Yes Rachy, I agree with your comment!!

Or maybe there are things that we should be worried about, but distract ourselves from by shopping or tv viewing. I swing between worrying that I am not worrying/acting enough or thinking that life is short I should be happy/not spending all my time worrying!!

Back to the topic though, I think some retailers have lost their way - and while adaptation is vital in any business, some have alienated their traditional market but not quite found the new one.

A retailer I used to support a lot falls into this position. They used to be a great source for work clothes - great work pants, tailored dresses, merino tops etc and some wonderful evening pieces too. It was not cutting edge but it was trendy. Now I find they have moved to a lot of knitwear with very few colour options, endless pairs of black leggings, polyester tunics, and short dresses. The prices are similar to 10 years ago, so in the whole better value, but infinitely worse in quality and styling. So they have lost me 10 years on, and I am not sure they are appealing to those 10 years younger than me that may perceive it as "too old". I would not want the same cut of merino or work pants, but updated versions in a decent range of colours and cuts would still sell...

Rachy, I think you're right too. Maybe it's partly due to this crazy election year, but things feel quite fragile right now, like that $5 gallon of gas you mentioned could happen quicker than anyone expects. We're having trouble selling an old house in a decent neighborhood for a good price, and I think it's because people are largely not in a big spending mood right now.

Speaking of hobbies, Janet, my mother and I have a new one - going to open houses and snooping neighborhood homes. There are an incredible number of houses going up for sale in my neighborhood right now and never have houses sat for so long on the market here. In the past, honestly, sold signs would go up before the first open house was over - and someone had to die first, people lived their whole lives here. Now, two neighbors have vacated without being here more than a year. Even the nicely dressed are transients, fumbling around for direction...

Our neighborhood experience regarding homes for sale is the exact opposite. This area was hit very hard by the Recession. We had one of the highest foreclosure rates in the country. Lately, though, housing prices have not just sprung back but are exceeding pre-recession prices. I wish I could say I have gone to open houses, but the houses are selling so fast that they don't bother having one. Three houses within two blocks of us sold in a week. By the time I noticed the sign, the house had already sold. Mind you, this is neither a high end nor starter neighborhood, just middle class.

How long do people stay in their homes in your neighborhood, JAileen? House prices are completely skyrocketing down here (still), but I wonder about financial stability, there's so so much turnover.

Here's the data on the houses that sold:
1 - six years - moved to buy a bigger house due to new baby
2 - three years - divorce
3 - 17 years - divorce

Our neighborhood has some new people, moved in just last year, and one couple that has been in their house since the fifties. In general, people stay here forever.

That's interesting, JAileen. Sounds like turnover is on the rise in your neighborhood. Talking about new babies and moving...my parents did that after I was born, but they just moved down the street, lol. Our next door neighbor divorced, but she kept the house. I think of her as a newbie in town, although her eldest is going off to college and I remember the daughter as a little girl. The kids weren't babies when they moved here, however.

I think it's unprecedented that retail execs are speaking so frankly -- after years of hubris, a little bit of humility an approach that seeks to clothe a wide range of bodies for their real lives is really welcome.

I've had to work much harder to keep my wardrobe in a happy place in the last year of two, particularly with a cusp sized body and petite sized budget! I think though, I plan on making it a point to recognize the positive changes that I hope are coming on the horizon -- and maybe popping off a positive and constructive email or two to some of my favorite retailers!

Beth Ann, that's a good idea -- giving positive feedback to the retailers who are doing something right.

Yesterday I went to one of my favorite lunch spots (near my studio) to grab some carry-out to eat while I worked. Since the last time I was there, over a month ago, they've changed their menu. The new menu is much less appealing to me (way fewer options in the way of salads, wraps, and lighter fare, and more burgers for some reason). I got a salad that ended up being pretty unsatisfying. I have been wondering if I should send their management a note of constructive criticism. I've always talked them up in the past (it's a local establishment, not a chain), but I'm definitely disappointed. I hate to be a complainer, but I guess it's better to tell an establishment about our negative experiences than to just stop going and have them wonder why their business is dropping off. Surely I'm not the only person around here who needs fewer burgers and more veggie wraps?

Rachy, in one of the houses that sold, I didn't know the people. The other two I'm really sorry they're leaving. They were college profs who "classed up" the neighborhood. At our block party they were really interesting and fun.

Janet, it's very risky to talk up a restaurant. I have a Thai restaurant that everyone I've introduced it to, has loved it. Then one time my husband and I went there and there were no available tables!

