Excuse me, I have some shopping to do.

Well...maybe.  I tried.

It's getting close to time to return to Blacksburg for the fall semester.  I really try not to go back with all of my same clothes from the previous year; I like to change some things up.  You know, a new dress, a skirt or two, maybe a light-weight sweater or fall scarf...like that.  Anything new I buy usually replaces its year-old counterpart in my closet.  For instance, recently, I replaced my year-old Sperry shoes.  I love Sperrys.  They may be expensive, but they're so well made, and they work really well on my feet.  They actually have arch support, and for people who are really prone to shin splints, like myself, that's kind of wonderful.

(Side note: speaking of fall scarves, I finally made that braided scarf I've been seeing on Pinterest for months.  It's so cute!  Check out the tutorial I used.)

Today, my mom and I went out after I got home from my internship (my last day!) to begin the search-and-replace process.  Mom found a few pairs of shorts, but I was anything but successful.


We went to Kohl's, Marshall's, Boscov's (a department store that is specific to Pennsylvania and New Jersey), Macy's, and I breezed through a few other stores at the mall.   Out of all of those places, I had absolutely no luck at all!  I mean, there were some cute pieces I saw, like this really pretty yet simple blue dress at Forever 21...it was very Kate Middleton.  Anyway, even though it looked cute on the mannequin, it didn't look that cute on me.  The lines didn't hit me just right, and it was a little too short.  I was disappointed, but Forever 21 was only my first stop.  I was sure I would find something at another store.

Well, I thought I would.  I tried on a couple of dresses at Boscov's, but I didn't even find anything that I thought was remotely attractive at any of the other stores.  Maybe I'm picky...or maybe the fashion that's available right now really isn't in that great of taste.

Or maybe designers need to make clothes that fit all body types.

I'm not an expert on shopping for guys' clothing, but from what I've observed, they've got it way easier than girls.  Pants are labeled by two numbers: waist and leg length.  A pair of pants that measures 34 x 32 at Tommy Hilfiger is the exact same as a pair of 34 x 32s at GAP or Eddie Bauer.  Females, on the other hand, have a harder time.  Our clothes, especially shorts and pants, are cut in about a million different ways.  I swear I'm a different size in every store.  The inconsistency is incredibly annoying.  Why can't a size 6 be a size 6 across the board?  Why does a 6 at Tommy Hilfiger have to be smaller than a size 6 at another store?

That situation isn't limited to pants.  I had the same issue with shirts, as well, except it's not quite as irritating with shirts for some reason.  At Anne Taylor Loft, I fit perfectly into a small or even an extra small, when I usually wear a medium or occasionally a large, depending on the material of the shirt.  I was surprised, but not disappointed by any stretch.

Back to my adventure today...one thing I noticed is that so many skirts and dresses are all so short.  This is where the difference in body types comes into play.  I'm 5' 6 1/2" and have long legs, and I'm proud to say I have curves (wasn't always the case, but that's besides the point).  With my lines, I look best in empire waist dresses with halter-style tops, even though I find halters kind of uncomfortable.  All four dresses I tried on today had lower waist lines and hit me lower on my hips.  They made my torso and hips look short and huge.  They were all also a good bit shorter than they appeared.  Not a good combination for my taste. 

But you know what?  Maybe they aren't really that short.  Maybe they're made for girls who are shorter in both the torso and legs.  And that's cool...but not when every single item is made that way.  What about the girls with some height and long legs who don't feel comfortable in shorter lengths?  I want a little more coverage than that.  It's also better to wear longer in professional environments.  Dress and skirt length is a fine line to flirt with, and in professional work settings, it's better to be safe than sorry.  It's getting harder and harder to find clothes with more coverage that are well made, and affordable for college students.  I love Anne Taylor's clothes, but can I afford them?  Not on a college student budget, especially when I'm saving up for a six-week study abroad program...that's why I choose stores like Kohl's and Boscov's.  And when I can't find anything there...what's my next option?

So designers, please note all of the above.  Forever 21, I like your clothes, really.  But please realize that many girls have long legs, and we prefer our dresses to have a little more to them.  Women are not built like men.  We are like snowflakes: no two are exactly alike.  We need more variety and choice in our clothing that better fit our million different body types.

There is so much more to this than mere annoyance in shopping...but that's another post for another day!


P.S. ten points to the person who can guess which movie the title of this post references!