SHOPPING JONES

I have had an obsession for shopping for the past month.  Seeing the trees turning and experiencing the cool mornings and evenings has pushed my somewhat excess shopping buttons. For the past 9 year I have worn the same 2 jackets in the cold months.  A reversible rain jacket and a really nice leather jacket.  The combination of warming hormonal changes and a rather limited life made it possible to attend most winter events comfortably.

Now I find myself coatless.  Even the impulse purchased red trench raincoat which I squeezed into once or twice is way too big now.  I have been shivering my way to work in the mornings and layering up when we go out in the evenings.

The threat of rain this week set me in motion.  I poured over the internet to see what to expect in the stores.  Seems that double breasted is very big - but not my favorite look.  The patch work mix of leather and wool is cool but maybe too trendy for someone who plans to wear the same coat for many years to come.  Stunned by the department store prices I was seeing and underwhelmed by the selection in the usual discount stores, I asked around at work and was told to go to Burlington Coat Factory which is just down the road. Somehow it had never occurred to me that a place named "Burlington Coat Factory" would actually have coats...

Happily they had great coats at fabulous prices.  After trying on about 20, I bought a rain coat and a dressier wool coat - both from Michael Kors.  I have already shortened the sleeve on the raincoat, but plan to take the wool coat to a seamstress to alter. I go both coats for well under $200.00 so I don't mind paying to have alterations.

My next shopping jones will be some warmer shoes.  My former work environments allowed me to wear more casual clothing and shoes plus had the advantage of being warmer than where I work now, especially because I am in and out of our warehouse.  I am thinking a cool oxford...

MORE BIKE RIDING AND SHOPPING

Last weekend Tom and I went on our longest bike ride so far - 33 miles.  We were back on the Iron Horse Trail for most of it, but rode from out from our house to the trail on the streets.  I am getting much more comfortable with riding with cars.


Killer Tree Balls of Death

At a couple of points Tom had me riding in front of him because I was wearing dark colors and he felt he was more visible in traffic.  He reminded me that the lead rider is supposed to point out road hazards.  So I was pointing out the sights - like poppies, graffiti and dachshunds in addition to potholes and "killer tree balls" which, fortunately are falling in fewer numbers in the past weeks (hit those things with your bike tire and be prepared for a fall.)

Then I got a call Saturday afternoon about a job I applied for.  Had a nice phone interview and was scheduled for an interview - hurrah.  So, of course, I had to go shopping for an interview outfit. I headed over to JCP, coupon in hand.




Aren't these cute?



I told Tom I would only be out a short while.  I got there and had pulled about 10 things to try on from the plus size department and they were all too big.  So I had to start over, figure out where to go and start pulling things to try on all over again. 

Tom thought this was hilarious when I explained why it took so long.  I know I am much smaller but I guess I am still plus size in my mind. I actually bought a pair of pants in a size 14!  Strangely enough, another similar pair by the same designer fit me in size 16.  So I really had to try 2 sizes of everything and made several trips in and out of the dressing rooms. 



Sheer with a Cami underneath - goes with 2 pairs of pants I own.

 

I managed to buy 5 tops and 3 bottoms for about $125.00 - all of them in the Liz Claiborne department.  I wore a lot of her clothes back in my college days - just love that the designer who has taken over the line, Isaac Mizrahi, is still doing such great, colorful and classic clothes.

Now I just have to figure out which outfit to wear for my interview today!

PS - The interveiw went really well - I should hear by Friday...

FRIDAY FAST ONES

1.)  I have heard a remarkable number of people saying they won't ever go on a cruise after the news this week out of Italy.  It's funny how people react to these infrequent incidents yet jump behind the wheel of a car each day.

2.) It's only 3 weeks into the new year but I have been diligent about my resolution and  have clicked away from programs and not clicked over to read more about celebrities. I do continue to hear things now and again but I am doing pretty well at avoiding the stories and gossip.  It actually feels really good, this not knowing stuff!

