Friday, June 27, 2008

$1 Flip Flops Tomorrow @ Old Navy

On Saturday June 28 only, you can pick up flip-flops at Old Navy for only a buck each. The catches are a) I think the sale only applies to the regular flip-flops not any embellished ones b) some Old Navy stores are limiting the number you can buy at one time and c) it's only one day. But it's a great opportunity to pick up some cheapo beach shoes for a price even lower than Wal-Mart in enough colors to match your swimsuits.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Trends I Love

Sorry about the two-day delay!

Fortunately, I think there is more to like than dislike this year. Any of these can be worn by most people in some form, regardless of age, body shape, or what the media says.

1. Gladiator sandals

These are classics and whenever they become a hot trend again, it's an opportunity to pick up a couple of pairs. Fortunately, these are available in a range of prices. I got a set of Madden Girl Sicily sandals for $29.99 (retails for $45) from Shoe Station, a Southern discount chain that sells online.

Then there are these (non-leather) bargain sandals from Old Navy…only $19.99! I got one pair in brown…you can also find these in dark brown, gold, and black:

http://www.oldnavy.com/browse/product.do?cid=39211&pid=604581&scid=604581012


2. Metallics

Metallics don't really go out of style per se as long as you don't overdo it. It brings a little kick or sparkle to an outfit. I just got these lovely Patricia Field for Payless sandals for a mere 25 bucks:

http://www.payless.com/PatriciaField/?cm_re=S08_p08a_20080617*Brands*PatriciaField(LP)

3. Yellow

Some people really hate yellow. As a paleface, some shades of yellow worn in certain ways can make you look yucky and washed out. But a vibrant yellow will work out just fine.

4. Wide leg pants for summer

Not the ugly, laughable bell bottoms of the 1970s but pants more reminisicent of the glamourous '40s. I got my first wide legs from Victoria's Secret a year and half ago and for someone like me with big legs and a big booty, these pants were the answer to my prayers. I've bought a pair of Isaac Mizrahi for Target navy wide leg pants and a pair of Juicy Couture lightweight denim wide legs in the past three months.

5. Super lightweight denim

My office goes casual in the summer months and we can wear (non-ripped) jeans five days a week if we want. But who wants to wear heavy dark denim when it's friggin' hot? Fortunately, there is denim out there that is so light it feels like linen. The aforementioned Juicy wide legs for example. They wore great in 92-degree, ultra-humid N.O. weather.

6. White denim

Another jeans option for the summer months is white denim. Now, bad white denim can expose your undies, even if they are "nude" or some other neutral color. This is why you have to take care and probably invest a little more in whatever white jeans you buy.

Curvier and more voluptuous ladies have these Antiks from Avenue now on sale for $149.99:




And this flap pocket from Svoboda:



I just bought the above jeans and they are awesome!

7. Look at the colors:

Aside from yellow, bright eye-popping colors are turning up on clothes, accessories, and even nail polish. A lot of it owes to the 1980s and early 1990s. But think bright and vibrant more so than day-glo or neon.


8. Sheers

I don't like skanky, cheap looking shears but nice feminine blouses, skirts, and dresses with the appropriate undergarments are great for summer.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

My most hated summer trends

Every season brings its collection of "must haves" splashed in magazines, worn by starlets in paparazzi photos, and clogging up racks in your local stores. Every season has its winners and...its losers. For some reason, the losers seem to be the ones everybody pushes the most. Go figure.

Here are the trends I absolutely refuse to buy and my reasons why I'm steering clear:

1. Short Shorts

Curse you designers for foisting this horror upon womankind! Even young and in-shape women like Hillary Duff expose to all of the world the cottage cheese on their thighs:



Photo from DenimBlog.com

On other women, the look says, "Trashy":



Photo from DenimBlog.com

The only person who can rock Daisy Dukes is Daisy Duke...and I don't think even Catherine Bach is wearing them anymore.

2. Rompers

Who the hell thought rompers were a great idea? Nobody over the age of 11 should wear one.




Please don't wear this unless it's just to the pool.

3. Latex and neon leggings

I don't mind leggings at all. I'm a proud child of the '80s and I cheerfully loaded up on some more once they reappeared in the stores. But I only got basic colors. Not the celebrity set, though! For some reason, they think oil-slicks look great on their legs. Ditto for day-glo colored leggings.



