Age/Style Question

[Bad JuJu]

Gah, I live on LL Bean. It's almost sad, but most of the clothes that I have & like are from there. Some years I like their stuff more than others, but overall the style doesn't change too much from year to year.

As for the LL Bean branded outdoor gear (packs, tents, sleeping bags, snowshoes etc) - I find it generally runs a bit more to the recreational side, i.e. it could be heavier and less technical than gear from a specialized manufacturer in the respective activity. Decent prices though, and very durable like their clothes - it all depends on what you're looking for. Great stuff for car camping, train-travel across Europe, the weekend day hiker, that kind of thing.

I'm an L.L. Bean junkie, too, which you might've figured from my earlier post on this thread. Had the same impression of their outdoor gear, but lately they've been offering a wider selection of brands other than their own. For example, they had Shebeest shorts and some PI biking gear this year. And in case you find yourself in the vicinity of Freeport, ME, they now have a separate store for cycling and kayaking/canoeing. Not sure whether the separate store is open 24/7 like the main store is, but my guess is that it probably is.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

CWR- I didn't know that Victoria's Secret stocked rain pants and waders!

Their rain pants are just black rubber thongs. In winter you'd have to layer several of them to keep warm.

[Kitsune06]

Their rain pants are just black rubber thongs. In winter you'd have to layer several of them to keep warm.

Remember the early '00s fad of "clothes-and-accessories-made-of-tire-innertubes? Remember how they had to be powdered or they'd pull hair outrageously, both going on and coming off?

Please! Think of the Follicles!

[Bikingmomof3]

I am 37 and it is nothing I would wear, not because I do not like the clothing, it is just not "me". I am very casual. Gap jeans and T-shirts. In the winter, I wear LL Bean shirts and jeans. Being a SAHM I do not need to dress up or accessorize. I could, I just choose not to. I am most comfotable in casual clothing. Gap, Eddie Bauer, LL Bean.

[Eden]

.....high, high, high-waisted jeans

argh curse those who brought back the hip hugger (aka low rise). I can't wear those buggers without advertising my underwear brand to the world via the large gap in the back says the gal with the long rise (well at least for a short person) and little waist. I promise to buy only those jeans short enough so I don't have to roll the cuffs though....

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Remember the early '00s fad of "clothes-and-accessories-made-of-tire-innertubes? Remember how they had to be powdered or they'd pull hair outrageously, both going on and coming off?

No, but what about the fad of the early '00s of wearing waist hugging apparel with bone ribs and tightened laces that pushed your organs out of the way so you could have an 18" waist? Forget about saving your follicles, what about your poor LIVER and KIDNEYS?? (Ooops- maybe I'm thinking of that "other" early '00s!)

Hey, maybe we're onto something here... rubber innertube biking leg warmers that wax your legs when you whip them off! I claim patent rights!

[Kitsune06]

You have 2 choices:

1.Get that egg (or mushroom or whatever your Mum called it in your misspent, poverty-stricken youth) and start darning that hole in the fabric of the Space-Time Continuum

2. Move away from the frayed edge of it so you don't "fall through" again. Accidentally on purpose I would add.

*whines* but darning is hard and time-consuming, and moving away from the edge would mean not having as much fun... Besides- what thread do you USE for the fabric of the Space-Time continuum?!

Eden- I hear ya on the 'low rise'. There's 'hip-hugging' low, then there's "OMG, she's wearing a G-string?!" low. I love hip-hugging 'low', but can't stand revealing pants. I wear clothes so people can't see my underwear, thankyoo.
Reminds me of my complaint about A&F (sorry if you shop there) If they're trying to advertise their clothing, maybe their models could actually be wearing some?

Lisa S.H.- Yow. You can keep that patent! BTW, you're actually dead on. That did come back in this '00s as well as that '00. Link is Wikipedia, and as such fairly inoffensive, but still scary. Cathie Jung has a ~15" waist.

[Bikingmomof3]

Reminds me of my complaint about A&F (sorry if you shop there) If they're trying to advertise their clothing, maybe their models could actually be wearing some?

Choked on my coffee, note to self, do not drink and read.
I have one pair of A&F jeans. They are great for about 5 minutes then a huge gap forms and they begin the decent down my rear. Trust me, not an attractive look or feel.

[suzieqtwa]

Im 52 ,and there is nothing in that catalogue that I would wear. Just give me some low rise jeans from Express ,or Limited.

