Monday, March 31, 2008

Tell Me Why

And if you want to sing that title to the Backstreet Boys song, feel free. Yes, I admit it - I love the Backstreet Boys and even have their latest cd which is fab. But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about today - actually, it's more like a complaint. You see, there's something else I really love - shopping - and clothes designers are not making things easy.

So since my big life changing event, I have lost some weight - like 2-3 pants sizes in weight depending on the designer. Good news, right? Yeah, until you try to find something to wear. Now, since I'm one of those people that keep all my smaller clothes because I figured one day I'd get back in them, I DO have a decent wardrobe in four different sizes - of course I'm already past two of them but hey - progress. So I don't need all new stuff but I need a couple of simple tops to compliment the capris I already have.

So for the past two weekends, I have made passes by stores in search of some simple, inexpensive tops. The new trend this year (and quite frankly most of last) is the baby doll tops like the one pictured above. Cute, huh? Yeah, I thought so too, but there's one big problem I've found with these tops. First off, they come in two types of material - a light breezy cotton or a cotton/spandex blend that makes me sweat just thinking about it. So the light breezy cotton is definitely the top for me. But the light breezy cotton doesn't "give" so an exact fit is required. And that's where the problem comes in.

Can someone please tell me why in this age of vanity and affordable breast implants, all tops are made to house ten-year olds in the bust??????? Sorry, folks, but I'm built like a woman - boobs, hips, you know the drill. And even if I lost more weight, the girls still wouldn't fit in one of those tops because I'd just have to go down another size and I'm figuring the boob area doesn't get bigger as the top gets smaller. So in order to fit my boobs in one of these tops, I'd have to buy it bigger than I need. Sometimes this is a doable thing, but take a good look at that top again. See how it's fitted under the boobs then blouses out over the tummy (which is a great idea for hiding a little too much tummy), well the bigger the top, the bigger the tummy area - so by the time I'm in one that fits my boobs, I look like I'm pregnant with an elephant that's been gestating for four years.

By the way - I have the same boob problem with bathing suits, but since the whole topic of bathing suits is subject to moaning and crying (mostly by me) we're going to skip that for today.

Second complaint - length of pants. I'm 5'8" - not an Amazon, but not the average height for women either. And damned if I can find pants long enough. Ever once and a while I can locate a Tall but for the most part they all skim the tops of my ankles, giving me the whole "high-waters" look that I think was popular before I was born. And let's just go ahead and say a small prayer of thanks that I HAVE lost some weight and left women's sizes behind. Because apparently, if you are fat, you MUST be 4 foot 2.

Summer is much easier for me to manage - capris are still "in" (thank God) and I don't have to search the ends of the earth looking for 32 length pants.

So after two weekends of searching for my prey, I am still topless. Well, you know what I mean. :)

So what's your fashion complaint?

Deadly (DD) DeLeon

28 comments:

Amie Stuart said...

FWIW Old Navy and Eddie Bauer do different length pants. That said if you're still losing weight, it can get pricey! I'm 5'6 (barely) and I even have trouble finding pants that are long enough.

Good luck with the tops!

Gemma Halliday said...

Oh I hate those tops! The girls never fit right in them. There are certain styles I just don’t even try anymore. Anything fitted or cut to look ‘just so’ in the bust area aint gonna work for me.
But I have the opposite problem with pants, though. They’re all way too long. Capris hit my ankles.

Jana DeLeon said...

amie - yeah, I know. I struggle with the whole how much do I buy now since I'm hoping it won't fit in a month deal. So I'm limiting myself to just a couple of additions to cover work and that's it. Thanks for the info!

Jana DeLeon said...

Gemma - You'd think someone would take care of the girls. :)

Well, at least with the pants, you can have them hemmed. But unless I want to sew a decorative bottom on all my jeans, I'm out of luck. lol

Christie Craig said...

Hi Jana,

Okay...too funny. Those baby doll tops make me look about six months pregnant. AGG! And only then if I can find a top that will fit across my top.

I'm on my rant about clothes, too. Gotta go shopping for the RT conference. I'll be discussing this my next blog.

So I'm interested in seeing any help you might get on the subject as well.

Crime Scene Christie

Lucy said...

I have the opposite problem in pants. I'm 5'2" and if I get the petite size (which is supposed to work for those under 5'4"), they're too short. Anything else is too long and has to be hemmed.

Oh, and like you, I kept all the "skinny" clothes but once I lost the weight, the "fat" clothes got tossed. I want to know that if I gain weight again, it's going to cost me. For me that's a pretty good incentive to keep the weight off.

Jana DeLeon said...

LOL Christie - I'm thinking breast reduction but that sounds a bit drastic. (and your husband would probably kill me, right?) :)

Jana DeLeon said...

Lucy - EXACTLY! That's why I spent all day Sunday removing 162 items from my closets/drawers and putting them in give to friends stack or send to salvation army stack or simply throw away. :)

Wendy Roberts said...

I wore one of those baby doll tops last year at Thrillerfest and was crushed when the bookseller actually asked me when I was due. This after I'd lost 20 pounds. The top has never seen the light of day since then. Good luck with your search!

Jana DeLeon said...

Sorry Wendy - but I had to giggle. You SOOOOO don't look pregnant and what the hell are people thinking when they ask questions like that?????? You're just asking to eat shoe.

Keri Ford said...

For your jean shopping pleasure, buy online. normally you can get any size in any length. I LOVE jeans from venusswimmwear.com. Last I was there, they were cheaper than other places. For tops that are different, go to Fredericks of Hollywood online. Yep, THAT Fredericks. They have real clothes too, and I can tell you, anytime I wear something from there, I get compliments on the clothes.

