Could have been a good idea in Theory?

I got bit by the shopping bug yesterday afternoon. After cruising Saks, Mango and Neimans on my lunch hour and finding nothing that completely satisfied me, I thought some bargain hunting might do the trick. I stopped off at the Marshalls and Filenes Basement on Boylston Street in Boston. Although I found a few good buys for my work and casual wardrobe (a brown Vince tank for $8! a Red Sox sweatshirt for my brothers upcoming 19th birthday for $25! pink Vineyard Vines pants for $29! a wrap dress by Toast for $20!), I was moreso appalled by some of the heinous designs by some of my favorite designers.

Case in point. Theory. I love Theory. To me, it might be one of the most young professional, twenty-something, about to enter the job market appropriate brands that is available. To anyone who is trying to "mature" their wardrobe, I push them towards the Theory racks at Neimans or any major department store. I find steals (because really, what twenty-something who enters the job force can afford a $350 blazer by Theory when you can find it at Filenes Basement for $30?) at discount stores and wear them to pieces. I have blazers, skirts, tops -- oh and their stretchy tank tops? They're amazing. However, some of the pieces that I found on the racks yesterday hurt my heart -- maybe a little less because, I do understand, they're at Marshalls or wherever, but still, that means at one time, not too long ago (some of it as recently as this past summer, or still sold for full price online, because I remember seeing it then and saying 'ew'), they were on the racks of a Neimans, Saks, Bloomies. I tried on one purple blouse that looked like a Hefty bag that Barney threw up after a night of drinking. One dress looked like it belonged to a woman on the Mayflower (and not in that quasi-cute Blair Waldorf pilgrim bow way). One pair of pants looked like it was made out of my mothers' windbreaker, circa 1982. Ick. Ew. Gag.

It really does make me think, 'What were they thinking?' We all have questionable fashion moments - for me it was when I cut my hair short and went through a flowy skirt phase (but didn't we all?). I wore graphic tees and ripped jeans as an Abercrombie & Fitch employee, but still looked cute (I think?). My efforts don't go unnoticed, but I can't say the same for some of the designers I find while shopping on a Tuesday night. Please fashion world, hear my plea. Lose the bright fabrics, I don't want to look like Big Bird. Give me a top that makes me look like I have some sort of shape - don't just cut two squares and think I'm good to go. And please, please, please do something about these matronly collars. It's 2008 for crying out loud, I'm not looking to look like I just rolled onto Plymouth Rock for Thanksgiving.

-M