this isn't your mother's talbots...

bj1111

so many lust-worthy pieces at talbots this fall.

for a preview, check out the fall lookbook.

my faves...

camel double breasted coat
leather pencil skirt in luggage (ie. brown)
leather bomber in vicuna
double breasted herringbone coat (in many colors to please the ylf-netizens)
wool jacket in mist heather

their jackets are really really sharp.

must.resist.

15 years ago

Shopping

23 replies

Latest reply was from shell

Maya

Veteran

Talbots could not be less appropriate for my age, lifestyle, or personal style, but I totally love this lookbook. Very elegant but without being stuffy. I can see many of our forum members doing some damage there (*coughaprilcough*).

Those flat oxfords are killing me. Love them. I'll stick with the less expensive Steve Madden ones though...

15 years ago

Kate

Veteran

There was a post on the same lookbook about a month ago: http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....k-stunning

15 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Be that as it may - Talbots has not adjusted their fits to accommodate their new target market. It's beyond me that they haven't done that :0(

Fab look book though!

15 years ago

taylor

Veteran

The catalog is FAB...The items in the store don't ever seem to resemble these items , nor do they fit like they look to fit in the catalog..they don't carry my size, but I remember last year I inquired on a pair of riding type pant they showed in the catalog...when I saw it in person the representation in the catalog and what was in the store looked like two different items:(

15 years ago

MNsara

Veteran

Great pictures with some outfits worth imitating. . . Did anyone else have a certain killer YLF veteran ^^ come to mind when they saw the model on page 12. . . ?

15 years ago

bj1111

Veteran

yes...i thought their sizing was still too large the last time i went through. i thought with the new looks, they would have readjusted their sizing as well.

too bad.

ps: sorry for the repost. forgot about april's thread.

15 years ago

April

Veteran

<patting Maya on the back to stop the coughing fit> Maya, you're totally onto me.

MNS -- isn't that the same model who recently styled Rosie's hair?

I feel like the Talbots cheerleader, but I will say again that if you can wear petites, they do carry a 0. I cannot wear their pants, but can absolutely buy jackets and other items to be worn on top.

Whatever groceries I may have to do without, I am definitely getting those long gloves this year.

15 years ago

crazyone

Veteran

April: really? I bought the smallest size petite jacket possible from them last year and it was still too big. Their sizing runs huge in my limited experience.

15 years ago

Mac

Veteran

I'm just thrilled that their cuts are "too large." For those of us who don't usually fit into fun, young clothing, I certainly appreciate Talbots remaining loyal to their larger clients. I think they'll actually get a huge following because, seriously, while size 4s have all sorts of places to shop for sharp, relatively inexpensive pieces, we size 16s are limited in our choices and Talbots could get a pretty high market share with us.

15 years ago

April

Veteran

CO -- in my experience, it varies a bit from piece to piece, but in general I can wear their smallest petite size in jackets. Sometimes a little nipping in is required, but I have just about given up hope of finding *any* jacket that fits perfectly right off the rack.

One caveat: I'm usually shopping the things that go on sale, and I tend to think that those things went on sale in the first place because they were oddly sized and lots of people returned them. Could be that the things that have fit me well were the ones that ran small.

15 years ago

MNsara

Veteran

April - I was impressed by all those gloves, too! They are so elegant! I (sort of) wish that would be a fashion resurgence, although not very practical when not needed for weather. . .

15 years ago

Maya

Veteran

Mac, I agree that size 4's have all sorts of places to shop and don't face the challenges of, say, a size 16+. But I don't think we're talking about a size 4. We're talking about the ultra petite, in the truest sense of the word. 0's and 00's.

I don't want to minimize the difficulty women of larger sizes have in finding clothes, but I truly believe it actually gets harder rather than easier when you're at the opposite extreme. I say this because I am clearly not a size 0 myself, but lately I have been finding myself in XS's and 0's, which leaves me wondering how people who are smaller than me manage to find anything that fits. Unlike larger sizes, there is no real market for smaller sizes. There is no "minus size" department in stores. I'm always able to find wide calf boots when I'm searching, but narrow calf? Good luck. I don't have very narrow calves compared to some of the other forum members, and even I have a painful time finding anything that fits.

I know the consensus is always that skinny girls have it easy but I wholeheartedly disagree. It's those in the middle who have the best luck. 6-8-10 seems to be the most plentiful range based on my own personal experience.

15 years ago

crazyone

Veteran

April: I fit in off the rack jackets in a bunch of places, but the Talbots jackets I tried were too big. Perhaps it was just the ones I tried, but I had the distinct impression that their sizing ran large.