Tomorrow: Trends I lurve!

Monday, June 16, 2008

The weekly haul

Gotta love the outlets! At Saks Off Fifth I found a nice Nanette Lapore top that's work appropriate for a meager $25.96 and at TJ Maxx I snagged a pair of Marc by Marc Jacobs sunglasses for $29.99.

In beauty care, I snagged a bottle of Opi nail polish in a neat sky blue color. Great for summer toenails!

Saturday, June 14, 2008

How to have an acne free summer

Those of us who have a tendency to break out on the back and decolletage areas dread warmer weather. Who wants to wear a strapless dress or a tank top or a halter with big ugly zits in all of the wrong places?

Well, there's a way to get those bastards under control. If you get boils, see your dermatologist about some medication that can help control the testosterone that causes those nasty, painful under-the-skin bumps.

If surface pimples and closed pores are more of a problem, here's what you do:

1. Get a good body scrub and use it at least a couple of times a week. Right now I love, love, love Soap & Glory's The Scrub Of Your Life body scrub. It's not too greasy and boy, does it work! Soap & Glory is available exclusively at Target.

2. Rub astringent on your back and chest every day. If you sweat a lot, use it twice a day or more. The best astringent in my humble opinion is good old fashioned witch hazel. It's inexpensive, you can find it anywhere, and unlike a lot of astringents, it's not too strong nor does it smell funny. Witch hazel doesn't smell at all.

3. Buy mark's Bacne acne liquid treatment from Avon. If any zits rear their ugly heads, aim and fire and within a day or two, they're on their way to disappearing. Visit avon.com/mark or go bug your local Avon lady.

These tips will leave your skin cleaner and clearer all summer long.

MAC Friends and Family Sale!

Until June 16, you can get 15% off everything at MAC stores (not makeup counters) nationwide and on 6/16 only, you can get that 15% off from MAC's website! Read more here:

http://www.pursepage.com/sales/mac-friends-family-sale-online-0616.html

Friday, June 13, 2008

Trends and Older Babes

I'm in my late 30s but I do look a lot younger than my age. This makes it many ways easier for me to find cool stuff to wear although one thing that happens to you when you hit my age is you start to appreciate nicer things and well, you just want to look more refined and sophisticated.

So I read this article on MSN today about which trends women my age and older should avoid. I'll post what they wrote along with my opinions:

Tie-dye
Judging by the amount of tie-dye evident on the runways, the summer 2008 fashion shows seem to have been channeling the summer of love. But even if—or especially if—you have fond memories of Grateful Dead shows and making your own tie-dyed tee shirts, skip the trend this time around. “As a general rule, if you’ve worn it once, you don’t want to wear the trend again in the same way,” says Krupp. Get the groovy feeling in a much more sophisticated fabric, by opting for ombré. Designers are using this color-washed fabric for all sorts of summer styles—including dresses, pants, tunics and tops.


Agreed, to a point. Bad acid trip style tie-dye is fine for that Phish reunion show but otherwise it will make you look like an aging pothead. However, I have seen some designs that don't look too bad at all. I think the key is subtlety. Go for more subtle designs and colors, or, as the article says, opt for ombré. I bought a pretty plum ombré shirt at weirdly enough CVS for ten dollars. Even the dye job is subtle. I really dig it, man.

Short shorts
Yes, Madonna is 49 years old and she’s wearing hot pants, but let’s face it: You’re not Madonna! Besides, the Material Girl is spotted wearing them in music videos and photo shoots—probably not out for a family dinner with her husband and kids. “Showing off your knees gets tricky as you get older,” says Krupp. “They can sag or get wrinkles, and at some point it’s just not a body part you want to flaunt.” Krupp isn’t a fan of shorts in general—at least outside the gym—and suggests opting for a casual short skirt instead.


Agreed 100%. Why in God's name would you want everyone to see your cellulite, veins, knobby knees, and other hazards of aging? I've seen some young starlets in short shorts who REALLY shouldn't be wearing them either. I haven't worn short shorts since 1995 and I probably shouldn't have worn them then either. Opt for bermudas and cropped pants instead.

