Shopping Alert!.....

Forth & Towne (The Gap's "grownups" store) is having a 50% off sale on new fall pieces.

Check them out at the following link:

Forth & Towne: New Season, New Elegance

I've not had a chance to check out their stores here in the ChiTown area (but I signed up for their e-mail list - go figure!) -- I'll have to plan a field trip! But the pieces on the website do look lovely. Even better - their sizes range from 2 - 20! Go Gap! (But come on guys -- get an online store going on on this site, okay?)

A few samples:

From their Allegory collection - A great work outfit:

Ruffle shirt and skirt

From their Prize collection - This one would move easily from work to evening:

Silk Blouse and Trouser

From their Vocabulary collection - a simply lovely silk dress:

Silk Dress



As you can see, the Gap is really kickin' it up a notch with the Forth and Towne stores! And the prices don't make you feel like you're choosing between a dress and your rent!

So if you've got a F & T near you, check 'em out -- and let me know if you find something you love!

Okay - We buy their stuff but they feel free to dish us? What the f*ck is up with that???

Seems that the Budget Fashionista got trashed by the LCYRA rep at NYC Fashion week Denim Lounge. For all the dirty details go to the following:

Spring Fashion Week Day 8: LYCRA to Plus Size Women: Don't Wear Our Products?


Her comments on this tale of the sorry behavior of this company's rept brings to the fore the basic conflict between the people who produce "fashion" and the majority of the folks who buy it.

Her observations on the back door way designers treat the general public are quite right. Designers tout their "collections" and fawn over the celebs and well-heeled clients in public -- but the bread and butter of their operations are the nom de plume clothes they knock out in anonymous sweat shops all over the world and sell in JC Penney's, Macy's, Walmart, Target, etc.

Meanwhile they turn their collective noses up at the sight of the "unsightly" common folk (e.g. Karl Lagerfeld, who obviously has NO sense of irony - or how ridiculous he sounds taking about other people's girth - as if we've all forgotten how HE used to waddle through the world) -- who's money they're happy to take while pretending they don't. (Case in point: I love the AK Anne Klein clothes line -- but if you go to Anne Klein's site you'll see no mention of it. What's up with that?)

Kudos to the Budget Fashionista for not taking such treatment lying down and at the same time remaining a class act. To bad LCYRA can't say the same for the people they pay to represent them!

The Budget Fashionista Reviews Isaac Mizahi's Latest at Target

Get yourself on over to the The Budget Fashionista for her take on Isaac Mizahi's latest offerings at Target.

Stuff I love....

If you get a chance, try out the Olay Moisturinse in Shower Body Lotion. I tried it on a whim and I'm glad I did! It works like a charm and is particularly great if you're in a rush in the morning and want to be ready to roll right out of the shower!

The catch (and there's always a catch, right?) is that it's sometimes hard to find -- for awhile I thought they'd decided to discontinue it. But I'm happy to say it appears that is not the case -- so feel free to love it! I'm most successful finding it at Target.

you can find more info at the following link:

Olay Moisturinse In Shower Body Lotion

Give it a go -- I don't think you'll be disappointed!

When is thin too thin?…When it IS damn it!

I’d thought that I would do a long post on the whole too thin vs. normal model thing that I’ve been reading about as of late. However, since the whole controversy has been going on for at least a week, it just seemed like old news.

I figured I could sum the whole thing up as follows:

1. Spain is right -- the models walking down the runway right now are little more than walking skeletons – THAT should be apparent to any but the blind. So much so, that after looking at pictures of the fall and now spring collections, my eyes began to hurt – that’s how painful all those boney knees were lookin’. And it does become a distraction at some point – you’re looking harder at the model and wondering what the hell is up with how she’s looking than you are at the clothes!

2. Fashion is one of the only places that misrepresentation of your wares is acceptable – because it is just plain misrepresentation to display clothes for women on little girls who are not only bone skinny, but mostly 13 – 18 year olds as if they will look that good on your customer – 30 – 60 year olds who are the ONLY ones who have the money to buy these things!

As for the designers complaining that it will interfere with their “creative vision” if they have to pick models with a more “normal” (I’m thinking normal for most women 5‘ 3” these days is more like 130 – 40 lbs rather than 125 lbs – but I guess you have to start somewhere…) models – well that’s just an admission on their part that they can’t really create clothes that look good on women as they actually exist in the world.

3. Women are as much to blame for this sorry state of affairs as any designer is. We not only tolerate this nonsense – we encourage it by oohing and ahhing over these collections and, where the dollars are there, buying the clothes. Why? – Because very few women can face how they really look. We WANT to believe that these clothes will make us look like those “willowy” young things on the catwalk – when a simple, unvarnished look in the mirror would dispel that fancy in a hurry! But how many of us (myself included) can really bring ourselves to do that? Instead we usually end up doing one of two things:

a. Putting ourselves in clothes which make us look absolutely ridiculous or
b. Giving up and allowing ourselves to look like something the cat dragged in.

