Where do women 40+ shop for clothes?

I totally agree about pants being harder to find. For years, Talbots made some in a lightweight wool gabardine that were my work basics. I had many different colors and some in bootleg, straight leg, wider leg, etc.

 

A couple of years ago they changed their styles and the newer ones don't work for me. I had to search for an alternative. I have started replacing them with the Eileen Fisher washable crepe pants also. Really useful pants and they seem to wear really well (as they should for the price...)

 

I'm not a big jeans wearer but I find the Eileen Fisher skinny jeans also fit me well. I have one full-length pair and one cropped pair, and that's all I need, lol. I tried several fits of the NYDJ jeans but they either didn't fit me well or tended to bag out (too much spandex) after a couple of hours.

 

Finally, I like the Chicos Neema (Zenergy) pants and cropped pants for active travel. They are lightweight, can be washed and dried overnight, don't wrinkle, and are very comfortable for things like visiting ruins (which I do a lot of on my vacations!).

I had Talbots wool crepe and gabardine in navy. I wore the gabardine out and when I started going through my closet to thin out things that I will, being honest, never fit in again the crepes had to go. But they were in such great shape a friend is getting some serious use out of them now. If you keep an eye on Nordstroms' web site they will price match the EF washable crepes in the 2 main colors at times. I think I got a reduction of $40 on several pairs when I saw that sale!

I'm still new to the NYDJ brand but did my research on sizes, cuts, exact measurements of the different cuts and the materials. Then headed down to Chicago for the Anniversary Sale. I bought 2 pairs of the Barbara boot cuts and one of their flared Monaco. The dark rinse Barbara's are 97% cotton and 3% spandex. Those fit great and so far I haven't noticed any stretching but I do throw them in the dryer. The black in the same style are an amazingly lux looking mix of cotton, rayon, polyester and elastene. With a sweater over the upper hip area you would never call these jeans. I haven't dared put those in the dryer and do get a bit of bagging at the waistband after a full day. But they aren't stretching more than my last good pair from Chico's. And they both fit and are the same length! I wish the waistband on the flares were a half inch higher but I can live with that because they are the length they were advertised as while my Black Label faded blue flares came 2 inches shorter than the whites I ordered at the same time and made of the same fabric. And the Barbara style in both colors were on sale!

I think I saw something like you are describing at Chico's a few years back. They were a very lightweight cargo style in a pretty chocolate brown. They had a side tack for keeping them up if you rolled them although the hardware was a rather bright gold. They were sold as full length and the sales girl did double check. I got them home and they were not a 32 but 30" inseam so not long enough for full length and with two decent rolls they came almost up to my knees. I wish they would sell those in Talls and let those of us who want full length pants sort it out at home. Ah, well. I'm sure I will continue paging through their catalogs hoping they get the message that not every woman wants jeggings or crops. Although they did have Palazzo's this year but I'm not going there until I am back to their size 2 instead of the 2-1/2 I am now wearing.

I also thought of another place I occasionally shop, Tommy Bahama. They are slowly bringing back those wonderful silk herringbone camp shirts for women so maybe the slacks will be next. I also have several of their half zips including the lighter weight French terry stripe for our late winter Panama Canal cruise.

I'm 48 and I am currently a size 10, up from my usual size 6. Despite the increase in my booty size, I still shop most often at these stores: Athleta, Banana Republic, White House Black Market, Anthropologie and Soma.

I like Athleta for the cute sundresses in summer and sweater dresses and sweater tunics in fall.

I like Banana Republic for well-fitting trousers and flippy skirts that pair equally well with fitted T-shirts or stylish sweaters with 3/4-length sleeves.

I like WHBM for the occasional cocktail dress or cute top to wear with slim-fitting summer pants or skirts. But you have to be careful not to pick something that is too embellished with gold or silver details (WHBM does love the tacky, cheap embellishments, but there's plenty of basic black or white.)

I like Soma for the super-comfy maxi and knee-length jersey dresses that feel like I'm wearing my nightgown but don't look like it. You do have to be careful at Soma to avoid the embellishments (black cotton lace insets have been popular this summer at Soma) and wild prints that look dated. But a simple solid-color or muted print jersey dress with a fabric twist at the waist to hide a tummy bulge is always suitable.

And I also like some of the breezy dresses, thin cardigans and tops at Anthropologie, but the pants never fit me. Anthro's jewelry is interesting, and the scarves and hats are adorable and can really update an outfit.

I'm a 36DD, so while I really like the look of dresses from some of the sporty brands such as North Face and Patagonia and Prana, I can never quite fit into the bodice. It doesn't have enough fabric and my chest hangs out in a way that is never appealing on a woman in her late 40's, unless she's in Miami and has had a fabulous augmentation.

I'm a 36DD, so while I really like the look of dresses from some of the sporty brands such as North Face and Patagonia and Prana, I can never quite fit into the bodice. It doesn't have enough fabric and my chest hangs out in a way that is never appealing on a woman in her late 40's, unless she's in Miami and has had a fabulous augmentation.

AMEN! I'm a little more "endowed" than a DD, so I have problems with some items from those brands. I just have to try them all on; the burnout fabric shirts from TNF and Prana seem to always be OK, but button shirts or dresses, not so much. Like my suits - I have to buy an 18 for the jacket most of the time to fit up top and get it tailored to look right on my size 10/12 waist...

I can also recommend using women in their "post 40" years in "The OC" with their augmentations for a reference point for those on the West Coast..:rolleyes:

42 here. I'm currently in love with LuLaRoe. I also get a lot of things at Target and, believe it or not, thrift stores.

In my retail store the best seller is Joseph Ribkoff , soft works and Tribal. All Canadian lines.

On occasion, I am able to find nice slacks and jackets at Marshalls and TJ Maxx. Their buyers purchase "opportunistically," so you never know what you're going to find.

I learned about Stitch Fix from this board and thought I would look it up as I had never heard of it. Signed up and received my first box. At first look, I wasn't really sure the pieces were me. Tried everything on and fell in love. I bought all 5 pieces! Everything fit and looked so nice. I hope it wasn't beginners luck because I scheduled a "fix" for some fall pieces in September.

 

 

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That's wonderful! I received my first Stitch Fix "fix" today ... I cannot wait to try everything on!