ITSO . . . In the Style of . . . Diane Von Furstenberg

Character. Intelligence. Strength. Style. That makes beauty.

— Diane von Furstenberg (1946) Belgian fashion designer

Diane von Furstenberg started her fashion design career and became famous with her wrap dress. This orange 70s vintage example was retrieved on May 30, 2021 from Shopmodig.

Her silk jersey wrap dress was an influencer for me as I grew into adulthood. It was the seams on her dresses (or dresses like hers) I checked in my first job. I had to make sure every article of clothing that was put on the sales floor of the high-end dress shop (at least it was high-end in the mid-sized town I lived) was in faultless condition. I worked in the basement and checked for split seams, fabric flaws, sewing mistakes, dye irregularities, and print or stripe mismatches. Does anyone do that anymore?

People say I made the dress. Yes, I made the dress, but the dress made me.

- Diane von Furstenberg

Apparently, she originally created a wrap-around top with a matching skirt and that evolved into the dress. The DVF's wrap dress was born in 1973/1974 (depending on the source you read) when she arrived in New York with a suitcase full of jersey print wrap dresses. Asked why she invented this particular dress, she emphasized the ease of getting dressed and I would also suggest getting undressed. She has been quoted as saying:

If you are trying to slip out without waking a sleeping man, zips are a nightmare. Haven’t you ever tried to creep out of the room unnoticed the following morning? I’ve done that many times. 

Considering DVF's wrap dress has been used to symbolically represent the the rise of the women's movement in the 1970s, liberated women, and comfort and ease in workplace dressing, I find it has similarities to previous "house dress" patterns from an era that was not so liberated. Here's a wrap dress called "a 1949 Women's Wrap Around Brunch Coat" from the category of House Dresses in a Simplicity Vintage Sewing Pattern (Retrieved May 30, 2021 from Ecrater — 2845 https://www.ecrater.com/p/7216806/1949-womens-wrap-around-brunch-coat).

I remember my aunt having a blue floral wrap house dress just like the vintage Simplicity pattern. I feel certain that DVF, who was married to a prince (making her a princess although she lost that privilege with divorce) and who first designed a wrap-around top and a skirt was not influenced by a "house dress". However, DVF's wrap dress does look like a re-stylized, re-invented, shortened adaptation of the 1950s version. Has anyone ever had that thought before? It does appear like there's really nothing "new", simply revisited, modified, and revitalized with updated fabrics created for a new market audience and regenerated with a new "story". No matter the origin or motivation — it was brilliant.

Photo Source: Yahoo!Life This photo was retrieved May 30, 2021 from https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/diane-von-furstenberg-means-woman-140021841.html. Read the interview, Diane von Furstenberg on What it Means to be a 'Woman in Charge', by Nikara Johns, March 8, 2020

At 75, Diane von Furstenberg is still designing and still in charge. 

For me, the zipper issue is huge. I have one dress that has a side zipper - that's perfect. All the others have back zippers. Impossible if you are alone. With apologies to DVF, the ease of dressing gives the wrap dress a greater advantage than for the purpose of "sneaking out without waking a sleeping man".

In Readiness to Return to Work

Over the next week, certain districts in North American and European countries will be allowing shops to re-open under particular guidelines. Our prairie newspaper (retrieved April 23, 2020 from Saskatoon Star Phoenix) reported: "Some of those guidelines are geared to specific businesses, including bans on trying on clothes at clothing stores, which will also be encouraged to use online purchases and adopt no-return policies." Since then guidelines have been changed and adapted to more realistic limitations. With the original guidelines, customers like me, asked, "What's the point?" Government policymakers listened to retailers and now guidelines are much more reasonable for the face to face shopper.

Although I recognize it is much easier to buy online, I do not want a world where that is my only alternative therefore if we do not support storefront businesses, they will go bankrupt and I certainly don't want that. 

As we check the days of the calendar in anticipation of hairdressers and more retail outlets re-opening between now and the middle of June as the flattening trend continues, it's time (if you haven't already) to get your wardrobe work-ready. 

