Jeanius
About 10 years ago, after having lunch on Franklin St in Chapel Hill (a college hangout area), I went shopping for jeans in a shop on the “famed” street. To give you some background I am a size 4-to-6. In my teens and 20’s I was a size 0 –to-2. I am classified as having an “athletic” shape/frame. So after walking into this Chapel Hill shop I found several jeans and immediate started trying on several jeans of various cuts. To my surprise nothing fit correctly. I am well aware of the struggle women have finding the perfect fitting and most comfortable jeans (which I think for the most part is an oxymoron).
I kept trying to find something to buy from this
cute shop but not to an obnoxious point --- trying on hundreds of things and
only walking out with a $20.00 tshirt (this was not my shopping strategy). I think the salesperson felt sorry for me and
just wanted to help me with this painful experience – like pulling a band aide
off quickly. The salesperson very kindly stated to me, “I think you are too old
to be shopping here and that is why the jeans are not fitting you
correctly.” I was in my early 30’s at the time of this shopping
nightmare. I had no idea that jeans have
an expiration date for ownership. A scene from the movie, So
This is 40, flashed before me --- I am too young to shop at Chico’s!!!!
The whole experience then resulted in an “Aha
moment” --- as Oprah would say. I had been shopping at Banana
Republic, J Crew, Ann Taylor, Talbots, Limited, Express,…….. since high
school. I even proudly shopped at the Gap since Sharron Stone so stylishly
wore a Gap T-shirt to an awards ceremony. However, was I now at an age where
I needed to leave my old faithful stores for more “age appropriate” stores
(whatever that means)????? A few times I had embarrassing moments
when a young teen had the same dress I was wearing but otherwise I have always
been able to make any style appropriate for my age and job.
However, I could still hear the salesperson
gently redirect me to stores that she felt were “age appropriate.”
I do agree that there are clothing styles, as we age, that we can no longer
“carry” as well as when we were in our 20’s or 30’s. I am fine with that
but I guess the shock of realizing that in my 30’s I was now considered old was
mind-boggling.
Now as an old woman of 47 years I am making a
shopping recommendation to my followers. First, spending time in a mall
is one of my least favorite things to do. I think 3 times a year I will spend
a whole day at the mall but it is mainly just to walk around, observe people,
and have lunch. I mainly shop online --- I have found the best
stores to do online shopping --- I am very proud to say --- and will share that
info later. So here are two stores that my 47 year old body loves. I have found White House Black Market and
CAbi to be the best staple to freshen up my style.
I have to be carful with WHBM because some of the
clothes can be a little too racy or the styles start to look the same.
Otherwise, they fit well on a 40 year old body. CAbi is also
wonderful. I just started shopping with them so I am still learning the
pros and cons. One thing I like is that they have various cuts that seem
to fit different body types. CAbi can be both casual and business
wear. They don’t have formal wear but then that is why we have malls to
shop in for very special occasions.
So I am learning that 40 maybe considered the new
30 but in reality 47 is 47 and not 30 or 20.
There is nothing new about 47.
One can fill it with Botox, fancy creams, take vitamins, B12 injects,
& workout until you are a size 0 --- you are still 47 and will never have
that same shape as a 20 or 30 year old.
You can be a healthy, active, sexy, 47 year old but there are still
things your body cannot do anymore --- like fitting into jeans in a shop on
Franklin Street.
