lois greimanFashion. As a young girl I barely knew it existed. In my twenties I had a love affair with it. And now that I’m older I still have feelings for it, but I fear my affections are unrequited. Because the fashion industry doesn’t seem to make clothes for women ‘of a certain age.’ They make clothes for twenty year old women who happen to wear a size 2. Both of them.
So, as I see it I can go two ways; I can dress as if I’m a twenty year old size 2, which, by the by, I never was, or I can dress like an octogenarian with poor taste. But I can find nothing in between.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t need to be a bombshell, but I don’t want to set the hounds yowling either. Is that too much to ask? Apparently so, because when I googled, ‘clothing for mature
women’ this pic popped up. I don’t know why. I don’t really want to know why. But the truth is, this little number is something I might actually have worn twenty years ago. (My apologies to the world at large.) Now I don’t even wear that COLOR. Draws the eye, you know. Don’t want that.
My next google search gave me something called the Tog Shop. I know nothing about the Tog Shop. Perhaps the company makes clothing that is modeled on runaways from New York to Paris, but the first photo I saw featured pants in five great new colors, including red, and each one of them had an elastic waistband. Sigh.
Let me insert here that I have nothing against elastic waistbands. But every other month or so I like to dress up and then I would prefer to appear as if I had some kind of shape. How great would it be if that shape was not rectangular?
So what do I do about this dilemma. What do you do? Where do you shop? What do you wear? I need help.
www.loisgreiman.com
23 comments:
Lois, you are too funny! And if you have trouble finding clothes just imagine the rest of us. Sigh. Twenty pounds does make a difference. Go figure.
I have about three wardrobes in my house. My 'fat' clothes (what I'm wearing now, as a matter of fact.) where nothing clings or is tight in the hopes that the muffin top will appear sleek...or at least not so noticeable. My normal clothes, which I need to shed ten pounds to wear and don't really need to worry about out of control flab swinging around and putting out an eye. And my skinny clothes. I haven't been in them for a decade but I keep them around as motivation!
:) Swinging fat does not put out eyes, Kylie. I've tested the theory.
And you always look svelte.
I cry. Don't shop. Cry again.
I feel your pain. I was looking for some new exercise shorts last week and the only ones in Target were cheer shorts. I'm sorry, but if you aren't 100 pounds you look like a pig in cheer shorts. Plus your butt will hang out. I finally ended up going to the men's department to get shorts that were longer.
Hi ladies, just thought I would chime in here. I don't shop either Helen. I seem to have the same problem that Lois has, I can't find anything for me out there. So, I just dress for comfort now...I am usually in a pair of comfy jeans or sweats, t shirt and sneaks. Most of my clothes are off the Walmart rack. I also have three sets of clothes too, and the break down is the same as Kylie's. I don't even look at what they have out there today because, I know that I will never fit into them and they cost so darn much. Great topic today!
Peace and love,
Paula R.
I honestly buy most of my clothes used. My daughter and I trade clothes and we figure out how many wears we need to make it worth the money. The conversation is always funny. "So, the dress costs $7. That means if we each wear it 7 times, it only costs 50 cents per wear. So...let's buy two." But there lies the problem. Now I'm again dressing like a twenty year old. I also borrow my mother's clothes. She's ninety. I'm thinking I might need something in the middle
Recently, I've started taking my lunch breaks while watching "What Not to Wear." (Which, coincidentally, was the topic of my own blog, last week)
I'm torn between 'age appropriate' and what hubby likes. Mostly, I don't shop unless there's an occasion. Especially since we're hoping to sell the house and move from Florida to Colorado, where wardrobe choices are much different.
The last time I did any major shopping was with my daughter who convinced me to buy stuff she liked. I'm not sure someone my age can find 'appropriate' clothes at The Gap.
Terry, I'm in Minnesota. I hate the cold, but wearing layers and layers of clothes is looking better every day. Literally. Colorado isn't as cold as here. Nowhere is, but you get to wear more goosedown than you do in Florida. :)
I just HATE shopping. There could be many reasons. One, I hate the size I wear (and something I'm working on). Two, I'm not in college. I don't want to dress like my 25 y/o niece (who is beautiful).
Lately, I've been dressing for comfort and buying skorts at JCPennys. I know, the horrors of shopping at JCP! But I decided WHERE I bought was less important than buying something that looked good on me.
I used to love shopping. But now I'm just confused. JCPenny's isn't a bad bet though.
Basically, I've found the best defense is to ignore the trends and stick with the classics.
Boot cut jeans (or black slacks if I must), a white shirt, a tailored blazer, and high heeled boots will take you most places. Change out the white shirt for a silky camisole and the boots for sparkly heels and you're set to go out. At least, I am.
Plus, I can buy that kind of stuff online and don't have to go shopping.
Candace, genius advice. Low, skinny jeans are nobody's friends. And everyone looks good in boots.
Candace, that's what I'm talking about. My clothes are interchangeable...dressy, work, related and chill...it is just a matter of where I am going and how dressy it needs to be...
Peace and love,
Paula R.
I like Coldwater Creek. Get one of the catalogues. Lovely grown up clothing, especially for someone your size Lois. Must be all that stall cleaning that keeps you in shape! (g)
Coldwater Creek. I'll check it out.
Thanks, Deb. I'm feeling...rectangular regardless how many stalls I clean.
Lois, I do believe you could make a burlap sack look fashionable. Just slap on a pretty belt, and you're ready to go! You do have a neat fashion sense, whether or not you believe that. And promise me, you will never wear pants with elastic waistbands. Ever!
:-)
I never knew until this very moment how much I love you, Hauf. :)
I love What Not to Wear! And also agree about those very short exercise shorts at Target. Yeesh.
For grown-up wear, I have good luck at Macy's...and good sales too.
Don't get me going on shorts. What a joke.
Christie, Macy's always confuses me. (I know easy to do) But there's too much. I don't know what department I'm supposed to be in!
Hi Paula R! Nice to "see" you here!
Macy's. Good idea. And not always expensive. I forgot about Macy's. If I ever shop again I might try there.
Lois, dear, I heartily second the "Coldwater Creek" suggestion. Great stuff at fairly reasonable prices. But you do have to watch the care labels. . . they have some natural fibers that require TLC. Of course, they also have travel knits and "no-iron" shirts. And they have tons of wonderful, colorful jackets.
I also like Orvis-- for some of the traditional things-- like shirts and jackets and pants. I'm a big fan of Macy's for a variety of reasons, one of them being selection, the other being GREAT SALES! I always shop Macy's sales.
And there's Land's End and Chico's, Travelsmith, and --yes-- Eddie Bauer. . . traditional gear with a wide variety of styles and cuts. Practical and never out of style. I'm a preppy wannabe from waaaay back, so the traditional stuff is my bag. And you can dress up a jacket and slacks or dress it down.
Listen to Candace, in these matters. She's the most stylish writer I know!
Hi Helen, it is good to be here. It is good to see you swinging in the jungle. Thanks for pointing me in this direction.
Peace and love,
Paula R.
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