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23399. alistairConnor - 1/18/2008 12:39:23 AM what do you mean "waste", Wonk? That's the whole point...
I spent last weekend being a walking wallet in the January sales, for my two daughters. I was glad to see them having fun, but I was bored stiff. Didn't dare to buy anything for myself, apart from socks and underwear, because my sartorial advisor was not with us. 23400. arkymalarky - 1/18/2008 1:03:24 AM I'm not a shopper. I see it, I like it, I buy it, I'm done. Bob is much more of a shopper than I am, and he wears me out. I much prefer not to shop for clothes with him. And I can pick out stuff he likes as I walk by a sales rack, when he spends hours trying on, considering purchases, etc.
But I do love January clearance sales, at least in principle. I just don't have the endurance to last long, especially driving from store to store. I like to shop when I can walk leisurely among small stores, like downtown or a quiet mall.
My SIL's family meets in the center of a mall the day after Thanksgiving as soon as the doors open (she gets up at 4:00am that day). They stand in a circle with their hands in the center and yell "ONE TWO THREE, SHOP!" before they scatter like roaches for the entire day, hitting several towns and countless stores. 23401. arkymalarky - 1/18/2008 1:04:27 AM And Mose and I cannot shop together. I can shop with my mom, but she doesn't like to shop. She knows what she wants and goes and gets it. She does't browse much. 23402. judithathome - 1/18/2008 1:24:26 AM Arky, you and I shop well together, I think...if you waver, I urge you to go ahead and get it. Even a broke foot won't stop me from my appointed rounds and encouraging you to get what you show an interest in!
Thoughtful, I still think you shoud go with the dress you have...remember Thoreau: beware any enterprise requiring new clothes. 23403. arkymalarky - 1/18/2008 1:53:30 AM I think so too. i wear the stuff I bought in Ft. Worth a lot--and I'm wearing a pair of the pants you sent me right now. When I went wasn't a good time money-wise (I can't remember why, now), but you helped me find some really good bargains and I was badly in need of some non-dress, non-jeans school clothes. 23404. thoughtful - 1/18/2008 3:30:07 AM As wonks requested, a pic of me in my tea length dress
Not bad considering it was the first dress I'd made for myself in about 15 years. Sort of like riding a bicycle.
The stole is made from the same fabric as the dress skirt only it's flipped inside out... the fabric is matte on one side, satiny on the other. 23405. thoughtful - 1/18/2008 3:33:16 AM Ac is right. It's like a hunt...the thrill is in the chase, though it never hurts to bag some good game.
I dragged hubby to the outlets after xmas and I did really well. Liz Claiborne wool-blend lined jacket with patch pockets and a self belt in the back...fits me like a glove and it was only $25! I bought two other jackets (work clothes is my excuse) and shoes and tops. One top was originally $70 and I got it for $7. Wahoo! 23406. thoughtful - 1/18/2008 3:41:52 AM One of my favorite memories of me and Mom is when we decided to spend the day shopping in Fall River. Back then it was the place to go for genuine outlets. You'd climb the back stairs of a building and go in a small room with clothing in it...beyond was a door open to the factory floor with all the little old portugese ladies sewing away.
Anyway, we were having a grand time, buying bargains galore, and realized we weren't going to finish in one day. So we bought some sleepwear and supplies and headed for a motel to spend the night. Got up the next day and headed back to the outlets. Well it was getting on 8pm that night and still had several hours to drive before we got home. We stopped at one last store on our way to the Braga bridge. A woman overheard us saying we wished we had more time to shop. The woman said, "Why don't you stay overnight and come back in the morning?" We both laughed and told her we couldn't as we did that last night!
23407. thoughtful - 1/18/2008 3:52:02 AM That also reminds me of that hotel we stayed in. Believe me, even back then Fall River was no hot shot locale. The motel walls were very thin. We were already in bed and asleep when the couple in the room next door came in rather noisily, washed up, went to bed and proceeded to have sex. At least it didn't take them very long. Two minutes max. I remember thinking to myself that that poor gal was nothing but a spitoon. He was done before she even had time to warm up, but then again, maybe that's how she wanted it...over quick so she could get to sleep.
I was so embarrassed I thought I'd die and was just hoping that mother was still asleep. Naturally, mother is a light sleeper. We're both laying there wondering if the other is asleep when Mom said, "Phew! Glad that's over with." We both burst out laughing and I told Mom I think we need a cigarette! 23408. thoughtful - 1/18/2008 3:52:38 AM The Braga Bridge
 23409. wonkers2 - 1/18/2008 3:58:53 AM You were lucky it wasn't Harvey Wallbanger! 23410. thoughtful - 1/18/2008 4:00:44 AM Believe me wonks, I was sorely tempted to bang on the wall myself...might have dampened his ardor. 23411. arkymalarky - 1/18/2008 6:11:08 AM That dress is gorgeous, Thoughtful! 23412. alistairconnor - 1/18/2008 2:11:07 PM Wow Tful!
What a shame you have no head... 23413. judithathome - 1/18/2008 4:29:11 PM I agree the dress is gorgeous and you look great IN it...wear that !!! I love the stole, too. Can't believe you made those yourself.
My one foray into dressmaking left me ripping the garment out of the machine where it was stuck and breaking the needle off in the process, screaming and crying like a banshee the entire time. I was so upset and out of control, the teacher told me I could drop the class. She did suggest I not be allowed to take shop class, however. I guess she convinced the school that girls (me in particular) were far too emotional to be around sharp tools.
About three years later, they started allowing girls to take shop classes. Of course, it was about that time Valium went on the market, too, and became every woman's little friend. 23414. thoughtful - 1/18/2008 6:44:34 PM Hahaha, very funny.
Believe me mother and i shared some very painful moments when she was trying to teach me how to sew, so I can relate. What really helped me was when mother got into stretch and sew which is working with knits. Knits have the wonderful quality of never raveling and the seams are stitched together rather than having to be pressed open. Simple stuff with no fancy facings, zippers, interfacing and all that crap. So I got into making t-shirts & skirts like crazy...sew the side seams, add an elastic waist band, hem and you're done. Even the hemming was done on the machine because the hem won't ravel. It made sewing such a breeze. And, of course, at that time, sewing paid. Clothing was expensive and fabric was dirt cheap. Now it's the reverse. Unless it's for a special occasion where the retail stuff is $$$ or for the house where like purchased custom made drapes are $$$, sewing just doesn't pay. The cost of the pattern alone can exceed the cost of a top on sale.
OK, you've all convinced me...I'll wear that dress and skip buying a new one. I'll save my $$ and fun for buying some sexy strappy silver shoes to wear with it that will match the evening bag. Thanks for your input! 23415. thoughtful - 1/18/2008 6:47:07 PM AC, I used to have a head, but I lost it in the Fray! 23416. wonkers2 - 1/18/2008 8:15:18 PM The Cap'n sez, "No head but what a body! Hot! Hot! Hot!"
W2 says, "That's quite an elegant gown." 23417. thoughtful - 1/18/2008 10:25:22 PM Thanks wonks.
23418. arkymalarky - 1/19/2008 1:35:17 AM My grandmother was a beautiful seamstress and made my wedding dress. She made her whole family's clothes. I was always too spastic and sloppy to sew well. I had a good friend in high school who was great and sewed me stuff. I could hand stitch pretty well.
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