Fast Forward

Last week I received my first fall catalog, and I was thrilled because even though summer isn't officially underway yet, I love fall clothes. Eddie Bauer was offering a sneak preview of their fall collection for middle-age fatsos select customers and offering free shipping and a 20 percent discount on all orders over $75 placed from the catalog by June 4. They didn't even have the new stuff on their Web site. Now don't I feel special gettin that catalog. 

Needless to say, I was all over it with a packet of Post-it notes marking my favorites. While it's true Eddie IS my boyfriend, the real reason I couldn't resist ordering is that I much prefer fall and winter clothes to spring and summer ones.

Wool sweaters. Fleece. Hoodies. Boots. Turtlenecks. Leather.

All things brown, cranberry, and olive green.

I am a Grrrl who is all about cozy--and summer stuff just doesn't get me excited. Part of that is a reflection of my age--I don't have sleek, lightly tanned limbs to expose to the world--but part of it is just that I'm very tactile and I relish the textures of cold weather fashion.

So I pored over the catalog, making a wish list and chopping it down, trying to separate the "must haves" from the "maybes" and figure out what was worth investing in. I sent my order off two days ago.

Now I just have to get through the long, hot days I'll face in Virginia and Florida this summer, and solve the Southern Grrrl's dilemma of trying to stay cool while keeping my whale-belly white fair skin covered.

How about you? Do you like fall/winter clothes or spring/summer clothes better?

June 1, 2007

Comments

[Granola-grrrl]

When I was little, I loved finding a reason to wear jeans in the middle of summer-- to an evening picnic, perhaps, when it might be a little cooler. I do enjoy fall and winter clothes, BUT the truth is, I love summer now. I've traded the shorts of my youth for breezy linen pants, and I love those cami-tanks with the built-in bra (although alas, I must wear a regular bra with them also these days). I love being able to slip on flip-flops or my Birks without all the fuss of socks. I love keeping my toenails painted,especially my patriotic 4th of July works of toenail art (putting "toenail" and "art" in the same sentence just seems wrong). I like not having to worry with a sweater in the mornings, and how summer feels unencumbered. Plus, now that I live with 3 other producers of laundry besides myself, I like summer because the clothes are not as bulky, and it means fewer loads of laundry. I'm all about efficiency.

[Shirl Grrrl]

Fall! Especially as I look at this year's spring/summer fashions hanging in the store. Damn, it's all from the 70's and 80's! Smock tops, all this balloony looking stuff that half looks like maternity wear, to me. I just don't think it's for 40+ year old women. Now, I think they've come a long way for nice looking swimwear for us, really pretty two pieces that look like one and covers all the whale blubber nicely. My favorite shorts are from Old Navy, not to long on the legs but not up my butt, either. Fall and winter are just easier... put on a sweater and you don't have to worry about a bra strap showing... oh I know, it's trendy to have your bra strap showing, but I don't like it.

[Shirl Grrrl]

Granola-Grrrl... love those cami-tanks, too but I don't need the extra bra. They are so much cooler to work in outdoors and I don't have to worry about my girls escaping!

[furiousBall]

I'm absolutely a Fall/Winter guy. Sweaters hide my horribly misshapen body

[Amber]

Don't talk bad about yourself!

*some* of us are trying to convince ourselves that the stretched out, extra cusion, boob-like white belly we are schleping around is NOT THAT bad! I didn't come here to be told I was wrong, lady!

;)

[Rick]

Heh. Makes no nevermind in Seattle. Gortex is gortex.

[Nancy]

Definitely fall. I think I've retained the excitement of back-to-school shopping from my youth. :-)

[Peter]

One day I woke up and faced myself in a full-size mirror. OK, I survived the experience, but having witnessed the simple fact that gravity had finally won
made me much more selective in what I wear.

Needless to say that summer wear is not my favourite.

Have fun in Florida/Virginia this summer!

[Ash]

I prefer winter clothes for hiding multitudes of sins, but I love the freedom that summer clothes give me. No need to wear socks! I can wear sandals all the time ...

[Di]

Fall?
FALL????
Can you imagine what it did to this Belgian-based expat even thinking about Fall?

You should have mailed me privately, warning me to avoid reading this post. Fall isn't something I want to consider since it comes just before a Belgian winter and it's not even summer yet.

[impy]

chocolate brown boots, a silky warm scarf, crunchy leaves, jeans, long skirts and cable sweaters, jackets and a snap in the air,,,,,,camp fires, smores, your breathe in the air the first time, pumpkins, apple orchards, corn husk dolls, harvest time, new pencils and crayons, jumping in piles of leaves, Halloween, Thanksgiving, gloves, frost, blue jeans, sweatshirts, mother natures glorious color show, oh yea and Eddie Bauer and Lands End I like too. Thanks for evoking the lovely memories, because I practically detest summer! You are an angel!

[vaninnie]

Fall. Fall, fall, fall, fall, fall. Definitely fall.
And thanks for the pics swirling like leaves in my mind, impy. What a visual. Mmmmmm, fall. 3 months and counting. Fall.

[Ortizzle]

I like fall clothes better, but more for reasons of color. Dark colors suit me more (burgundy and dark teal are my faves), and spring and summer clothes are rarely in dark colors. And sometimes they are in shades that I wouldn't ever, ever wear, such as orange or lime green, which seem to have been popular now for far too many seasons!

[Shirley]

Add me to the list of the fall folks! I love the coziness of fall clothes like you said V, and like Ortizzle, I look far better in fall colors.

Peter--Appreciate your comment on gravity. (Don't you think it's so funny that John Mayer is singing about gravity? What the heck could he know about it?)

With VA heat and humidity already here, pondering fall clothes (and imagining cooler temps) isn't a bad thing at all!

[Kate]

For those of us who spent our childhoods in Catholic schools, back-to-school shopping meant trying on your uniform skirt in August to be sure it wasn't so short that the nuns would send you home.

Nearly 35 years later, I still get a thrill shopping for any and all items of fall clothing . . . except, for some odd reason, pleated plaid skirts!

[Debbie]

I like summer. The nice light fabrics and sun dresses! Of course, here in south Texas we pretty much live in flip flops all the time!

Hey, my oldest is in Richmond right now going to Air Assault School. I asked him what it was like when he got there and he said it was hot like Houston. Of course, I doubt it feels like Houston once we hit July and August!

[bubandpie]

I like living in a place where we get to switch back and forth. But if I had to choose, I'd have to say the fall clothes - they cover more.

[simon]

I prefer autumn and winter (maybe because I was born in November?) - it's more fun to sunggle into something warm that strip off, in my view. I always look forward to getting my big winter coat out of the wardrobe and putting it on for the first time.
I read a funny line in a short story by Richard Beard over the weekend, something to the effect that having children makes whatever you wear look like pyjamas - you always look like you slept in your clothes. Well, it's true for me...