Asking: Fashion Help
Sep. 8th, 2010 08:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rsadelleI hate most of my clothes, and I've decided a new fall/winter wardrobe is more than worth the money. (It helps that I actually have money to spend on this.)
What I really want is someone who can look at me, listen to what I want in clothes, and then either go shopping with me or tell me what I should be buying. But in the absence of that, I'll take any advice you have to give on the subject.
Before I tell you what I want, I want to make it clear that while I have very definite opinions about clothes, these opinions are solely related to what I want in clothes; I am saying nothing about your wardrobe choices. You should wear whatever looks and feels good on you; this post is only about what looks and feels good on me.
My first big question is: what is a reasonable amount to spend on a fall/winter wardrobe? I don't have an issue with wearing basically the same clothes all the time. The problem with my current wardrobe is that I don't like the actual clothes I own, not the lack of variety. I do laundry every Sunday, so I really only need eight days worth of clothes. If I have pants that don't wrinkle, I will wear them a couple of days before they go into the wash; shirts I generally only wear once before washing. I am willing to spend money on things that will last me five to ten years.
General Criteria
I hate being cold more than I love skirts, so for fall/winter, I'm looking for pants. I do not want jeans. I tried on boot cut pants once, and did not like them, but I did own jeans that I think were labeled "flare," which I liked. I had jeans one year with a really wide hem, which I also liked.
I have in the past had good luck with pants from Eddie Bauer and Lands' End, but I'm mystified by their pant options. This is where I really, really need help. Every company now has their pants in multiple fits, and I have no idea which one I want. Telling me "if your hips are like X" sorts of things doesn't help because that's the part I don't understand. If you have suggestions, I will take them!
I will also take suggestions about where else I should look for pants. If I can find some I like that are wrinkle-resistant enough that they can be worn more than once, I would love two or three pairs of black pants, one dark gray, and one pinstriped (black or dark gray).
Shirts
I like v-necks and things with buttons. I like polo shirts. I think three-quarter sleeves are silly. I don't tuck shirts in. I've become an old lady and my current favorite shirts come down to the bottom of my hip.
I definitely want to try this in burgundy at least, and I'll probably try Lands' End's polos. Any ideas about where or what else I should be looking for?
Yoga Clothes
My current yoga pants, which are not yet indecent but are starting to fray, are from Lands' End, but they no longer make something similar - their yoga pant options have been replaced by their performance sport pants. I have a pair of those that are great for walking, but I tried doing yoga while wearing them and it was not comfortable enough. I want something soft and stretchy. My old ones are cotton/spandex, but I would go for bamboo if its also soft.
I think I also need a shirt. I've been wearing just my shirt for the day to yoga, but if I'm wearing dress shirts, that's not going to work. I definitely want something long sleeved. Soft, stretchy and/or loose, and v-neck would be perfect.
Pajamas
I'm probably going to try Lands' End's pajama pants, but my current ones (which I'm replacing only because they have worn out to the point that they're literally coming apart at the seams) have a Sesame Street pattern, and I love that they're fun! I think I lucked out on finding them, though, because most pajama pants are waaaaaaayyyyyyy too long for me.
I've been wearing oversize men's t-shirts with my pajama pants, but I would totally go for an actual pajama top (v-neck, no buttons or ribbons or lace) instead if I can find one I like.
Staying Warm (Inside and Outside)
I hate being cold, and just a shirt is not enough to keep me warm in the winter, even inside. For indoor wear, I need something I can wear over whatever I end up with in terms of shirts (possibly things like polos and button downs). I don't want a hoodie. Nothing fuzzy. Nothing too bulky. I don't really like sweaters, although I have owned a fine-gauge cardigan before.
For outdoors, I currently own a Land's End Squall jacket, which is warm but bulky. I don't want bulky. No down. Nothing fuzzy. No hoods. It doesn't get that cold here - it might get into the 20s in the middle of the night at the coldest - and I don't spend much time outside, but I am also a wimp about the cold, so I do need something warm I can wear from the house to the car and then from the car to my destination. I really liked Lands' End's SunShower coat, but they changed the style. I don't know if something like this would look good on me.