Instead of saying, "I have nothing to wear", you can say "everything feels new again".

Re-organize - take out all winter wear and if you have the luxury of another closet, place everything you won't need this summer. Make sure they are clean, mended and stored properly whether in drawers, bins or closets. This is also a good opportunity to place winter things in a "donate" bin for things you know you won't wear again. You will be ready when clothing donations will be accepted.

Organize your closet by colour and category. Place all tops starting with white, followed by colours - light to dark with black ending the "tops" category. Now do the same for skirts, followed by shorts, capris, jeans and pants, and dresses.

You probably have noticed that you have a particular colour palette represented in your closet. In summer, my colour palette is what I affectionately call, "sea, sand and sky" — basically blue, beige and white. Kick it up a notch with yellow or red and you can portray variety with essentially a limited numbers of pieces. 

Summer wear also means more casual wear and after working at home or not working for two months, we may have become a little too lax, a little too informal. 

Greek Designer. PhotoSource: AngieB

Appropriate casual workwear can be characterized by 4 features:

1. Nice and simple as in this sheath dress. The design encorporates textural detailing without being over the top.

2. cover up — nothing revealed. Say "No thanks" to too short shorts, bosomy cleavage, cropped tops and sheer sheer fabrics."

2. clean up — nothing grungy, nothing sloppy. Say "No thanks" to oversized t-shirts and badly fitting denim. 

3. add to — upgrade your look with natural fabrics, simple but well tailored pieces, and  statement accessories and make it "note-worthy". In the sheath dress photo, notice the shoes — simple nude heels which don't compete with the dress. Yet summer suggests colour so play with it in your accessories.

Photo Source: Zenka

Accessorizing is where you can play with colour. Scarves, belts, shoes and jewellery express your individuality. As with all advice at this time . . . do it creatively but do it responsibly.

😃Spring 2021 Update: Does dis-order in your life overwhelm you? Changing Spaces by Design has recently published a guided journal with inspiring affirmations, suggested daily strategies to create clutter-free spaces, time management recommendations, and charts to record your project. Shirley B says, "I embarked on the process and am pleased to say that it really does work. I put my stuff in order, found stuff I had forgotten I owned, and got rid of stuff I no longer need (that is somebody else’s stuff now). The result – I know what I have, and where to find it. Amazing!"

You can check out their launch page at 30 Day Journal to Triumph Over Clutter.

A Few of My Favourite Things

Travelling to and from France every six months has got me to thinking about going back and forth with just a carry-on. The problem is my favourite things take up more space than a carry-on allows and having two of everything might be economically challenging.

NICE: Here goes an analysis of what I should actually be doing with those favourite things.

Cobalt Smythe "Duchess" blazer
Photo Source: ShopSmythe

Cobalt Blue Smythe Duchess Blazer: Having two is economically prohibitive at this time. I wear it as my travel outfit. Problem: it looks best with jeans and I like a more comfortable pair of pants, which necessitate my black blazer. This in itself is ironic because I have more than one black blazer but my lightweight single-button Sandro blazer (purchased in 2016) travels best. So now I'm taking back two blazers.

LBD Photo by JoyD.

Little Black Dress: I cannot tell you when I bought this because it is so long ago now, I have forgotten but it still is my favourite LBD. I have purchased others but they have not stood the test of the fickle time of fashion. This one has. And I still fit into it. It still gets me through the most basic luncheon to a gala event. I can't leave home without it.

Little Navy Dress: I should leave one of these two dresses behind. Last year I didn't bring my navy one back to Canada and I did go looking for it a few times before recalling that it was in France. It's a MaxMara dress I bought ages ago in a consignment store in Calgary. Perhaps this year I should take it back and leave the LBD in France. It's a thought.

Dark Blue Denim Jeans: Like my LBD, my dark blue denim jeans take me everywhere and look great with my Duchess cobalt blazer. They come back and forth between France and Canada and accompany me on every vacation, whether a weekend or two weeks. The pants I'm wearing are more flexible, black and white check, stretch that travels well.