What we should do, in my humble opinion, is dress ourselves honestly – in other words, take an honest look at ourselves, find ways to dress ourselves that take advantage of our good points (and every woman alive has some good point she can play to!) and minimizes the things that, frankly, we wish we didn’t have to deal with. And we should reward those purveyors of clothing that display their clothing honestly – on various sized models and mannequins that really allow you an idea of what these outfits will look like on real women. (Yeah, yeah it will be a shock all the way around – but get over it!)

We’d all live – and dress - a lot saner for it.

(And yes, this still ended up being rather longer than I intended!)

Went in for a pendant - Came out with an outfit..What the..????

I had a bout of fashion ADD yesterday. I went into - ugh - Macy's (Or as I'm calling it - MarsMacy's because no, I have NOT gotten over the fact that Marshall Field's is no more! But that rant is for another day!) to see if I could find a silver pendant necklace to go with the gray suit I wore today. I'm very jewelry light, you see, and I'm thinking I should start to address that.

Well I did see some pieces I liked -- but oh the sticker shock! I had my sister on the phone and as I marveled at $25 bucks for a piece of, well let's face it costume jewelry, I had to admit that it had been quite some time (Okay, years) since I've brought a piece of jewelry -- and prices just might have gone up a bit!

I decided to give it some thought and rode up to take a look at the coats (both my sister and I are in desperate need of new walking coats - well, she is in need, I'm the desperate one!). We'd actually seen coats we liked at the MarshMacy in the mall near our house but not in our size. That was still the case -- looks like we have to hit the State Street store!

So since I was there, I decided to see what might have changed in the Women's section. So I took the trip up to the 7th Floor (where we are banished so the diva's won't have to see us shopping I guess!)

I was walking through when I saw it -- AK Anne Klein for Women! I'd seen this line at the mall MarshMacy -- but only for petites! I was SOOOOOO pissed....the clothes were exactly what I like - simple, soft tailored pieces.

And now here they were -- in MY size!

I was to say the least, ecstatic!

I needed a straight forward black skirt that would work for work and after work -- and there it was! Perfect fabric, pencil shape -- and yes it looked like it would fit. Along with the skirt I picked up a red, short sleeved shell with nice detail at the collar and sleeves.

I was on lunch so I brought them without trying them on -- you know the story.

When I got home I put them on....

They fit like a charm.

No length problems.

No waist problems.

Just easy, elegant fit.

I think I'm in love.

And yes, I spent a bit more than I normally do for a skirt. But sometimes it's true -- you get what you pay for.

As for the necklace -- well, maybe I can revisit that today!

What I'm Wearing Today....

Gray jacket and flat front pants, with a white blouse - All Covington separates from Sears (I know, not a particularly great pic -- I'll have to practice!)

This is one of my favorite outfits! It looks great on me, fits perfectly and is crazy comfortable!

It's one of my "go to" outfits - perfect for those days when you've got meetings up the wazu and need to both look good and feel good! And a great example of being able to put together a good outfit (I know it would never turn heads on the Bryant Park catwalk - but who cares!) for a lot less than a small fortune - I'm pretty sure the whole outfit cost less than $100! (And an added bonus - the whole outfit is machine wash/tumble dry baby!)

Whoos! Look at the time! Gotta get this puppy on and get to work!

So NY Fashion Week is over.....

And I am, frankly, overwhelmed!

As I've said before, it's been a long time since I paid any attention to "fashion". So to try to catch-up in a couple of weeks has proved to be exhilarating, exhausting, baffling and, ultimately, impossible!

I've tried to read all the fall fashion mags I thought worth reading (and believe it or not, I DID get through them!), surf the web to find all the fashion related sites, blogs and designer sites I could and to try to view all the collections from this latest Spring fashion week!

Needless to say, I found myself on overload!

So I'm just going to have to slow the train down.

I still intend to ultimately view all the collections I can. And in that vein, I want to give a big thank you shout out to New York Magazine for their fabulous Fashion page online! They have pics of all the collections shown in NY during fashion week which gave this Chi-town gal a chance I never would have had to see the collections for myself and draw my own opinions! Did I join their mailing list? You beat your sweet bippy baby!

If you haven't checked them out, click the following link and get over there!

New York Fashion Page

Meanwhile, I'm going to take a breath and figure out where to go from here on my fashion quest!

Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about!......

Here's a woman I can smoke the peace pipe with!