I love clothes, but have a number of complaints in this area. For starters. Jeans. I have two options:
1)choose pants that fit my hips and be baggy on my waist
2)choose pants that fit my waist and be so snug on my hips I can't sit down.

What is up with that? the really, really-just above your crack-low ride jeans work best because there is no waist :O) I can fit to the hips. But then I can't sit down either or else I get a draft.

And then I had a baby. I'm not sure what happened. I weigh the same as before, but none of my before pregancy clothes fit right any more. It's like all the weight' hanging out in different places.

okay, I've yabbered long enough! keri

Jana DeLeon said...

Keri - LOL on the draft - I know what you mean. I like Frederick's clothes but haven't looked there in a long time. Now that I'm on my way to thin, I'll have to check them out again. Thanks! :)

Kathy Bacus said...

At 5'9" I've had to buy 'Tall' jeans since I was a freshman in high school, Jana. I'm at least 3/4 legs! And I'm really picky about how my jeans fit--especially where they ride on the ol' hips. And they absolutely have to be either boot cut or slightly flared. No straight leg for me. So, needless to say, it's a challenge to shop for pants.

Being in the midst of the winter that won't end, I'm SO looking forward to wearing Capris, tees, and flip flops again.

My daughters wear those baby doll tops and they look really cute. I'd look like a woman trying to reclaim her youth--and failing miserably.

~Bullet Hole~

Jana DeLeon said...

Kathy - I'm all legs too! Great back in the days when I was thin and tan and wore short shorts. Kinda of inconvenient now.

Beth said...

Oh Jana, I am totally with you on the girls not fitting in those type of tops. And I'm also finding that a lot of the dresses are cut that way too. So what's a generously blessed woman to do? Keep shopping and shopping and shopping. I can't stand those tops (they came in fashion right after I had my youngest and I was TIRED of big flowy tops). I've found a few nice tops but I had to search for them which was not that fun since I'm a freak of nature woman who doesn't like to shop. Not even for shoes. And it's really hard to do some good shopping when you refuse to go to the mall. Hello online shopping!
I've had some great luck with Old Navy jeans because you can get them in different lengths (I am 5'6'' and had to buy short because reg was too long) and I love the 'at waist' fit-just say no to crack. Good luck and enjoy the smaller sizes!

Estella said...

I also dislike the tops made for teenyboppers.

Anonymous said...

Oh, Lord, do NOT get me started on the way some clothes are designed to fit (or not fit, as the case may be). *rolling eyes*

Jana DeLeon said...

Thanks, Beth! Maybe I'll enjoy the smaller sizes as soon as the style changes. :)

And one should DEFINITELY always say no to crack. lol

Jana DeLeon said...

estella - but I'm trying to cling to my youth........not really, but darned if there's anything else on the racks!

Jana DeLeon said...

tori - if you were with me on Saturday, you would have been rolling boobs. :) Not that it helped any except to get it all shoved in there.

Gemma Halliday said...

OMG - Wendy, that's awful!! :O
She does know you will have to murder a bookseller in your next book now, right?

~Gemma

Jana DeLeon said...

LOL Gemma - the author's ultimate revenge. :)

Michele L. said...

I have had goodluck ordering from catalogs. They usually list all the sizes. If you need help they have a number you can call. The one I use the most is Newport News. They also have a 20% club discount if you join for a year which costs $25.00. I think they mail out 6 different catalogs with the saying on the front, "20% discount on all items for club members". I am busty and hippy. Most of the clothes I have ordered in my size always fit me. There have been a couple times and I had to send something back. You might want to try them.

Also, I used to order from Blair but then there sizing is so weird anymore. A medium is 10 - 12 and large is 14 - 16. I take a large but their large is like a tent on me. So then I tried the medium and it was to small. Therefore, I think their clothes are sized wrong.

Good luck with your clothes search! I hope you find some great clothes!

Michele L.

Jenyfer Matthews said...

I tried on one of those baby doll tops ONCE. My girls fit in just fine but I didn't like that maternity look so I left it in the store. I really like tank tops with skinny straps (and inside support!) though.

Jeans are tough. I found a pair last summer at The Gap that fit my rear great but they really need to be hemmed. I folded them up a couple of inches with my boots and still the drag the ground! I'm reluctant to hem them myself and have them *look* home hemmed, KWIM?

Jana DeLeon said...

Thanks, Michele! I ordered from Newport News years ago and have since forgotten about them - I'll take a look again!

Jana DeLeon said...

Jenyfer - Okay, it's official - I have decided that clothes are designed ONLY for runway models.

On this blog we've all all shapes and sizes with the same complaint. So WHO exactly are clothes designed for??????

Anonymous said...

I'm very much a big ole girl. At 5'8", I find that the average height of lane bryant jeans works for me, plus they make talls as well.

My biggest complaints as a big woman:
-- bra bands that roll and try to cut you in half under the armpits. "Guaranteed no-roll band" is a lie. The Oprah bra has been sold out as long as I've been trying to find one. Every lingerie fitter I've been to gives me a different size, and none of them fit right.
-- long sleeve shirts that aren't; inevitably they hit about 1 inch above the wrist, and shrink to 2 or 3 inches above the wrist. Or maybe I'm an orangutan.
-- cropped shirts. I want 30" to 32" lengths on all my shirts, to cover the belly. For the past 3 seasons, though, the standard shirt length has been 26" to 28". Some things are not flattering on fat women.

Sigh.

Pink Pelican

Anonymous said...

big shoulder pads and shorts shorts

kim h