Linen matching top and trousers: My latest purchase when I visited Arcachon at the end of September was a linen matching top and trousers. Funny . . .  the label says Orto Botanico Italia yet I have not found the clothing company online. Perhaps I have not tweaked in on the word/tag that needs to be used to get me to their site. I see this outfit as a "lounging" or "hostess" outfit as my mother called them - simply comfortable clothing that looks elegant yet casual.

What do I leave in France? It would seem from my analysis that the little navy dress or the LBD should stay behind. The linen top and trousers are a possibility as well since I will be in Canada for the winter and a linen outfit in the winter seems incompatible.

NO THANKS: Well, after having written all of that, I have decided to leave the little navy dress in France.

One more thing to add: I need my denim jacket!

Photo by JoyD.

Yet another thing to add: A white Burberry shirt. Two or three years ago I tried to return a Burberry shirt because the metal appliqués were falling off. I called the location in London and the person I spoke with told me to send the shirt to their address in London with an explanation of what I wanted done. I did that. The package was returned to France - return to sender - without ever being opened. I was annoyed but not enough to pursue it and so I am taking my Burberry shirt back to Canada to see if I can get the collar replaced by a wonderful seamstress I discovered a couple of years back. The story is too long and I only get frustrated when retelling it and so here is a photo of the collar I need replaced. I probably would never have tried to return it if it was a cheaper shirt but it was a Burberry shirt and well, I don't need to relate the price because it is after all a Burberry shirt. I'm not so fond of Burberry anymore.

Photo Source: Lyst (Retrieved Oct. 31/17)

I will be taking my Harris Wilson camel coat back to Canada with me. I left it in France last year when I bought it because I had a coat to wear and did not want to take two. As it turned out the weather was wonderful during October in France this year and I never did wear it this year. I will have better use of it in Canada.

NOTE-WORTHY: And then there are four scarves and my pyjamas. 

I'm good to go!

Dresses for a Fall Transition

Closet Content Analysis: Accessories are the Key for a Fall Transition 

NICE          

Photo by Joy

I don't believe I have enough summer dresses and of the ones I do own, they are the same sheath style or similar to a sheath style. Yet it is that sheath style that is the most efficient to take you from summer to winter. All you need is a blazer and a scarf. With this particular sheathe, one can put a beige or grey blazer or shawl and be business or chic enough for work or dinner.

That little black dress keeps showing up as well and black is a canvas to which you can add colour and texture. Along with it is the little beige dress which can be teamed with navy, black, red, cobalt blue . . . any classic or bright vibrant colour. 

The secret of course is to have a scarf or statement bracelet or necklace that can tie the two together. That is the success of the fall transition.

It is easier to do with scarves than jewellery I find; however, this is a personal style choice. Shoes do the trick as well but then it can start to look too match-matchy. Shoes will serve as the colour pop if you have a blazer and dress that are the same colour, then the shoes and scarf can match. Add a coloured blazer to that and it would just be too much.

Or add blue to the LBeigeD . . . 

Balance is the key no matter what the season.

Marketing Clothing Sales Alternatives

NO THANKS: If I know that a company is Multi-level marketing, I seldom buy. Prices have to be inflated to compensate for the tiered payout system in place. Recently a friend was invited to a CAbi home sales party and she asked my opinion. Just knowing that it is MLM was enough for me to say, NO THANKS. She went online to do some research and came to the conclusion that perhaps when the company was first started by Carol Anderson, the quality was there but now the company has been sold and the new management is milking the old model with new cutbacks, which essentially means the quality is jeopardized. How many Tupperware purchases have been made just so that you don't offend the hostess? Whenever one feels coerced there is a problem and that can be the greatest reason not to go to a "party".

NOTE-WORTHY: Online buying can be likened to the "olden days" of catalogue buying. Two important differences are choice and speed of response. In Canada, the old Eaton's and Simpon's Sears companies offered catalogue shopping as a convenience in much the same way as online shopping offers that type of convenience now. Catalogues are still produced albeit more as promotional "lookbooks" to help make purchase choices. Both methods are plagued with difficulties in "return policies" and no matter how "easy" the ability to return is, a return is still a pain.

