# The prevalence or paucity of comfortable and stylish women's clothes and shoes **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 12, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prevalence-or-paucity-of-comfortable-and-stylish-womens-clothes-and-shoes/581679 "2011-05-12T17:46:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prevalence-or-paucity-of-comfortable-and-stylish-womens-clothes-and-shoes/581679/61 "2011-05-17T18:09:00Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > **Dangerosa** , I’m going to try out those shoes. I ordered them today. If I’m lucky they’ll get here in time for the big interview Wednesday. They came, they fit, I love! ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prevalence-or-paucity-of-comfortable-and-stylish-womens-clothes-and-shoes/581679/62 "2011-05-17T19:42:25Z")
Ann Taylor Loft also has decent business casual clothes, and a great selection of petite lengths. Talbots also has some classic looks, as well as a really good online outlet store. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prevalence-or-paucity-of-comfortable-and-stylish-womens-clothes-and-shoes/581679/63 "2011-05-17T21:18:01Z")
> [@lorene](#): > > Ann Taylor Loft also has decent business casual clothes, and a great selection of petite lengths. Talbots also has some classic looks, as well as a really good online outlet store. Agreed. LOFT petite sells the only slacks that fit me perfectly. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prevalence-or-paucity-of-comfortable-and-stylish-womens-clothes-and-shoes/581679/64 "2011-05-17T22:20:54Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > They came, they fit, I love! I’m glad. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2011, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prevalence-or-paucity-of-comfortable-and-stylish-womens-clothes-and-shoes/581679/65 "2011-05-17T22:43:09Z")
Boo frickin’ hoo! In my experience, most stores are stocked with 75% womens’ stuff and 25% men’s stuff made for unimaginative midgets who apparently don’t need shoes. When come back, bring a real complaint. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prevalence-or-paucity-of-comfortable-and-stylish-womens-clothes-and-shoes/581679/66 "2011-05-18T23:09:26Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > I’m glad. Took them for a test drive today - the big job interview (which went great… fingers crossed!) Not to beat a dead horse, but I LOVE these shoes. And here’s what [my $140 suit looks like with the Italian leather flats](https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/t6gSfY1uTywTwOnhFavOOJIIE_E8inKgZ45GZmOgdMA?feat=directlink) (yes, I’m making that funny face on purpose. Stay classy, Philadelphia!) I feel the prices were more than reasonable and while I’m no fashion diva, I’m feeling kinda fierce in this getup. And totally cozy, too. Well, other than the hose. Blargh. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prevalence-or-paucity-of-comfortable-and-stylish-womens-clothes-and-shoes/581679/67 "2011-05-18T23:35:03Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > Took them for a test drive today - the big job interview (which went great… fingers crossed!) > > Not to beat a dead horse, but I LOVE these shoes. > > And here’s what [my $140 suit looks like with the Italian leather flats](https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/t6gSfY1uTywTwOnhFavOOJIIE_E8inKgZ45GZmOgdMA?feat=directlink) (yes, I’m making that funny face on purpose. Stay classy, Philadelphia!) I feel the prices were more than reasonable and while I’m no fashion diva, I’m feeling kinda fierce in this getup. > > And totally cozy, too. Well, other than the hose. Blargh. Your outfit and face are awesome. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prevalence-or-paucity-of-comfortable-and-stylish-womens-clothes-and-shoes/581679/68 "2011-05-19T00:09:28Z")
> [@rhubarbarin](#): > > Your outfit and face are awesome. 😃 Thank you! I’ve had an exciting week and just had to get it out! ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prevalence-or-paucity-of-comfortable-and-stylish-womens-clothes-and-shoes/581679/69 "2011-05-19T00:57:38Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > Took them for a test drive today - the big job interview (which went great… fingers crossed!) > > Not to beat a dead horse, but I LOVE these shoes. > > And here’s what [my $140 suit looks like with the Italian leather flats](https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/t6gSfY1uTywTwOnhFavOOJIIE_E8inKgZ45GZmOgdMA?feat=directlink) (yes, I’m making that funny face on purpose. Stay classy, Philadelphia!) I feel the prices were more than reasonable and while I’m no fashion diva, I’m feeling kinda fierce in this getup. > > And totally cozy, too. Well, other than the hose. Blargh. Very nice. And see - flats don’t look silly with a skirt. I always have them in at least black and opal. Sometimes in other colors. I wore them today with a skirt, in fact (the opal ones). They hold up pretty well (though I’ve been known to superglue them a little after a few years). Good luck on the job. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2011, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prevalence-or-paucity-of-comfortable-and-stylish-womens-clothes-and-shoes/581679/70 "2011-05-19T01:40:23Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > Agreed. LOFT petite sells the only slacks that fit me perfectly. Me too! Except not petite, their curvy cut trousers. But whatever, no other brand sells pants that fit me so well as Ann Taylor/Ann Taylor Loft. I walk out of Banana Republic feeling crappy because all of their pants make me look horrible, and then I walk into Ann Taylor and it’s like I’m surrounded by a queen’s ransom of clothing lovingly hand-tailored by tiny angels just for me. I love them. And good luck with the job! ---
**Author:** ![Gleena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@Gleena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gleena)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2011, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prevalence-or-paucity-of-comfortable-and-stylish-womens-clothes-and-shoes/581679/71 "2011-05-20T01:23:44Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > Are prices comparable to that in Little Australia? Does a guy in Auckland pay about as much as a guy in Melbourne… or Sidney… or is it Melbourne? > > It’s surprising to find that some items would be that much more expensive. Is it limited to clothing or is it generally the case for improted goods? > > Canada has about the same population and type of economy as Australia and I don’t think we have to deal with the same situation. I got a good 100% wool men’s suit for 200$. My two other 100% wool suits were both 300$. Machine washable 52% wool pants and dry clean only 100% wool pants often go for 100-150$. Sydney. It’s Sydney, same as the city in Canada. Or Melbourne, either way, both are similar sized, large Australian cities. It is generally the case for all goods that they are more expensive here than in the US (I cannot speak for Canada), although it would probably be equal to more expensive in Aukland as opposed to Sydney or Melbourne. This is because of several factors, including shipping for imports, and as **Girl from Mars** mentioned, economies of scale - Macys can comfortably order 20 times as many suits as can David Jones or Myers in Sydney or Melbourne. My Kiwi friends (Little Australia? Where have you heard it called that?) tell me it’s the same in Aukland or Wellington. And of course it would be, as their population is smaller than the Australian one. Canada wouldn’t have the same problem since I think they manufacture more than Australia, and they can piggyback on shipping to the US, whereas if a boat is coming to Australia it’s pretty much just coming here, it wouldn’t be like stopping into the Port of New York and then toodling on up to Canada. Plus there are about 11m more people in Canada - 33m population vs 22m for Australia. That makes the economies of scale much different. Cost of living here is about four times what it was for me living in the US, but I make a wage that is about four times as much for the same job, so it works out. The only real variable is the dollar, as the Kiwi dollar is not as strong as the Aussie dollar. Ki’ora Kiwidopers, feel free to tell me I’m wrong. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-prevalence-or-paucity-of-comfortable-and-stylish-womens-clothes-and-shoes/581679.md?page=3)