The Maxwell "girls" shop at Christopher & Banks

[ladypuglover]

I didn't think anyone was putting me personally down for dressing fuddy duddy. ;) I know I do and I have zero plans to change my fashion choices. :snooty: Back when I was a young 20 something that had the body measurements of 34-24-34 and could rock a string bikini even after 3 kids I still chose to dress fundy or old lady like. My friends loved to tease me then for shopping in the grandma section and still rockin the twin sets with style. I am a bad dresser in the sense that I wear clothes that feel good for me and for me that is fundy style. :D If what not to wear ever showed up at my door I would make Stacey and Clinton cry by not changing my ways. :( Anyway it works as I can easily mix with the fundies and have done so and it always shocks the snot of them when I open my feminist mouth and swear like my sailor son while lighting up my cig. :whistle:

[divadivine]

I like how Steve-o pointed out that the skirt was from last fall. It's like he's taunting people "Sorry Fundie Maxwell Wannabe's- you won't be able to get this skirt!" Steve-o is a first class asshat.

Edited because I can't spell..... sometimes

[Jezebel]

I used to shop at the big three for aging boomer women: Chico's, Coldwater Creek, and J. Jill, but I got tired of my young adult daughters going through my closet and discarding everything that came from there as being unacceptable for one reason or another--either too frumpy, too twee, or too obviously Chico's. I'm pretty much limited to Jones New York and Ann Taylor outlet stores now.

I'm an aging Gen-Xer who has always dressed older. I've never had the body type that looks good in "young" clothes (even when I was skinny), nor have I ever liked showing much skin. I tend to like loose, flowy clothes, in natural fibers, without a lot fussy details.

I used to love Chico's 15+ years ago, when they were still selling a lot of "ethnic"-bohemian stuff (long before it became trendy again). Their stuff's grown progressively too embellished, bright, and "tropical cruise-wear" for my taste, though. "Too obviously Chico's" made me laugh, because...yeah. I know exactly what you're talking about. Then there's "Too obviously Coldwater Creek," which is where my mom's wardrobe ends up going. Several years ago, she had to be talked out of buying a light-wash denim frumper with a moose applique on it (for which she has since thanked me).:lol:

I love J. Jill, though, especially since I can get Tall sizes--it's nice to be able to get a long skirt that is actually long on me, instead of ending up at mid-calf. I wish they'd carry more colors that looked good on me, though; the whole muted blue-lavender-pink-gray palette they're currently selling makes me look like death warmed over. I'm sick of defaulting to black when I order from them, and I don't always feel like dragging out the sewing machine to get what I want. :? :violin:

[Katiebug]

I used to shop at the big three for aging boomer women: Chico's, Coldwater Creek, and J. Jill, but I got tired of my young adult daughters going through my closet and discarding everything that came from there as being unacceptable for one reason or another--either too frumpy, too twee, or too obviously Chico's. I'm pretty much limited to Jones New York and Ann Taylor outlet stores now.

Don't forget Talbots! My mother had me shopping at Talbots when I was a 21 year old college student in need of a suit for job interviews. I've often been in there (hitting the clearance rack) and aside from the sales clerks I'm typically the youngest woman in the store by at least 20 years.

It will be nice if/when I drop another size or two and can shop at Ann Taylor Loft and The Gap and stores like that. So many of the mall stores only carry sizes up to a 12 or 14, and I've been a 16 for a long time now (was an 18 post-baby :( ). It's so depressing to try to shop with your size 4 SIL and go to store after store and have nothing that you can try on, and to add insult to injury have some skinny high schooler sales clerk take one look at me and say loudly that "plus sizes" are only available online.

There are two CB stores at malls that I regularly shop at, and I appreciate that their website uses models who aren't necessarily stick-thin 20 year olds. From the website, some of their pants and tops would be clothes that I'd wear to work, but if they're geared towards baby boomers and the elderly I probably wouldn't go into the store to begin with.

I'm in my early 30s and I buy most of my casual clothes at Kohls and my work clothes at Land's End (at Sears). My style could best be described as preppy, so relaxed cut jeans, khaki chinos, polo shirts, button down blouses, etc. are my kind of thing. I'm a mechanical engineer and I work around machinery and in an industrial environment so not long into my professional career I stopped spending a ton of money on clothes to wear to work; I destroyed more than one pair of $80 pants when I got rusty grease on them. After that I started shopping at less-expensive stores.

[ladypuglover]

I like how Steve-o pointed out that the skirt was from last fall. It's like he's taunting people "Sorry Fundie Maxwell Wannabe's- you won't be able to get this skirt!" Steve-o is a first class asshat.

Edited because I can't spell..... sometimes

He also insulted his daughters IMO.

[quoteWhat blessings are these pictures.

Why did not the boys come? My Boys love the barnyard.

Love and blessings

Sue Ella

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The boys are working.

