Pants is a funny word. Pants, pants, pants.
Posted November 06, 2007
I've been out of the business casual game for a few years now. I could get away with jeans every day at my jobs in San Antonio and Austin. When I asked my summer boss here in Madison about her dress code, she said "no short shorts". She also said that I looked professional in what I had on, which was a skirt, t-shirt, and flip flops. Awesome.
But now I'm back in the world of no jeans/no tennis shoes. Since my last business casual workplace was about four years and two pants sizes ago, I found myself with exactly one pair of khakis and some suit pants. I have skirts and tights, but it has suddenly gotten wintry around here, plus gale force winds in the mornings, and I, as we know, am hugely wimpy where the cold is concerned.
So on Sunday night, off I went to Shopko. Shopko, for those of you outside the midwest, is like Target, except without Starbucks. (I bet you non-midwesterners would be envious of the two Target-esque options we have, had I not just mentioned the whole winter thing.) And Shopko, God bless them, even had some pants in petite so I could wear them this very week without having to get them shortened first.
(Non-pants-related digression: Shopko, why is it that all of your sweaters fit me except they are too roomy in the chest while your button down shirts fit everywhere except that they pull across the chest? You can either think that I am too flat-chested for your discounted clothes or too well-endowed, but you can't have it both ways, Shopko.)
Here is what I am finding about pants these days: increased security. All of the pants I have tried on recently have had two hook and eye closures, a button, and a zipper. Really, pants-makers? Are these flat front khakis or a chastity belt? Has there been increased terrorist chatter regarding the pantsing of women in cubicles? Was this mandated by the USA PATRIOT ACT? Hands off my pants, Congress! And I mean that in every way it could possibly be understood.
Sharon says:
November 06, 2007 at 07:23 PM
Totally with you in the petite or ankle-length pants. I am very short-waisted and cuffing my pants hasn't looked cool since 1987. If that. They are the perfect length when I stand in flats. However, I find that when I sit and cross my legs in them that too much of my ankle shows, someties revealing the top of my sock where, in the winter months, one could observe how many days/weeks it has been since I shaved my legs. And when I wear those pants with heels it looks like really funny looking bell bottoms. Do you have this problem? Sort of similar to the no-win shirt situation you are having at that store. Darned clothing makers!
Kelly G says:
November 06, 2007 at 09:14 PM
Shopko is no Target! That is not a fair comparison at all. Target is one of the greatest places on earth and Shopko is just, well, Shopko. There is no Dollar Spot at Shopko. And it is not nearly as trendy. It does, however, have semi-decent and cheap clothes so I will forgive you for this minor infraction, but as you can see, I am quite passionate about this matter.
Amy says:
November 06, 2007 at 10:25 PM
Oh Shopko-- How I miss you so :(
I have no comment on either the short length of pants or the "problems" area ;) hehehe
Diane says:
November 07, 2007 at 09:04 AM
Sharon, I'm with you on the pants. Lori, I'm with you on the shirts/sweaters. Clothing makers, I hate you all.
lisa says:
November 07, 2007 at 09:10 AM
Maybe Congress could introduce a bill to force a 1-button + zipper closure mandate for pants-makers. I mean, really if you have to use the restroom at work as often as I do, all those fasteners cut down on your productivity. America can't afford the lost work time that accompanies high-security pants!
One Smart Cookie says:
November 07, 2007 at 01:01 PM
But have you noticed how, over time, all of those closure methods fail to work? Like first one of the hooks will fall off, then the button, and then finally the zipper stops working and you just give up on the pants.
Maren says:
November 07, 2007 at 05:57 PM
What my sister failed to mention in her "Shopko is just Shopko" comment is that we hate Shopko really (except that we buy our pants there too...and sometimes shoes) The deep burning contempt comes from the fact that without fail there is only one checkout lane open and the person assigned to that checkout has either no clue about how to run the register, or no care about it, and is incredibly slow. Something that we former Wal-Mart workers cannot abide by...not that we love Wal-Mart either, but we hate it for other reasons.