15 years ago

April

Veteran

Maya -- hear, hear! Thank you for summarizing that so well.

CO -- the statement that they run large is a fair one. Just saying don't give up because it can be done! Did you find the jacket big in the shoulders? That would be the one deal-breaker in terms of tailoring, whereas other things are an easy fix, and I think Talbots' quality makes a little tailoring worthwhile.

15 years ago

bj1111

Veteran

long gloves in a red or a blue for me....no sizing issues.

15 years ago

eperdu

Active Member

Talbots is undergoing an overhaul at this time. I was in a store last week and they were discussing it (very very carefully) that they are changing things up, making their looks more modern, possibly changing sizing, and basically trying to compete with everyone else. They said they will always carry their basics but are changing most everything else.

Their sizing runs strange for me. I tried on a dress at Talbot's and needed a size 8 in one and size 2 in another. In other stores I am a 2/4 but had to buy an 8 to get the right fit. Of course, it could be that this was a shirt dress and they are a different type of fit.

As for "who has it worst in sizing" .. let me just say that I have lost 160 pounds over the last 2 years. I went from size 22/24 to now being in some size 2's. It is far HARDER for me to shop now than it ever was as a plus size person. EVER. I actually hate shopping now. Sizing is all over the place, in some places I wear size 12 pants and in others size 2. I know vanity sizing runs rampant but that's a crazy gap in sizing! I could go on and on about the difficulties but having been on the other end, there are many times when I go shopping when I wish I could go back - it's a very very fleeting thought, trust me .. but I miss jeans that fit the way I want.

15 years ago

JewelryGirl

Active Member

I shopped at Talbot's for years - that was before I discovered fit & my true style.

The look book is GREAT! In my opinion, Talbot's is getting it's game on for Marketing, Photography. It still lacks in the FIT & in-store MERCHANDISING. It would be nice to have another player in the true classic basics & fun pieces here and there.

I walked in one of our local stores that has been in town for decades, I almost asked them if they were going out of business as it was so sparse. Now, I wonder if they are making way for a transformation?

Hopefully, they can get the full package together soon!

15 years ago

bj1111

Veteran

eperdu, congrats on the weightloss.

re talbots and the lookbook...i'm preparing myself for disappointment at not getting the pieces that i lust after because of sizing issues. like teasing a small child with a toy she can't have.

i suppose more than oversizing, truly inconsistent sizing would drive me nuts. i'd like to know if a particular brand ran large or small so i could adjust accordingly, especially since i buy online so much. this is not strictly a talbots issue. we've had a thread recently on the br pants fit shifting between colors.

15 years ago

Beth

Veteran

I was so in love with the lookbook. And then I went into the store. It doesn't even look like the same place. The fit has definitely not changed nor has the merchandising. I was sorely disappointed:(

15 years ago

Kristine

Veteran

The lookbook is beautiful, aside from fur collars with everything (are those faux?). I'm actually relieved that the clothing isn't as nice as it looks, I don't need more things to drool over for the fall.

15 years ago

shana

Veteran

I agree with the others - the sizing is unfortunately still an issue. I remember being very excited by last year's fall look book and the ensuing disappointment when i went into the store. There are a few gems but overall, the fit is way too boxy. The look book definitely provides lots of inspiration though!

15 years ago

Active Member

Wow, the lookbook is pretty amazing, but I'm sure I'll never see anything in it in person.

I was disappointed when I went into my local store in search of skirts and dresses I'd seen online and was told I'd have to check at a larger Talbot's in another city for 'those items' because they didn't carry them.

I couldn't believe it, but it was true. The store near me is essentially t-shirts and trousers. Period.

As for the sizing issue, my mother is 4'11" and was just telling me how she can't find anything anywhere anymore. I know what she's saying, because when I was smaller, I struggled to find clothes, and I've never really been that small compared to some of the truly petite women around.

15 years ago

shell

Active Member

I have honestly never stepped foot in a Talbot's, but I'm loving their looks! Back in high school, my econ teacher mentioned that a store like Talbot's was successful b/c a woman at any age could walk in and find something they liked Now, this was about 6 or 7 years ago, when we high schoolers considered the store to be super matronly, so we laughed off the statement. I suppose it's true to some degree, probably now more so than ever.

I am tempted to go and look around the store sometime. I am loving the circle-lace skirt and the high-ridge twill jacket.

As I've never stepped foot in a talbot's, i'm not familiar with the sizing. That said, I don't mind that the sizing runs a little big. Esp. since I run a little big. But I guess my point is that not all stores will work for everyone. Whether that's because of size, style, color palettes, or any other number of things, it's hard to please everyone. So, you just have to find what works for you!

15 years ago

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