Aside from my great-aunt’s pearls she got for her wedding, over 60 years ago, I’ve two small 18K gold hoop earrings I’ve worn for ten years, night and day, two golf bracelets with magnets that help my arthritis, and an 18K wedding ring. That’s my jewelry collection and I wear it every day. Except the pearls. Everything else was stolen.
Mens’ clothing is too easy. We had to drive a couple hundred miles, two directions, to find what we needed but we did and once we got there it was easy. I called Bass and asked for the make and model number of my husband’s “dog-walking” loafer and he said they were no longer being made but they had a pair in stock but said he’d set the pair aside for us.
Normally a gal can’t shop for pants (aside from jeans), suits or shoes for a guy but I used to get a pair of these shoes for my love every six months from the store near our old home. Now it’s been nearly two years and there is no tread and holes in the heels. We showed up and got what we thought was the last pair. Then we asked the manager to check and he found two more in my husband’s unusual size. We bought them all so as he’s no longer wearing them to work we have at least three years worth!
The other trek was north to find him shirts and socks for work. As I mentioned I can buy him shirts and socks without him present but this is what he wanted to do Labor Day weekend. I marvel at all the packaging, pins, plastic, cardboard and tissue paper that goes into selling a man’s shirt. Also the socks. It takes a lot of work for me to get all those toe and calf clips and tissue paper out of there. The Associate there even took out all the pins and ironed the shirts.
For women, there’s no such thing. I can’t go into a department store, look at something and say I want it tailored for me. It either fits or it doesn’t, looks good or does not and that’s the way it is. I’d love to walk in with my measurements and see what I like and what fits or what can fit better.
When I was a child and even now I’ve short, wide feet. My mother once said instead of buying my younger sister and I each one pair of brogues for grade school each August, my sister should get two pair and I should wear the boxes. Yes, and the comments got worse from there and not only regarding shoes.
For me, shoe shopping in my 50’s is worse than looking for a string bikini. Don’t worry, I’m not looking for the latter and have another story on that. Gals always want to go shoe shopping. I demur. I look for a style I like or can tolerate then see if it comes in my size. Normally it doesn’t. Thank you, Crocs, for making my daily life comfortable – the dog thanks you too for her walks.
Ok, a decade ago we went on a boat to celebrate my father’s birthday. We were told we could only wear rubber-soled shoes on deck so I bought about five pair only to learn that when we went aboard we tossed all our shoes into a basket. I hadn’t worn a bathing suit for years so went to an upscale department store and an associate helped me pick out a Ralph Lauren and another with cover-ups for less than $500! I had support in the bust and in all areas and showed up on deck and my father was wearing a Speedo! That will tell you the difference between mens’ and womens’ clothing.
The tread is wearing out on the camouflage Crocs I bought down south last year. And in having all our stuff in storage I’ve not even come up with those swimsuits. Must be in the next box. That’s the way it goes. Ladies, how can a designer 2, be a 6 or 8, or 0 somewhere else. Tailoring is the only way to go. Dee
Cooking with Dee 