I’ve been thinking about clothes lately.

It’s been hot hot hot around here and thus I’ve tried to wear “real” summer clothes. I’m at an age where sleeveless is not always the best choice..but sometimes it is necessary!  I do have some cute sleeveless tops and a dress or two….

But mostly I’ve been searching in my closet, in vain it seems, for something to wear that isn’t ten (or even twenty??) years old. Yes, sad but true. Many of my clothes have seen better days. Don’t get me wrong: I am “into” fashion, sometimes as an extension of my home furnishings world and background, and I love shopping. I really do. But somehow the years have crept up on my wardrobe and rendered it obsolete.

Time to source some new threads! Even the husband urged me to do so. Now that’s unusual, right?

I can’t believe that I never did a post about this image below!
This was my entry for “How I Wear My White Jeans” over on
The Rich Life in Wine Country

White Jeans 5

Really, I CAN dress up and look great! But not often it would seem…so off I went to Nordstrom.
I have read, endlessly and repeatedly, how everyone “of a certain age” adores Eileen Fisher. The cut, the fabric, the colors, the fit…all are very appealing to so many women my age. But there was always the problem of price. I am just not used to spending that much.  Sometimes you have to bite the bullet. 

I’ll start out slowly, I told myself. Like the French women, I will buy a few fine pieces and go for quality over quantity. When you’re used to shopping in bulk at Marshalls or TJ…well, this is a change! Oh yes, I do buy some good quality items, but really it is few and far between (as I am now realizing.)

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The minute I tried this on I knew: THIS IS IT. Perfect fit. Perfect neckline (so often they gap on me.) Perfect material. Perfect color.

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I liked it so much I went back two days later and bought the
Straight Leg Crepe Pants

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The S/M fits me just fine and I can’t believe the length is fine as is. At 5’4″ all pants are generally long on me, and Petite is just not right.  That top was also S/M and is SO PERFECT!

Another great thing about buying Eileen Fisher is that all the clothes are
MADE IN THE U.S.
That does make them more expensive but in this case, I now know that you get what you pay for.

To all my friends: you will be seeing me in these clothes OFTEN!

Having had such success early in the week I decided to go boutique shopping in Chapel Hill. Again, I’ve never really shopped these independent retailers in the six years we have lived here.. After a few dead ends (too dressy, too old looking, too young looking) I ended up at
Lark Home/Apparel
(on S. Elliott Rd, near Whole Foods)

What a great store. Katherine, the owner, was there and was very helpful. I hit it at just the right time as all the summer items were on sale.
Bingo!

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Loving my new white knit skirt and long citrine top. Again, these are USA made.

So, let’s hear from all of you. How do you feel about spending money on clothes? Do you go for quality or quantity, or a little of both?

Final Signature