Anonymous wrote:I gate Talbots because they don’t offer my size in their pants - I’m tall and there’s nothing with a long enough inseam for me.
Just flood pants. Is that ok by you?

Huh? I buy Talbots in tall lengths with a 36" inseam. And they have a long hem. Unless you are 6'4" that should work.

My mom likes Talbots and Chicos. But she is almost 70 years old.
She wants me to dress like her, and has occasionally bought me gifts from there, but it's just not my style.
I actually started a thread here a few years ago about another company that I felt was similar, Soft Surroundings.

I don’t mind that you hate Talbots. I’m a taller middle aged woman with a few extra pounds and it’s nice to be able to go into a store and get something that fits well, doesn’t have spaghetti straps or is cut up to my hoo-ha, and isn’t going to get cruddy after a few cleanings. You just leave me one store where I’m not picking aroud the two items in the back that might be over a size 12.

I haven't noticed hate for Talbots here. I admit that their clothes fit better on middle age woman. They are popular because it is well made and offers it in a large range of sizes; regular, petite and 'woman'. You can find some cute pieces. I like their girlfriend ankle jeans. Regular size was too long so I found one in petites that hits right at the ankle. The denim is heftier and won't stretch out like Old Navy.

If I find an item that I like and works well for me, I buy it. No matter what brand name is on the label. I have several pencil skirts from Talbots that I love and receive many compliments on. I don't have anything from Chico's, but that doesn't mean I have an issue with the brand, or won't buy something from the brand in the future. Their aesthetic seems to be "flowy". I lean more toward tailored and structured clothing.

Because there are so many other places you can get good basics why bother going to Talbots and Chicos, where the overall aesthetic is boring and frumpy? They aren't the ONLY places with well-made things.

Anonymous wrote:It’s just that the overall style of those stores is for middle-aged to older women. But you can find some decent items there.

So it's basically self inflicted misogyny? All women age, too, whether you like it or not.

The overall look of both stores in just boring and dowdy, so if you’re getting everything there, that’s how you’ll look. If you’re selective about what you choose, though, you can find some good individual pieces, especially basics, at either store.

Anonymous wrote:It’s just that the overall style of those stores is for middle-aged to older women. But you can find some decent items there.

It's definitely this. They have some decent stuff, I could probably find some things I like. But Talbots is a store my WASPy grandmother shopped at and my 64 year old mom is now starting to wear. I'm in my 30s. If my mother is scared of "looking like she shops at Chico's" with the connotation that you have 100 percent "given up" they'll be passed over.

My 25 year old DD is a convert to Talbot's jeggings. But she has me get them for her....

It’s just that the overall style of those stores is for middle-aged to older women. But you can find some decent items there.

Talbots can be very frumpy. But they also make some nice pieces. I have a great black shirt dress from there and get tons of compliments on it.

I gate Talbots because they don’t offer my size in their pants - I’m tall and there’s nothing with a long enough inseam for me.
Just flood pants. Is that ok by you?

I haven't noticed the hate

In the "black work pants" thread somebody said she wouldn't be caught dead in Talbots, which is a sentiment I see here a lot. My view is that well-made basics are good no matter the brand. I do understand not wanting your whole wardrobe from one place, but I think that's true of almost any clothing line. For example, I don't like the the Chicos "look" you would see in a catalog, but I'm wearing a gray cotton t-shirt right now that nobody would know is from Chicos; it's soft and well-made. Ditto black pants from Talbots -- if they fit and they're well made, why so much hate for the brand?

I suspect it's because they carry a range of larger sizes at attainable prices (i.e., if you can snub them you're likely thinner and wealthier than average) but I'm happy to be told I'm wrong.