the haul and the haul back

I haven't yet discussed our planned visit to London and Paris, because your intrepid correspondent and spouse will be accompanied by two rather young family members, and most of our computer time these past few weeks has been consumed by searches for things that they, rather than we, will enjoy. Example: climbing around an old castle is more fun than learning about Napoleon's triumphs. Including for us, because first we'd have to explain who Napoleon was. So, plan for summer: (1) organize trip; (2) take trip; (3) recuperate from trip and then - oh, look, October.

Age-appropriate activities and visits having finally been organized, I realized that in the heat of the summer, eating on the fly and picnicking, the old reliable travel togs were completely unsuitable. I have done what any red-blooded American girl would do: I have shopped. And I have returned.

Keepers:

probably this long skirt, but shortened to what used to be called midi length, except since midi now seems to mean "probably not a mini," I'll use one of the names that were in use before midi: ballet length or tea length.

this tank, which goes nicely with most of what will no doubt make the final suitcase cut.
this skirt - probably a keeper if it ever arrives, thank you, UPS Mail Innovations. Another pet peeve, why pay UPS to haul merch to the post office and mail it? Anyway, I caught a nice promotion and the print appealed. Plus, my brown silk tank with black piping is a sure thing here. I must have been having visions when I grabbed it last year.


these linen pants, in navy and in beige.



this cardigan, to award off over-enthusiastic airconditioning, and oh, look, does anyone remember this tee?









I thought a white jacket would go with most things, and my white jean jacket is getting a little tired. I tried a couple of linen blazers, but they seemed too dressy. This single-breasted cotton jacket - on sale at ralphlauren.com, on more of a sale at bloomingdales.com, with pockets works for me, and isn't something I'll want to toss at the end of the trip.


these sneakers:
discussion not required, they even look comfortable.

these pants, worn with navy silk tee or navy tank. They weigh nothing, nothing, I tell you, so ordinarily I wouldn't consider them for wearing at home or Out East, but for hot, hot days in a large crowded city, they'll work. And I got a great price. Navy tank, navy silk tee. Chie Mihara sandals that tone in with the coral design on the pants, how did that happen? I've had those shoes for 4 years.


Going - or gone - back:
       these skirts:

the green/blue floral is a great print, I love the length and the fullness, but sadly the material is so stiff that instead of draping forgivingly over my rear view, it juts right out and stays out. I tried on the poplin pleated skirt in navy, and the pleats behaved badly.

this purse:I wanted the small, and stalked it, and honestly I never thought I'd say this, but it has no capacity whatsoever. This is a disappointment, because the large version is large enough to hold whatever Himself doesn't feel like carrying, and I prefer to avoid the issue ...
this dress from the Gap - it's rayon, it has no straps, it creates lumps and bumps where I know I don't have any - I can't believe it's the dress I ordered, but life is too short to argue, it's going back.


this sweater, which was described as a drapey cashmere boatneck sweater. I didn't realize that the "drapey" part was most of the sweater, in fact every area but the neckline. I would have used the word "floppy" or "suitable for the female relatives of SpongeBob" because it's square. People might have been better informed.
I thought this silk tee would be nice, but it too suffers from squareness. It went back. However, I should note that it looks very pink on the web, but is a deep rich red in real life. At least the one that briefly visited me was.


An enthusiastic (fanatic?) statistician has tabulated and analyzed retail price patterns, and has computed how many days of the month J.Crew has a reduction, promotion, additional % off, and so on. I'm considering inviting that statistician to my Inbox which daily offers me great buys and once-in-a-lifetime reductions on everything from arch supports to hats to electronics, media, and clothing at all price ranges. I wonder if this can mean that consumers, on a large scale, are rejecting merchandise with inflated prices. If so, I can only say ¡Viva la revolución!

If I feel ambitious I'll discuss the study in greater detail in a future post. Essentially the study concludes that even if you don't want to be a "sale shopper," there are fewer and fewer days in the month when that's possible.

21 comments:

  1. Love that dusty pink skirt and tank and am loving the thought of that ballet length, think that's such a flattering and comfortable Audrey Hepburn length with flats or heels. That Paris-esque skirt is fantastic, I had a similar one and wore it to death. We are very much hanging around home until mid August so nothing exciting here and it will be Santa Barbara which can be four seasons in one day so i always overpack

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    1. Hi, Jody, thanks. I couldn't resist that print, and the colors go with everything. I love Santa Barbara, a cousin retired there and as I drove around I tried and tried to figure out how a spinster schoolteacher could have afforded to do that. It seems most of the smaller houses and two-families were torn down and e small lots were combined to make larger establishments. Damn, I wanted to think Cousin Vera had led a double life.

