Herban Sprawl

Big Kitty and I ventured out into the world of post-holiday sales today. The trip had a purpose: cheap wine from the warehouse store and more holiday storage boxes. I would have been happy with cardboard had it not been for the discovery of evidence that spelled a moisture issue in the kneewall storage area. So we needed to find plastic storage - and vino, of course.

We found some bargains (can you believe it? more lights?) and we had some fun investigating the leftovers at Target. We finally landed at B&N, after Auntie scored a pair of giant bottles of her favorite Eye-talian lavender bubble bath at Maxx. There, the goal was the latest book by Ina Garten. I saw a copy of a D.C. magazine that had a fabulous cover picture of the Obamas, and had to sit down and read the pictures. (Uncle Cookie and I are fond of reading the pictures first, then going back to the articles when we get time.)

I was very lucky and saw my former haberdasher, Jeff. I truly missed his store when he moved out of the mall. I had to make it a point to get myself there in his subsequent locations, but by then his ladies’ wear just didn’t float my boat. In the days of my infamous size 4 period, I dropped a lotta checks in there - he had a couple of fabulous saleswomen, and he had clothes that were just what I liked - simple, classic and stylish. He also had the best alterations lady this side of the Atlantic! Anyway, he is busy being a landlord of the building he built in the county, and his youngster is making a name for himself as a great auto detailer.

I told him about my rant about pants. He gets it. Even his mother predicted that Talbots was headed for trouble when they tried to change their demographic. That there are no classic pants around these here parts is a testament to the shift in our retail mindset. We no longer have local stores who understand their customers and go to market with the practiced eyes of merchants accustomed to providing superior customer service, along with clothing that everyone knows came from their store.

As we blunder our way through the dark side of an economy that still hasn’t been fully revealed to us, it is essential that certain things change. Americans won’t have the loose change for lots and lots of clothes and accessories. Furthermore, many of us are disenchanted with the high cost of clothing manufactured in Third World locations that cost peanuts to produce. We see that our own skilled textile workers are out of jobs and we see the move to offshore manufacturing for what it is: union busting.

Even now, the concessions expected of the automakers are being focused on the working stiffs, but not the high dollar executives. The bailout of Wall Street reeks of no oversight, and we’re all jittery. Banks requesting a piece of the bailout pie who don’t need the injection of cash, only want the money so they can buy up other failed banks. Where is the pride in what we make?

Pretty Woman was on last night. Remember the part where Vivien comments that Edward doesn’t make or build anything? Remember how it hits him that he’s missing something in his life by only tearing apart and never building? Is Edward Lewis a metaphor for our country?  Will this country wake up like he did? Or are we doomed to a life of pants that don’t make anyone look good? Are we destined to an existence of cheap goods because we can no longer afford to support the pillars of middle class society? Is Royal Worcester-Spode truly history?
I hope we don’t have unrealistic expectations of this young president-to-be, but I, like a lot of people, really do want to be hopeful. It’s just tough to feel positive when you can’t go out and get a decent pair of khakis or jeans. Ah, well, there is always chocolate, this new cookbook, and a treadmill for afterward!