Ripped jeans
“These absolutely don’t have any place in an over-35-year-old’s wardrobe,” Krupp declares. And with good reason: Ripped jeans are sloppy, and that’s exactly the opposite of the image you want to present. Jeans can still be a chic part of your wardrobe—and can even look professional enough to pass muster in more casual office settings—but you need to choose a pair with sleek, simple, clean lines. A stylish look for summer: wide-legged trouser-style jeans in a dark wash. They should fit perfectly (not too tight), have strategically placed pockets to enhance your butt, and no embellishments (like glitter, embroidery, or ornate stitching).


Agreed again. I think I might have had some minorly torn jeans back in the late '80s and I think those were jeans I distressed myself after buying them at the thrift store. Really, you'll just look stupid in them if you are over 35, like you're trying to relive your NKOTB fangirl years. I don't like them on curvy/plus gals either. I prefer a wee bit of weathering on the pockets and seams instead.

Off-the-shoulder shirts
Remember “Flashdance” and the ripped sweatshirt that kept slipping seductively off Jennifer Beals’s shoulder? Well, if you’re old enough to have not only seen the movie (possibly a dozen times) but also to have run immediately home to take a scissors to all of your sweatshirts, then you’re old enough to bypass the one-shoulder trend this summer. To get in on the shoulder-revealing trend—without the sloppy, I’m-losing-my-shirt look—Krupp suggests trying an asymmetric dress or top. It’s a sexy way to show off your shoulders without getting too risqué.


Well, I think they are wrong on this one. If it's a nice off-the shoulder shirt and it doesn't dip too low on your chest, I think it's fine to wear.

Light or bright-colored leggings
White leggings, or ones in any candy-colored shade, are best left to the teenaged set. Not only will light colors call attention to your lower half (and make even shapely legs look heavy), but it’s just not a very sophisticated style choice. On the other hand, Krupp gives the thumbs-up to dark leggings. “Black leggings worn under a dress that’s just a little too short or too sheer to wear alone looks youthful without looking too young,” she says. And you don’t have to opt only for black—any dark color (black, brown, dark gray or navy) is an all age-appropriate choice.


How about this? NOBODY should wear bright-colored leggings. Not young chicks, not mature ladies, not thin women, not fat women. They are tack-y and I can't understand why the young fashion victims are going ape you-know-what for them.

Chunky platform shoes
The description of what you want to look for in a shoe sounds a lot like what you’d want your body to look like too—sleek, slim and sexy. So while you can still wear moderate platforms, reasonable wedges and slightly chunky shoes, you want to avoid any exaggerated versions. “After a certain age, a too-chunky shoe just starts to look orthopedic,” says Krupp. Not to mention that some of those sky-high platforms and wedges can be downright dangerous. Twist an ankle in a chunky shoe and you might find yourself in a decidedly unstylish cast or brace!


There was a time when I loved BIG chunky platform shoes. Now my neck, back, knees, and ankles start hurting even when I just see a picture of them. You're tempting fate wearing those damn things.

Ruffles
This ultra-feminine trend is a good example of the “less is more” fashion adage. A skirt or dress with a wedding cake-like tier of multiple ruffles has the ability to make you look ridiculous. But a single, well-placed frill—at the hem of a skirt or embellishing a simple blouse, for example—can be a very pretty, very feminine detail.


There are good ruffles and there are bad ruffles. Good ruffles look good on everyone in spite of age. Bad ruffles look bad on everyone in spite of age.

Bare midriffs
If you’ve got the body for it, there’s nothing wrong with wearing a tummy-baring bikini or tankini to the beach or pool this summer. But as far as midriff-revealing fashions anywhere else, Krupp says just forget it. “I don’t care if you have six-pack abs or if you’ve just had a tummy tuck, don’t show it off,” she says. What might look cute and sexy on someone much younger just looks trashy on an older woman.


Absolutely. I don't want to see your flab or wrinkly tum-tum hanging out.

Sheer over sheer
Clothes always have a tendency to get lighter, airier and less substantial when summer weather hits. And this season, with a trend toward transparent tops, tunics and dresses, is no exception. Instead of wearing sexy underpinnings with a gauzy top, Krupp suggests trying the trend in a more minor way. “You don’t want to expose too much, so consider a top that reveals just your upper chest beneath a sheer chiffon, but wear an opaque camisole underneath it that completely covers your breasts,” she says. “You can still look sexy, but you can do it without revealing too much.”


