Now that the calendar has finally flipped over into the new season, Fall shopping is in full swing. Cozy knits and boots are in, while beachwear and sandals are all but a distance memory.
As a consummate shopper, the experience for me is nearly as important as the value of what I’m buying. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed shopping in a “bargain store” where the merchandise and racks were well organized and orderly. Conversely, there’ve been times when I was completely turned off by the shambles I encountered at what is supposed to be a mid/higher-end department store located in the same mall.
Back in March, I published the results of a survey I’d conducted called “The Shopping Experience”. When asked whether speed, value, or atmosphere was of the greatest importance when shopping, it’s not surprising that nearly 3/4 of the respondents indicated that value was at the top of their list. However, a sizable 20% of those responding did pick atmosphere which lends credence to my stance that the thrill of shopping is more than just finding the best bargain.
Akin to the online articles you may have seen that advise about outgoing/incoming style trends, I’m taking another stab at a “less of this, more of that” type of post. I say “another stab at” because I used this format back in January 2022 in a post unsurprisingly called Less Of This, More Of That. In that post, my focus had been on the items that were increasingly becoming normalized practices that I personally would be happy to see less of.
This time around, I want to call out a few fashion/shopping-related norms that are becoming more and more commonplace that I find to be detractors from my Fall shopping fun. And I’ve been having quite a bit of fun lately, with both in-person and online shopping. Much of what I buy online gets returned either because I bought the item in two sizes to try or because the items didn’t live up to expectations.
Less disorganization/more orderliness
I’ll start with this one since I mentioned it before. It seems to be a problem that is proportional to the size of the store. Smaller mall stores appear to have an easier time with clearing out dressing rooms, returning tried-on garments to their respective racks, and maintaining the retailer’s preferred appearance of the establishment. Larger chains, like one famously known for its location on 34th St in NYC, often look like a swarm of locusts had descended upon its merchandise racks.
But this is apparently not true for all of its locations. This past weekend I decided to go shopping at a mall I hadn’t been to in a number of years that is about 50 miles from my home. Yes, a bit of a drive but it’s in a more upscale neighborhood and has stores that aren’t in my area. I was curious to see how the other half might be living these days. The difference was quite obvious from what I’d seen at two other locations closest to it that are also in nice areas but apparently serve a different clientele.
And it’s not just that one chain. I’ve noticed a huge difference in salesfloor appearance between different locations of other large retailers at other price points. Why do I need to drive way out of my way, past two or three other locations in order to find a better shopping experience? Is it staffing? Store management? I’m baffled.
Less garbage/more quality
This is less about the experience and more about what I’m looking to buy. Perhaps it’s a generational thing but I don’t understand the appeal of Shein, or Temu, or for the most part, Amazon. Given the considerable drop in the quality of merchandise I’m finding at brick-n-mortar retailers of all price points, I can just imagine what I’d be getting from those e-retailers. Thrift stores are full of that crap.
Recently, I was surprised to find that a few brands of footwear that used to be mall store staples are still available online as well as carried at a few brick-n-mortar stores. I haven’t bought any yet but looking never hurts, right? I even recognize the folly of “buying one in every color” MO that I’ve often followed because multiples won’t really get the wear to justify their purchase. Having just one makes it more unique in my wardrobe and therefore a more cherished garment which leads me to my last less of this, more of that.
Less chasing/more cultivation
In my continued efforts to figure out my style, I’ve come to accept that I’m not on the fashion industry’s radar. As a statistically average-sized woman, abet an older one, it can be a challenge to find options that suit my body, my desired aesthetic, and my price point. For instance, I’ll be taking a pass on ever finding a pair of ballet flats (my feet are not suitable) but I do like that low-heeled maryjanes are making a comeback.
I’m finding myself far less interested in online articles and social media posts about what I should buy and seeking out those that help me better understand how to put together a look that is authentic to me. While TikTok may have a reputation for being the world’s hottest trend machine, I’ve found several accounts that offer the type of insights that I’m looking for. Have you heard of the 8-Point Style System? It’s seems fairly easy and many of us probably doing it intuitively. If you don’t TikTok, here’s a blog post I found that explains the system as well.
About today’s outfit, it looked better in my mind than in reality. Actually, I look better in my mind than in reality but that’s a whole other topic of discussion. In a “less of this, more of that” vein, the two main reasons for my discontent about this outfit are the vest and the tuck. The vest was a recent purchase that I hadn’t yet worn; I’ve decided to return it. It was supposed to be part of this month’s style remix collection but I forgot to wear it in that post. I had it in mind to get a faux-leather vest and this one is great but it just doesn’t flatter me. I came across a knit vest that I’ve ordered so I’m hoping to have more luck with that.
The tuck of my shirt got kind of wonky and without a full-length mirror on hand during the photo shoot, I had no way of knowing. I was also fighting a battle with the wind and constantly trying to get my hair back into place. Fine, whatever. I do adore the embroidered patches on my new-to-me thrifted jeans and my booties are from this month’s style remix collection as is the shirt.
