shopping Archives %- – Rock The Wrinkle

Some people hate going to the dentist. Others do anything to avoid cleaning out the garage. Or doing their taxes. Or raking leaves.

Me…shopping for clothes. Oh it used to be fun, years ago. Maybe I’m crazy but it sure seemed clothes were more attractive back then. Putting them on wasn’t difficult. (Weren’t the buttons bigger? They sure seemed bigger.) Looking in the mirror wasn’t akin to watching a vampire movie.

Not anymore. Is it me, or does there seem to be a conspiracy of ugly clothes, impossible sizes and dressing room mirrors that double as carnival sideshows?

Just because we’re boomers, we shouldn’t have to be tortured when we go shopping.

Things change. We’ve changed. And clothes have changed…and it seems, not for the better.

A new study published in the International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology, and Education reveals, “The average size of an American woman is now between 16 to 18, which is an increase from 10-year-old data that indicated most women in the U.S. were a size 14.” Scientists have now determined that the average waist circumference has increased 2.6 inches in the past 21 years, which is why there has been an increase in clothing size.
According to a study by J. Walter Thompson London, 69% of women between 53 and 72 feel that they’re ignored by the fashion industry. Some 82% of the women surveyed believe that the clothes aimed at their age group are too old-fashioned.
And it’s not only women. The average weight of American men has increased by about 15 pounds over the last two decades, according to a new study published today by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Especially depressing is to embark on a new fitness program, sign up for classes, be ready to sweat and work hard, and then try to find workout clothes you can breathe in. Surprise! They are made for 75-pound people who run along the shore all day posing for soft drink commercials. They are not made for anyone who wants to lose 10 pounds.

Why are we letting this happen? We should rebel.

All of us.

Give us clothes that ft. Give us clothes that we feel good in. Give us clothes we can actually leave the house in.

After all, it was OUR generation that transformed fashion, took risks, brought high styles to women in affordable, wearable clothing. So why have we been abandoned? Why does it feel like a scene from a James Bond film when we shop? (“We’ve caught you, double agent 543, and now for the torture…you have to try on these clothes, in front of a 3-way mirror, and actually walk out into the store! And if you don’t give us the secret war codes, you’ll have to try on….a swimsuit!!”)

According to Forbes:

“Boomers are finding themselves trapped between two worlds–desperate not to become their parents and reluctant to dress like their children. Their challenge is to find clothing that is age-appropriate and fashionable….Unfortunately, according to a Mintel survey of Baby Boomers, more than half of respondents said there are few retailers that carry appealing merchandise, and one-third said stores catering to their demographic have unstylish clothing….

Yet it’s us baby boomers who have the most money to spend. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the current 83.4 million Boomers have a collective spending power of more than $2 trillion and hold 50% of all discretionary income.

Add to the dilemma the barrage of messages you get online about all the things you should not wear if you’re over 50. Not that too many of us are running out the door in a micro-mini skirt or speedo swim trunks, but come on. After a while, it starts to feel like we should stay inside with the shades drawn, or just put a hole in a potato bag and tie a rope around our waists.

(Yes, children, potatoes used to come in bags. See how worldly we boomers are?)

RockTheWrinkle has made this appeal before to retailers: pay attention to us! Macy’s, Dillards, Chico’s, J Jill, whoever and whatever…get smart! If you stock it, they will come! Of course there’s always the great catalogs who seem to get it more than others, like Land’s End, LL Bean and others. Clothes that fit, sleeves long enough to cover a few brushes with too much cheese dip, and forgiving lines. And they actually look good.

But so many times a trip to the dressing room is just too depressing. And it shouldn’t be. We are NOT (most of us) a size 4. And we don’t want to be. We are beautiful, or handsome, just as we are and we should be able to dress that way.

And don’t even get me started on shoes . (But thank the universe for Aravon, Taos, Merrell, Cobb Hill, Rockport, Rieker and Jambo, to name a few. You make stylish shoes for women that take orthotics. Thank you.)