I have sheer tops and tank tops or camis or something always go underneath. It's just common sense.

Gladiator sandals
Every few years, the sandals made famous by ancient Roman gladiators—with their multitude of straps, including ones that wrap around and up the ankle—make a fashion comeback. But according to Krupp, they should remain ancient history. “Why would you want to draw all that attention to your calves and ankles?” she wonders. “Shoes like that hit your leg at the worst possible spot, making them very unflattering to older legs.” Skip the ankle-wrapping straps (same rule applies to those ballerina-style espadrilles that wrap the leg and tie around the calf), and opt for a sexy, strappy sandal instead. It can be a flat or have a mild platform or wedge, but what’s going to flatter your leg and foot is one that fits well, is comfortable enough to walk in (at least a short distance) and doesn’t draw all eyes to your ankles.


Wrong, wrong, wrong. Come on, most 30-something and 40-something women will look perfectly fine wearing gladiator sandals. I have two pairs, goshdurn it, and I think I rock 'em pretty well! Not all of us have cankles and even if we did, the sandals would look just fine with slim-fitting pants that cover/camouflage the ankles. However, I would avoid the gladiators that strap around the legs.

Too much tan
Nothing ages you faster than too much sun (or too much time in a tanning bed). All that ultraviolet radiation literally adds years to your skin—zapping its youthful glow and leaving it dry, wrinkled and sagging. But even going overboard with self-tanner or bronzer can make you appear old beyond your years. Go for a subtle, natural-looking hint of color instead.


Who wants to look like a carrot? Again, too much bronzer/tan cream doesn't look good on women of any age.

Sparkly makeup
There’s a fine line between shimmer and glitter, and it’s a line you definitely don’t want to cross! A subtle shimmer can act like a diffuser—think of it as a soft-focus lens for your skin—that makes fine lines and imperfections less noticeable. But outright glitter and sparkle has no place on your face. Rather than providing camouflage, glittery makeup is likely to settle into any lines you may have, calling attention to the very issues you don’t want people to notice.


Shimmer looks chic, glitter makes you look like a kid. 'Nuf said.

Dark red lipstick
Fire-engine red lips made their mark on the runways this season, but that doesn’t mean the trend is right for everyone (or every age). “Red lips are dramatic and attention grabbing,” says Krupp, “but who wants to draw all that attention to her lips?” Lips tend to get a bit thinner with age, and by wearing a dark lip color you make your mouth visually recede that much more. In contrast, a glossy pink shade will help make lips look more lush, plump and youthful.


Oh, bee-ess! The women MSN pictured in this article sporting red lipstick (and looking good) were 39-year-old Gwen Stefani and 40-something Salma Hayek. Look, my 91-year-old grandmother still wears red lipstick. I like two new shades of Painted Love lipstick from Kat Von D's limited edition line for Sephora: Underage Red and Misfit. Check 'em out here!

Monday, March 10, 2008

Where To Find Career Wear (Final Part)

Last but not least is territory where tweeners, particularly those on a budget, fear to tread: department stores.

About two years ago, things were not so good for those falling in between 14 and 18, with fashion being aimed more at the skinny and the stuff in bigger sizes looking old and matronly. That's if they even had it in stock.

Things are a little better now and most of your favorite department stores have decent workwear from their private labels or from nationally-known designers. For the sake of this post, I'm going to cover the national chains, not regional ones like Dillard's.

Macy's--Macy's probably has more variety for tweeners than any other national chain. Its INC label is available in misses and plus sizes. INC is not dirt cheap but it is not terribly expensive up-to-date wear appropriate for the office. There are also national brands like Dana Buchman, Liz Claiborne, Lauren for Ralph Lauren and DKNY available.

Bloomingdale's--Bloomies has really stepped it up with careerwear for tweeners. Solid well-made stuff from Ellen Tracy, Ralph Lauren, Anne Klein, Calvin Klein, and Tory Burch among other big ticket labels are there for the taking, with plenty of 12s, 14s, and even some 16s available. Sure a lot of it, even the diffusion lines, is expensive. But I have found some deals when they've had sales. For example, I found a great AK by Anne Klein shirtdress last year on clearance for $30.

Friday, March 7, 2008

Where To Find Career Wear (Part Four)

In this installment, I'm going to discuss mail order/home shopping.

