LasMa, you will do fine! Good luck. 
Well…men.
Delighted you’re happy with the Levi’s. And since you know the sizing and they make you happy, would you consider going back and ordering the same in black (If you got blue- or vice versa?)
About “checking the sales,” every few days would drive me batty.
Good luck LasMa. Let us know what you come away with. Even if you don’t get many clothes today, my guess is you will have a better sense of what to get in the future.
Be thinking of you tomorrow! Hope you will feel comfortable to come back here and report the good, the not so good - all the facets - of the shopping experience! We promise to support you!!!
I was also going to suggest trying the same style Levi in alternative colors - even like a green khaki or something if they have it.
“About “checking the sales,” every few days would drive me batty.”
No, I don’t check my bookmarks every few days - that would be futile. Sales happen just twice a year - sometimes in June and then again in December. When I get an email from Saks notifying me that the sale is coming, I check the other big retailers as well - but only by opening the bookmarks. This way, I don’t have to sort through a ton of stuff trying to find the item I liked. Shopping is easy and efficient when done this way.
lasMa, would you mind sharing what style, cut and color of Levis makes you so happy?
I have been pretty happy with the way that some of Macy’s Style & Co. Jeans fit me, but am willing to look further. To have jeans that make you look and feel great is a wonderful thing!
It’s the 515 in 10L. I actually wanted to get it in the dark wash but as you can see they don’t even make that in 10L. I got the medium wash which is perfect for everyday.
But yes, I’m starting to think I need some black jeans. I really like Levi’s so I guess I’ll have to schlep to the outlet and start trying on.
I’m wearing the new jeans again today and they’ve stretched out a bit and I’m actually starting to think I should have gotten an 8L. So that’s another conundrum I have that stops me from shopping . I usually don’t know if something works until I’ve worn it a time or two, and of course by then it can’t be returned.
What I love about black jeans is, done right, they dress up or dress down. (Well, a bit up, I mean.) I also love corderoy, a little harder to find.
LM, so order size 8. You said you’d be losing another 5-10 lbs… Then one is loosey comfy and the other is sleek.
LasMa, what I like about Nordstrom is that even a worn item can be returned if it had not lived up to the expectations. I have not done it, but I have seen many others do it. One lady brought in a coat that was pretty beat up - the SA took it and gave her a store credit for a new Northface because neither of them could find how much the lady paid for the coat which she bought a year ago.
Absolutely agree about getting a second pair in 8. My sister gets those Levi’s in 10L, and she is heavier than you per your description!
Yes, I often have clothing in slightly different sizes for different fits. It’s important to keep track of which fit for what situations. For dressier, I tend to have things more fitted than casual around the house or around the neighborhood. I find dark jeans–black or navy–very useful for most things, though I do wear dressier for fancy outings. We used dark jeans much of our time on the cruise and found that many others were as well.
Black jeans that make you happy are an amazing addition to you wardrobe. I have found that even within the same brand different colors can fit differently. I excel at ordering 2 sizes and returning the reject. Thank goodness for Zappos VIP! If you sign up for Levis online emails, you will receive periodic coupons for 30% off.
Every fall Ann Taylor sells a ponte knit pant that really does fit like a great pair of jeans, but is dressy enough for work and amazing for travel. I need a 33 inseam and in regular they are the perfect length. add this to your list, but wait for one of their many 25, 40 or sometimes 50% off emails.
Hope you are having fun!
15 mins into my appt. Already in tears.
Oh no! Sorry about the tears–please try to learn something from the appointment about what YOU want and don’t want, even if you decide not to buy anything today.
Maybe happy tears???
If not, shrug it off and try to regroup. Don’t be afraid to make your wishes and needs known!!
It occurs to me that I haven’t described my favorite method of shopping for clothes: I ask my friend Elizabeth (who is a style maven, an artist, and an old friend) to go with me. I buy her lunch in exchange for her honest opinion on the clothes I’m trying on. It seems to work.
“So when you say “watch the sales” what do you mean? Do you literally go to the website of each store you like every few days to see if there’s a sale on?”
I get emails from my favorite stores. There is always a sale. Some days I can get up to 4 0r 5 emails from Saks alone. I skim quickly, but delete most of them, tbh, because I am a twice a year shopper.
“15 mins into my appt. Already in tears.”
Oh no. That’s not good.
Try to think of it as a learning experience.
I will second a nice pair of ponte pants. I wear mine all fall/winter.
I buy at least one new pair of black pants a year. I wear each of them for around five years, until you can tell a pair is dated.
I don’t have any blouses, either. I find them extremely uncomfortable.
My only “blouse” is from Splendid and it’s not really a blouse in the traditional sense.
http://www.bigblondehair.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Splendid-Blouse-with-2-pockets.jpg
May I suggest you ask the shopper for a glass of wine? You need to relax.
LasMa, hang in there! You don’t have to agree with everything the shopper says. Try on a few things. Take selfies. Take a deep breath. Relax. Look at the clothes and the selfies. See which ones make you feel happy. Yes, clothes are supposed to make you feel happy and liberated! Even business suits. That’s how I feel about my Max Mara suiting pieces. I’m sitting at the cafe here eating herring and drinking wine… I’m wearing my favorite dress. It has a flared skirt with pockets, and it makes me feel fabulous. I have no idea what Mr. thinks about that.