I also need a new umbrella. It has to both open and close at the touch of a button and be no more than about twelve inches long when closed (so it will fit in my purse).
Help?
I will take any and all suggestions you have about any of this!
What I really want is someone who can look at me, listen to what I want in clothes, and then either go shopping with me or tell me what I should be buying. But in the absence of that, I'll take any advice you have to give on the subject.
Before I tell you what I want, I want to make it clear that while I have very definite opinions about clothes, these opinions are solely related to what I want in clothes; I am saying nothing about your wardrobe choices. You should wear whatever looks and feels good on you; this post is only about what looks and feels good on me.
My first big question is: what is a reasonable amount to spend on a fall/winter wardrobe? I don't have an issue with wearing basically the same clothes all the time. The problem with my current wardrobe is that I don't like the actual clothes I own, not the lack of variety. I do laundry every Sunday, so I really only need eight days worth of clothes. If I have pants that don't wrinkle, I will wear them a couple of days before they go into the wash; shirts I generally only wear once before washing. I am willing to spend money on things that will last me five to ten years.
General Criteria
- I do not accessorize. I don't wear makeup, jewelry, belts, scarves, or hats. Any clothing I buy has to stand alone.
- I do not iron. Period. I don't even own an iron. This means wrinkle resistant or non-wrinkling items only.
- Everything has to be machine wash and dry. No dry clean only, and none of this "lie flat to dry" nonsense.
- Clothes have to be comfortable and let me move in them. This means I have to be able to raise my arms over my head, bend over, crouch down, and sit cross-legged in them.
- No ruffles, no lace, nothing gauzy, and nothing that could be described as "fluffy." No pockets that stick out.
- No logos.
- My taste is generally very plain.
- I'm pretty sure I wear a size 10, which I guess technically means I'm not a fat girl, but I think I'm still built like one: I have a round stomach, large breasts (I don't think of them being that big - they're just there - but I got fitted for a bra this weekend, and she put me in a 34DD), and upper arms that are fairly big around. I say all this without judgment (well, without judgment about my or anyone else's body; I'm plenty judgy about clothing manufacturers who don't make clothes for this shape), only to give you an idea of the body the clothes I'm looking for have to fit comfortably.
- I'm also short, so everything has to be available in petites.
- I love cotton. I am more than willing to wear other fabrics and fabric blends, but they must (a) breathe and (b) be nice to the touch. I refuse to wear anything scratchy or that I don't like the feel of.
- No silk. No leather.
- I don't like corduroy.
- I love stretchy fabric.
- I like dark colors and reds.
- Definitely no light pink, but darker pink is negotiable.
- I will not wear white.
- I like solids and vertical stripes.
- No florals.
- My only fall/winter shoes are black, and I have no intention of buying anything else (I am, in fact, already worried about what I will do when these wear out; they are amazingly comfortable, but I bought them before I became a vegetarian, and I don't know that I can buy leather shoes again), so everything has to work with black shoes.
I hate being cold more than I love skirts, so for fall/winter, I'm looking for pants. I do not want jeans. I tried on boot cut pants once, and did not like them, but I did own jeans that I think were labeled "flare," which I liked. I had jeans one year with a really wide hem, which I also liked.
I have in the past had good luck with pants from Eddie Bauer and Lands' End, but I'm mystified by their pant options. This is where I really, really need help. Every company now has their pants in multiple fits, and I have no idea which one I want. Telling me "if your hips are like X" sorts of things doesn't help because that's the part I don't understand. If you have suggestions, I will take them!
I will also take suggestions about where else I should look for pants. If I can find some I like that are wrinkle-resistant enough that they can be worn more than once, I would love two or three pairs of black pants, one dark gray, and one pinstriped (black or dark gray).
