the time we took a day trip to NYC…

Recently, Ben and I realized that our wardrobes needed a bit of an overhaul. My closet was full of shirts that fit me (ahem) before I stopped nursing and piles of pants with unintentional rips and holes from spending too much time on the floor with the kids. Ben’s closet was full of too-big jeans and a severe shortage of casual clothes.

Plus, now being solidly in our 30’s (and for me, being done with having kids) we were having a fashion crisis. What were we “supposed” to wear? Did we want to try and “look hip”? What does “hip” really mean? Was I going to branch out from the boot cut jeans, hoodies, and stretchy comfy shirts that I live in? Was Ben going to actually find something to wear other than suits that didn’t involve cargo pants and gray t-shirts? How do you dress both cool…age-appropriate…on a budget…without looking like you are having a midlife crisis (even though you probably are)?

Getting older is strange.

So, about a month ago we spontaneously booked a day trip to NYC during our Christmas visit to my parents in Rochester. Our mission? Clothes shopping…for us. Bonus? We got to spend an entire day together by ourselves, which was way overdue. We left Rochester at 6:00 a.m. and were in the city by 8 a.m., breakfasting at Sarabeth’s next to Central Park eating decadent omelets and planning our shopping route.

We knew where we wanted to go to T.J. Maxx and Daffy’s at 57th and Broadway, we knew we wanted to head up 5th Avenue towards Rockefeller Center, and we knew we had to be at The National at The Benjamin Hotel by 5:30 p.m., but other than that, we were following our noses and our hastily scribbled “wish list”. Ben’s list was a bit more succinct…jeans, dress pants & shirts, ties, casual shirts…in his words, “everything”. My list was a little more convoluted. I had asked on Facebook about what I should get, so some of those items made it on the list: floral scarf, skinny cords, a black cashmere sweater, shirtdress, boyfriend sweater, something red, blazer, and leggings. We also bought an InStyle magazine in the airport, which I ripped out an article about Jennifer Garner (love her!), a recipe for Four Cheese Macaroni with Bacon, and an article about the Five Pieces you should have in your wardrobe: bright blue skinny jeans, camel blazer, red shift dress, classic pencil shirt, and crisp white shirt. I already had a pencil skirt, but I decided to keep my eyes open for those items too.

Tummies full, we hit the streets…and the jackpot, in my opinion. I found great things at T.J. Maxx and Ben tracked down awesome deals at Daffy’s. We went to Gap and Banana Republic, where all the sale items were an additional 40% off. And the selection? Amazing. We hit up H & M to push us out of our comfort zones just a tad, and even had time to take a break at Starbucks and sip coffee/hot cocoa and eat cake balls. And to top it all off, NYC was in the middle of a tax-free holiday, where any clothing or shoe purchase under about 50 bucks was exempt from tax.

I had forgotten how fun it was to just shop. We would wander into stores, split up for a little while, find each other with stacks of clothes, and compare notes. We didn’t rush, we didn’t stress, and when we were tired out, we just took a break. It reminded me how much I enjoy spending time with Ben, and how we need to do it more often…away from the busyness of home.

But enough sentimentality, right? We need to get down to what ended up in my shopping bags. I didn’t get everything on my list…Ben vetoed the boyfriend sweater I tried on, I couldn’t find a camel blazer or a shirtdress to save my life (and I tried!), and after trying on a couple pairs of bright blue skinny jeans, I just couldn’t do it. Regardless, here are some of the highlights, compliments of the fashion show that Madi narrated and Parker (of course) was the fill-in entertainment.

Outfit 1: Floral scarf from the Gap, leggings & dress from H & M, and long sleeved white shirt from T. J. Maxx…I almost put the leggings back, but I didn’t – and boy is it true, they are super comfy! Now I just need to find some ballet flats and a few more legging-worthy shirts! I also loved the fun scarf…

Outfit 2: Sweater from T. J. Maxx, cords from Banana Republic…I was worried that the sweater was too ruffly, but it’s flattering for this small-chested girl! And I know…I know…the cords are boot cut, but honestly, Banana Republic pants fit well, last forever, and yes, they were on sale…

Outfit 3: Sweater & cords from H & M, tank from Daffy’s…you can’t really tell, but the pants are skinny legged which was a step outside of my comfort zone and the tank has some fun pleating on the front. I ended up wearing this outfit on Christmas Eve – it’s a nice balance between casual and dressy.

Outfit 4: Shirt from T.J. Maxx, skinny bootcut jeans from the Gap…I loved how this shirt draped, and I changed into it before dinner and wore it home!

Outfit 5: Suit & cami from Banana Republic…yep, I finally got a suit that fits me. I love that it is not just another black suit, and the one button jacket is just the right length…

Outfit 6: Trench coat from Banana Republic…an unexpected purchase, but when I saw a $200 coat for $70, I couldn’t help but snap it up…

Outfit 7: Jeans from the Gap, shirt from T.J. Maxx…once again, I loved the drape of the shirt, and the super dark navy jeans have a sleek feel. This ended up being my New Years Eve outfit…

Outfit 8: Merino wool sweater from Banana Republic (also got it in a deep plum), jeans from the Gap, scarf from street vendor…I bought the scarf right before dinner at a little Christmas bazaar to fill my “something red” quota, and while the sweater isn’t cashmere, it is a staple. Basics, baby. 

And the bow…

So…that’s what I got! Yes, I ended up with a few pairs of boot cut pants, a few stretchy cotton shirts, and stepped just a little out of my comfort zone. But I pushed myself to get a few different pieces than usual, clothing that had shape and structure, clothing that didn’t scream that I was just going to get pregnant again in three months, and for that, I was proud of myself. Ben did well for himself too…the kids lost steam for the fashion show by the time he tried on his clothes, so we didn’t get many good pictures, but it was cool to see him find clothes that he liked and that he will actually wear. It has been a while since that has happened!

We are already scheming about our next shopping trip to NYC…Christmas 2013, perhaps?