Shopping for New Clothes Can be Pure Torture

I've always hated shopping for clothes with one exception. When I was working, I always went to the same salesman at Nordstrom's who knew my taste and the two of us would put together suits, shirts and tie combinations. When I would attend a conference afterward, I always felt like a million bucks in my new clothes.

It's been 7 years. Now I live in gym clothes and loathe going clothing shopping.
 
When I shop for clothes it's not the finished product that I go looking for, other than socks and underwear. My wife, who makes much of what I wear, and I, peruse through a catalogue of patterns. What doesn't come of her sewing machine are made by others. Fox Tailoring, makes my blazers, suits and some of my trousers. Cordwainer, Colin Johnson, has made all my shoes. Chester Cordite make much of the accessories and one or two shirts, and Gamble & Gunn make all of my hats.
 
I never had any fashion sense but I was able to find a basic, slightly intimidating look, that served me well during my working years.

After I retired, I gradually developed a very basic inexpensive wash and wear capsule wardrobe that works for me and the way that I choose to live.

These days I just restock a few basics every year to keep things looking fresh.

My best fashion tip is to find your ideal weight and do what you can to stay reasonably fit.
 
I find that I'm willing to spend a reasonable amount of money at a good store but I just can't find anything that floats my boat.
I need petite sizes because I'm 5'1'. All the old standby classic stores have gone either too young or too old and the quality has gone down but the prices have gone up. Colors are gawdy and few.
I see that my favorite jeans, Gloria Vanderbilt Amanda have stopped selling true petite and just sell regular jeans in "short" size. Not the same!
This thread hit right in the middle of my searches. Can you tell? 😁
I'm going to take care of what I have so it lasts.
 
I am so particular with color and patterns. I can not wear red, that is my white wash me out color.
I won't order online anymore, rarely does it fit right. So I just browse over clothes and if something
catches my eye at a decent price, I just get it then, which is rare. I absolutely hate the "skinny" legs
for my jeans. I hate having to pull them back down to my ankles every time I get up from sitting
and to me they made feet look huge and boxy. Needless to say I take very good care of
my clothes so I don't find myself in need.
 
robin416 said:
I hate to shop. I hate malls. And yes, I'm a woman.

Like @Aunt Bea, my wardrobe is basic, wash and wear. I will still catch sight of someone who did a simple thing to a basic item that made it special. I never had fashion sense either.
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My manager said yesterday: oh such nice trousers you have! Nice these details there! Thank you. I hardly ever buy myself clothes and if I do it's some standard T shirt. But my sister has all these fabulous clothes. She goes shopping with her friends and they go from one boutique to another to find something unique and often expensive and when she doesn't fit it anymore she gives a whole bag to me. She has a fabulous taste. Love it.
 
Messy said:
My manager said yesterday: oh such nice trousers you have! Nice these details there! Thank you. I hardly ever buy myself clothes and if I do it's some standard T shirt. But my sister has all these fabulous clothes. She goes shopping with her friends and they go from one boutique to another to find something unique and often expensive and when she doesn't fit it anymore she gives a whole bag to me. She has a fabulous taste. Love it.
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That could work. Except I'm most comfortable in my jeans and some sort of shirt. Be it T shirt or cotton blouse.

And as I'm thinking about it, my sister might have good taste in clothes but I wouldn't wear anything she buys.
 
Messy said:
I once went shopping with my brother. He went to one shop, bought a bunch of identical T-shirts, pants, whatever exactly the same ones. These are fine. He was ready in 5 or 10 minutes. That was the shopping LOL. Then we had coffee somewhere.
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That reminds me of shopping with my son! When the kids were younger I detested taking my daughters shopping for clothes; it took forever. And I say that recalling my own days as a fussy teenage girl. My son was so much easier because he wasn't fussy and just took a more practical approach.

I was vastly relieved when the girls got old enough that I could simply send them off with my bank card. They knew not to come home with certain items and never abused the privilege. I always approved of what they bought. These days, of course, we have a blast shopping together because that whole parent–teenager dynamic is no longer at play.