Online buying is perfect if you know your product, your size and your style preferences. How do you know all those things? Probably by having purchased the brand before. You know the sizing peculiarities, you love the style and you're satisfied with the quality of the product. The other way, of course, is by visiting a storefront and doing your shopping there and your buying online. This seems very unfair to the storefront which had to put money on the line for stock, rent and sales associates to cater to your whims. 

Radius dress by Judith and Charles.
Photo Source: Judith and Charles

The best case scenario is when you buy from the designer online store after you have seen it at the storefront. Joelle Aidan did that after she visited the Judith and Charles store in Calgary and then found a great dress for sale at their online store. Click here to see the sales section for some classic pieces that will be in your closet for a good while.

NICE: Storefront shopping requires the most effort on the parts of both the vendor and the buyer. Yet it can be the most rewarding for the consumer. Brian, the ballet flats guy known on this blog, has developed satisfying relationships with sales associates at Tory Burch; and Joelle Aidan is recognized by several at Holt Renfrew in Calgary. They both have purchased online but always return to the storefront. 

3 Spring Must Haves: the Dress, the Shoes, the Bag

NEED for Spring 2017

a silky or slinky dress  

matching flats or heels

the cinch bag

Photo Source: Lucian Matis

A dress in a floral pattern can be the basis for you to indulge in your love of shoes. Buy a dress like this design by Lucian Matis and choose one of the colours for your shoes to complement the dress. The patterned shoes in the photo just don't do it. 

Focus on the pinks, reddish-oranges, yellows and greens and search your shoe stash or buy some new ones in each of those colours. The pantone colours for spring are not pastel and not the neon brights. They seem to be earthier, subdued; what you might find in Victorian chintz.

Photo Source: Pantone

Photo Source: DailyMail

With Pantone identifying "flame", an orangey-red, as one of the top 10 colours for Spring, 2017, it would be fun to have a silky dress in that colour. Your ensemble for casual summer weddings would be taken care of with a matched combination like that. Like Pippa Middletone, you could even go shopping in New York or out for lunch in that matched set and not feel overdressed.

Whether floral or solid, the dress and the shoes are the focus. The bag is strictly functional and would look great in either hazelnut, niagra or kale. 

There must be something in your closet in the 2017 spring colour tones. Resurrect it and add something new to update it and voila, you are aware of the trends without looking overtly trendy.

My personal taste is more subdued and so I would likely choose "island paradise", "pale dogwood" or "niagra" if I were to search for a a dress-shoes match.

Photo Source: Nordstrom

Bags for the spring are interesting. They range from gigantic oversized to credit card tiny. The bag in the middle is the cinch bag, which is reinstated every three or four years. Nordstrom is already sold out of this one, which looks like it could pass for the colour, "hazelnut". Several luxury houses such as Lancel always have a cinch bag available albeit in materials and finishes that eventually date it. My Lancel "flirt bag" is leather with a stamped finish and that is what dates it. I still love my Lancel "flirt" but there you have it, no matter what, we are victims of the trend and colour of the moment. 

The 2017 spring trends don't seem outlandish or out of the typical closet colour spectrum and so with a little ingenuity, you may be able to reuse, reassemble and make it look so Spring 2017.

On Bandage Dresses and Bad Language

NOTE-WORTHY
with a consequential NO THANKS

I try to write something everyday and often go to writing exercises to accomplish this. There is an exercise that asks one to force-fit three completely unrelated ideas chosen randomly and write a 1000 word article relating the three concepts in a socially significant way. I put ten ideas in the hat and the three I chose were Donald Trump, bad language and bandage dresses. In effect the first two are not unrelated; however the bandage dress did prove to be a challenge. I put one more criteria upon the exercise and that was to write it as a blog post. Here I go . . . 