[Triskeliongirl]

I am 49 and would not wear the clothes in that catalogue. My daughter helped me buy the greatest jeans from AE (artist slim w flare leg). While I admit they are little too low rise for my liking, they actually look great and I just cover up the undies with a long shirt. I buy a lot of clothes at old navy, like express and limited too. I like to keep my look modern and a bit bohemian.

[Xrayted]

In my former career, I worked on a lot of catalogs and magazines. Territory Ahead is geared as an "edgy" LL Bean. They sometimes deliberately pick complimentary colors so you can match w/ your LLB stuff easier. J. Jill is also designed to catch the LL Beaners like TA does but they took it up a notch or two. Coldwater Creek goes along those lines too. I also worked on Eddie Bauer (don't pay their bills on time), Anthropologie (good one to check out - something for everyone), Vicky's Secret (rather snobby), Carabella's (good swim suits, better made than VS, would recommend - cheap made clothes though. The "shots" are all taken at the publisher's house in FL - he's a bit of a letch. His editing of the pics just terrified me at times. blech) Long Elegant Legs is good, for those of you who have 'em.
I say wear what you like and don't worry about what anyone else thinks. I don't look at clothes as age specific necessarily. (except some of those stretchy, flowery tops my mom wears - yech) I'm a t-shirt/cami and shorts/jeans kinda girl around home. I live in sweaters over the winter. Dress up when I need to but otherwise, very casual.

[Cassandra_Cain]

The clothes in the catalog are nice, just not me - kind of how others have said. Just not my persona as I'm a rather athletic, relaxed, non-label type.

I'm a fan of henley's, deep v-necks, cord vests with s/s blouses, big-wide belts, and of course, low-rise for bottoms, especially jeans.

Truth be told, I've gotten more casual (but with better taste) as I've gotten older - I'm early 30's. I shop for clothes almost exclusively in juniors, and stores that cater to that set....Charlotte Russe, the junior's dept at JCPenny's.

In the process I no longer use any makeup at all -regardless of occasion, bra's with wire (I only wear sports bras!), heels, and dresses.

I used to hate low-rise stuff but then I wasn't nearly in as good a shape, so it didn't suit my body before. In fairness, I think it tends to suit certain body types better than others - having a racer girl build, it works for me. Naturally, stuff that more curvy types can look good in makes me look terrible.

[emily_in_nc]

I had never seen this catalog before so checked the link. It is definitely a "western" company (even to the photo on the upper right of the home page). I like the clothes, though some of them have a bit too much of a western feel for me, living in the east (a lot of denim and patterns - more than I care for). And there weren't a lot of petites, which I need. And a lot of dresses and skirts, which I almost never wear. Some of the simpler pieces I like a lot, but the patterned stuff, not so much. There are at least some models, for example these jeans. She looks pretty young to me! But I would never buy jeans (even tho the price is great) from a picture like this - I want to see the back and front, not covered by a jacket or sitting down - and I have to know the inseam! Knowing they're petites doesn't help at all, as I've seen petite jeans with inseams from 28-30", and I have to have 29".

I'm 45, like to dress young for my age (but certainly not teenybopper - just modern). My favorite places to shop are LL Bean and Lands End (both have some dowdy stuff but some nice things if you shop carefully), and Gap and Anne Taylor Loft (when I need dressier stuff), in the mall. But my true favorite places to shop are Team Estrogen, and Terry!

Emily

[GLC1968]

I'm close to 40 and I'd have to really search to find things in that catalog that I'd buy/wear. It's not my style...but I don't think it's an age thing. I think its the styling...everything is so 'drapey'. As a short, stocky girl...drapey and I don't mix! I do like some of the shoes though...for weekend wear.

I will say that no company completely suits my style as it varies pretty drastically depending on what I am doing. I can be extremely sports oriented, totally grungy, preppy, fashion forward...you name it. I shop mostly at Banana Republic and Eddie Bauer for work (business casual), and my weekend clothes are from the far reaches of the globe...Patagonia to Gap to Ralph Lauren to Adidas to etc... I guess I like variety!

[Dianyla]

My immediate tongue-in-cheek description of their target demographic is as follows:

Middle aged (40-60) middle-class WASPs who live west of the Mississippi. If they mated... Coldwater Creek and Eddie Bauer.


NB: I'm replying without having read past the first post in this thread. I'll read the rest of the replies once this posts.