Certainly, you can order over the internet anything from brick and mortar chains like Banana Republic.com, AnnTaylor.com, Nordstrom.com, Bloomingdales.com, etc. But I'm going to focus on retailers that offer things through the mail/home delivery exclusively.

QVC--QVC has for years had a great selection of reasonably-priced, well-made clothes for work in every size from 0 to 3X. Its best deals come from its own labels like the casual Denim & Co. or the career-y Dialogue line. Occasionally a "big name" comes along to promote a line and the nice thing about is that 1) it's often your only opportunity to find something in your size from that brand and 2) during the showcase is when you often get the best deals. QVC also offers FlexPay plans from time to time so you don't have to pay more than $30 a month on the item. QVC is also very easy to deal with concerning returns and exchanges.

HSN--Home Shopping Network doesn't have as many career-oriented wear as QVC, but if you work someplace casual, it does have some interesting clothes that are often exclusive to the network. For example, HSN just started carrying an exclusive line by a former designer from True Religion and unlike TR, tweener sizes are available. Like QVC, HSN is pretty good about returns and exchanges. Installment pay plans are also available on some products.

Spiegel--This old warhorse of misses' wear has long been one of the friendliest retailers to tweeners around. The clothes are womanly, not girly. They're with the times without being outrageously trendy. They're not too edgy but they're not stodgy either. The quality is excellent, the prices are reasonable, and the sales are pretty good. Of course, once you order something from Spiegel, you're on their mailing list for life.

Newport News--"Younger" than Spiegel's main catalogue and a little bit cheaper, Newport News is another option for the tweener set. Newport News can overdose on the animal prints, appliques, and weird cutouts, but the quality is high and the sales can offer great deals.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Where To Find Career-Wear (Part Three)

For those of you who are willing to pay more for a little more style in your workwear but don't want to take out a second mortgage, there are still a lot of options for the tweener set. Here are my favorite mid-priced sources for workwear, though of course you can find great deals on the sales racks.

Zara--The Spanish international chain is famous for bringing runway knockoffs to its stores within weeks and its sizes run up to XL, which fits 14-16. I love looking here for jackets, skirts, and blouses. Pants are a little tricky for me and armholes can be small, but do give it a try.

Banana Republic--This store used to be a lot better for those up in the 14-16 range, but XL shirts, sweaters, and jackets are still relatively easy-to-find.

Talbot's--There was a time when I wouldn't be caught dead in Talbot's. To me, it was dull WASP-wear for middle-aged ladies. But in recent years, their stuff has gotten a lot better. Size 16 misses/XL is no problem to find. If you need to go a little bigger, there's Talbot's Woman, its plus sister store.

Ann Taylor/Ann Taylor Loft--I used to swear by Ann Taylor, although in recent years I haven't liked its stuff as much. Still, I can find some very nice things for work...Ann Taylor carries up to 16, while some Lofts carry up to 18.

Anthropologie--Want to give your work wardrobe something a little different? Is your workplace boho-friendly? Anthro can be overpriced IMO but aside from finding deals in its sales racks, you can find stuff that's not terribly expensive and nice enough for casual work environments.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Where To Find Career Wear (Part Two)

Today, I'm going to discuss discount chains.

You can find a range of brands at these chains, from big names like Ralph Lauren to labels made for the discount chain circuit, such as Willi Wear. Dresses are usually quite dreadful at these places, but you can always find nice-looking, up-to-date-styled complete suits for as low as under $100, plus all of the separates you could want for a low price. Casual or conservative, you can find pretty much anything at these stores to fit your office culture.

TJ Maxx/Marshalls/Ross--TJ Maxx and Marshalls have more or less the same merchandise since they are owned by the same company. How good the stuff is often depends on where you live/shop. I think the stores in SoCal have all of the best stuff, while TJ Maxx isn't nearly as good on the East Coast. My advice is to hit the stores in upscale neighborhoods...that's where you'll find the top notch stuff.

Loehmann's--You can find complete suits for less than $150. Search out the clearance racks and reduced price racks for the best bargains. A couple of years ago I got a complete Tahari suit for $99 on the reduced rack.