The American President's "locker room language" remark, in an attempt to dismiss his use of two very derogatory words when denigrating women he has known, reflects the evolution of "bad language". I guess he feels that if he associates it with an immature "behind closed doors" kind of behaviour that we will accept it. He's hiding behind that cultural construct, not facing what he said. He probably should have said something more like, "I said it, I now wish I hadn't." Take responsibility for the words you say and the words you write, don't blame anyone or anything else. Yet this may be significant as far as what is acceptable or becoming more acceptable in society. 

As long as men feel that somehow women are or should be more "pure" than them then there will always be "locker room language". Inequality still exists at this most base level. The meanings of these types of words are used to denigrate someone either by sex, ethnicity, colour, political affiliation, or socio-economic status. Therefore it is all tied up in meaning and perception. 

The word "fuck" only holds as much negativity as society has assigned to it and here in North America it is considered the worst expletive there is. It is still called the F word by many and it is still a difficult word for me to say and write (although I have done both). At one time its use indicated a low social status or a minimal educational background but now perhaps it is in the process of eventually losing its force. That may be, but still, because of its "bad language" status it finds itself more so in adolescent banter, rap lyrics and in "the locker-room". I think of the use of "damn" or "hell", words that were once considered blasphemous, are now used without any horrible consequences. I remember being in Ireland and hearing "fuck" in conversations as likely as "damn". It's a word; it's just a word, to indicate emphasis, and perhaps it is evolving. In France, a public billboard read, "Fuck le S.I.D.A." (SIDA is the acronym for AIDS). I say "merde" or "schiesse" more than I say "shit"; in a foreign language it seems less vulgar. In translation or different cultural contexts, the connotations are not the same.

"Bandage dresses" are in the same category. In 1985, when French designer, Hervé Peugnet (now known as Hervé Léger), introduced the bandage dress, who would have thought that for the past thirty-two years it would keep recurring? It was seen as a trend in European discos in 1985 and is now replacing the traditional prom dress in the United States. The bandage dress has infiltrated into traditional settings and has affected all ages.

I should have left it hanging in the store but
I did remove the frou frou from the shoulder strap.
Photo Source: JoyD Creations

Who is buying this dress? I would think, but I have no statistical evidence to prove or disprove this: it is mainly the late teens and the twenty-somethings; however, the thirty- and forty- somethings who have something to prove are buying them and the fifty- or iffy- somethings who are searching for their twenties have them in their closets. It has infiltrated all ages and very often, all sizes. Although it sells most in the "up to the size 8" range.

And yes there is one in my closet. I had lost forty pounds in 2011, needed a dress for a charity event and had something to prove to myself. I wore it to the charity banquet and maybe, I can't quite remember, for New Year's once. I have used expletives more than that. 

We need to lose the meanings behind both the bandage dress and expletives. Like the word "fuck", the bandage dress won't go away and they have their purposes for the persons who use them. Is it possible that eventually both will become mundane and no one will blink when either is used? There are mothers all over North America who are trying not to see the negative connotations of the bandage dress on their sixteen year old daughters as the young women swoon over them and demand them as their prom dresses.

Will all this cause the demise of society? Likely not. When the telephone was invented, some considered it an instrument of the devil and there were predictions that communication between people would suffer and hence the demise of society was imminent. Rock and roll was seen in the same way. Mini-skirts were probably viewed just like bandage dresses until your Math teacher showed up in one. When "hell" or "damn" were once used, you would end up in the public stockade and scorned. I think society will survive while wearing bandage dresses and using expletives in their conversations because both just may lose their initial shocking meaning. There will be other things and words to take their places.

Back to "The Donald" . . . I have put him in the same category as bad language and bandage dresses. Incongruence is what motivates growth and development in society. Donald Trump provides that contrast to all that we traditionally know as political and social decorum. He needed to prove something and was needed to prove something - we shall see what that something is. We shall also see how the reaction to the Trump contrast will develop, along with bad language and bandage dresses.

As writing exercises go . . . I'm not really sure if the objective was reached but, this one was note-worthy with a consequential no thanks.

Lucian Matis . . . a Canadian Designer

Lucian Matis is an artisan through socialization and environment, an accomplished designer by natural inclination and talent, and a Canadian via emigration from Romania in 1999. He represents the positive vibrations of what it means to be transplanted and flourish in a new location. He's blooming and so are his creations.