I'm like several others here: I stick with easy separates that are comfortable if not the height of fashion. I tend to order from the same places online where I know the sizes (i.e., know the size I order will fit). I always am in jeans or leggings and tunics.
 
hearlady said:
I find that I'm willing to spend a reasonable amount of money at a good store but I just can't find anything that floats my boat.
I need petite sizes because I'm 5'1'. All the old standby classic stores have gone either too young or too old and the quality has gone down but the prices have gone up. Colors are gawdy and few.
I see that my favorite jeans, Gloria Vanderbilt Amanda have stopped selling true petite and just sell regular jeans in "short" size. Not the same!
This thread hit right in the middle of my searches. Can you tell? 😁
I'm going to take care of what I have so it lasts.
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Yes, I feel the same as I am 5'1" too....I have just about given up on jeans. Most of my clothes shopping is online and that adds to the problem.
 
robin416 said:
I hate to shop. I hate malls. And yes, I'm a woman.
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We have got one another's shopping genes. Luckily I have a very talented lady that saves me a small fortune. Click on this link, it will take you to the website of Neal & Palmer. The page that you see is that of shirts. The last shirt on page one, bottom right hand corner, my lady made one similar and for far less than Neal & Palmer wanted.
 
KSav said:
That reminds me of shopping with my son! When the kids were younger I detested taking my daughters shopping for clothes; it took forever. And I say that recalling my own days as a fussy teenage girl. My son was so much easier because he wasn't fussy and just took a more practical approach.

I was vastly relieved when the girls got old enough that I could simply send them off with my bank card. They knew not to come home with certain items and never abused the privilege. I always approved of what they bought. These days, of course, we have a blast shopping together because that whole parent–teenager dynamic is no longer at play.

I'm like several others here: I stick with easy separates that are comfortable if not the height of fashion. I tend to order from the same places online where I know the sizes (i.e., know the size I order will fit). I always am in jeans or leggings and tunics.
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Yeah I used to enjoy shopping for myself. Did that for hours as a hobby. Also for my sons, but the older they got, now it's indeed just like that. One shop. Last time they joined. That was quite something. I want these. I want these. Ready. Or 10 the same black T-shirts.
 
Jackie23 said:
Yes, I feel the same as I am 5'1" too....I have just about given up on jeans. Most of my clothes shopping is online and that adds to the problem.
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Can't you order it from Europe or China? I knew a guy who needed XXXL. He ordered it in America. Couldn't get it here in most shops.
 
I dislike shopping for anything. What makes clothes shopping so difficult is there is no continuity ( is that the right word?) in sizes between brands. What is a L in one brand may actually be a XL in another brand. Then there is the issue of vanity sizing in upscale brands where a 2 is actually a 12/14 in more basic brands. But the buyer of the upscale brand gets the ego boost of saying “ I only wear Size 2”.

If you choose to shop online, especially for clothing made in Asia, then you’ve entered Unknown Territory when trying to determine a size.

Just my opinion based on working in the textile industry to pay for my education when there still was a Textile Industry in the United States.
 
MountainRa said:
I dislike shopping for anything. What makes clothes shopping so difficult is there is no continuity ( is that the right word?) in sizes between brands. What is a L in one brand may actually be a XL in another brand. Then there is the issue of vanity sizing in upscale brands where a 2 is actually a 12/14 in more basic brands. But the buyer of the upscale brand gets the ego boost of saying “ I only wear Size 2”.

If you choose to shop online, especially for clothing made in Asia, then you’ve entered Unknown Territory when trying to determine a size.

Just my opinion based on working in the textile industry to pay for my education when there still was a Textile Industry in the United States.
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I’ve had that problem with ‘vanity sizing’ where some things are a half to a full size larger than similar items from another company.
 
MountainRa said:
If you choose to shop online, especially for clothing made in Asia, then you’ve entered Unknown Territory when trying to determine a size.
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One time, I ordered two tunics from an online retailer: the exact same product in two different colors. When they arrived, one product was labeled as having been made in Bangladesh and one in Guatemala, I think. They were radically different in both size and quality. (Well, Guatemala isn't in Asia, of course, but same principle.)
 
MountainRa said:
I dislike shopping for anything. What makes clothes shopping so difficult is there is no continuity ( is that the right word?) in sizes between brands. What is a L in one brand may actually be a XL in another brand. Then there is the issue of vanity sizing in upscale brands where a 2 is actually a 12/14 in more basic brands. But the buyer of the upscale brand gets the ego boost of saying “ I only wear Size 2”.

If you choose to shop online, especially for clothing made in Asia, then you’ve entered Unknown Territory when trying to determine a size.

Just my opinion based on working in the textile industry to pay for my education when there still was a Textile Industry in the United States.
Click to expand...
I once ordered shoes in China. 2 sizes too small. Gave them to an Indonesian woman with small feet.
 
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