So what do you think? Do we stop shopping? Do we write designers and clothing manufacturers and tell them what we think? Do we call up online catalogs and offer our opinions? If you have an idea, I’d love to hear it. How are you handling this frustration?

“Style is something each of us already has, all we need to do is find it.” —Diane von Furstenberg

“Fashions fade, style is eternal.” —Yves Saint Laurent

“When in doubt, wear red.” —Bill Blass

Like to look for rare treasures? Want a new hobby that gets you out of the house and lets you make friends with other boomers, see the insides of some historic homes, and maybe happen upon that unusual find?

Then you might be interested in learning the art of estate sales.

We boomers love nostalgia. We lived through some fascinating trends…LPs, Time/Life books, Slinky, percolators, rotary phones, sewing machines, bean bag chairs….

For some, estate sales are an addiction, for others, just a way to pass the time. I confess occasionally I enjoy the whole process though I am a novice. Which is why I recently interviewed a boomer couple who are true estate sale sharks…and they have the purchases to prove it.

Over the years, they’ve found stunning antique cabinets and other large pieces of furniture. Valuable collectibles like Lladro, Hummel and Beatrix Potter. Old books and posters. Classic records, vintage toys and more. In some cases, for amazingly low prices. (I think boomers appreciate bargains more than anybody!)

And along the way, they’ve come to know the “regulars”…people they see in line at many estate sales. It’s a close-knit society. Members of this society often will cooperate with one another because after a while, you know who’s looking for what and they know what you’re looking for.

But how do you go about successfully sniffing out and cruising an estate sale? Here are some tips from my experts:

Sign up on websites like estatesales.net, estatesales.org and gslar.com. You can receive emails that will list sales in your area, often with photos of items. Plus, on gsalr.com, you can enter key words that might come up in descriptions of items for sale in a particular house. That can really narrow your search.

Decide which sale you are most interested in and make that your first stop. Even if you don’t sign up to receive emails, you can still visit websites like estatesales.net, estatesales.org and gsalr.com the night before a sale to check out the locations of sales, and look at photos of items.

Get there early. At least an hour early if you really want something and you think others might also be interested. You’ll have to stand in line, but most likely you can pass the time talking to others there. Dress for the weather.
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See if anyone is standing outside that represents the sale. If so, ask where you desired item is. For example, is the antique desk in the master bedroom? Upstairs? Knowing where it is before the door opens can be a major advantage.

Bring cash just in case. Some sales take credit cards and checks. Some are cash only. Don’t be disappointed.

Bring a big or box if you are anticipating picking up something fragile.

If you do see something you think you might want, go ahead and pick it up while you decide. You can always put it back after you’ve walked around the house. But if someone else gets it, you’re out of luck.

Pricing: most dealers will not come down on the price the first day. You can ask, and if it’s something that they think won’t sell quickly, they might make a deal, especially if you’re already buying other items. But in most cases, it’s the second or third day when you get the deals.

Why go to estate sales if you’re really not looking for anything?

One reason is sometimes the sale is in a beautiful old home in a beautiful neighborhood, and it’s interesting to see the architecture and furnishings. Another reason is sometimes it’s just fun to see what you might find…a memory from the past like an old record, toy or cooking tool you haven’t seen in years. Plus if you have grandchildren, you often can find children’s clothing and toys in great condition for a very low price. Same thing with gardening tools, golfing items, and kitchen utensils.

My finds have been everything from an ornate handheld fan (my church doesn’t have air conditioning) to perfectly good garden pots for two dollars to an original Russell Wright pitcher that matches a set I inherited from my mother. In some ways, it’s bittersweet to look at items that were once possessions of another person…you wonder what happened to them, and you wonder if the same thing will happen to your stuff. But then I think most of the people who frequent estate sales really treasure what they find, so at least the items are getting a good home.

And finally, another great benefit of going to estate sales: you can go to breakfast afterwards!