Sophie Gregoire Trudeau in a
Lucian Matis dress
standing beside Michelle Obama.
Photo Source: Global News

The self-confident women who wear his designs radiate the poise many women aspire to. (See the celebrities wearing Lucian Matis designs.) 

Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, the wife of Canada's prime minister is of course my favourite. It is as if he is designing just for her, yet I can imagine myself in this orchid accentuated dress.

As I began writing this post, I realized that I became acquainted with this designer through television in 2008. It was Project Runway Canada (no longer produced) that introduced Lucian Matis to Canada and it is now a pleasure to read about his well deserved accomplishments.

The future appears to be unfolding in miraculous ways for Lucian Matis, for Canada's reputation in fashion design and for us. There are beautiful dresses and as two January 6th Twitter and Facebook messages tell us, soon to be functional and perfect handbags. 

I am pleased to write that business is good for this Canadian designer. (You can shop online at Lucian Matis.)

How Do You Lose a Dress?

My Favourite LBD. Photo by JoyD.

How did I lose my LBD? The last time I wore my little black dress was at the beginning of July on the last night of the river cruise. My husband, who always does a once over as we are leaving hotel or guest rooms, would have noticed a dress. I packed. Surely, I would have noticed. This was not a scarf that fell behind a piece of furniture or a pair of underpants tangled in the sheets. However, I don't know where it is.

Yes, this has happened to me before. Travelling between two homes doesn't help. Yet my husband is not convinced that I have "lost" my dress. 

"Have you checked the foyer closet?"

My response was neither yes or no because in fact, I hadn't checked the foyer closet. I replied with a question, "Why would I have put it in the foyer closet when I was unpacking? I unpacked my suitcase in the bedroom, I would have put it in my closet." He didn't offer any further explanations or suggestions.

Concluding that surely I had left my LBD somewhere in my June and July travels, I began planning a replacement purchase. 

LBD. Photo Source: Unknown

It should be easy to replace it or maybe not. I do have particular criteria.

1. Length - as in the photo here, it should just graze the top of the knee to be the right proportion for my height.

2. Neckline - the last LBD had a simple round neckline with a 5 cm centre slit. This time, I think I will again look for a simple round neck  or perhaps a v-neck

3. Syle - I definitely want a narrow sheath; Not a wrap as in the photo, not a full skirt, and not an A-line.

That's it, that's all. It should be easy.

It became easier. In preparation for returning to Canada, I was sorting through the things in the foyer closet and there it was.

"Is that it?" I heard over my shoulder.

"It is. I found it." There was no I told you so. He's like that. 

"Good. Are you still planning to buy another black dress?"

"It might be a good idea. After all, just in case I do lose it, I'll have one ready and waiting."

"Bon idée." That's why we are still married after all these years.

I no longer "need" to plan a buying trip for a little black dress. 

Nice.

What to Wear to a Fall Wedding

NEED

Friends in France are getting married this week and the day temperatures are scheduled to be perfect. She is Chinese and so I imagine she will probably wear red and he is French and I expect him to be fairly traditional although he is rather avant garde. It is a second marriage for him, a first for her. Everything will be beautiful, bien sur.

The big question for me is what to wear. There is a certain informality since it is an afternoon wedding and the reception will be at the groom's house, a modern renovation of a nineteenth century girls' boarding school. I don't want to wear my LBD - no matter what the circumstances or how I interpret things; black just doesn't feel right for a wedding. Other than that, my dresses tend to be sheath style and that's fine but for the most part summery. I have a beige sheath dress that could be dressed up with a scarf or jewellery. That may be the best alternative.

Beige Sheath Dress, circa 2001.
Photo by JoyD.

This dress is pretty nondescript, simple, sheath, nothing to date it, that's a certainty. In fact, I wore this dress in 2001 at a 25th wedding anniversary I attended while I was in France. Go figure, it's 2015, and I am thinking that maybe I can wear it to this particular fall wedding.

