A Dress A Day

A dress.
Mostly every day.

March 03, 2010

Talbots? Talbots. Huh.

Somehow I managed to get on the Talbot's catalog mailing list and this shirtdress caught my eye. LOVE this color green:


ebay item 8305987417

I can't tell if it has pockets or not, but it really does look nice. The whole catalog seems full of surprises, including some great cardigans in one kajillion colors and some very very cute shoes.

I haven't shopped at Talbot's in ages -- it was always a bit off in a way I think our friends in the UK would call "mumsy." So either they have gotten better, or I have now aged into their target demo. Or both. Both is always possible.

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posted by Erin @ 6:00 AM  

32 Comments:

  • At Mar 3, 2010 8:18:00 AM, Blogger Elle said…

    I'm a Talbots fan, but some seasons I do find the designs particularly "mumsy" (love that!) and avoid it entirely. I do have a few pairs of Talbots shoes and the fit is great, they're comfortable, and very well made.

     

  • At Mar 3, 2010 8:18:00 AM, Blogger B a la Moda said…

    Oh,yeah! This green is stunning. I ahve never shop in Talbot.

    xoxo
    B* a la Moda

     

  • At Mar 3, 2010 8:26:00 AM, Blogger Joni said…

    Ooh, I love that rose print cardigan. Would be just the thing over a shirtdress. However, it's $89 and will only be joining my wardrobe if I somehow manage to find one at Goodwill...

     

  • At Mar 3, 2010 8:26:00 AM, Blogger puncturedbicycle said…

    Ooh, yes. When I visit my mother I always have a look in the nearby Talbots and sometimes there are lovely things that are just the vintage side of mumsy if that makes any sense. I think they are trying to compete with Banana Republic and Ann Taylor. When they depart from frumpy, they touch on a Lilly Pulitzer-but-more-elegant kind of vibe that I quite like.

     

  • At Mar 3, 2010 9:06:00 AM, Blogger A Peppermint Penguin said…

    Don't know Talbots.

    Green, I know green and that is a fabulous shade of green. Buy it and put the pockets in your self if necessary!

    (And if you are getting old, I am getting old. Hmm, some days I feel 97, maybe I am old!)

    Cheers,
    AJ

     

  • At Mar 3, 2010 12:03:00 PM, Blogger FairLadyofCardigan said…

    Wow! I rarely step in Talbots, but looking at this dress, and looking at their Spring line, maybe I should. It's definitely not you--they've changed.

     

  • At Mar 3, 2010 12:07:00 PM, Blogger Ann V. said…

    I buy tons at Talbots (mostly at the outlet, though). You'd be surprised at the wacky, floral pants I've come home with, as well as a rack full of really great skirts (and my sexy jeans). They clear out seasonally so the sales are good, too.

     

  • At Mar 3, 2010 12:53:00 PM, Blogger Sara said…

    I don't usually like shirt dresses, but this one has a nice skirt. I do quite a bit of shopping through the Chadwick's catlog. They have a cute dress right now, the Crisp Cotton Wrap Dress, I have my eye on.
    http://www.chadwicks.com/

     

  • At Mar 3, 2010 1:56:00 PM, Blogger Val said…

    Well, I'm 26 and I think it's lovely. So, if you're getting old, you're not alone!

     

  • At Mar 3, 2010 2:11:00 PM, OpenID tyellas said…

    Talbots is kind of the "libertarian" of older-demographic-clothing; sometimes their stuff goes so far to the right that it turns out to be radically left. Designwise, they've made an effort to join the 21st century recently. Which is a good thing, because their clothes fit me very well!

     

  • At Mar 3, 2010 2:54:00 PM, Anonymous sil said…

    I believe they got a new CEO who's mission was to bring the company up to date. I agree, very cute dress - akin to one I saw in the Saks window in Union Square the other day. Is that a trend?

     

  • At Mar 3, 2010 2:54:00 PM, Anonymous sil said…

    I believe they got a new CEO who's mission was to bring the company up to date. I agree, very cute dress - akin to one I saw in the Saks window in Union Square the other day. Is that a trend?

     

  • At Mar 3, 2010 3:31:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    My mother is 70 and shops Talbots almost exclusively, so you're in good company!

     

  • At Mar 3, 2010 3:55:00 PM, Blogger Zoltar Panaflex said…

    Talbot's is not all old-lady clothes.

    And their outlet is a source of constant wonders.

     

  • At Mar 3, 2010 5:45:00 PM, Blogger Erin said…

    My mother-in-law is a great fan of Talbots, and I'm glad she is, or I'd never have acquired several cute items, because my impression was the same as yours.

     

  • At Mar 3, 2010 6:25:00 PM, Blogger Lisette said…

    I often pick up talbots at the thrift store (and I'm only 21), because they make cute things, and in petite sizes!

     

  • At Mar 3, 2010 6:25:00 PM, Blogger Lisette said…

    I often pick up talbots at the thrift store (and I'm only 21), because they make cute things, and in petite sizes!

     

  • At Mar 3, 2010 6:26:00 PM, Blogger MVB said…

    They've definitely become a mix of matronly and hip. Watch out for sizing though! I have to go down a size in Talbots clothes -- they definitely run large.