Saks Off 5th outlet--Here's where you can find Stella McCartney jacket on "sale" for $450 or luck out and find a Marc By Marc Jacobs blouse in a size 10-14 for under $150. But if you're budget is tighter than that or you need bigger sizes, there's plenty of stuff from Saks' in-store labels and other big names like Dana Buchman or Ellen Tracy to peruse. Again, head for the clearance racks for incredible bargains.

Nordstrom Rack--My local store always looks like someone tossed a hand grenade inside and ran, but if you haunt the racks near the front of the store, you'll find the best stuff culled from Nordstrom stores or from its catalog/website.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Where To Find Career Wear (Part One)

If you ask me, finding clothes for work is far easier for "tweeners" than finding trendy or fashion-forward wear. Here's where we have LOTS of options at every price point.

Today, I'm going to start off with the el-cheapo end of the scale (up to $50-ish). Having a limited budget is no longer any excuse to not find a decent suit or dress for work. Bargain hunters will also find some great pieces at great prices. These are all places where I often shop for work clothes.

Burlington Coat Factory--Billed as a discount chain, it does have some recognizable labels from elsewhere like BCBG and Tahari. In fact I saw on a couple of occasions gorgeous Calvin Klein suits...alas, the biggest they had was size 10. But many are obviously made to sell at the chain. Frankly, it's one of the best places to find complete suits cheap (average $49.99), as well as separates like blouses and trousers. The quality varies but you can find some awesome deals, like a pair of brown trousers for $12.99. Plenty of stuff up to size 18 misses.

Target--Grab Isaac Mizrahi's wonderful line (up to 18/XXL misses) while you can, because he's splitting for Liz Claiborne soon. Generally, his line is a little on-trend and a little classic at the same time, making it just conservative enough for the office. And the pieces are easy to mix and match. Aside from that, Merona has put out a lot of great pieces for work too, including skirts and dresses (up to 18/XXL misses). I've written a bit about the ongoing Go International line, which can fit up to 16 misses even though it officially goes up to XL/13 juniors. For example, I just bought a very nice Jovovich-Hawk For Target skirt in size 13 that fit me just fine.

Wal-Mart--The careerwear-oriented George line has put out some great blouses, suits, and skirts. A few months ago, I got a complete nice-looking suit for under $40. It doesn't look cheap at all and it fits great. The line is also easy to mix and match. I'm not crazy about the dresses--they're usually made of that horrid stretchy-jersey stuff that sticks to your every hump and bump--but everything else is worth checking out.

Steve & Barry's--Specifically, the Bitten line. Jackets, trousers, and dresses sell for $19.95, while shirts run for $9.95. (Plain tees for summer run for $7.95). Fit can be erratic, so try before you buy, but for what you get, the price is unbeatable.

H&M--H&M is tricky for anyone over size 14, since the clothes tend to run a little small. But I've found skirts that run true-to-size and have had little trouble with large or extra large shirts or jackets. Euro style on a budget.

Old Navy--For years, ON was known as a store to shop for casual stuff but lately it has put out more work-appropriate wear ranging from chinos for the business casual set to lovely pencil skirts. It's also a great place to find summer dresses. ON has carried up to size 20 misses for several years, so it's always been a "tweener" friendly stop.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

The Size-ist "Ethical Consumer" Trend

Full disclosure: yours truly casts a skeptical eye on the whole ethical consumer movement for many reasons.

But let's just say you would rather buy "eco-friendly"/organic/vegan/fair trade products but you don't want the ugly hippie crap. You want the fashionable, nice stuff.

Well, if you don't have Gwyneth Paltrow's figure, good luck.

Take a peeky-poo at online sites that sell these products and see if you can find anything besides accessories that a size 12+ can wear. The denim lines are all 31" and below. The tops never go above a large and I'm willing to bet a lot of those larges fit like a medium. Edun doesn't sell bigger sizes for women and neither do other lines that wave around their politically-correct bonafides for being socially-conscious.

For all of their bluster about compassion and awareness, the designers, the magazines that promote this stuff, and the shops that sell the merchandise still don't mind discriminating against larger-sized customers. Is it because they think we're too busy eating Ho-Hos and doughnuts to care? Or that we somehow symbolize overconsumption because of the size of our bodies?

