<p>^^ Sorry, but if you can’t figure out within 90 days whether or not you are going to keep something, you really don’t deserve to get the full price back. The item is out of season and can’t be easily re-sold.</p>
<p>I just bought this month’s Vogue (okay, mostly for Michelle on the cover) and after paging through 500 pages of mostly ads, I’ve picked up that khaki is an “in” color this fall. Anyone found some inexpensive, well-tailored khaki? I’m thinking perhaps a jacket, or maybe a skirt or slacks.</p>
<p>I just got an invitation to a luncheon at a Women’s Club, and the invite states the Dress Code: Women are requested to wear a skirt or pants with matching jacket, and men to wear a jacket and tie. </p>
<p>Some places still have standards! 
but I wonder if the fashion police will stop me at the door if my jacket and skirt don’t match enough. I mean, if I have an all-purpose jacket that goes (IMO) with everything, is that ok? :D</p>
<p>SuNa- I got some nice khaki trousers (nicer than chinos) at Gap this weekend. They are pressed and well-tailored.</p>
<p>OK, here’s one: Has anyone seen slips to go under hip hugger skirts? Or do girls not bother?</p>
<p>I knew I wanted to return it within a couple of weeks, I just live too far away to hit the stores, living in the boonies does have it’s disadvantages. And I am spoiled by Nordstrom- not that I would normally return something a year later, it was a particular manufacturing defect which had already been mailed back and forth several times, by that time it was summer and the mgr agreed I should just bring them next time I came in as they wre not being resold, so that was extreme, but it was the same day and a quite different experience.</p>
<p>And my 90 days was off by maybe 5 days !</p>
<p>somemom, Nordstrom has been known for their outstanding customer service. Their stores are a delight to walk through, and the salespeople are very knowledgeable and helpful. Nordsrom Racks absorb a lot of their unsold merchandise (and some really funky designer items), which helps maintain the main stores in impeccable condition. I really hope that the chain survives this downturn. I do not shop there often (just do not have the $$), but I’ll be very, very sad to see it go.</p>
<p>I just caught my H flipping through the newly arrived Macy’s catalog - wow. H said he liked the bright colors and that I should get one of those flowery dresses - yikes.</p>
<p>mommusic, I found a great slip for my daughter at HERROOM.com… the Farr West 12 inch low rise half slip…only $23.</p>
<p>My best “buys” come from a friend who goes to a lot of thrift shops. We’re close to the same size. If she gets home and tries on an item and doesn’t like it I get it. If I don’t want it I recycle it to another thrift shop. She’s having a dinner party tomorrow and just sent me an email saying she has several things for me to try on so I should come early. Lucky me.</p>
<p>I’ve had one particular sweater for about 10 years and still get compliments on the flattering color.</p>
<p>Banana Republic isn’t the only store with the return policy mentioned above. I have a non-working friend who ranted and raved to me over the holidays about how Talbots had changed their “return it whenever with a receipt” policy to the 90 day policy during the fall and had not advertised it widely, etc. I just smiled and listened, thinking that she was an undergraduate business major (albeit marketing) and she took basic accounting and ought to understand the concepts of cash flow, inventory turnover, and the fact that she has denied the store the opportunity to sell the merchandise at anything but a loss. Unlike somemom, who lives a bit of distance from BR, we live 5 minutes from a local Talbots. If you follow internet promotional mailings, you can almost tell who is in financial trouble (and Talbots seems to be from what I’ve read in Business Week) by their frequent % off promotions. While it is a customers market now, if we want our favorite stores to survive we have to help them by returning things ASAP.</p>
<p>silvervestersmom, a dinner party?! and midweek?! Maybe I hang with the wrong crowd but it’s rare when anyone else cooks for me. While I enjoy inviting others for dinner, they rarely reciprocate; instead, they ask me to meet them at a restaurant. Am I alone? (Sorry, O/T I know.)</p>
<p>I have a huge rant about Macy’s! I went to a local Macy’s to buy a skirt, but all I could see was a sea of putrid purple and puke green shapeless, amorphous pieces of fabric! Not a denim pencil skirt in sight! And definitely no cute dresses that they had in the catalog. I ran across the mall to Nordstrom’s where the clothes still looked like clothes, but the only skirt I wanted was in the display window! Arrgh!</p>
<p>We have found a lot of great buys at REI lately, with end of season closeouts. We have also found some nice things at Filines Basement in DC, as well as Ross (when you’re patient enough to dig through what’s there).</p>
<p>worrywart, among our “crowd” we do a lot of cooking and dinner parties. Actually, we have several different crowds with whom we do that. My sister, OTOH, says when they get together with friends it’s always to eat out. Different customs in different parts of the country? IDK.</p>
<p>I stopped clothe shopping altogether. Whatever D pitch, is good for me if it fits. But I never liked shopping anyway. Frees lots of time and … $$ of course! But some people love it, which might be a good entertainment if you do.</p>
<p>MiamiDAP, I like the way you think!</p>
<p>Just returned from the Talbots Outlet near me, where I tried on about 20 things and bought – nothing!! I am regretting not getting the cashmere turtleneck that was originally $168, that I could have gotten for $77, but that’s still a lot of money these days. Sometimes I can get unbelievable bargains there – things for, say, $7 or $10 – but not today.</p>
<p>I just was at a luncheon where the entertainment was a showing of “faux furs” by Donna Salyers–the same ones worn by Hollywood celebrities, on soap operas, Sex & the City, etc. They look so good and the prices are unbelievable (compared to real furs). If I needed a new winter coat (which I don’t) I would definitely shop for one of these.</p>
<p>The web site is at fabulousfurs.com</p>
<p>Macy’s has some great deals on cashmere sweaters recently, allowing you to use your coupon on top of the sale price for even great savings. My sister purchased several but they set off my allergies so I declined (tho it was tempting–had to add the price of dry cleaning to the cost of purchasing/owning the sweater). </p>
<p>I understand that some have had success with handwashing dry-cleanables, but at this stage of the game, I prefer things that are happy in the washing machine.</p>
<p>HIMom, my recent superbuy of Lauren cashmere sweaters is handwashable according to the label! This is my first cashmere item that does not need to be drycleaned per care label(although I have always washed everything, including H’s dress slacks and my wool skirts). The major tricks are: (i) a washer with handwash cycle and (ii) drying on a flat surface.
If it does not survive after these operations, it is out :)</p>