Deadline Diaries

Five Romance writers tell all.

Friday, November 17, 2006

The Perfect Tee

Here at Deadline Diaries we have our beloved Fan Girl. Well, I’m your girl when it comes to fashion. I love clothes. I love shopping. I love the smell of Nordstrom (and have posited that perhaps it pumps something in the air akin to the super-oxygen that supposedly flows through the casino ducts in Las Vegas). I love the feel of clothes that have been de-wrinkled by the steamers at a department store.

But I’m no clothing snob. It doesn’t have to be designer. I think that comes from my mom who sewed a lot of my clothes when I was a kid. And she’s a bargain-hunter too, so I never thought something had to be expensive to be worth owning or wearing. So at any given moment (well, when I’m out of my sweats) you might find me in my skirt from Nordstrom, my shoes from Off Sacks Fifth Avenue, and my cute little jacket from GTM.

Do you have GTMs in your area? Word reached me via the Pilates class at the gym that GTM gets the clothes from Costco once they bring new merchandise in. And at GTM, it can get really, really inexp—okay, fine—cheap. Last summer I bought some really cute capris there as well as a darling cotton blazer, some running shoes, and a swimsuit (and Good God, who wants to pay full price for something so horrifying to wear?).

But GTMs exist at the mercy of Costco. So, the cute things in your size might be limited, or that size isn’t there at all. It’s one of those hit-or-miss places. Ah, but then there’s Target.

Over the years I recieved compliments here and there for pieces I picked up on occasion. But last summer I found the best-fitting cropped jeans and really cute tops and I started to look there more often and more closely. And now I’ve found the perfect fall tee!

I was breezing through looking for something to go with black jeans. Just a black T-shirt. Simple. And there was this plain shirt in many colors. Now, it feels a little like those leotards we use to wear as little girls for ballet class (okay, it’s very much like those leotards—it’s nylon and spandex, I just checked) and when I first lifted one up it looked long. Like below my butt, reaching to my thighs. I must have been in a hurry or willing to take a chance, because I brought it home anyway ($12.99) without trying it on. (Note to my Target: your dressing rooms suck. I think if I sneeze I’ll take the whole contraption down.)

At home, I put on black jeans and this long T-shirt, thinking, well, maybe with a belt? But I don’t look good in belts, because I’m short and I don’t need to halve my body that way, so I just pull the shirt down and found out…

You don’t stretch it down. You let it sort of cling around your hips and this material is so super it doesn’t look bunchy at the waist/love handles. As a matter of fact, it HIDES ANY UGLY LITTLE BULGES. Not that I have any. Not that I know what the horrid term Son 1 taught me, “muffin top,” even means. I DO NOT HAVE A MUFFIN TOP.

But if someone did, this T-shirt would totally make it unnoticeable.

I now have one in black, white, and pale green. Highly recommend. And if you do buy one, you know that I know it’s NOT BECAUSE OF ANY MUFFIN TOP issues.

Anyway, the horrid muffin top phenomenon would be a thing of the ugly past if fashion would dictate that the waistbands of our pants belong a few more inches toward our actual waists, thankyouverymuch.

Do you have a special place to find bargains? Don't keep it a secret!

9 Comments:

At 9:37 AM, Blogger Christine Rimmer said...

Okay where is this place and where is that tee?

Never heard of GTM. Dang it.

I also have zero Muffin Top issues, but would love lots of tops that disguise just such a non-existent problem. LOL

Re where to shop around here, well, no great bargain places. I go to Dillards--and also to Chicos for fun and interesting jackets and jewelry.

 
At 10:30 AM, Blogger Christie Ridgway said...

You get the tee at Target, Chris. 12.99. No lie.

We don't have Dillard's, but yes to Chico's. I also like J. Jill and my niece as expanded my interests to American Eagle Outfitters and...Forever 21!

Just like me.

 
At 10:51 AM, Blogger Christine Rimmer said...

Ooo. Okay. Target. We have that. On my way...

 
At 10:53 AM, Blogger Christine Rimmer said...

Oh, and we just got a J Jill here. I have to go...

So much to buy, so little time...

 
At 11:22 AM, Blogger Maureen Child said...

What is GTM!?! I may have to know!! I love Target, Christie... just came back from there, actually and couldn't find these 12.99 Wonder Tees!! I did find some great long sleeved tees at Penney's for 7.99! =) Love a bargain!

Also love Chicos and J Jill's..

Muffin Top? What's that? And what's back fat?? I keep hearing about it, but of course, I'd never recognize it!!

 
At 1:48 PM, Blogger Christie Ridgway said...

Susan: Beige and cream would look great with your coloring. Surfer Guy bought me a great shearling jacket at Costco a couple of Christmases ago in those colors (of course) and I love it. Don't get to wear it all that much around here.

Sorry about the "fall tees." LOL. Okay, come January and February we'll be talking about sweaters here in SoCal. I think it's in the eighties today!

 
At 4:04 PM, Blogger Maureen Child said...

Jacket?? What's a jacket??

And christie..........what's GTM???

 
At 8:53 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

Yeah, what is GTM???

For me, my favorite place to shop is "Dress Barn"...they have the best sweaters (this time of year) and the coolest tees in the summer. I usually buy the same style in several colors each spring and wear them all summer long!

 
At 6:56 AM, Blogger Kate Carlisle said...

Stupid day job system wouldn't let me in yesterday afternoon so I'm behind the ball on these important shopping issues! Grrrr.....

I've never heard of GTM either!! Must find GTM!! But I love Target and did a little shop earlier this month for long sleeved tee shirts. I think they might be the same version of your short-sleeved tee, Christie! Very stretchy, but not. Interesting fabric, very flattering! Not that I need it. No muffin-top issues here. Maybe muffin-bottom, though....

Also a big Chicos fan. Love that place. Especially love those coupons!

 

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