my personal style is evolving.

big earrings & shawls are a given.
but now i'm realizing what kind of denim i like, what fits best, etc.

& we aren't gonna talk about my footwear situation. i don't like buying expensive ass shoes, but my feet/ posture require them. ergonomically sound shoes for work aren't cheap. the heels i do like? not cheap. sneakers that don't make my feet cry out in cramping? not cheap at all.

so i guess i'd better hustle this money up, right? lol. i was doing some figuring. there's not one single pair of shoes or sneakers i've been checking out that cost less than seventy dollars. i remember back in the days of parade of shoes (remember them?), i was racking up on stuff i could wear to work. now, it's like earth or dansko... or nothing. i hate that, kinda. naturalizer isn't cheap. new balance? not cheap. & let's not discuss my love of nikes, which has resurfaced just as i'm too busy paying bills to cop a new pair every paycheck. this is annoying, at best.

i went to lane bryant the other day, tryna find some jeans. first of all, these motherfuckers are charging $50++ for polyester tunics. since when is that okay? second, what's the deal w/ everything having a stupid permanent cuff or crease? can i just get some regular straight leg average-length dark fucking denim? something that isn't uber super show-the-crack-of-my-ass low rise? & maybe, just maybe, are there wide-legged dress pants that don't have a full-on natural waist? i've got a short torso. that shit doesn't look right on me. gah.

if i had a sewing machine & enough time, i swear . . .

sometimes it seems that my style is being guided by the companies that make the clothes. i love old navy's more grownup looking clothing; they stopped selling it in stores so i'm forced to do my shopping inside. whomever decided to remove the plus sizes from the stores is pretty much an idiot. there are plenty women who've not been able to try on the plus sized clothes simply because there was a 2 year (or more) test period where only certain stores carried these items. if you aren't generally certain how the clothes fit you, how on earth are you gonna feel comfortable/ confident buying the shit online? i'm hoping to turn to more indie designers, or smaller apparel companies in the future. right now, though, i feel bound by my amount of disposable income in addition to the dress code at my job. it isn't terribly strict, but some things aren't okay.

but, as my personal style evolves, i'm better able to make smart choices. i know where to find the $10 jeans at ross and the cleverly hidden perry ellis trench coats at burlington. ;)

bargain fashionistas, stand up! i know it's not right -- someone probably lost their finger trying to make the anorak i just bought -- but until i find better quality plus clothes in the thrift stores i frequent, & until i start making my own clothes, this is how it's gonna be.