***************

...Budget fashionista

PensacolaNewsJournal.com - 8 hours ago
All you need are a few bucks and a lot of sense, said Kathryn Finney, the first-time author of a new book called "How to Be a Budget Fashionista: The Ultimate Guide to Looking Fabulous for Less" ($12.95, Ballantine).

***************

Really good article with tons of good tips for dressing well without breaking the bank.

Here's the book - which by the way, got rave reviews on Amazon:



As for me -- I got a 30% off coupon last time I was at Borders (Where I really should have a bookshelf with my name on it!) so that's where I'm headed today to see if I can score a copy! It will be fun to compare it to the What Not to Wear book I already have.

So, even with a ton of money.....

You still have a hard time finding something to wear once you hit 50!

_______________________________________________________
--------------------
A woman spurned
--------------------

The loyal St. John customer was turned off by its sexy new look and ad campaign. So now the label is trying to make amends.

________________________________________________________

I wonder when the fashion industry is going to get the hint -- while those young people they are salivating over so often look like the way to go (And actually, I do understand their point -- any business has to look to the future), it's the baby boomer ladies that have the cash! (Didn't they ever see "Fried Green Tomatoes"?)

And while, true enough, there is no way in this life I'd be able to drop St. John's type money, the point remains the same across the income spectrum.

Get wise designers! Go after the young -- but don't forget where the bread and butter is right now and for a good while into the future.

Chew gum and walk at the same time, guys -- you can do it! ;-)

(On a totally different note -- what's up with this "a 6 is really a 10" bullsh*t? I guess money may not buy happiness -- but it apparently purchases a whole LOT of denial! : - / )

Halloween early this year?.......

I think the operative word in the title of the below article is haunt! : - p

As I've been browsing the fall fashions, I wondered where the hell those damn bubble skirts were coming from! Now I know -- my past! ARRRRRHHHHH!!!!!!

Check out the article...

Eighties fashion comes back to haunt us

Stuff.co.nz - Aug 25, 2006
The '80s revival featuring puffball skirts, ruching and jumpsuits has stepped off the catwalks and onto the streets, writes Lara Zamiatin. When Alex Zabotto-Bentley talks 1980s fashion, the designer of the ...

Kohl's to offer new Vera Wang line for the rest of us (?????)

Well this should be interesting…

It appears that Vera Wang is going to try to eat Isaac Mizrahi's lunch when it comes to designing for the every day woman. She's signed up to do a clothing line for Kohl.

Check out the details at the following link (I didn't need to register to read it):

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-vera2506aug25,0,454073.story?coll=orl-business-headlines

It's interesting seeing high fashion designers attempting to push their lines out to the general public (Because, let's face it, ready to wear might be a bargain for the couture shopper -- but it might as be one and the same for women like me!).

What, is he a mind reader?......

The little fashion geek knows my secret!!!

And probably yours too!

His post is actually about the state of fashion design in India -- but his reflections on why we bother with fashion at all can apply anywhere to anyone of us who loves fashion in spite of our good sense and better judgement.

So check it out at the following link:

www.ibnlive.com/blogs/hindolsengupta/104/19754/fashion-what.html

Now a view from the other side of the mountain.....

Get yourself over to FashBlog.com and check out the post Fashion Perils of the Short and Small. (You'll have to scroll down the page a bit to get to it.)

Much as I am presently bitchin' about the issues of being a size 18W (Well actually I'm a size 18W and a 14 Reg -- but THAT's a whole 'nother post!), there was a day when I was in this young lady's shoes - size not height - and I know what it's like to wonder if it is possible not to look like a stick in a handkerchief in anything you wear.

It's a great post so if you can check it out! Makes one wonder doesn't it if it is reasonably possible to be fashionable at all - 50 plus or not!

I couldn't have said it better myself......

As I was trying to prepare to pay bills (Oh well, there's always tonight), I couldn't resist a bit more web clothes site surfing. While doing so I came across the following blog entry regarding the Jones of New York line:

My Aim Is True - Jones of New York Review

The girl does not lie. I'll write more about Jones at a later date, but let me just say that anytime I've been lucky enough to grab something from this line (usually on sale) I've been delighted by my purchase. And yes -- they are one of the few clothing lines that not only acknowledges that size 2 is NOT the benchmark for all women, but also make the same beautifully classic styles for the plus among us as they do for the minus among us. They get a whole hearted (and grateful) thumbs up from me!

Touring the fashion world....

And what a trip it was!

As I've said before, it's been a long time since I paid any real attention to the whole idea of fashion. So, along with intending to purchase as many of the fall fashion issues mags that I can stomach this fall, I decided to go on a tour of the web to check out what's being sold and/or presented by general retailers right through to the toniest of designers. I figured that way I'd get quite a range of current offerings.

