the pretty year

It’s an Ann Taylor Loft kind of day.

• Leopard print wool cardigan from Ann Taylor Loft– $15 on sale, with coupon
• Pink sleeveless shell with bow detail from ATL– $10 on sale, with coupon
• ATL Curvy Bootcut Jeans– $20 on sale
• Black “Rain Crop” flats by Aerosoles– $19.99 on sale
• Black and onyx necklace, a gift from my sister-in-law

It’s so hard to find a widespread major retailer that fits your style, your body and your budget consistently, that when you stumble upon one that does a fair job of all three, you stick with it.

 

Gap never really worked all that well for me, though I can’t put my finger on why. I guess Gap seems to run a bit long, and perhaps a bit “Junior”-cut, and I am neither. Ditto Old Navy and H&M, plus their quality often leaves something to be desired. Banana Republic I like, but it tends to be a bit pricey for me when it’s not on clearance. Ann Taylor herself is both pricier and more conservative than her little sister– not to mention more “tailored,” and less-likely to fit my curves.

Which makes me think about something Deep Seam and others have said about sizing and price point. Namely, that contrary to the popular belief that presumes women will pay more to be told they are a smaller size, it is less-expensive brands that run larger– i.e., a Wal-Mart Size 4 is much larger than a Diane von Furstenburg Size 4. And not, per se, because Wal-Mart is appealing to vanity, but because– in the US and Canada at least– there is a correlation between wealth and relative thinness. So a Medium (and the 6, 8 or 10 that one expects to correspond to it) is larger in lines that cater to a larger clientele. It makes sense, even if it sometimes translates into almost fantastical sizing schemes. (I’ve never heard of a Size 12 called a Small before, but there’s a first time for everything.)

I’ve certainly noticed that ATL is slightly more generous in its sizing than Ann Taylor
(I’d say by about one size). But I’ve also noticed that it’s cut “curvier,” too. More Spandex, as well, which means either that their target demographic is more voluptuous (as I suspect, it’s somewhat more “ethnic,” as the less-wealthy tend to be) or that they assume folks with a little less money are less likely to invest in tailoring. Maybe both. And the same may explain why ATL is cut a bit more “petitely”– even its petites are more petite.

Okay, so it’s about 73% speculation right now, but I’d like to dig around a little and share what I find. Maybe it’s just the geek in me, but I could do with a little less mystification when it comes to my body and my money.

And maybe a little more diversity in my wardrobe.

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