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    2. Santa Barb is def the place to lead a double life (and she must have! as she's family you know she didn't have the trust fund which everyone except for me here in the Bay Area seem to have!), Cousin Vera has discovered some sort of gap in the market methinks... Since Oprah moved there it's the most pricey real estate in the world apparently.

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  2. Yikes! Sale shopping gives me a headache. Unless I had to have something when it was full price but just couldn't afford it, I try to avoid sale racks. I can be insanely tempted, have ended up with bags of regrets, returns and tons of wasted time.

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    1. Hi, Julie, with all the promos and markdowns littering the landscape, it's going to be hard to avoid sales.

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  3. I have not been very successful this season either. I do love the printed skirt you may eventually get. My new post man just throws my packages at the foot of my mailbox instead of going the extra bit to throw it at my garage door. You and yours will have a fantastic time.

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    1. Hi, BB, it's a tiring routine of shop, try on the stuff at home with what I might have that works with the new stuff, and then return the new stuff. The lady at the J.Crew collection store cringes when I come in and start her day with an armful of returns.

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  4. Who is that printed pencil skirt by? I love the print of it!

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    1. Hi, Lisa, thanks, it's from Kate Spade, this season, and I've seen it called the Landscape Skirt, the Cuban skirt, and the Havana skirt. Go figure.

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  5. so jealous! You will have a blast! Haven't seen that critter tee in a coon's age!!!! I got the wildflower dress yesterday and promptly sent it back - the top fit perfectly, I was drowining in the bottom and no way to alter it without wrecking it. I may become "that woman" who travels to NYC twice a year to buy her clothes in one fell swoop! Plus it is a small budget, so it will go quick, leaving time for other things...

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  6. I love that you are doing this! Your young charges are lucky to have such experienced travelers at the helm.

    Pretty skirts. I have stopped even trying on those all around pleat skirts, even though I love the idea of swishy fabric, as I don't have the requisite long waist nor the right hips. Fun to discover you have shoes that "go with" already.

    I wish the word "drapey" would disappear from the descriptions; JC has a whole section of "drapey" pants. While we would like our clothing to drape fetchingly about us, "drapey" is a horrid word recalling "crepey" or "droopy". Also, I don't want "beefy" fabric. Does anyone want to appear even a little bit "beefy" in any way? Rant over...

    Tod's sneakers-- way cool looking!

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    1. Hi, Lane, "flowy" is just as annoying as "drapey." I translate these words as "We couldn't be bothered to make the clothes fit or hang nicely, and we also couldn't be bothered to describe them accurately in real words so we made up a couple. Do your best."

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  7. The long skirt and tank are just gorgeous! I love the soft colors of each item.

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    1. Thanks, Laura! Interestingly, with the skirt at floor length I looked like Mrs Butterworth, but when I pinned the hem up 6 inches it created a mucH more graceful silhouette.

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  8. Thanks again for meeting up on Thursday, it was great to meet you! I recognize that pencil skirt - such a cool print!! I also love that pale pink long skirt. I had my eye on a brown silk skirt at Madewell, but it sold out early on.

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    1. Hi, Louise, it was great to meet you, too! I think there may be more brown and tan tones around this fall and winter, and I'll be glad to see them.

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  9. WFF,
    That printed skirt is divine. I also love the crest t shirt. Sadly, a frenemy of mine in town had the same one, so I never bought it : ) I always find that jjust an few inches can dramatically change a skirt for me. My newest favorite pastime- making shirts into sleeveless shirts. They just suit me better, and I wear them under cardigans all year round. Have a wonderful trip!

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    1. Hi, KnitYarns, I actually bought the crest tee in both colors, the pale tan and the black. The black was a standby in what was then my social life, since I seemed to be surrounded by men to whom The Lion Rampant had meaning. To me therefore it meant, leave early and by yourself - but these shirts were the first sequins I ever wore, and the black one lived in a desk drawer, to be changed into after work to dress up the eternal black pencil skirt and jacket.

      I'm neurotically working on pinning up the hem of the gauze skirt, one trial length after another. It may not make it into the suitcase, although I confess that part of me is entranced with the notion of the evil-intentioned baggage handler getting a fistful of dressmaker pins.

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  10. Too funny!
    Fuller skirts are tricky to hem. It is hard to fiind that perfect length. Believe me, any baggage handler touching my luggage would find an array of pointy needlework implements, however, evil -intentioned ones probably deserve it!

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