So I spent yesterday afternoon surfing the web to various sites. I looked at everything from the mall staples (Fashion Bug, Lane Bryant, Forever 21, etc), what I would consider mid tier retailers (Talbots, Ann Taylor, Mark Shale, etc) and the stratospheric likes of the couture designers (Donna Karan, Richard Tyler, Vera Wang, etc).

Yowserr!

Needless to say, even this morning my head is still spinning!

Fall Fashion Extravaganza!......(If you're thin that is)

Is what's going on right now, of course, in all the "fashion" magazines.

And for the first time in a long time I'm taking a look at them. I figure that if I'm going to explore the possibility of being fashionable after 50, I'd best catch up on what is fashionable these days!

I have to say that, looking through the magazine racks made me want to bale on the whole idea! A more disturbing parade of bone thin, painfully young women has never been seen -- or so I thought to myself as I flipped through the current mags. Just looking at them it was pretty obvious where they stand on the proposition of fashionableness after 50 -- give it up baby!

Now, before I rant on, I have to say that Vogue, bless it's heart, made a weak stab at acknowledging that women actually do age and, as they do, actually have to continue to wear clothes (In fact, speaking with myself in mind, it probably should be required by federal law!). Vogue does this every once in a while, coming up with an age issue at least once a year.

The catch, of course, is that while Vogue can gag down the notion that people do grow older, they can't quite choke down the rarely escapable fact that it means the body changes too. The "older" women they feature never, ever, has an extra ounce of middle age and beyond fat on them. Somehow they've managed to travel into their 50s, 60s - oh hell in the current issue their 90s, without bring one extra pound with them.

Righttttt......

As I browsed through the magazine, I thought of my circle of friends and acquaintances that are around my age. I can't think of too many that still have the bodies they had in their 20s, 30s or - oh hell again -- in their 40s.

Yet Vogue never seems to be able to find a single over 40 woman who has been able to drag their age related pounds gracefully and fashionably forward into late middle age.

Now I understand that Vogue is a high fashion magazine and, watching myself jelly rollin' dumpyly down the street each day in those oh so unforgiving windows (And riddle me this -- why are there so many of those damn things?) I have to pass everyday, I can't imagine featuring me in the age issue would be the dream of their advertising group. However, if one is going to insist upon having an age issue, at least be honest about it -- or just give it up and don't do it at all!

Anyway, even with all my bitchin' and complaining I did buy a copy. After looking at everything else that was available, I had to at least give them props for trying!

In the end, I've ended up with 3 mags that I could live with - Bust (which I've mentioned before), Vogue (which I just discussed) and O (Which I haven't looked through yet). Actually, listing them I don't think it's a half bad selection - kind of all across the spectrum.

As for the rest of them -- well the message was pretty clear -- give it up old, fat girl!

But you think I'm goin' out like that? HELL NO!

I guess there really is something to synchronicity Part 2....

You'll find out that I am a diehard magazine reader (what better friend as you spend SO much more time in the can as you grow older!).

So as I was doing my usual trowel through the magazine aisle at my favorite Borders, I was delighted to come across the latest issue of BUST.

I'm not quite sure how to describe the mag to you so I'll let their masthead speak for them "For Women With Something To Get Of Their Chest". Check out their website to see what I mean - www.bust.com

The current issue - Fall Fashion! I love it!

I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but thinking of all the fall fashion issues of "women's" magazines that will come tumbling on to the stands in the next few weeks (and remembering the day when I used to tremble with anticipation to hold the brick weight fall issue of Seventeen with all the latest and greatest teen styles for a new school year) I can't wait to see what take the irrelevant BUST has on the upcoming fashion season.

I guess there really is something to synchronicity Part 1....

Just as I was thinking of starting this blog I :

1. Came across an article about the BlogHer (http://blogher.org/) blog directory site

2. On their Fashion and Shopping section (Two things that don't necessary go together once you're post 50) came across the following :

http://blogher.org/node/6893

Containing several blog posts on the how the fashion business does - and does not - approach Bloomer women as we head (sometimes kicking and screaming, sometimes not) into our later years.

I was epecially delighted to read the post from the Lakeside Lair blog on trying to buy a dress for a wedding. Read it yourself and if you don't do so shaking your head yes, you're not an over 50 woman:

http://www.lakesidelair.com/2006/06/of-certain-age.html


Interesting reads all round. So check them out.

When it comes to clothes....

Is it possible to be fashionable post 50?

Especially considering the following:

1. The body has changed.

2. The dollars are tight. (So no, going to some couture house and having it made for you is NOT an option!)

3. You're old (so the "when you're young you can wear a gunny sack and look good" factor is over!).

That's the playing field people. And the one I'm going to explore here in this blog.

So is it possible?