Relief: all hail the Ann Taylor Factory Store

Where, today, I purchased a suit, a hoodie sweater, and a car-length wool winter coat - for $172.

It was AWESOME.

So, yesterday a friend of mine went with me on my quest to find a suit. (Summer job application season is upon us, and I'm doing a mock interview next week with volunteer attorneys, for which we need business attire. Of which I own none. I bought a suit before I went on the market in 1999, I think, but it stopped fitting me around 2005 and I ditched it long ago.)

We went to the big semi-upscale mall not far from campus, which has a Dillard's, a Macy's, a Nordstrom's, an Ann Taylor, a Talbots, and all the other paragons of American consumerism. Could I find a suit? Not to save my life. First, very few places even had any reasonable suit selection (my friend pointed out that we do live in a state not exactly known for its suits - after all, you don't wear them climbing a mountain). Second, the places that did have suits had few or none in my size. (I hover at the top end of sizes you can find in mainstream stores.) Third, the suits in my size were ugly and horrible on me. In short, a fun expedition, socially, but a bust, success-wise.

So this morning, after a lovely breakfast out, NLLDH and I headed to an outlet mall about 20 minutes south of town. I was fully expecting to have a frustrating, discouraging day of fruitless scrabbling through racks of ugly clothing. In fact, before we even left I'd already earmarked tomorrow for tramping round the snooty upscale mall near home.

And then the first store we went to was the Ann Taylor Factory Store. And they had clothes in my size! Lots of clothes in my size! And I tried on three suits, all of which were fine, two of which I liked, and one of which I liked a lot! And I didn't even try on everything that I liked! And everything was on massive sale!

Sorry for all the exclamation points, but this was both hugely exciting and a huge relief. One of the best things is, I don't even have to get the suit tailored - the skirt might benefit from being taken in a little, but it's very wearable as is. And the jacket fits great (it's possible that getting the next size up and tailoring it down would have been even better, but they didn't have the jacket in the next size up, and that size was really too big in the other suits I tried on). And honestly, right now, I just need something I can look presentable in for an interview. If I end up with a summer job that requires me to be in suits or the like daily, I will have to do some more shopping!

And then we walked around all the rest of the shops, and tried on but resisted many more cool things, and came thiiiiiiiiiiiiiis close to taking home the 12-year-old cat up for adoption in the pet store we visited. (NOT a pet store that sells pets; a pet supply store, which had a cat from a local humane society there, looking for a home; he was curled up in his kitty condo when we saw him, and as soon as he saw us he came right out and rubbed his head against our fingers and purred at us for ages. I think if we were in something bigger than a 1-BR apartment we'd take him. Unfortunately, trying to introduce a new cat to two old ones in such a small place seems like a pretty bad idea. But he was sooooo nice! And he's 12! What if no one else takes him??)

So that was our day. It was exhausting, but good.

And now we are going to re-watch last night's Battlestar Galactica. We watched when it was on last night, but we want to see it again.

How's everyone else's weekend?

Comments

[Rev Dr Mom]

I'm impressed that they had sizes that "hover at the top end of sizes you can find in mainstream stores" at the factory store. I'm in the same size range, and I've never had that kind of luck!

[New Kid on the Hallway]

Rev Dr Mom - I know! I was COMPLETELY amazed. Ann Taylor only carries my size online, not in the store. Interestingly, the Ann Taylor Factory Store seems only tenuously related to the real Ann Taylor - they told me that the black suiting stuff they had is always the same fabric, so you can come back at any time and pick up a black [whatever] and it'll match what you already have. I said something about, I've seen the black stuff online, and they said (a little reluctantly), well, we don't actually match the Ann Taylor items. So it seems the Ann Taylor people manufacture entirely different stuff from regular AT or AT Loft to go in the factory stores?? (Doesn't bother me!)

Interestingly, a LOT of the stores there had the wider range of sizes (Eddie Bauer and the Gap, definitely). You should come visit! :-)

[Notorious Ph.D.]

Good suit = Hooray!

Weekend = Unproductive, trying to perk self up after no good, very bad Monday last.

BSG = Ellen?!? Seriously? WTF?!!?

[Thoroughly Educated]

That's very good to know about the AT factory store! I've been thinking about needing some updated suit-ish pieces for late-winter/early-spring conferencing and possible job interviews. It would never have occurred to me that AT stuff would fit me, but I've just looked at their size charts online and they look promising. It always happens that when you need a suit, you need it now, and that kind of clothing is so hard to shop for.

[Seeking Solace]

I love the Ann Taylor outlet. You can get some great "lawyer gear" there for a good price!

Ysy for fruitful shopping!!!

[The History Enthusiast]

Dude, yesterday *I* was on a mission to find a suit! What are the odds?

I found mine at Limited, a skirt and blazer for under $150.

[The History Enthusiast]

P.S. I used to work for a large retail clothing chain, and for our chain the outlet clothes were never the same as the actual brand name clothes. I always had thought that they just shipped their overstock to an outlet or something, but actually outlet clothes are made out of leftover fabric or whatnot. So the Ann Taylor outlet might have a fabric purse made out of the leftover fabric from when the "real" store made a dress. Does that make sense?

This is why you usually can't return outlet items to a regular store and vice versa.

[Jackie]

I love the Ann Taylor Factory Store! I agree that the three AT stores often seem totally unrelated to each other. I have gotten a lot of great pieces for work at the factory store, some great pieces at the regular AT, and a very few winners at the Loft. In the same mall where I shop at the AT Factory Store, there is also a Gap outlet, and I swear it's like an entirely different store than the actual Gap-- more basics, more functional stuff, more work-appropriate stuff, less trendy stuff. If you see a Gap outlet, give it a shot too.

[kellyinkansas]

That's great - just what you needed and at a good price, too!

I can empathize on not rescuing another animal. It's hard not to take them all home. And thanks for reminding people that there are pet stores that allow the humane societies and rescue groups to show animals. The Humane Society of the US just had a report out about how Petland is the worst supporter of the puppy mills. Like you, I buy pet supplies at places like Petsmart that are more responsible about the care and feeding of living things.

Good luck on the interviews!

[Dr. No]

You can also sign up for an "teacher" discount at the AT website- available to all educators!

[Leslie M-B (trillwing)]

Yay for the new suit and its price! When I was last on the job market a couple years ago, I had to capitulate and went to Nordstrom's, where I spent about $1000 on a suit, a couple of shirts to wear with the suit, and shoes to go with the suit. But they tailored the pants for me and so it looked pretty awesome, aside from its being black, which is not my favorite suit color. Still, not worth $1000, especially when you're barely out of grad school.

Mr. Trillwing and I argue frequently over who is more baffled while watching BSG.

[Leslie M-B (trillwing)]

Oh, and I learned my lesson: I now shop for pants and tops almost exclusively at AT and ATL.

[New Kid on the Hallway]

Leslie - $1000 for a suit - ouch! Granted, I bet it was a pretty nice suit!

Dr. No - unless they extend the teacher discount to students, or former teachers, I think I'm out of luck. ;-)

Jackie, I completely agree about the Gap factory store! I nearly bought a ton of stuff there, too (but decided I should wait till I had a job that required it).

HE, thanks for the info! And congrats on your own suit.

Notorious - I know! I wasn't thrilled with the Ellen choice, because I never liked her, but I admit she was a well-written and fitting character; just unappealing (and what does it say about me that I wanted the last Cylon to be someone I liked??).