     

  • At Mar 3, 2010 8:27:00 PM, Blogger alison said…

    They're targeting a broader demographic these days. I say this because I no longer cringe when my mom wants to go in there and shop for cardigans, and I know my tastes haven't strayed too much from when I was 18. In the ten years since, Talbots has gone from high-waisted narrow-wale corduroy pants and folksy embroidered, high-necked cardigans to a whole range of clothing including flirty dresses, bold florals and some more flattering cuts for people from petite to plus-size. My mom still chooses the most un-appealing clothes, from my point of view, but the fact that we can both find things to look at and try on in that store is a testament to their changing sales approach.

    I am addicted to that colour of green, and have been craving shirtdresses lately. This does not bode well for my budget!

     

  • At Mar 4, 2010 1:01:00 AM, Anonymous the sewist said…

    I'm pretty young (a mere co-ed), and hate frumpy clothes with a passion, and I shop at Talbots when it's not too pricey.

     

  • At Mar 4, 2010 2:54:00 AM, Blogger bani said…

    Sometimes the mumsy companies trick you by getting new models, posing them cleverly and updating the accessories. *nods*

    I really like that, but it's too short for me. juuuust another inch and a half (see! I can do stupid US measurements despite being metric at heart) wouldn't hurt.

     

  • At Mar 4, 2010 9:45:00 AM, Blogger Robyn said…

    I was quite distressed when I was looking for (green) pants a few months ago, and the only ones that fit and were the right color were in Talbot's. But I did buy them anyway.

     

  • At Mar 4, 2010 12:50:00 PM, Blogger Steph said…

    Yes, Talbots used to be very buttoned-up and frequently veered into "mumsy" territory, but they have--as others have noted--made a concerted effort lately to liven up their line. My mom and I used to shop there when I was in college and was looking for some "professional gear" for starting out in the working world, but then it got REAAAALLLY frumpy for several years, as well as using cheaper materials and charging the same price as more expensive materials, and I abandoned the store. But now that I've matured some more, and that they're targeting the younger set, so many of their items strike me as surprisingly relevant and beautiful. I've bought scads from Talbots in just the last two months, including at the Outlet store. LOVE! They always have great sales, they always have enough in my size, AND offer almost everything in petites. AND women's petites! For very reasonable prices. Again, LOVE!

     

  • At Mar 4, 2010 2:36:00 PM, Blogger bani said…

    Would it be to OT to ask how their sizing works? I don't understand this apparrel/woman difference. Petite I get, I don't look at that because I'm not. But the rest?

     

  • At Mar 5, 2010 12:22:00 PM, Blogger Trude said…

    I've actually been shopping there with my mom for years (somebody has to teach that woman how to dress!), and occasionally find things for myself too. Typically work clothes, not exactly weekend wear for a 20-something, but my girlfriends and I all appreciate how well cut their clothes are for real womanly body types. Their trouser jeans are wonderful, button downs actually fit over my boobs, and sometimes they have super sweet dresses like the one above. You just have to keep checking back! Love their semi annual sale. :)

     

  • At Mar 6, 2010 4:47:00 AM, Anonymous Eirlys said…

    Ha! That's funny! I know exactly what you mean, Erin. I heard somewhere that most store buyers are put out to pasture over the age of 35 because their eye is deemed to have over-matured by then (you could say that their judgement is all mumsified). Either way, I'm in blissful ignorance. That IS a lovely shade of green! ;)

     

  • At Mar 7, 2010 9:04:00 AM, Anonymous Lizzie said…

    What's that? A pair of cute shoes? In 2010? Unheard of! (thanks for the link!)

     

  • At Mar 8, 2010 8:38:00 PM, OpenID eword10 said…

    I love that green dress!!!! Love it! Talbots has definitely changed. It's not us, it's them!

     

  • At Mar 12, 2010 3:18:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    By VERY CAREFUL if you purchase an item at a Talbot's store. They will not take returns unless they decide it is a quality issue. So if you wear an item and decide it actually does NOT fit or, in my case, I do not like the way the zipper works, they will not refund your purchase. You are stuck!

     

  • At Mar 14, 2010 10:14:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    It is not true that Talbots won't take things back, a complete falsehood.

    Here is a link to their return policy.

    http://www1.talbots.com/online/customerservice/customer_service_returns.jsp?cmp=ppc-g-e-B%5ETalbots%5EGeneral%5EK

     

  • At Mar 14, 2010 10:19:00 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Talbots has revamped their line. I really like some of their stuff, some of the prints are really great. Nicely made jackets, good quality.

    Read 2007 line in link-
    Former design director at Ann Taylor has been with Talbots a couple years.

    formerhttp://www.talbotsinc.com/brands/talbots/milestones.asp

     

  • At Mar 15, 2010 11:39:00 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Back to the return issue... Note their policy says "unworn". I wore the pants into the store to show how the zipper would stick. They said they would not take them back since (1) I had worn them (duh!) and (2) it was a function of the pant style - not a quality issue. I later called Customer Service and was told the same thing. I guess I should have lied.

     

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