I spent a fair amount of time this past weekend looking for longer length tops that I can wear with pants. I own quite a few dresses, skirts/cardigans and jackets but very few pants. The physical therapist who is working with me on my foot issues told me I HAD to wear ugly supportive New Balance athletic shoes (in hopes the damaged tissue will heal) 24/7. This means no skirts/dresses and black pants pretty much every single day. I have blouses and shirts that can be worn with skirts but very few tops that are long enough to wear with pants. Thus I looked around the mall on Saturday. I found NOTHING!!! My only requirements are to reach at least the top of my hipbone (I am 5'6 so probably average height), that they not cling and are in dark colors; i.e. black, grey or chocolate brown. As you have heard me whine time and time again the shopping options in my area are very limited. I visited Ann Taylor, Gap, Ann Taylor Loft, Old Navy, Talbots and……..in my walk of shame…a store that has 2 words in the name, the first work beginning with an E and the second word is Bauer. Not one, not one single top did I find. So I am asking the blog community, does such a top exist and if so, where might it be?
While I am on the topic of shopping excursions I also realized that I needed new socks. I mentioned this wardrobe need to a friend. She said she also has been searching for socks and made me laugh out loud when she revealed she just doesn't wear socks because she cannot find any she likes. This should be a simple item to find, correct? No it is not. I purchased the JCrew black trouser socks and found them to be adequate but not great. I tried socks from Gap but they are not dressy enough to wear to work (when I wear stylish shoes and not ugly athletic shoes) and run on the short side. As a side note I almost deleted my sock quest post thinking it sounded silly. Then, earlier today I saw an entire blog conversation devoted to this topic: http://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/no-more-cheap-socks Do you have any tried and true recommendations?
Other items I am currently hoping to find include a chocolate brown skirt (preferably a-line altho a pencil would do if not cut too straight), a seasonless long black jacket to wear with pants and button down shirts that do not gap.
What are the elusive items on your shopping list?
I've given up roaming at department stores and national chains ... I look for small boutiques that carry new designers or art wear ... Sometimes it can be a little pricey, but not always. Also I'm selective and keep clothes I like long after the fashion industry says I should move to a new look. Since I live in the NYC area I may have more options for out of the box shopping. And yes, I now buy shoes that will take me thru the seasons sans socks ... it's too much work trying to cover these size 10 feet with both fashionable shoes and cool well fitting socks.
ReplyDeleteI too have tender feet and would rather wear comfortable shoes with pants than painful heels with skirts and dresses. I have found that sweater coats that fall from mid thigh to mid calf work well with slim black pants most of the year. Longer "boyfriend" sweaters are a more casual but still coordinated look. I have found a good selection at Eileen Fisher, H & M and Uniquolo. All three are available online. Also if you google sweater coats or boyfriend sweaters, you will get a great selection. To keep up my fashion spirits, I focus on a beautiful bag and/or scarf to add color and style to an outfit. Foot issues are a big problem with many women over 50 and the manufacturers and stores are leaving alot of money on the table when they don't provide a better selection of real life options. Just saying.
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