Archives for September 2007

I was so tickled by how many of you liked the shirt from Target (and, yay, even emailed me to tell me that you had purchased one of them) that I immediately went into OCD mode and determined that my eyeballs would pop right out of my head if I didn’t share a few more budget-friendly fall clothing items with you.

But before I start, let me clarify a few things:

1) Several of you mentioned in yesterday’s comments that you need clothes in a larger size.

And for just a moment I determined that y’all had forgotten whose blog you were visiting because, HELLO, HAVE YOU MISSED THE PART ABOUT ME LOVING THE BACON GREASE?

So let me be perfectly clear: I am not a small girl. So if for some unknown reason you have a picture in your head of me being all diminutive and dainty, standing next to a clothing rack saying, “Y’ALL! THEY DON’T HAVE ANY MORE EXTRA SMALLS!” – well, you could not be more wrong.

I mean, I do buy clothes with the word “extra” in the size. But they ain’t small, my friends.

In fact, I am apple-shaped, and if this were “Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style,” I would now upload a file with a three-dimensional model of my unclothed form.

That’s SO not going to happen.

Anyway, as an apple-shaped girl, I can’t go too clingy on the top (two words: BACK FAT). So please know that as a not-small, apple-shaped girl, I will never, ever direct you toward fashion that is only appropriate for the girls who wear extra-smalls.

Even though those extra-small girls are darlin’. Just darlin’. So darlin’ I could just snap them right in two.

Oh, I kid because I’m bigger.

2) These clothes I’m showing you today are inexpensive. They’re very, very inexpensive.

I find that inexpensive is helpful if, for instance, you quit your full-time job several months ago because you felt like God was leading you in a different direction (including but not limited to the carpool line), but now you realize that hey, that paycheck was mighty handy because it enabled you to do things like BUY CLOTHES AND YUMMY-SMELLING CANDLES AND PLANE TICKETS, but now the clothes and the candles and plane tickets have had to take a bit of a backseat because yes, you’ve made a great decision for your family, but OH MY WORD YOUR DISPOSABLE INCOME IS NO LONGER DISPOSABLE.

Not that I’d know one thing about that, of course.

All of these clothes can be found at Old Navy, by the way, and if you’re more of a shop-on-the-interweb kind of girl, you can find everything here – every single item is from the “bargains” page.

Now before I start showing you some things I like, I want to make very, very sure that you make note of a shirt that you need to avoid at all costs, I don’t care what size you are:

Oh, you can pretend that the piece of elastic hitting right underneath your rear end will “cover it up.” But at some point someone will snap your picture from behind, and you will realize that this shirt makes the back of your body look like a bag of wet sand, and you will be sad.

In fact, I’m sad just thinking about it. I really am.

Stay away.

On the other hand, here are a few adorable, INEXPENSIVE shirt options:

I love the straight cut at the bottom, the buttons that give you a little versatility with the neckline (though FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE, if you unbutton all the buttons, PLEASE WEAR A TANK UNDERNEATH), and the velvet trim. I would wear this shirt with a pair of wide-legged pants, and truth be told you could put it on with yoga pants, too (for those of you who are on the lookout for a “sweatsuit alternative”).

Now I probably wouldn’t wear this shirt by itself because it’s cut a little on the slim side and, um, ROLLS, but it’s a great layering piece. Plus, it’s a THIN cotton, so it won’t be as bulky for layering as some turtlenecks can be.

I think this shirt would be adorable with gauchos or some cute, boot-cut cords or jeans (DARK WASH).

However, I would never, ever wear this shirt with some sort of skinny jeans. Or, sweet mercy, TAPERED LEG pants.

Or – HOLD ON I MAY GAG – PLEATED pants.

I’m sort of opinionated when it comes to pants. I don’t know if you noticed that or not.

This shirt is actually the one I have on today, and I am proud to tell you that I paid FOUR DOLLARS AND NINETY EIGHT CENTS for it in our local Old Navy store.

