Shopping Report

[plumtreeblossom]

My wuzzle drove me to Dressbarn in Everett yesterday on my quest for professional wardrobe items (specifically, blazers) in colors other than black or gray. The black and gray default preference is a carry-over from my goth years, and while it translates beautifully to professional wear, it's basically all I wear at work, and I can only imagine my colleagues are sick of my monochrome wardrobe. I know I am, and I wanted some color.

Dressbarn (yes, I'm spelling it right) used to be my go-to place for professional wear, especially before their Porter Square location closed. I would often drop in and gasp at the gorgeous tailored suits, sometimes buying. I guess things have changed. I don't know when they went from being a purveyor of sharp career wear to Garish-Muumuu-Tops-R-Us. Who wears that shit to work? And sparkly garments; New Years Eve is not in February, in my book. Good thing I wasn't there looking for a suit. I noticed only one mix & match jacket and skirt pair, in a textured gray, and I already have one almost exactly like it.

My beowabbit is an excellent shopping boyfriend. He carried my coat (actually, his coat bequeathed to me) and gave honest opinions. I was able to extract and buy two nice blazers from the cruft: one a muted purple with funky, large grommets in place of buttons, and the other a red blazer with black accents and a fox hunt feel. Still, I went in prepared to shell out for six or seven blazers, and they just weren't there. I don't know where tasteful, affordable business clothes for women are hiding, but I'd like to find them.

Comments

[smacaski.livejournal.com]

If you don't mind online shopping, I get most of my wardrobe from Newport News these days. You might shell out a little more than you'd pay at Dress Barn (excuse me, Dressbarn), but I like their style. I have to admit, I haven't really looked at their size range, although I do know they certainly go beyond the 12s I usually need to get to be able to button over my chest (stupid boobs).

I haven't been there in forever, but I'd bet Marshall's would have a good selection, as well, and probably cheaper than Newport (with the added bonus of being a physical store for trying on clothes).

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

I find Dressbarn variable. I scored big there with both the dress I wore to A&N's wedding and the one I wore to my night-before-the-wedding dinner, but sometimes when I go, it seems to suck. It really seems to vary by season. If you go back in a month, it could be completely different, and suddenly awesome.

[bedfull-o-books.livejournal.com]

You won't find any business clothes in Lane Bryant either. The one I checked in Square 1 mall didn't even have the tights I like. No reason for me to shop there any more.... (They're big on the muu-muu tops too. What's up with that?

Marshals sometimes has stuff, but I find that they are uneven. You could get really lucky. You could find nothing but too-short skirts, pepto-pink sweaters, and plastic sandals.

I've found stuff at Khol's sometimes. Sometimes not.

L is a great shopping BF too.

[mud-puppy.livejournal.com]

I highly recommend Macy's downtown. They can be a little more expensive but they have a really good selection of business suits, blazers & professional stuff for women. There's also a Talbots Outlet store up in the Woburn Mall which has some great deals. That said, it being an outlet store, the stock is variable so you never know what you're gonna get :P

Oh, and I second the Filene's Basement in Back Bay, I've gotten some really great stuff for reasonable prices.

Good luck on the hunt for the perfect blazer :)

[http://users.livejournal.com/urban_faerie_/]

I sang the praises of the Talbot's outlet in Woburn to somebody else last week and now I'm singing it to you. They have a lot of classic looking stuff you can funk up with cool accessories and shoes. Everything is 25-80% off. There is also a huge TJ MAXX, a DSW shoe outlet and a Frederick's of Hollywood in that mall. Totally worth the short zipcar trip IMHO. :)

[chanaleh.livejournal.com]

Especially for blazers, yes yes!

[buxom-bey.livejournal.com]

Actually it's the Dressbarn in Quincy that seems to keep all the suits. You should check it out.

[chanaleh.livejournal.com]

Ditto this. I have found a higher percentage of wearable/affordable stuff at Kohl's than just about anywhere else in recent years -- aside from the Gap/Gap Outlet that are my mainstays. :-)