I went shopping fthis weekend for clothes for the first time in a while. I usually piecemeal my shopping together -- a pair of pants or a shirt there, shoes and a handbag there. So it's not that often I look for quite a few things in one day. What I learned from my experience this weekend: I'm getting old.
I had the hardest time finding anything I liked this weekend. Many clothing stores cater to the "junior" crowd -- those anywhere between the ages of 13 and 25. I'm 34, and already I'm hopelessly out of date. Several of my friends who are my age dress what I call "young" -- hipster jeans, baby-doll shirts, chunky beaded necklaces that are now all the rage. Sure, they look like they're in their mid-20s, but here's the thing: I don't really want to look younger. I don't want to look older, either. I just want to look like me.
At the end of my fourth-grade year many years ago, my teacher handed out awards. I got the "best-dressed" award. I developed my taste in clothes from my mom, who used to buy me plaid skirts and blazers, slacks and sweaters. I looked a lot like a Catholic schoolgirl back in fourth grade. Since then, I've had a classic preference in clothing. I like simple stuff -- tailored pants and jackets, tasteful shirts, scarves, basic shoes. Nothing fancy, just professional, I guess.
I had a momentary lapse in clothing judgment this weekend and tried on some of the "young" stuff. The baby-doll shirts left me feeling exposed. Anything beyond a basic V-neck
feels a little bit too revealing to me. The hipster pants are too tight to be comfortable. The chunky beaded necklaces just aren't me.
I opted for the a few items at the Ann Taylor outlet store -- not as expensive as the "real" Ann Taylor, but more than I would have spent on some of the trendier stuff at other stores. I walked away happy, feeling like I'd been true to myself. I went home, tried everything on again and decided I didn't care about being up on the latest trends. Besides, the trendy stuff won't last long. I'd have to give it all away to Goodwill in six months and go shopping again to get the latest and greatest. (The photo above, by the way, is not a picture of what I bought this weekend. It's a photo I found on e-bay of "trendy" clothes a teenage girl is trying to sell.)
My preference for the timeless, for the classic pieces that will still be around no matter how styles change, started when I was 9 years old. And you know what? I think if my fourth-grade teacher could see me now, she'd still give me the best-dressed award.
I had the hardest time finding anything I liked this weekend. Many clothing stores cater to the "junior" crowd -- those anywhere between the ages of 13 and 25. I'm 34, and already I'm hopelessly out of date. Several of my friends who are my age dress what I call "young" -- hipster jeans, baby-doll shirts, chunky beaded necklaces that are now all the rage. Sure, they look like they're in their mid-20s, but here's the thing: I don't really want to look younger. I don't want to look older, either. I just want to look like me.
At the end of my fourth-grade year many years ago, my teacher handed out awards. I got the "best-dressed" award. I developed my taste in clothes from my mom, who used to buy me plaid skirts and blazers, slacks and sweaters. I looked a lot like a Catholic schoolgirl back in fourth grade. Since then, I've had a classic preference in clothing. I like simple stuff -- tailored pants and jackets, tasteful shirts, scarves, basic shoes. Nothing fancy, just professional, I guess.
I had a momentary lapse in clothing judgment this weekend and tried on some of the "young" stuff. The baby-doll shirts left me feeling exposed. Anything beyond a basic V-neck
feels a little bit too revealing to me. The hipster pants are too tight to be comfortable. The chunky beaded necklaces just aren't me.
I opted for the a few items at the Ann Taylor outlet store -- not as expensive as the "real" Ann Taylor, but more than I would have spent on some of the trendier stuff at other stores. I walked away happy, feeling like I'd been true to myself. I went home, tried everything on again and decided I didn't care about being up on the latest trends. Besides, the trendy stuff won't last long. I'd have to give it all away to Goodwill in six months and go shopping again to get the latest and greatest. (The photo above, by the way, is not a picture of what I bought this weekend. It's a photo I found on e-bay of "trendy" clothes a teenage girl is trying to sell.)
My preference for the timeless, for the classic pieces that will still be around no matter how styles change, started when I was 9 years old. And you know what? I think if my fourth-grade teacher could see me now, she'd still give me the best-dressed award.
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