<p>Part of my issue is that I hate the way my feet feel in shoes without hose/socks…those little ‘footie’ things don’t always work. My feet sweat like crazy and I just hate the way they feel. I usually wear knee highs with my pants, especially if the shoe isn’t a bare sandal. Am just doomed to be considered an ‘old lady’ if I wear pantyhose to hide my ugly veins?? If that’s the case, so be it…Just don’t see myself going bare-legged except when I’m wearing shorts and sneakers.</p>
<p>Anyone here shop at White House/Black Market? I love their window displays but have never taken the time to go inside. Is it for our demographic? What about fit?</p>
<p>Boy did I get some deals today. I hit Old Navy, Gap and New York & Co. I thought things were incredibly cheap. I even got a couple of things at Banana on sale. I needed a lot of spring/summer clothes since I am a different size than last year. Prices are very low.</p>
<p>
D and friends shop there for dresses for homecoming and winter formal (which is more like semi-formal). So in our part of the woods, the demographics is more high school and college age. But I see moms there trying on and purchasing things. The sizing is more Junior than Misses.</p>
<p>Going back to the bra discussion, I found a great one the other day. I hate underwire but need light padding, so it’s sometimes tough to find a good fit. I came across a Spanx bra (you know Spanx - they make those great body shapers) that’s one of the most comfortable I’ve ever worn. It’s not cheap but the comfort is worth it. It also prevents that “back fat” bulge that so many bras cause. I found it at Bloomingdales but you can also buy them online at [Welcome</a> to Spanx.com the Official Site of Spanx by Sara Blakely](<a href=“http://www.spanx.com%5DWelcome”>http://www.spanx.com).</p>
<p>Friday night I found myself alone, so I hit my favorite stores. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>The mall was depressingly empty.</p></li>
<li><p>At two stores, I was the only customer in the whole darned store and no one greeted me. At Banana Republic I managed to look thru the entire women’s dept., try on a skirt, and leave while the employees chatted to each other without ever glancing in my direction.</p></li>
<li><p>I found no clothes that tempted me in the least. Are they making ugly clothes to make us feel better about not buying them?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>^^ That’s interesting. I had the opposite experience at the mall yesterday. I found customer service to be better than ever- even at Macy’s where I usually can’t find anyone to help me. I figured the sales staff was being really pushed to be cheery and helpful to increase business. I had great help at Gap and thought the colors and clothes at Gap and Limited were really cute this season. I agree that Banana had less helpful staff. I did get put into a dressing room but then the guy disappeared.</p>
<p>i was at tjmaxx yesterday looking for some luggage. the place was packed. several people in line to make purchases…lots of loaded shopping carts.</p>
<p>i had to go to the mall to go to gnc, and was expecting a bit less crowd. i was wrong! every store was packed…the service everywhere was great, sales people were attentive, and the cash registers were ringing.</p>
<p>i was happy for the local economy; living in the midwest in a university town tends to isolate us just a bit from a lot of economic woes.</p>
<p>i had to make a couple of purchases, but honestly, i was wondering if i should be out spending any money at all!</p>
<p>My shopping pattern has totally changed. I am at MUCH lower level stores now, which is fine. I am much more attentive to value, sales etc. If I try something on, I have to really like it to buy it. Before, if I thought it would be “nice to have” and “I might wear it a few times” I would buy it. I am buying fewer “play” clothes (except for running stuff where I am still floating the economy) and more things for work. We are business casual, so I can get by with cute and relatively inexpensive clothes. As long as I throw a blazer or cardigan on, a polo shirt or other knit shirt is fine. In a way, it’s sort of fun to shop this way because I’m not as invested in expensive things. When I lived in Dallas I was all about Nordstrom and other boutique-type stores. Of course, Dallas is shopping heaven. In Nashville I don’t have the same kind of shopping (which is a good thing).</p>