We don't have block parties. The back neighbors are clueless and break protocol by talking to us. I make my mother laugh by telling her how they think she's a sweet old lady and don't notice her efforts at all at making them stop, lolol. We did, however, go to the divorced lady's daughter's play...but note, we didn't talk to her. Ahahaha! That's the neighborhood. Gave me a chance to dress up tho...

Love this thread.

As for clothing, the comments after the article reinforces my love for Eileen Fisher fabrics and designs.

I thought that article was dead on, and I'm glad I'm not the only person who has bailed on Macy's. I kept thinking "am I just...getting snobby?"

Also, the size issue is infuriating. I've been anywhere from a 10/12 to an 18/20 as an adult, aka the dreaded borderline sizes -- which is also the range of most common sizes in the US! Often, buying online is my ONLY choice -- for example, I used to *live* in Gap jeans, but now my size is only available online. A *lot* of sizes are now only available online for many retailers.

And then you see articles with retailers complaining that too many women order things just to try them on and "abuse" free returns! Maybe they should stop making terrible clothes, and also stock more sizes.

I do still go to stores for tops, fairly often. In fact I have a great Gap jacket for fall that I bought locally rather than ordering it -- had to try multiple sizes, and I knew I had to try multiple sizes, so I didn't order it because it's too much hassle. But it was in the window display so I stopped in, tried three sizes, and bought the one that fit best.

I bailed on Macy's several years ago.

I am interested, is there a retailer in the US that supplies jeans in modern and classic styles, for petites, talls, a full range of sizes... and similar for tees, sweats etc.. I would have thought Gap filled that market....but from this thread it does not sound that way.

Sally, Gap used to fit this profile -- in the 80's and early 90's. There used to be cubbies full of jeans all over the store, but that has changed. You can actually find this sort of marketing still at Old Navy, which is owned by the same company as Gap, along with Banana Republic and Athleta.

I think rachylou nailed it. And unfortunately, it doesn't look like it's going to get better for the next several years. The retailers themselves need to have some motivation to be in business -- and if profits are down (wages are up, taxes are up, leases are up - all expenses are up) where is the motivation coming from? We're going to see a lot more stores closing unless something major changes.

Janet mentioned the restaurant and that's a related issue - restaurants in Texas (and all over the U.S.) are similar to other retailers and can't hire/keep people so they are struggling to just get the doors opened, prep the food and serve it each day. That's likely why they want to flip burgers - it's the easier thing to make. Vegetarian/healthy food is MUCH harder to prepare and to keep fresh produce on hand is next to impossible, not to mention more expensive than ground meat. There is so little profit margin in the restaurant business already and the demand for $15 an hour is making that much less in areas where they just don't have the high traffic.

People are going to have to come to terms with paying a lot more to dress and to eat out if they want quality.

Workers in retail businesses of all types are staying home instead of being in the workforce. Not sure how they are affording to do it, other than unemployment benefits and student loans. Many older workers have taken early social security or disability.

I have had better luck at Macy's than many others. But then again, I find more online than in store to try. It's difficult not to have returns when the only items you want from a retailer are online purchases that are not available to try on in the store.

Interesting article. I don't have a 'go to' store these days, where I can consistently find styles/fabrics that are appealing to me. I find a few things at BR, but I don't like the polyester tops. JCrew is a bit preppy for me and/or better for a taller, thinner figure but I agree that it's hard to find many things offered in size 10 or 12. Yet when I look at their sale racks, the majority of things on there are the very small sizes (likely because that's all they stocked to begin with.) And I remember when Ann Taylor meant high quality and great styles but I don't see that anymore.

After getting a bit tired of it, Eileen Fisher is again appealing to me. I'm also drawn to Vince for the quality and nice fabrics. And since I've learned that I don't need the quantity I once had, it's easier to spend more on individual pieces to get the nicer fabrics. Not that some polyesters aren't nice, but some are awful. I just don't want to wear things that don't feel good anymore.

As a person who has sensitive skin, I don't mind certain polyesters or blends. I just don't want poor quality. I've purchased too many cotton tops that have developed holes in them. So much for natural fabrics bring superior. That's not necessarily the case.

Hoping that this type of article brings about a change - as someone who prefers classic styles, I haven't found much in the more fashion-forward lines, and even when things look classic (e.g., a navy wrap dress I ordered and returned from AT), the construction / fabric hasn't been right. That said, I recently kept a navy wrap dress from BR - probably the first dress I've kept from purchases at AT and BR in 3-4 years, so hopefully they will turn things around and appeal more to their customer base.

