Here’s a re-creation of my interior monologue while I was shopping at the local mall looking for a “fancy” top today:
polyester… polyester… feels like polyester… ugh, polyester… ew, acrylic feels like plastic… oh, that’s cute! shame it’s polyester… why do they make breezy peasant blouses out of clammy polyester?… this top might work… oh, no, this dolman sleeve makes it look like half of my boob fell down into my armpit!
oh, here are the pull-on jeans I saw online… either the 10 or the 12 should fit… nope, I’m swimming in the 12… ugh, I hate pants… what’s up with the weird loose wrinkly crotch?… ugh, if I get these 10s up [struggle, struggle, struggle] will I be able to get them off again?… oh, god, no… [more struggling]
everybody can wear shorts! you just have to find the right ones… nope, these are not the right ones… ugh, no! these ones look even worse… no, I don’t know if everyone can wear shorts… nope, there’s no way… maybe if I stand perfectly straight… no…
polyester… ugly… polyester… ugly… ugly… wow, that’s tacky… um, no… is this cute, or old ladyish?… hey, this white cotton eyelet top is nice… I think it might fit… why does it have a tight polyester cami attached? oh well, I can remove that… oh, nope, that’s not going to fit without bust darts… darn…
maybe this one will work?… nope, polyester…
{lunch break in a bookstore, spinach and artichoke quiche, no polyester in sight}
polyester… acrylic… raglan sleeve… nope… that’s ugly… nope… polyester… wow, all of those cardigans have been ruined by hanging them like that… finally, a cotton knit! but what’s up with these colors? white, navy, coral and tan… ok, the white and the navy are possible… the navy is cute, but it won’t go with any of my bottoms… why does the neckband stand out so much in the white? ugh, nope… [looking at a phone mirror-selfie] I look like a sausage in this thing!… nope… why is Macy’s petite section all old lady clothes?…
at least I’m wearing my fitbit… getting a lot of steps in….
—
Have I mentioned how tiresome I find clothes shopping lately?
I guess I’m going to have to try somewhere more expensive if I don’t want to wear a polyester blouse. But I suspect I might have some trouble even at a high end store. I haven’t seen anything I like online either, and I’ve been looking high (end) and low.
I did buy a white cotton cardigan with a loose open knit. I have yet to try it on with all of my outfits to see if it will fit in with what I have, but I can think of a few things it should go with. I do already have a lot of cardigans. But this one is really different from the ones I already have, in terms of shape, color and style, so I think it could fill a gap in my closet. I wish it wasn’t white. But I’m not certain that there’s a better color that would be summery and neutral, and no one is selling the colors I like anyway.
I almost fell for a cotton (or rayon?) navy print peasant blouse, but the fit wasn’t great. It was loose and comfy and so tempting. I found myself thinking that it could work if I tucked it just right if only I didn’t look at the way my jeans hung when I did that. And then I realized, these were the jeans I would be wearing with the top, so if they didn’t look good, the top wasn’t going to work.
Isn’t it funny how we tell ourselves things that don’t make sense to justify what we want to like? I thought maybe I could add a belt to the peasant top, but I don’t actually own a belt, and so I’m really guessing as to weather that would look good.
Mostly what I was thinking when I was trying things on, especially the pants and shorts, was that I prefer dresses. They look better on me and they feel better. And I have a bunch! I’m hoping that this new cardigan will look nice with some of my dresses, which might give them a little bit of new life. In which case, I can live with only having a few tops to wear with jeans and skirts. I also spotted some tops with fake necklaces sewn on to them as a fancy detail – I have been considering doing something like that to one of my tops. I can’t decide whether it’s cute or weird.
Anyway, my next task is to try my new cardigan on with everything I own and decide whether it’s a keeper or not.
I’ll keep you posted!
Jo:)
adventures in the here now 
Oh dear – sorry about all the polyester but really this is hilarious too: kind the way I go through a thrift store blouses rack. Design and make what you want. Lol – not what you wanted to hear and love the lunch in a bookstore part too….
If only I knew what I wanted! I’m really good at identifying what I don’t want.
I made good use of a certain chain bookstore for their clean bathrooms, drinking fountain, certain-branded coffee shop, and a break from the awfulness of the clothing stores. Even a terrible chain bookstore is better than a mall food court.
Hilarious and I can totally relate! Every sweater or cardigan I like is acrylic, ugh. I hope you can make the cardigan work. Thanks for sharing, glad to know I am not the only one who struggles with clothes shopping ;-)
Love from Holland.
I agree about the selection in Macy’s petite section! Your monologue is very funny but I hear and agree with your frustration.
And I thought I was the only one who has trouble getting what I like. I am not an ‘off the peg’ figure. There are a few mistakes hanging in my wardrobe. Jo you would say “get rid of them”.
I would say that! (but I have plenty of mistakes too)
I think most people have trouble finding what they like. Sometimes I think we’d be better off going back to custom-made clothing. But most people value cheap above all else. And for the clothing companies it’s all quantity and very little quality.
1) I am a big fan of shirts with embellished necklines so I can skip necklaces. Don’t get me wrong, I like necklaces. But they often seem too fussy or fancy. Plus, toddlers.
2) While I live in jeans, capris and shorts, I rarely wear skirts. I buy them and then they tend to languish in my closet. I have a girlfriend who is exactly the opposite–all skirts, all the time. If you prefer dresses to pants, go with dresses! It sounds like you know yourself. Go with it!
Every time I go shopping for shirts or blouses, I end up with cardigans. So a whole bunch of sweaters (which of course I can’t wear half the year thanks to IL’s ungodly hot temperatures… lol WA ruined me) and no tops to wear under them. I should be banned from cardigan racks when I go shopping..
We all have something like that… some people have 20 pairs of black pants… I have 20+ dresses… and I have way more cardigans than I probably need, or at least I did. I donated a few after I realized I had 9 (in a closet of 33 things!)