Country Store: At first, Country Store’s offerings seemed so far from my aesthetic that I thought I was going to have to resort to choosing dickey collars (which are not actually the world’s worst idea, from a getting-the-layered-look-without-too-much-bulk perspective). But that would be cheating, so I soldiered on.
It wasn’t easy. You’ve got to possess Chloe Sevigny-esque levels of cool to make an embroidered sweatshirt of kitties sleeping on a bench look cool, and that’s pretty much the sartorial story that’s being told at Country Store.
So I was quite pleased to run across this classic denim shirt. The pockets aren’t ideal in size, but the wash isn’t bad. I imagine the cut is on the boxier side, so I’d wear it unbuttoned—as a sort of super-lightweight jacket—with some sort of striped tee or tank underneath.
Gypsy Rose God bless Gypsy Rose and its unreconstructed hippie aesthetic just for existing: as long as there is a place in this world where a person can still find a Steal Your Face key chain, all is not lost.
I knew I’d find a decent-enough Indian-print dress, and indeed I did.
The Pyramid Collection: It’s all about “Myth, Magick, Fantasy & Romance” at the Pyramid Collection, and you can shop themes like Fairies, Wicca, The Goddess, and Celestial Realms.
Regardless of the category, there was a certain Stevie Nicks energy that could not run more counter to my own. Shopping the Pyramid collection was very stressful.
And in fact I actually breathed an audible sigh of relief upon finding these simple cotton kurtas.
Victorian Trading Company This is another one of those catalogues that some friends claim are secret treasure troves, but again—and this really seems to be our theme today—we are talking about an aesthetic to which I could not be less attuned.
You either are a Victorian boot woman or you are not.
Not judging, just stating.
But I could totally see myself wearing this extra-wide-brim Rancher’s Hat. I like when hats have that strap thingie that keeps the wind from blowing them off your head at the beach.
Workngear This site is for people who work with their hands, outdoors, in extreme weather. And it is mostly geared at men. They’ve got an affiliated site devoted to outfitting health care workers where I thought I might be able to find some cute shoes or clogs, and—while I thought there were probably many, many fashion types you could fool by claiming these were Jil Sander—I knew that I myself would never actually elect to wear them.
Instead I went for this Carhartt coat, which has great clean lines and which I’ll also bet is crazy-warm.
J.Jill You guys cracked me up on the topic of J. Jill: “The catalogue every woman I know inexplicably started receiving after she had a baby,” wrote commenter Michelle, who suggested it. Piped in Suzanne: “Oh Yeah. I take it as a personal insult every time it shows up in my mailbox.”
And I get it. J. Jill seems to be all about transitioning out of a look that says “I’m hot” and into one that says “pretty-good-considering-I-just-had-twins, right?” I found these flatteringly angled tanks very acceptable, especially because they’re made of linen jersey, which is a material that hangs really well and gets better with washing.
And I thought this dress was quite cute too, although Lord knows it’s all about the belting with that thing.
Title Nine I actually got really angry at the Title Nine catalogue for being so hard to shop. How hard could it be for a womens’ sports e-commerce site to produce a simple, clean zipper sweatshirt? They had many, but each was junked up, one way or another.
Finally, I had to just default to this plain old t-shirt. Which feels like a copout. But Title Nine really left me with no other choice. On the upside: this picture.
The thing about Title Nine is I was able to buy not one, but TWO bathing suits that fit my body (small and short) and an exercise top that I love so much I ended up buying another exactly like it. As for their street clothes….meh…
Re Title 9: I cannot find decent well-cut open-bottomed sweatpants pref with a soupçon of stretch to keep the knees from bagging.
Anyone know where I can find this apparently obscure, impossible-to-find item?
You could try American Apparel. They do a bunch of different kinds of lounge-y type pants. The basics are good, imho, while the fashion-y items are not for me. But sweatpants would fall in the basics category.
Good idea! Thanks. I’ll check it out.
Muji, if you live near one, is a great source.
Suzanne, thanks! Never thought of Muji.
Mine is still in it! Although, if Country Store didn’t defeat you. . .
Seriously, how many “Indian” prints can the athletic market do, and do so badly? Loving this series, Kim, and I really enjoy your blog. I think we have a mutual friend and hope to meet you sometime!
I always feel like if I dared to order from Title Nine or Athleta — both of which I inexplicably receive — that someone will come to my house and demand to bounce a quarter off my midriff to see if I really, truly deserve to wear their clothes. Those models give me an inferiority complex every time. I usually need an extra scoop of ice cream to calm myself down.
Wow.
Respect.
Oh I needed the laugh this gave me today. That picture is priceless, too.
I have to give you props girl!!! I can’t believe the things you are finding. I might have to look more closely at the awful catalogs I receive. Usually I look at the cover and toss them.
Love that big sun hat.
now you’re just scaring me
KIm:
1. I hope this will be a regular feature.
2. I also hope to see you in your Stevie NIcks dress at some point soon. Maybe you can post a photo?
3. Does the bra catalogue Bounce count for TItle Nine? Because it’s actually great.
“You either are a Victorian boot woman or you are not.”
Evidently, I am a Victorian boot woman, as my first thought upon perusing the selection of footwear that the Victorian Trading Company had on offer was “What, no boots that button up? I am disappoint!”
Seriously, I have wanted a pair of those pretty much my whole life. If I had some I would rock them regularly.
Love the Steve Nicks remark. I get the Pyramid catalog courtesy of the previous homeowner. Can’t believe you didn’t mention the naked yoga CD, but I have seen a catalog lately. maybe they’re not offering that anymore.
You need special music for that?
And if you have time, check The Vermont Country Store, esp the sleepwear.
Is Boston Proper still out there?
Love seeing what you were faced with before seeing what you finally came up with! It’s also very informative – now I know to decline the offer of a CCountry Store, Pyramid or Victorian Trading Company catalog should they come my way.
I know I’m probably not the target audience for many of the products and styles you mention, but I must defend J.Jill. For those of us of a certain age, who can’t spot trendy outfit if it bit us in the butt (and who likely don’t care all that much), J.Jill is a net plus. At age 49, I’ve decided I need to stop dressing like I’m in graduate school, but don’t want to dress like my mom at this age. Select items at J.Jill allow me to dress like a grownup, not a fuddy-duddy. And certainly not mutton dressed as lamb. All without a lot of effort.