3.)  I noticed that the Chico's stores are now expanding their sizing to include 18 to 20.  Since they have the reputation as a store for  adult women, I am glad that they recognise that not all women can mange to remain as slim as Diane Keaton, their current advertising model.  Seems like a smart move to carry  larger sizes.

4.)  Looks like the public outcry, the internet blackout and the forced education of members of congress has worked:

“I have heard from the critics, and I take seriously their concerns regarding proposed legislation to address the problem of online piracy,” Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Tex.)  said in a statement. “It is clear that we need to revisit the approach on how best to address the problem of foreign thieves that steal and sell American inventions and products.”  

Let's hope that the next attempt doesn't give the Justice Department so much undefined power.  From what I have learned, the best solution to the problem is the Wyden-Issa (OPEN) bill. It does not tamper with the internet, but uses an existing agency already devoted to the purpose of preventing foreign intellectual property infringement. The International Trade Commission, is empowered by the bill to investigate foreign sites and to block financial payment for the infringing and counterfeit products they offer.

This will not necessarily satisfy the entertainment industry because they want to control digital technology, not just physical copies of their products.  They want to control digital works being traded and claim that it interferes with their business model - I have a problem with that.  I understand the desire to make money off of everything they had a hand in, but the entertainment industry needs to adapt its business models to the advance of technology and not try to make the government turn into their own Big Brother.

5.)  Go Niners!

MY ATTEMPT AT REGAINING SOME STYLE

I've always liked clothes.  I learned to sew because It made it possible for me to have more clothes on my budget ( not something possible these days.)  I kind of gave up on being fashionable when I got so overweight and underfunded.

For some reason I became interested in buying some boots and trying the skinny- pants-tucked-in-boots trend.  I am concerned that skinny pants on my wide body may be a fashion don't - but I am going to give it a go.

I ordered a couple of tunic tops, some skinny black jeans and then set out to get boots.  That's when the trouble started.  I went to DSW with my coupon and none of the boots would zip up.  I had forgotten about the large calf issue.  Even when I was at my slimmest I had narrow feet, small ankles and shapely but muscular calfs.  Now they are even larger. 

I headed to the computer and shopped and shopped.  No one had my size in a black boot in the style I want.  I had ordered all those clothes with the boots in mind - I have to find boots!  I expanded my search and discovered some different terms for what I need and found a few pair on the Zappos site.  I couldn't tell for sure from the descriptions and review which pair was going to fit best so, due to their free shipping and returns policy, I ordered two pair.  This was on the night before Thanksgiving. 

On Friday morning FedEx delivered a huge box with the boots inside.  Ally was home and helped me pick the right pair, I returned the others this morning and now I await the rest of the outfits.  Hopefully I won't look silly, especially since the boots were quite a bit more money than I would normally spend!  That Ally didn't recoil in horror when I tried them on with my stretchy slim leg jeans makes me think I must have looked okay. 

I am being taken out for a birthday lunch later this week and I hope to fit in with my stylish sisters for the occasion.

WARDROBE REALITIES

Is anyone really surprised that Sarah Palin was given an extravagant wardrobe by the Republican Party? Really? One of my first thoughts when she was introduced was how fast they would do a makeover.

What I didn't expect was the price tag. $150,00.00 Geez. The Huffington Post said this: Palin received more valuable clothes in one month than the average American household spends on clothes in 80 years. A Democrat put it in even blunter terms: her clothes were the cost of health care for 15 or so people.

So much for the "like one of us" thing. Even if they donate the clothes to charity at the end of the campaign, as they claim, it doesn't change the fact that they didn't actually want a real person. A real person would have several suits and outfits that are mixed and matched and she would wear the same evening clothes to event after event. She may splurge on some nice shoes every so often when there were actually nice shoes in her size at Marshalls. A real person has never had her make-up applied by a professional unless it was while getting a sales pitch at the cosmetics counter at the department store.

One thing a real person might have done is get lots of different hair cuts and styles. Even real people (of course I am talking about John Edwards here...) have their little weaknesses.