Day Forty-Six: Target vs. Walmart, and Cotton is Comfy for Pumpkin-Carving

I don't know about you, but I'm completely full of Halloween candy and packed on an extra 1.5 pounds of water (I'm sure that's what it is...) overnight. Among many other things, I ate both Baby Ruths that Bengal brought home in his bag, as well as the single Goetze bullseye caramel--my very favorites. I don't ever remember getting those in my bags as a kid.

I'll post my zebra costume pics here with price, etc details tomorrow. If you absolutely have to see them right this very minute, you can check out my Facebook profile pic. (And do send me a friend request if we don't have an e-friendship already.)

So, Thursday's shopping trip with Rebecca: The Target-Walmart battle:

First thing--Rebecca is adorable and looks as though she's about ten years younger than she is, which is 25, I think. She's teaching high school seniors, so it's important that she has a look that demands respect right off.

Second thing--Becca is a size 0/2. Yes, you read that right. If she chose, she could go to NYC right now and become a designer's fit model. But she's very sweet, so I don't hate her for being so petite, perfectly proportioned and in possession of the longest waist I've seen on a live person. (I only suffer a little from waist-envy, as I have no waist at all.)

 

We started at Target. You know I'm a big Target fan. I don't buy many everyday clothes there because I'm not all that into trends and they skew a little young. But they have terrific workout wear, tee-shirts, scarves, faux jewelry, and jammies. I buy a lot of kids' stuff, too.

Target is great for hip young things like Becca. Stylish, fun, but not disposable fashion. Lots of office-suitable wear. But when I started ticking off Tim Gunn's list in my head, and got a look at the prices, I realized that we weren't going to get very far on a limited budget. (I didn't realize their clearance section had gotten so large--I missed it on the first trip there on Thursday. But only the summery stuff was truly well-priced.

So it was off to the mothership....

Here's what we got for $114:

L.E.I. blue jeans
Royal Spice (Turquoise) turtleneck
Royal Spice ruffle-neck henley
Pomegranate 3/4 sleeve knit sweater
Black pleather belt
Black tights
Black chunky cardigan
Black turtleneck
Off-white turtleneck
Pomegranate flats
Black mules

She looks great! (You're wondering why there aren't photos of Rebecca in her new clothes here. Unfortunately, I didn't know we were going to Walmart. I was sure we'd get everything at Target.)

Here's a pic of the henley.

Then, because black pants are a total necessity and investment, we went back to Target to buy the size 0/2 pants that fit her better than the WM George label pants. ($24.95).

Walmart has a very limited supply of XS clothes. Such a shame. There were many more things she could have bought that would have worked. But I think Rebecca has an excellent start and did a fabulous job of choosing clothes that make her look like a teacher to be reckoned with.

What I learned: I'm, uh, getting a little price-sensitive. It's just as well that for now I have to stay away from Dillard's, Banana Republic, J.Peterman, Bluefly.com, Peruvian Connection, Nordstrom's, Anthropologie, etc. I've gotten so completely into the WM mindset that I don't know that I could dress myself in pricier clothes--or in anything but solid colors. The shopping trip was great fun, though, and I'd do it again any time!

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Here's my Friday (Day 46) pumpkin-carving and working at the book fair ensemble:

Ralph Lauren ivory cotton sweater (Sam's Club): $20; Calvin Klein cotton cords (Sam's): $18; Sliver stud earrings: $7; Red rubber rain boots: $25    Total: $70

Tomorrow: Zebra stripes.

*** Photo of Royal Spice henley from www.walmart.com