Steve

]

[clibbyjo]

I went to JC Penney's tonight (BTW, I got a $70 dress for $4 woohoo)and right across the way is the CB store. If I knew how to use my cellphone I would have taken a picture because I must have looked like a lunatic laughing to myself . If people only knew I was thinking of you all and this thread. :)

[Kitchen Princess]

In response to a comment regarding the skirts the sisters were wearing when visiting the dairy from, Daddy said they purchased them at Christopher & Banks. Never heard of the place before so looked them up online. Pretty conservative (yeah, I know, of course it would be otherwise they wouldn't shop there), but do they have to purchase the frumpiest skirts available? This (while still fairly conservative imo, would look much better on any of the Maxwell sisters):

http://www.christopherandbanks.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11712872&cp=2958671.2958727&parentPage=family

but I suppose it isn't daddy approved. By the way, does anyone know if the Maxwells also "buy used & save the difference"?

I shop at C&B, because it's an old lady store and I'm an old lady. I have two very nice full button skirts from there, but I hardly wear them. I like them for their jackets, mostly. When you have three kids and a little paunch to go with them, jackets can dress things up very nicely. I wouldn't wear a lot of their stuff because it is faaaar too old lady with the big patterns and stuff. But they have some solidly conservative yet fashionable clothes that fit the old bod' a lot better than any other store in the mall.

eta: Talbot's is WAY too expensive, and the old ladies who work there are way to snotty for my taste. I usually wear Levis and Keens so they don't think I have any money. But I don't, for them. :)

[0 kids n not countin]

Ladypuglover, sorry, didn't mean to offend you by making you feel like you dress like a fundie. While C&B is pretty much too conservative for my taste, my point was just that the Maxwells seem to choose the frumpiest things available at the store (though whatever, it's to be expected). I do like your choices better than that of the Maxwells, the black skirt is great, I'd wear that, and the open cardigan is great too, I'd also wear that). I'm in my late 40's and I'll admit (here on Free Jinger) that I shop at Forever21, H & M, Gap, Old Navy, etc., mainly because in addition to the price being right, I'm a small framed and a tiny person and they have plenty of stuff that fits me (though I do pass on some of the more trendy stuff that would look ridiculous on me). I see they do have a petite department at C&B, but when I do order online, I prefer to do so from store they have in the area where I live, so I can return then at the store if need be. I do have plenty of occasion through out the year where I am "required" to dress more conservatively, on those occasions I like to "change up" my outfit a bit so it doesn't look "so conservative", for example I'll wear a skirt with a belted sweater and boots (rather than pumps or other heels). Some may think I dress too young for my age, but what do I care what others say or think, as long as I'm happy with it it works for me, and I'm sure you feel the same about your style of clothing. And yes, I'm also sure the Maxwell daughters probably do not care what others think or say about their style of clothing.

[NurseNell]

eta: Talbot's is WAY too expensive, and the old ladies who work there are way to snotty for my taste. I usually wear Levis and Keens so they don't think I have any money. But I don't, for them. :)

Snotty old ladies must be in the job description to be a sales clerk at Talbot's.

[NurseNell]

I went to JC Penney's tonight (BTW, I got a $70 dress for $4 woohoo)and right across the way is the CB store. If I knew how to use my cellphone I would have taken a picture because I must have looked like a lunatic laughing to myself . If people only knew I was thinking of you all and this thread. :)

$4 for a $70 dress!!!!! I'm jealous. :mrgreen:

[Itsnotaclowncar]

:shock: I shop at Christopher Banks. Some of it is fundy and some of it is very trendy. My bestie who is very fashion focused also has a lot of their clothes. Except she buys brand new at the store and I find mine at goodwill. :oops: Our taste runs more like this;

http://www.christopherandbanks.com/prod ... age=family

http://www.christopherandbanks.com/prod ... age=family

http://www.christopherandbanks.com/prod ... age=family

http://www.christopherandbanks.com/prod ... age=family

http://www.christopherandbanks.com/prod ... age=family

http://www.christopherandbanks.com/prod ... age=family

Not all of it is old lady but I do admit that due to our fluffiness we tend to cover up more than others. She is almost 33 and I'm 41 and we always see youngerish :? woman shopping there. I don't think that is a real word but I'm talking about the age group of late 20's to early 50's that we see shopping there for themselves.

I have a huge sad now knowing that I shop for the saame clothes as the Maxwells. :(

I'm 24, moderately fashionable and I don't think any of that is frumpy although you could style it in a way that is older looking (like the pink ruffly sweater with the exact matching pink cardigan). It's all stuff I'd wear to work, with the right accessories a nicer bar too. The black sweater is a style that is really popular with everyone in my library science grad program regardless of age. Conservative professional work-appropriate clothing seems pretty standard across a wide age range.

[JesusFightClub]

I *love* H&M. It's where I go when I have to look feminine ;) or as near as I get.

[Jezebel]

Snotty old ladies must be in the job description to be a sales clerk at Talbot's.

Nice to know I'm not the only one who got the snotty treatment at Talbot's! I've got three pairs of pants from them that I found at Goodwill; they fit me reasonably well, are nicely-made, and have held up to many washings. So I actually went into a Talbot's store, looking for more pairs--UGH. I'll just keep looking for more at Goodwill, thanks. :roll:

[O Latin]

I probably would have loved that store when I was in high school and wore long plaid skirts and button-up sweaters. Seriously, I must've looked so strange. My theory is that now, at 22, I am compensating for not dressing like a teenager when I was one. You can pry my American Eagle jeans out of my cold, dead hands.