NEED: I know I will need a scarf in more festive colours and preferably in a lightweight silk.

The question is, can I bear to wear this dress, knowing how old it is. Some things may be timeless, but when is it time to just say "no; I need a new dress"? At the same time, knowing my personality type, I'd probably come home with something similar after the shopping trip.

P

End of Sale Month in France

Closet Content Analysis: Sale Shopping

NEW Choices: A bag, blazer, iron and linens

NICE          NOTE-WORTHY           NO THANKS

The two months the French anticipate for sales - soldes - are July and January and I fortunately have been and will be here for both this year. Presently,with July done, storefronts entice us with further and final reductions. Last week, Marques Avenue in Romans-sur-Isere was a sale destination for me and "up to 70% off" in the name brand shops inspired me to replace basics at "grocery store" prices. 

Red linen Caroll blazer. Photo by JoyD.

Note-Worthy: One still has to be diligent even when it comes to sale prices. I bought a red linen blazer in the Caroll store at Marques Avenue while in Roman-sur-Isere. It was 70% off the last markdown, which happened to be 110.00 Euro. I paid 30.30 Euro. Great - I was happy. Then, while shopping in Valence, I went into the Caroll store. The advertisements announced further reductions based on the colour coded percentages. I found the blazer I had purchased in Romans. The final markdown was to be 40% off the last markdown which was 150.00 Euro (note: 40 Euro more than the marked down price in Romans). 70% off 110. or 40% off 150.? OMG, my previous purchase was my deal of the decade. Roman is only 17 km. away from Valence. Of course I understand local loyalty but Marques Avenue must be very tempting for consumers in Valence. There must be a difference you say . . . well . . . yes . . . selection is limited in outlet stores but in my case the colour choice was the only difference. The linen blazer at the Marques Avenue location was red and the blazer in the regular retail outlet in Valence was a hot pink. I guess red was not the "tendance" this year. However red is a basic colour that I needed in my blazer collection and it was a better choice than the hot pink for me.

Purple Wrap Dress. Photo by JoyD.

No Thanks: I also broke one of my No Thanks rules while in Bourg de Péage. The price was that good! 19 Euros could buy me a three course lunch but instead I bought a dress that was marked down several times; albeit a dress that was 2 kg too tight on me. I did go for lunch anyway. The way I figure it, I will hang it on my fridge, inspiring me to lose weight and remind me about the choices I need to make when opening the fridge. It might be a tad big as a fridge magnet but I believe it will serve a functional purpose as well as a conversation piece.

Nice & Note-Worthy: For my linen closet, I decided to buy some Anne de Solene linens. I have been a Yves Delorme advocate for years but this year the outlet store in Marques Avenue was rather . . . unwelcoming . . . it was hot and there were no lights or air conditioning on in the store - there was a fan and lights on in the back room . . . there were several things that were "not done" by the sales associate that I took slight offence to and so I never bought. I may regret it in the big picture but at the time, I was miffed enough that I chose not to buy. The woman at the Anne de Solene store was amiable, knowledgeable and accommodating. In this case, service was as important as the quality of the item; although I am starting to regret my choice of not buying a particular flat sheet at Yves Delorme. My weakness is that the name, the brand, is what keeps me loyal to Yves Delorme.

Note-Worthy: To keep my clothes in perfect form, I found a Rowenta iron, made in France, that was a bargain. The regular outlet price was around 180. Euro and was on sale for 114. A friend informed me that he had purchased a Rowenta iron of the same calibre for 150. Euro almost 10 years ago now. This purchase was a "no-brainer".

The Best Nice: I bought a Lancel bag to add to my collection - at 40% off the outlet price. If I factor in the tax rebate for foreigners, I bought a great bag for 250. Euros that will carry me into the winter. I'm happy! There's a post here so I'll take some photos and let you analyze the purse later.

I've written about sale shopping before:
July and August Summer Sales
Summer Sales Welcome Return to France
End of July/August Summer Sales
Clothing & Accessories to Buy on Sale
Sale Shopping for Clothing
Shopping in Factory Outlet Stores