The actresses, pop stars, and magazine editors who go on about how green their fabulous lives are and seek to lecture the rest of us on how we live ought to remember not everyone looks like them and even if we wanted to buy their gospel, there are virtually no options to do so.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Yet another premium denim brand sizes up

This time it's James Jeans, available at http://www.saksfifthavenue.com in three different styles, ranging from $207-209.

Of course this benefits tweener girls who just two years ago had few upscale, trendy choices in denim. Keep it up!

New Paige Premium Denim

Paige Premium Denim has created a new plus style for spring, the Lomita:



It retails for $209 and like the previous Paiges, it's only available at Nordstrom/Nordstrom.com

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Avenue.com makes amends

Soon after I posted about my problems with an order I'd made from Avenue.com, I was contacted by someone from the company. They really wanted to make things as right as they could and today I got my Yanuk jeans (they look and fit great!) and they threw in a top and some perfume for my troubles.

I'm glad they were so attentive and I appreciate everything they've done. I would advise them to be a bit more careful in the future about posting stuff for sale on the website when they don't have it in stock yet without saying so, but I do feel better about doing business with them in the future.

All's well that ends well.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Do we really have an easier time than plus-sized women?

I've heard it said that we "tweeners" don't have the same problems as the fuller-figured ladies because we have more choices than those who must exclusively shop for plus sizes. We can go into the same stores as the thinner chicks and pretty much wear the same things they do, while plus-sized women are trapped by limited choices in where to shop and the variety of clothing available.

Having seen what's available for the plus-sized set, it's definitely better than it was even 10 years ago but it is definitely true there is still not enough stylish and high-quality wear for these women, at least compared to the rest of the market. The higher the size number, the slimmer the pickings get and the yuckier the designs.

But is it really easy street if you're a "tweener?" Sure, we have more to pick from...in theory. Just because it's there doesn't mean you can wear it. Sometimes the larges and extra larges fit more like smalls and mediums. Sometimes the pants or skirts just aren't flattering on a woman with large legs or a wide posterior even though the number says it's supposed to fit. Sometimes the tops aren't meant for a woman with a large bust or a little bit of a tummy.

And in some ways, it's worse. It's like Tantalus who can see the water and the grapes but can't have any of it. At least if you're a size 28, you know nothing in the regular stores is going to fit you. But when you're just over the line, they wave at you, teasing you, taunting you because the world of Everybody Else is juuuust beyond your reach. And besides, who the heck designs something with size 14 as the median? When you look at something on a mannequin or in a magazine, you really have no idea how it would look on you. A dress might look sweet on a gal who's lithe but look frumpy on you. Believe me, I live it every day.

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Avenue.com Sucks!

Avenue.com is giving prominent billing to its line of premium/designer denim, which includes jeans by Seven7 (not 7 For All Mankind, different company), Jordache, Antik, and Yanuk. It started advertising the Yanuk and Antik lines about a month ago. I decided to give the Yanuks a try, since there was a sale running at that time.

I ordered the jeans and I get a note saying there was delay in getting the items from the manufacturer and that the jeans will be shipped December 12. Then I get another e-mail saying it will be shipped on December 14, with a promise of more notices if shipping is delayed any further. I didn't receive any more e-mails, so I assumed my order was shipped on December 14.

I waited 7 business days and when nothing came, I contacted Avenue.com's customer service. The reply I got said that shipping was delayed until January 4. I sent an e-mail back, pointing out the jeans were prominently featured on the website with no indication they were not yet available and that I didn't receive any notice about further delays in shipping. The reply I got was apologetic, saying there was no intent to deceive anyone.

Just now I read on the Curvy Chick board that someone else tried to order the jeans online and this time got a message that they won't ship now until January 16! Did I get notice of this? Nope! But Avenue keeps clogging my inbox with advertising and crap even though I left any requests for e-mails and promo stuff unchecked on my order form!

At least Avenue won't take any new orders until the items are in stock but I really wonder what the heck is going on. I understand that this is a common MO for them. Perhaps they advertised this in December to boost Christmas sales numbers (even though they do not charge you if they don't ship anything). Or perhaps they did get the items and they were subpar in quality, which would be bad because they are expensive. Whatever the case, a company that is so sloppy about keeping its customers informed and offers things for sale it doesn't have in stock sucks. They're lucky I haven't cancelled this order...yet. But it is definitely the last time I will order from them.

Beware!