Every Sunday a small column runs in the Atlanta newspaper featuring the style of a local resident. They list their best find, favorite stores, favorite outfit, and their fashion pet peeves, so I thought it might be fun to do the same with the Whiners.
My best find: my alligator purse, who I named Allie. Here she is with me and fellow Whiner Julia London.
I found Allie in a little shop in Atlanta about ten years ago and she accompanies me to every conference. Everyone loves her and I’m often referred to as The Lady With the Alligator Purse. Allie has several outfits, including shoes (which hurt her feet), a tiara, and a magic wand that bestows good sales figures to authors.
My favorite store: It’s a toss-up between Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom’s, and Costco.
Yes–Costco. Every pair of shorts I own is from Costco, as well as my sneakers, and my favorite cardigan sweaters. Plus, when I go there I get food samples and can buy hummus, shrimp, and laundry detergent. Take that, Bloomindale’s!
Favorite outfit: a polka dot halter dress I found at Bloomingdale’s (take that, Costco!). It’s stretchy so it’s extremely comfortable (and you can eat in it!), it never wrinkles, and depending on accessories and shoes can be either casual or dressy. Here I am, with my mom and sister, wearing it at my parent’s 50th anniversary party (that’s not a snake on my mom’s face—she’s wearing silly glasses in the shape of the number 50).
Fashion pet peeve: my biggest pet peeve actually concerns men: socks with sandals.
Gentlemen–please. No. Never. EVER. Under ANY circumstances. Stop the madness. Please.
So what’s your best fashion find? Favorite store? Favorite outfit? Pet peeve? PLEASE tell me I’m not the only one who shudders at the socks/sandals look?!
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
Have to agree about the socks with sandals. Yuck! My favorite store is not actually a store; I find the best shopping at Scottish festivals. There is a vendor, Classic MacKenzie, that sells overstock cashmere sweaters at amazingly low prices, also good quality blazers (mens and womens), skirts, etc. I’m a jeans and sweater girl so I’ve bought several great cashmere sweaters. There’s also a great jewlery vendor and, of course, a bookseller. My daughter and I spend like drunken sailors at Scottish festivals. Besides which, the festival itself is a lot of fun.
Oh now you’re making me want to dig out my Irish sweater.
My biggest peeve is my family, I buy them clothes but they don’t wear them. My daughter swears every back to school she’ll wear what we shopped for, but noooo. Expencive pants, about a hundred tops, shoes, shoes and the trench coat that she just had to have. She wears two pair of capri pants, one old pair of long pull on pants and her brothers old shirts. The men wear the same pants and tee shirts, I feel like a clothes horse because I have more that one choice. Of course what they spend in video games way outspends what I do on clothes, so there!
I love Allie! A conf isn’t a conf w/o seeing her!
My fab fashion find is this cool gold pant/ halter outfit I found at Goodwill. It’s designer, funky and fun — and cost $3. I’m a huge thrift store clothes person
It is so adorable. Absolutely my fav of Julie’s outfits. Although she has a pair of swimmer sandals that I covet.
Socks with sandals are a definite no-no.
Sherri, we haven’t had a real men don’t in a long time! Good idea!
My favorite store, hands down, is Nordstrom’s. They have everything I need — glam, casual, killer shoe selection, and workout clothes.
I love Costco too! I never get out of there for less than $150.00.
I do love Coldwater Creek, at least when they have a sale.
I found this fantastic doublebreasted, waist length, purple cordorory Jacket on sale a couple of years ago and just love it! My other favorite is a pair of dress patent leather black heels. Looked forever before I found just the right pair. Don’t get me started on purses. The right purse is very important.
I have issues with gals who wear black shoes with navy blue pants, dresses, etc. Please go buy a pair of navy shoes.
Leslie–totally agree re black shoes with navy pants. And jacket sounds great!!
Socks with sandals a definite Glamour Don’t. Seriously. And I’d add black socks with shorts no matter the shoes. Period.
The polka dot dress is fabulous — I want one. And the body to go with it (BWHAHAHAHAHAH). And Allie is quite simply an extention of you! Wouldn’t know what to do if you showed up without her. I’d worry there’d been an accident!
Fav store? Well at the moment I suppose Lord and Taylors (but I really really miss Foleys). And there’s this really cool little costume jewelry store on second avenue that’s my favorite browsing haunt.
Dee–I LOVE Lord and Taylor and was so sad when they left Atlanta. When I lived on Long Island (growing up) I loved to drive into Garden City and shop at Lord and Taylor. And the one in NYC was fabulous!
LOL on the no Allie/accident comment. I actually almost forgot her last summer while packing for RWA. I would have had to have my husband send her Fed-Ex!
Jacquie,
You have such great taste in clothes. I always notice what you’re wearing (and I mean that in a nice way), because it’s unique and classy and suits you well. I, on the other hand, am a fashion schlub. I think my favorite thing is my Gap jeans, only because they fit well, do not make me look tubby, and as you mentioned, I can eat in them. I used to work in an office and did IT, so spent many times crawling under desks, plugging in cables or cords, and thus, have rarely worn dresses. Someday when I have oodles of time, I want to become a huge gym rat with a personal trainer and have arms like yours. Then, I might wear dresses.
Thanks, Kathleen (I’m blushing!). I have to say, one of the requirements for me is to have clothes I can eat in. Of course, when they start getting snug, I know there’s been too much eating going on. Either that or that darn dry cleaner is shrinking my clothes again, LOL!
I like comfortable shoes. My biggest fashion peeve is having to wear anything uncomfortable. I’m a jeans and t-shirt kinda gal.
I agree–I refuse to wear clothes I have to tug on or that require adjusting. Same with my hair–once it’s done, I don’t want to mess with it. I guess that’s why I wear it short. No muss, no fuss.
The socks with sandals falls under a category we original three Whiners used to call “Real Men Don’t.” We would have whole weeks of “Real Men Don’t” revolving around what men should and should not do. Those were fun. I think we need a Real Men Don’t week! I wonder how that would work with our daily topics? Hmm.
Love the polka dot dress, Jacquie! Allie, though– well, okay, Allie has grown on me and now I can’t imagine a conference Jacquie without Allie.
Thanks, Sherri. And Allie just told me that she loves you
LOVE the idea of a Real Men Don’t special day!