<p>I strolled through the Downtown Macy’s last week and the only thing I ended up buying was a pair of clearance-priced wool socks! Macy’s brought in their spring collections, and the clothes are horrible. Macy’s new fashion campaign is something along the lines of “return of colors”… Ugh. Not the colors I want to see on me. And the patterns, the flower designs! What are they thinking?</p>
<p>Sort of related to the shopping thread…we visited U of AL and I noticed how nicely dressed (some) of the women were. The Assistant Dean we spoke to was in her early to mid 50s but her outfit was amazing – incredible jewelry, gold-toned pants, patent leather gold shoes, gorgeous, goldish toned blouse – just so beautiful and tasteful. Not exactly my style, but tres elegant. And she was very professional, warm and student-focused, also. </p>
<p>As I think about ‘returning to work’ clothing styles, it’s so cool to see women (not in their late teens/20s) who are doing it so well!</p>
<p>masslou–no, REAL “old ladies” wear stockings with shorts! (I am so not kidding.)</p>
<p>Bunsen Burner–welcome to the other side of youthful fashion. “Not those colors/designs, not this year, not on my body!” :D</p>
<p>MOWC–I was never at those higher level stores, so no big adjustment here. I would wander through the mall, cringe at the prices (which I would probably pay if I were a high-priced lawyer or career gal) and then go off to a lower level store and get whatever I decided was comparable & fashionable.</p>
<p>Never spent much on clothing, fortunately…last week I was tickled to get the most wonderful skirt at the thrift shop. Really. Great colors, long & comfy, goes with 3 tops I already own…
:)</p>
<p>I like the colors and many of the patterns this year. I love bright colors. I am not a “basic black” person.</p>
<p>I’m definitely not about color and all about basic black in a variety of forms (w/white tops). lol.</p>
<p>MOWC–I know you’ve lived in the east & in TX/other southern areas – do you find that the women (some of them) dress more elegantly in the south? I saw a number of college girls in sweet dresses and heels when we were there. I wondered if it had something to do with the ‘southern belle’ femininity. Some of them are my role models to some extent, now. Maybe I’ve been home too long w/my jeans-wearing SAHM buddies for the last few years and just getting back to seeing ‘working women style.’</p>
<p>i has da most success when the mommy is wif me</p>
<p>Ugh - I’ve been jacket shopping. I want that nice soft microfiber, elastic cuffs, a hood, and a conservative color. So far no luck. Apparently the fashion this year is for banded, wide cuffs. Nice if you happen to be the exact right size! So no help for the economy from me, so far.</p>
<p>I’m unhappy because so many clothes I see are in shocking orange, lime green, and hot pink. I understand color in the spring, but I can’t wear those shades at all. Tone it down, people!</p>
<p>Yeah, the jackets I saw today were lime green, hot pink, poweder blue…</p>
<p>That was one reason I didn’t find anything. I am looking for pastel tops - yellow, pink, baby blue - to soften the gray suits I have. </p>
<p>And yes, Momofwildchild, I expected to walk into stores and find the sales staff all over me, so I was surprised to be totally ignored.</p>
<p>I live 2-3 hours drive from a Banana Republic, but there are stores in a couple of locations that I visit multiple times a year. Late last October I bought a couple of sweaters there, one I loved, one I never wore and I was in an area with one in January.</p>
<p>I learned they have a 90 day return policy, even with a receipt after 90 days you get the current in store price, you can imagine with the after Christmas clearance I was seriously displeased.</p>
<p>The same day I returned a pair of shoes with a defect to Nordstrom, without a receipt, for full price.</p>
<p>You know where i will NOT be shopping in the future- BR. I was very disappointed as I really liked one of the sweaters and thought I found a new place to shop (they seemed to have great sale prices)</p>
<p>I did speak to the manager and even offered to take what I paid in the form or in store credit, but she did not have the authority to allow that. So, I am spreading the word as I promised her I would do ;)</p>