Yes, I've been shopping. I'm doing CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) at Famous Giant Major Hospital, starting in three weeks. The barely acceptable parts of my current wardrobe consists of:
long, LONG skirts from my Jewish school teaching days,
long and comfy sweaters to pull on over tank tops and said skirts,
the jeans and cords that I slouch around in at seminary,
some capris that are sort of cute but hardly qualify as working wardrobe material.
My preference:
elegant linen pants that reach the tops of my shoes, not a few inches above and not eight inches below (I'm 5'3"),
tops with necklines that do not require creative new undergarments for each one and/or broadcast the message that there is really only portion of my anatomy of significance,
well-cut jackets long enough to cover my rear rather than bisecting it horizontally.
What's out there?
Prints so ugly, offered in an even worse color palette, that I'm astounded the designers are still employed,
Cute little empire tops that look absolutely adorable on the Lovely Daughter who will turn 21 this summer,
stiff and uncompromising pants that do not flatter anyone shorter than 5'8" or heavier than 100 pounds,
and absolutely lovely skirts and dresses designed for all those garden parties I will be attending night after night.
In a word, virtually nothing remotely acceptable for the woman past thirty who would like to come off as reliable and competent and self-restrained; someone who feels (on occasion at least) confident and attractive with no need whatever to display her shape or her skin; someone who adores her daughter but would prefer to look like herself.
I don't see much point in venturing into any clothing departments or stores for at least another season. Maybe by fall they will be displaying something for grown-ups.
(Cross-Posted at Search the Sea.)
4 comments:
Those prints! Good LORD!! Those colors were put together by a blind person.
I've walked through thinking how they're testing to see what level of tastelessness the everyday woman will stoop to.
Blech!
Oh gosh! I am so with you on this. BUT .... try, on line ... Talbot's. You may luck out in the slack department. Classic but modern is their usual fare.
I have my own theory about the ugly clothers we are expected to buy. I have a sneaking suspicion that, since EVERYTHING is now imported from the Far East, those Indian and Chinese manufacturers are selling the voracious American buyers what THEY (the manufacturers) want to make, not what American women want to buy. Don't you notice a perculiarly East Indian/Asian slant to a lot of the fashion out there these days? Problem is, what looks good on Asian women does not necessarily look good on us, nor is it to our taste.
But American retailers think that all they have to do is put it in the stores at a cheap enough price, and we will snatch it up. Well, when we either have to buy it or go naked, what choice do we have? AAARRRGGGHHHHH!
Lisa :-]
If I had my nineteen year old body again, I'd just choose to go naked!
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