Shirts
I like v-necks and things with buttons. I like polo shirts. I think three-quarter sleeves are silly. I don't tuck shirts in. I've become an old lady and my current favorite shirts come down to the bottom of my hip.
I definitely want to try this in burgundy at least, and I'll probably try Lands' End's polos. Any ideas about where or what else I should be looking for?
Yoga Clothes
My current yoga pants, which are not yet indecent but are starting to fray, are from Lands' End, but they no longer make something similar - their yoga pant options have been replaced by their performance sport pants. I have a pair of those that are great for walking, but I tried doing yoga while wearing them and it was not comfortable enough. I want something soft and stretchy. My old ones are cotton/spandex, but I would go for bamboo if its also soft.
I think I also need a shirt. I've been wearing just my shirt for the day to yoga, but if I'm wearing dress shirts, that's not going to work. I definitely want something long sleeved. Soft, stretchy and/or loose, and v-neck would be perfect.
Pajamas
I'm probably going to try Lands' End's pajama pants, but my current ones (which I'm replacing only because they have worn out to the point that they're literally coming apart at the seams) have a Sesame Street pattern, and I love that they're fun! I think I lucked out on finding them, though, because most pajama pants are waaaaaaayyyyyyy too long for me.
I've been wearing oversize men's t-shirts with my pajama pants, but I would totally go for an actual pajama top (v-neck, no buttons or ribbons or lace) instead if I can find one I like.
Staying Warm (Inside and Outside)
I hate being cold, and just a shirt is not enough to keep me warm in the winter, even inside. For indoor wear, I need something I can wear over whatever I end up with in terms of shirts (possibly things like polos and button downs). I don't want a hoodie. Nothing fuzzy. Nothing too bulky. I don't really like sweaters, although I have owned a fine-gauge cardigan before.
For outdoors, I currently own a Land's End Squall jacket, which is warm but bulky. I don't want bulky. No down. Nothing fuzzy. No hoods. It doesn't get that cold here - it might get into the 20s in the middle of the night at the coldest - and I don't spend much time outside, but I am also a wimp about the cold, so I do need something warm I can wear from the house to the car and then from the car to my destination. I really liked Lands' End's SunShower coat, but they changed the style. I don't know if something like this would look good on me.
I also need a new umbrella. It has to both open and close at the touch of a button and be no more than about twelve inches long when closed (so it will fit in my purse).
Help?
I will take any and all suggestions you have about any of this!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-09 04:20 am (UTC)Now, whether such salespeople still exist, I couldn't guarantee, but this is what I did the last time I did any serious suit shopping, which was about 6 years ago.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-09 05:49 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-09 05:10 am (UTC)And because you're a larger chested woman you want to buy what fits you're chest & shoulder, not your waist (don't worry if you look saggy). I know it's a hassle taking things to the tailor but most drycleaners will do a simple side seam.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-09 05:50 pm (UTC)The sad thing is that even though I know it would be so simple to get things altered, I will probably never do it. (I owned a pair of pants for probably close to a decade that I never wore because I never took them to be shortened.) Maybe if I find things I love, I will gear myself up and make the effort!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-09 04:30 pm (UTC)I think I've said before that I have had good luck with petites at JC Penney, especially with pants. I also made a few decent finds the last time I went pants-shopping at Macy's.
re: pajama pants - I just cut them off at the bottom, because I'm not even sure they make pajama pants for petites.
I have no coat/cold weather advice because I live where it gets actually cold and I don't know how I'd live without sweaters. I have a lighter London Fog coat that is not bulky, but I got it years ago and don't know if they even make one like it anymore.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-09-09 06:35 pm (UTC)I wandered through the petites section at Penney's when I was in there this weekend and didn't like the feel of any of their pants.
Lands' End has petite pajama pants! I think Eddie Bauer has had them too, when they've carried pajamas. I think the ones I have were probably meant to be crop pants.