Let’s Wrap This Up
Now, onto the Fine-Whatever link-up. Today’s featured post from the last link-up, On The Daily, which was contributed by Laura over at I Do DeClaire. Her post introduced me to a retailer that I’d never heard of, primarily because it doesn’t have any stores on the West Coast. I’ve been perusing the website and finding several items that I think might be worthy of consideration.
Is it still possible to get the kind of shopping experience I desire? Absolutely, you just need to know where to look. So that shopping mall I visited this past weekend? It also has a Bloomingdale’s which I don’t get the chance to frequent much. One of my first thoughts as I walked through was “So this is where all the fabulous clothes are!”. And not everything has a hefty price, either. I found a cute maxi skirt on sale that’s now hanging in my closet. What’s on your “less of this, more of that” list when it comes to shopping this Fall?
Stay well and let’s keep in touch! Subscribe, tweet, follow, friend, pin … all options are available. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
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Note: This is an unsponsored post; however, some or all of the links to clothing items are associated with an affiliate program where I earned a few cents for each click.
Photo credit: MMPerez
16 Comments
Cute look! Thanks for the party.
I really am trying my best to stay away from online companies which we know get their wares directly from China and underpaid workers. What frustrates me is that smaller boutiques do get their stuff from them too and then am I really helping the small boutique or still taking advantage? Less shopping and more thrifting is what I strive for.
Great post, Rena! These jeans are adorable. I love the whole outfit! I have become very discontented with shopping the past few years. I never enjoyed online shopping either and fast fashion has really turned me off. I do love thrifting and upcycling though so I think I’ll stick with that for a while. It is much more suited to my personality anyway! I am very turned off by the mess that you see in retail establishments lately as well. I feel like it is a staffing issue where I live. But who knows…
Shelbee
I am not sure why, but I am able to post a photo on your link-up, but my comments don’t show up.
I find the worst atmosphere to shop is during the January sales. People are savages!! There’s piles of clothes everywhere and women are like vultures especially in places like Zara. So not fun…not any more anyway! I prefer to shop when it’s somewhat calmer. But I do like a good bargain though!
I like the patches on your jeans, but I agree about the vest (I think the leather / faux leather is a bit biker chick!). I bet the knitted one is great though!
Hugs
Suzy xx
Interesting observations Rena. I hardly ever shop in person, but I’ve also noticed that branches of the same brand can vary greatly. Marks and Spencer don’t sell the same clothes at their Plymouth store (where my mother lives) as they do at their flagship store in London. There they sell more limited editions. It’s not to do with store size but demographics I think. I’m not on the fashion industry’s radar either because I try to shop for certain colors, having had color analysis. Finding “spring” colors in fall and winter is like finding hens’ teeth.
Love this post. I don’t see the allure of shein or temu either (though I can’t figure out temu). Amazon you have to look really hard to find what you want. I do like The Drop on Amazon and the try before you buy feature. Amazon is hit or miss for me. I have a friend that loves Macys; she introduced me to the Last chance(?) rack. Only when I’m with her is Macys worth my while- other than that no. I like online shopping but I always check the return policy. These days I’m looking for nice boutiques with unique pieces at moderate prices.
Love this chic look and I especially adore your jeans! Being a stylist, I struggle to shop in stores because they don’t really have anything anymore. Everything is online now. But I do love thrifting when I have the time.
https://www.kathrineeldridge.com
Thank you so much for the feature! I hope you find some items you love from Daily Thread! I was so happy with their selection and quality. I don’t often get the opportunity to shop in store, but it’s such a different experience than online. Things can vary so much! I sometimes worry about the amount of packaging that ends up in landfills from all the shipping too!
I do shop a lot online because the brick/mortar stores in my area just don’t have as much stock. Many of the stores look to be on the edge of closing…not because they are, but because they just don’t have the stock. When I do shop b/m, I generally stick to those stores that have a higher price point but also have higher quality. I prefer to pay more for something I’ll wear for more than a couple of seasons. While I like to sprinkle in trendy items, I also appreciate clothing that will be classic today and in the coming years. Having said all that, I’m on the hunt for a midi length denim skirt that will fit this strange new body of mine. Thanks for the link up!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
I do most of my shopping online but when I do go out, it’s frustrating. Stores rarely seem to have a good selection in stock and they always seem so disorganized now. Anyway, those jeans are really fun and I love your vest!
Jill – Doused in Pink
Thankfully, I’m noticing that my local clothing stores are recovering from the chaos of the pandemic. For awhile there, they were significantly understaffed and disorganized. Now, they seem to be returning to what I think of as “normal.” Still, I don’t think we find knowledgeable sales personnel in clothing stores the way we did many years ago. I like your fun outfit — especially the jeans with those bright red flowers.
Carol
http://www.scribblingboomer.com
We noticed so many of the racks and things looking just awful when we went shopping this summer too; I could not believe how disorganized and cluttered (around the dressing area in particular) all the big stores were… though they did seem severely understaffed.
I rather like the vest. I think you look wonderful wearing it!
Thank you for hosting this party.
Take care and best wishes.
I’ve just bought a waistcoat but haven’t styled it yet. I love this whole vibe of your casual outfit Rena, Thanks for hosting the linkup and for adding to my Chicandstylish party! Jacqui x
A great post. Thanks for sharing it. Thanks for hosting and I hope that you have a wonderful week.