[ladypuglover]

Ladypuglover, sorry, didn't mean to offend you by making you feel like you dress like a fundie. While C&B is pretty much too conservative for my taste, my point was just that the Maxwells seem to choose the frumpiest things available at the store (though whatever, it's to be expected). I do like your choices better than that of the Maxwells, the black skirt is great, I'd wear that, and the open cardigan is great too, I'd also wear that). I'm in my late 40's and I'll admit (here on Free Jinger) that I shop at Forever21, H & M, Gap, Old Navy, etc., mainly because in addition to the price being right, I'm a small framed and a tiny person and they have plenty of stuff that fits me (though I do pass on some of the more trendy stuff that would look ridiculous on me). I see they do have a petite department at C&B, but when I do order online, I prefer to do so from store they have in the area where I live, so I can return then at the store if need be. I do have plenty of occasion through out the year where I am "required" to dress more conservatively, on those occasions I like to "change up" my outfit a bit so it doesn't look "so conservative", for example I'll wear a skirt with a belted sweater and boots (rather than pumps or other heels). Some may think I dress too young for my age, but what do I care what others say or think, as long as I'm happy with it it works for me, and I'm sure you feel the same about your style of clothing. And yes, I'm also sure the Maxwell daughters probably do not care what others think or say about their style of clothing.

Goodness, I'm not insulted in any way, shape or form. :lol: I do dress dowdy sometimes and sometimes quite stylish for me. I'm never offended by the truth and I do know that sometimes I can out fundy the fundies with my clothing but it is what it is. Trust me, I'm not ofended by anyone other than the Maxwells shop at the same stores I do.

[CC3]

One other thing I noticed at CB is their sizing. I am petite but not tiny. I usually wear an 8 but at CB I wear a 4. Not that it makes a difference. I think their sizing really fits the average woman. Is it me or have a lot of stores changed the sizes?

[marmalade]

Looks like a fashion day on QVC vomited on that site. I am a cusp baby boomer (I prefer to ID with Gen X) and would never wear any of that stuff, other than some of the jeans. I actually found a pair of low-rise jeans (in petites!) on sale for half the price of the Gap, so I figured, why not? The worst that happens is that I have to return them.

[Peas n carrots]

I love Banana and J Crew, but I like to get that stuff from the thrift stores on the North Shore :-)

My line of work, I do a lot of business with the retail world, and dressing trendy is the norm where I work. Though you would be surprised how many women in the retail world don't give a hoot about the apparel they are selling.

Btw, can I use this time to state how damn disappointed I am with the US TopShop. The clothes are expensive, and the quality for what you pay is crap. Im not sure why American merchandising strategy is so different from their European merchandising strategy. If its not broke, don't fix it!

[fluttershies]

UK Topshop is crap too, believe me, although I like their new cosmetics range. All their clothing and jewellery is TERRIBLE quality and they never have the larger sizes in.

[Peas n carrots]

UK Topshop is crap too, believe me, although I like their new cosmetics range. All their clothing and jewellery is TERRIBLE quality and they never have the larger sizes in.

I got a few decent items at UK TopShop, but I thought even with the exchange rate the prices weren't terrible. Essentially I thought the quality was worth the price. The one in Chicago...I remember seeing a $125 dress that was coming apart on one of the seems, for example. Srsly?

[fluttershies]

Cost of living is generally higher in the UK which probably skews it a bit. If I'm going to buy a badly-made dress, I'd rather just pay £10 in Primark.

Also learning how to sew yourself makes you hyperaware of poor stitching :D

[FloraDoraDolly]

One other thing I noticed at CB is their sizing. I am petite but not tiny. I usually wear an 8 but at CB I wear a 4. Not that it makes a difference. I think their sizing really fits the average woman. Is it me or have a lot of stores changed the sizes?

The stores have changed the sizes. Clothes are bigger than they used to be. I've been the same weight and the same shape since I was a teenager in the mid-1980s, but I've gone down a full size. I can also easily fit into children's clothes now, whereas when I was in my teens and twenties I couldn't get kid-sized jeans over my hips.

[LuLu Bear]

Sizing has definitely changed- at 5 ft. 3 inches, and 130, pounds, I shouldn't be able to fit into *any* children's clothing- but I can.

[clibbyjo]

Sizing has definitely changed- at 5 ft. 3 inches, and 130, pounds, I shouldn't be able to fit into *any* children's clothing- but I can.

When my daughter was about 5,I bought her and I our only ever matching outfits. They were plain,purple girl cut t-shirts and knee length, floral(good pattern) skirts from Old Navy. I got a girls size 16 and wore that skirt for years.

[fluttershies]

I notice a lot of Muslim fashion bloggers wearing H&M, so you can definitely be modest and actually trendy too. I don't cover up for religious reasons but I enjoy reading Muslimah fashion blogs for layering advice - I have keratosis pilaris on my upper arms and so I cover them, plus it's just damn cold here right now :D I'm plus size (UK size 22-24, think that's a US 20-22?) so I too have problem with fit.