This is an interesting article that really resonates.

I am tired of being asked to pay $90 for a synthetic top. Or a cheaply made one. I assume the $90 price tag is so they can run 40% off later. But it's still not worth the price.

And yes, why would your customer base pay full price when you've trained us that you're going to run a 40% off special in a week or two?

I have seen the huge change in quality, too. When I retired a jacket and went to buy the same one, I was amazed at the difference. How much cheaper everything from the zipper to the pocket linings, to the fabric was.

It would also be nice to see more things in my size rather than retailers deciding my size in only available online.

More standard sizing would be nice. Too.

So, yeah, we're sick of the trouble of it all and are spending money on more enjoyable things!

"Even the nicely dressed are transients, fumbling around for direction..."

That's wisdom there. Distilled.

I think the whole simple living and minimalism movement that has started now has been mainstream a century ago and less. We all have stories of how our grand and great-grand parents lived frugal lives in times of war and scarcity of resources. Now there's just too much available. At whatever quality. Too many choices. Too little content (pun intended). Fashion, housing, careers, entertainment. And more choices do not more happiness bring.

Interesting article and right on point. We've all noticed this. We want quality. We want the $98 sweater at JCrew to be the same quality as it was 10 years ago. Quality and a hip casual esthetic are what drew me to JCrew years ago. The prices have gone up so the quality should still be there.

And Macys.....I really wish that I could get a job on a Macy's focus group and get them to overhaul their stores. In fact, I've seen some corporate yuckity yucks there and I stopped them to suggest that they please put a chair or a bench in the dressing rooms because people need to set their stuff down and sit down to pull their boots off. They need to make the dressing rooms inviting, pretty and comfortable so that you will stay and try on clothes. I could have gone on. Their stores are so jam packed with ugly clothes you can't even see what's there. They need to edit their closet big time! And the stores need revamped. Make them fun, beautiful and display the clothes so you can see them. Enough on my Macy's rant.....

I believe rachylou made a good point. We are a bit of a lost society. I remember reading an article when I was trying to understand what is compelling people to join ISIS. The author said "They believe that they are personally involved in struggles beyond their own lives, and that merely to be swept up in the drama, on the side of righteousness, is a privilege and a pleasure—especially when it is also a burden." Capitalism has offered us a good time but people are more compelled by a cause that is bigger than themselves. Wouldn't it be great if we could all be compelled to get behind a cause such as global warming.

I've come back to this post so many times to read the comments. Great discussion.

Regarding Macy's, in my entire life I have only purchased two items from them (@Christmas of last year I ordered two kut from the kloth leggings online). The Macy's stores in our area are just plain icky. I'll park in their parking lot and scurry through their store to reach the stores I want to shop in. I don't even stop to examine their merchandise. I know it is shit.

Truthfully, I don't go to the mall much anymore. I do 95% of my shopping online. It is easier and much more comfortable.

One last comment about the constant 30-40 percent discounts. The merchants literally have taught me never to buy at full price. If I wait just a couple of weeks, there will be a sale. For example, I have my eye on these two tee shirts. Right now they are full price. If I wait two-to-three weeks, they will be discounted. Then I'll buy them.

Approprio, yes -- pretty much everything I've bought new this year has been either high-end sportswear or Uniqlo! (Plus a couple handmade Etsy items.) For me, Uniqlo has replaced Gap/ON/BR/JC/etc for basics. It's refreshing to find a line of clothes with reasonable prices, a good selection of natural fibers, and cuts that are actually intended to be worn by human bodies, not mannequins. For high-end sportswear, I usually have good luck with Patagonia, Ibex, and Icebreaker, to name a few. Lulu and Athleta, not so much (I really feel the quality/comfort/fit is not there for the price, though I know many disagree).

I think Rachylou nails it -- the zeitgeist is one of fragmentation. The whole department store experience feels less and less relevant.

I hadn't really thought about why I was not finding anything in Macy's anymore. But the quality has gone way down. I bought 2 inexpensive tops that work very well with some crops, but need to be resewn. I would have prefered to spend more and buy better quality, but there is so little near me in my size. so I guess I still try a few times a year. I noticed that the coupons come in the mail constantly, but the desire to go to the store is relatively non-existent. And the racks of clearance-sometimes the clothes are several years old. I'm not sure the quality is much different than the stores that used to be considered a level below them.