the brown. I am still not wild about it. I still want my red coat. Not that it fills any void in my coat line-up!</p>
<p>lol, wnp – my DH got me that Eddie Bauer parka for Christmas a few years ago, or at least a very similar one.</p>
<p>I will say this – that is one warm coat! It’s like walking down the street in a down comforter!</p>
<p>It is a bit long on me, I think. I just feel as if I get swallowed up in it. For the right person, it would be a swell winter coat.</p>
<p>Has anyone seen the new J Crew catalogue? Oh my. Those stadium cloth wool pea coats and trenches are really nice. My DD is eyeing them but I want one!</p>
<p>worknprogress2,
Thanks for posting the link to the Eddie Bauer coat…we’re from the west coast but D1 and D2 attend college in the east and this coat might be exactly what they need. The price is reasonable too–sent both the link!</p>
<p>Collage: where in the East? DD is in Boston and will not touch that coat with a 9-yd pole. :)</p>
<p>She wore her NF fleece until January, then reluctantly put on a NF down jacket. The long Michael Kors down coat was brough home during the winter break, “no one in Boston wears these” :rolleyes:</p>
<p>OK, this is the NF jacket that WAS popular 2 years ago:</p>
<p>[The</a> North Face ‘Transit’ Jacket | Nordstrom](<a href=“http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/the-north-face-transit-jacket/3240820?origin=category&resultback=1048]The”>http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/the-north-face-transit-jacket/3240820?origin=category&resultback=1048)</p>
<p>And this is what will be/is “in” this year (a la Patagonia stitching), at least in my neck of the woods in Seattle:</p>
<p>[The</a> North Face ‘Thunder’ Jacket | Nordstrom](<a href=“http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/the-north-face-thunder-jacket/2975127?origin=related-2975127-6013372-0-1-1]The”>http://shop.nordstrom.com/S/the-north-face-thunder-jacket/2975127?origin=related-2975127-6013372-0-1-1)</p>
<p>[Patagonia</a> ‘Downtown Loft’ Hooded Down Jacket | Nordstrom](<a href=“http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/patagonia-downtown-loft-hooded-down-jacket/3216911?origin=keywordsearch&resultback=288]Patagonia”>http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/patagonia-downtown-loft-hooded-down-jacket/3216911?origin=keywordsearch&resultback=288)</p>
<p>In NF, Big Girls XL fits Women’s S/M (to save some $$). Nordie will probably have the fall colors on sale in early November, as they usually do.</p>
<p>I guess it depends on your daughter. Mine generally wore a wool walking coat, but as a member of the YPMB, she was happy to have what we affectionately call “Big Blue” (a similar coat & not the trendy NF or Patagonia) for football games. She also wore Big Blue to head to the sports complex for IM water polo. In fact, she is flying back to school the weekend before Thanksgiving where we are meeting her and she has already given me instructions to bring the coat. Actually, that is why I am looking the Eddie Bauer coat. I want to replace my parka so I can comfortably tailgate at football games in PA and CT.</p>