Shopping nightmares
Nobody, even bloggers who write about an unrelated subject, can fail to mention the Christchurch earthquake.
Given that I’m lucky enough to be observing at a distance rather than dealing with the aftermath, all I could do is express the same clichéd expressions of shock and sympathy.
I’ve lived in a disaster area. As a junior journalist, I was in Thames when the coast was devastated by the "weather-bomb" – hundred-year floods left huge swathes of land underwater.
The power was off for three days, big sections of the town had no running water and a state of emergency was declared. I lived on a hill so the first I knew about it was an early phone call from a very stressed chief reporter.
Of all of the many interviews, photos and stories I did, my favourite was Irma, who at 80-plus took a fairly philosophical approach to the whole affair. From the night she woke up in the pitch black to find her bedroom underwater to the day then PM Helen Clark visited her as part of a tour of the disaster-stricken region, Irma was stoic.
The thing was, after the national television cameras had stopped rolling and the reporters from the big papers had taken their spiral notebooks and departed, the rebuilding of communities was only just beginning.
So, I feel as if all I can offer Christchurch is gratuitous at best and condescending at worst. So, I’m thinking of you – and I’ll put my money where my mouth is and donate.
Meanwhile, happily working away on non-earthquake news this morning, I received some unwelcome tidings. Apparently, this season’s new look is all about trousers.
I’m less than thrilled that the dress and skirt domination of the last few seasons is over. Not because I'm a slavish follower of fashion, but because there will now be less skirts and dresses in the stores to choose from.
And why do I feel trousers are evil? Because it’s next to damn impossible to find pants that fit me. I have what’s politely termed an hour-glass figure – so if the pants fit in the hips, they gape at the waist. Furthermore unless the legs are the right shape, I look all hips and backside, but not in good way.
Shopping for any kind of pants is such an ordeal, I generally avoid it. So I wear a lot of skirts. The only time I cannot avoid shopping for pants or shorts is where running or the gym is concerned.
OK, I know, one should not worry too much about how one looks working out. But no matter how much of a wreck I’ll look at the end, I do have my vanity, so I’d at least like to look presentable to begin with.
My shorts don’t need to be beautiful, but I’d prefer to avoid scaring small children and animals.
Running-shorts shopping requires careful preparation. I must fortify myself with several coffees and prepare to go to battle. If I really want to ruin my day, I might also try – and reject – every pair of black pants available in the Wellington CBD, and if I get desperate, all the jeans too.
I don’t know who decided to revisit the abomination of skinny pants on the unsuspecting fashion world, but seriously, very few women can carry them off and I am not one of the chosen few.
Now, I know most people don't have the same deep-seated pants trauma. (See what I did there with the pun?) But what's your worst shopping nightmare?
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When you go to a store with a voucher, sale, etc and then you realise you forgot to read the "small print" so you end up paying full price!
Same as you Ann - pants. I gave up and splurged on a $450 pair of Karen Walker pants last year. I hope I never have to buy another pair again.
@Alice2 - Sounds like I'm totally the opposite to you, I have lots of jeans that I love, but can never find pants! My tip for jeans - try shopping online from the USA. Many more options, and in petite lengths too :)
Jeans West have the best jeans for hour glass figures! I have bought 2 pairs of the curve embracer jeans.. only jeans I've bought in years that fit me in the hips and waist! highy recommend!!
@LB, I have bad memories of clothes shopping by mail order via Ezibuy when I was a kid - every second item had to be sent back because the sizing was out or the quality substandard. I'm also a size 18-20, and an average height (5'5"/~165cm), so petite sizes don't go up to my waist/hip size, but "plus size" items seem to assume I'm about 6 feet tall. I've gotten reasonably good at taking up pants by myself, so I usually just buy 2-3 pairs at once & spend a couple of hours on the sewing machine, swearing at the bobbins & poking myself with pins.
I can highly recommend Suzanne Grae!
They are the only shop where I can buy pants that fit (I'm an hourglass too).
There is one out in Porirua but not sure if anywhere else in Welly.
I have one word for you Ann - Ezibuy. I too have the same issue with an hourglass figure. My problems are compounded by short legs. I find that Ezibuy's jeans and pants could have been designed just for me. And bonus - they do different leg lengths! Top that off with prices that don't break the bank and you're on to a winner.
No, I do not work for Ezibuy but I do admit to coming from their hometown, PN.
I also find that buying trousers that fit my hips and then belting in the waist works most of the time too.
But I feel your pain as I find clothes shopping to be a nightmare. Make sure you see yourself from every angle before committing to buy. And best of luck.
Ann "I look all hips and backside" ... what, no head at all?
You gave me flashbacks to a friend who described her sister as "literally all tits and bum". I have a feeling she may not have understood the word literally.
My worst shopping issue is that whenever I go to a shop, I am powerless to resist "Two xyz for only $". These evil deals from Hallensteins is how I ended up having to retire at least 10 t-shirts to rag duties in the garage because I could no longer fit all my t-shirts in their two allocated drawers.
I have exactly the same problem with pants! Its so frustrating... they fit around the waist, but are way too tight around the thighs, or they are so loose around the waist that you have to wear a belt that bunches everything up and looks terrible.
I also have a problem buying pants - if they fit me in the bum they usually gape at the waist, so much that people standing behind me can see right down the back of them - nice. I've recently discovered mens jeans are more suited to my figure, and because they are slightly higher in the waist I dont have to worry about flashing my tummy every time I put my arms up (after having kids this is a very important aspect when pants/jeans buying).
I have a very "average" figure - average height, average weight, and bumps and curves in the places where bumps and curves should be. Who are the sizing models for the pants making people? Do they make them to fit stick figures? Surely there are more curvy women in the world than straight-up-and-down-pencil-thin-stick women?? Surely...
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Jeans. Can't find any that aren't 6 inches too long, even in a 'regular' leg length. Waistbands are usually too small for my hips (opposite of hourglass). I can get pants in normal fabrics that fit me fine - no muffin top, no taking-up of the hems. Jeans, no way.
Shoes also suck. I wear orthotics, and have wide feet and my left is exactly 1/2 size larger than my right. Finding something that can take orthotics, still look kinda styley & doesn't fall off my right foot is a mission. Kumfs are my go-to shoe, but at $150-$250 a pair, they're a bit of a splurge. Luckily a pair can last me 2-3 years.