a few last-minute try-ons

Somehow it doesn't feel like a real trip unless there's something new in the suitcase (business travel excepted, when one must know that everything can be relied on). And so I nipped into and out of a few stores to see if I could grab anything that would feel new but not put the luggage over the weight limit.

Hadley sweater, J.Crew - in artificial light this looked like brown and navy rather than deep red and navy. The yarn felt furry, and the little epaulets on the shoulders stood up too much for me. I loved the picture of Marissa (remember Marissa?) in this sweater with the henna-red striped silk shirt, but the sweater just didn't work for me, and I was afraid that the blended fibers would wind up being too hot. Tried on a few different sizes, didn't seem to matter (?) for some reason. Did not buy. Still glad I grabbed that shirt on a promo!

Cashmere slacks, J.Crew - thin, almost airy cashmere fabric, no lining. For the price ($595), I expect something that will stand up to being worn by an ordinary person with a sometimes extraordinary life. Well, at least I expect a lining. No lining, had pockets which will drag the stitches out of the waistband if used. Web site shows navy, I saw grey in store. Did not try on.

Prince of Wales Schoolboy Blazer, J.Crew - not as nice as last year's fabric, and a little shorter. I had last year's POW jacket at home for a few weeks, studied it from every angle, decided that the back view was, um, not for me, returned it. Cut is a little skimpier this year, isn't everything? Did not buy.

Stretch Perfect Shirt, J.Crew -  this was not marked down instore, is on web, loved that it comes in white! Will probably order but not in time for trip.

I had seen the new paisley skirt and a paisley knit top instore last week, and thought I might try on, but when I asked, the SA insisted that they had never been in that store (could the Flagship be sinking?) and could be found only in Paramus NJ. I know where that is, and what I mostly know about it is that you can't get there from here by public transportation. I also know that I was not in New Jersey last week, and I am very sure about that. Moreover I do not hallucinate items of clothing. Very puzzled.

There were a couple of nice pencil skirts that aren't on the web site, but I bet they too will have vanished into Rollout Limbo if I were to run back today. I thoroughly approved of a black and white tweed one and will keep it in mind nevertheless. Oh, and was told there is no gimlet skirt. Huh.

On to Anthropologie, tried on hats. I am sad to report that the Anthro store on lower Fifth Avenue now only carries "one size" hats. However, there was an interesting Sonia Rykiel sweater facing the front door, made of squares of bright color knitted wool sewn together. Decided that all those seams would not make for comfortable wearing. For $450, someone could learn to use bobbins, and Mme Sonia could find a distinguishing feature other than inside-out seams. That's old.

Oops, almost forgot - there were about a dozen pairs of the shiny pink flowery pants (in this post )   on the sale rack at the J.Crew (flagship),  also a lot of the Liquid Silk Skirts in both colors.

I guess this was just one of those days when my sense of style stops at "Does it itch?" This is not the proper attitude for a trip to France. Although I bet a Parisienne could wear anything, even sweat pants, with cute shoes and a scarf, and look stylish. I also bet that how a Parisienne looks in sweat pants is something that will not be tested in our lifetimes.

Home to finish packing; discovered when I took the skirt that goes with the blue suede shirt out of the dry cleaner's wrappings that someone had darned a tear in it. Expletives deleted: I do not like this kind of mystery. Still fretting that I may wind up checking in, opening suitcase, and finding that I resolved the raincoat dilemma by bringing a short, a long, and a foldable, but no slacks. Time to focus.