I know that y’all are a little divided over the whole trapeze / blouse-y style, but I think the key to pulling it off is to mix it with the right piece of clothing on the bottom. So I’m wearing mine with a knee-length, straight skirt (in a fun print) that just has a hint of a kick pleat, and I am as comfortable as I can be. But this shirt paired with anything full or pleated on the bottom would just be wrong.

Next: SWEATERS!

I think this sweater would look good on anybody provided that they bought the correct size. The neckline is flattering for everyone, and the rolled hem at the bottom means that you don’t have a big, thick waistband hugging you in all the places that need to remain unhugged.

You probably know that I’m going to suggest that you wear a tank underneath, but I’d make that recommendation even if this sweater didn’t have a low neckline. I cannot stand the feeling of acrylic / wool / etc. on my skin, so I always keep an assortment of really thin t-shirts on hand to wear underneath my sweaters.

Because really, who wants to go to the trouble of looking cute if you’re about to lose your mind from all the itching?

This is the most expensive piece of clothing in this little round-up, though it’s still less than $30. But I think it’s absolutely adorable, and I love the colors of this sweater in particular. I would absolutely wear the turtleneck I mentioned earlier underneath this sweater, and I think the combination would look great with any style of pants, jeans, or skirts.

As long as the pants, jeans or skirts aren’t pleated.

Please?

Finally: GAUCHOS!

I am in love with these gauchos. Big Mama found them the other day at her Old Navy, called me, and then I found them at my Old Navy for $12.99. I got some that are Classic Rise, which means they eliminate the muffin-top effect by pinching in things that would roll out in a Low Rise. These gauchos just scream for a pair of cute, wedge heels, and just about any top you can think of would look great with them.

And if you like to limit your denim, these brown gauchos are great, too. They’re also only $12.99, and I think they’re a great transitional piece for fall.

So there you have it, internets – a few fall pieces that are inexpensive, cute, and suited for just about any body type. If I didn’t have to, you know, TAKE CARE OF MY CHILD, I would peruse the plus size section of the Old Navy site and put together an assortment of items from there, too. I’ll try to do that this weekend, though if one of you beats me to the punch, let me know and I’ll happily link to you.

And if you’ve found a great deal somewhere other than Old Navy, let me know in the comments. I’m on the hunt for a cute denim jacket, but I’d prefer one that’s 1) inexpensive 2) cute and 3) capable of stomach-level camouflage.

Or as I like to call it: The Fashion Trifecta.

You may not know this about me, but I have a love for the long-sleeved t-shirt that is deep and abiding and true. This is probably a result of the fact that I have not exposed the tops of my arms in public since I was in the ninth grade, and if you’re thinking, “Well surely you’ve worn something sleeveless since then,” you’re wrong, because I can say without hesitation that no, no I haven’t, I WOULD NOT DO SUCH A THING.

So. I have a few issues. I believe this fact has been well-established. Over and over again.

But now that there’s a distinct hint of fall in the air (case in point: earlier I sat outside while Alex rode his bike, and I did not sweat, and I was even wearing yoga pants instead of shorts, thank you), I’ve been having big fun looking at fall clothes. Specifically: shirts with long sleeves.

And yesterday, when I ran into Target to pick up a couple of things, I was tickled to death to see this shirt, available for only $14.99:

Do you see the cute sleeves? And how it doesn’t hug the stomach area? And how it’s long enough to COVER the stomach area?

(By the way, if you do not have issues with your stomach area, I would just like to congratulate you and assure you that the rest of the internets and I will not resent you for that, though the only way we’ll be able to avoid the stronghold of bitterness is through the transforming love of Jesus.)

(Bless you, flat-stomached sister.)

Now granted, I would wear a tank or another t-shirt underneath this particular long-sleeved shirt, mainly because I like to err on the side of modest and spare complete strangers from finding themselves up close and personal with my, you know, BABY FEEDERS (thanks for that phrase, Jeana – it’s a classic). But did I mention that this shirt DOESN’T HUG THE STOMACH AREA?

Even better, it also comes in a variety of patterns, and I loved this next one so much that I bought it and wore it today:

And I was happy.

Because of, you know, sleeves.