Girl Detective

This holiday season is a little different for us this year. My husband was laid off last month, and I resigned last May to stay home with our baby, now toddler, Drake. We are now a family of three with a new house, and no jobs. I gave some serious thought to setting aside a small budget for gifts. In the end, it became clear that even if we did small things, they would add up, so we opted out of buying presents entirely this year. Both our families were very understanding about this.

Since I haven’t been running about buying gifts, though, I have had a little time to ponder what I might have given. I came up with a fairly comprehensive list of virtual gifts for my family. And while I was wishing, I did jot down a few things for myself, as well: bras, and more importantly–time to shop for them; turtlenecks for this very cold winter; a new bulb for my sun lamp; and a babysitter. Exciting stuff, no?

Here’s the list of virtual gifts I thought about giving others, though it’s so late in the season that it will help nobody with their holiday shopping. The list is strangely missing books, music and movies. Apparently my giving spirit is disdaining the media this year. Instead, go visit your local library and appreciate a librarian and all the free books, music, movies and more that s/he can help you to find.

Sorry that this list is so late, folks, but it’s the holiday season–even without gift buying I’m working on a time delay. But since they’re all imaginary anyway, what if we imagine that they are on time, and real. Go ahead, take your pick. From me to you. Enjoy. Happy holidays.

Graeter’s ice cream–any flavor that has chocolate chips
A writer’s retreat–a weekend at a cabin in the woods, with meals taken care of
A new cream by Clinique to soothe redness-prone skin
A week’s stay at a mind/body wellness spa like The Golden Door
Framed Conde-Nast art
Zyliss garlic press
Microplane fine grater for lemon zest and parmesan cheese
Kitchenaid box grater
Subscription to Cook’s Illustrated
Subscription to Lucky magazine

I flipped through a Lane Bryant catalog the other day and was appalled at what I saw. Lane Bryant is a plus-size retailer for women. The models in the catalog were not plus-size. Technically, they might have been plus-size for models, but they were hardly plus-size women–I’d say about size eight, a good deal smaller than average, which is about size fourteen. I found the same situation on their home page; those models are NOT 14W and up.

Then I found something quite curious. The Lane Bryant catalog is–bafflingly–not affiliated with the Lane Bryant stores. Both websites note this prominently.

According to the website for the catalog,

In business since 1901, Lane Bryant brand has become the acknowledged industry leader in women’s special size apparel. (Lane Bryant Catalog is not affiliated with Lane Bryant retail stores.) We offer a complete wardrobe, including shoes and intimate apparel in a wide range of styles, colors and sizes — all at value prices.

According to the website for the stores,

Lane Bryant is the most recognized name in plus-size clothing, and our emphasis on fashion�not merely size�makes us a style leader. Lane Bryant stores are not affiliated with the Lane Bryant Catalog.

Interestingly, the Lane Bryant Stores site uses both larger models and larger mannequins than does the Lane Bryant Catalog site. The Stores site focuses on fashion and style, with impressive and attractive selections. It features fitted and sexy clothing, encouraging a celebration of size.

In contrast, the Lane Bryant Catalog site has bland clothing at bargain prices. The Catalog site depicts a great number of shapeless items, which look even more baggy because of the less-than-plus-size women who are modelling them.

I do not currently wear a plus size, but I spent many years of my life hovering above and below a size 14. I have long been disgusted with a fashion industry that uses the term “women’s” as a synonym for plus size. All women are demeaned by this usage. I am discouraged that special sizes like petites and plus are often put in different parts of a store than are the “regular” women’s clothing sizes. This unnecessary segregation, which usually only makes sense to a store’s merchandisers, sends a further message of alienation. That Lane Bryant Catalog, “the acknowledged industry leader” in plus-size women’s apparel, uses non-plus-size models and features such unappealing choices adds insult to a past series of injuries. I would not support a retailer like this. Instead, I’d head to the Lane Bryant stores. They seem to be about celebrating one’s size, not hiding it. That’s a good shopping philosophy for all women, of any size.

What I notice most about the slew of beauty products I’ve tried over the years is that I usually don’t notice them. In some cases, e.g., my husband’s hair products, this is a good thing. In a moisturizer, however, I want to see results.

Imagine my surprise when I pulled out a product sample I got a while ago, began using it and–get this!–saw improvement. My skin appeared firmer, more hydrated and lines were visibly diminished. (Yes, I can sling puffery with the best of them.)

The product is Natura Bisse Essential Shock Concentrate.

The bad news? It costs $170 for one ounce. I will enjoy this product while the sample lasts, and miss it when it is gone.

I’ve cut back considerably on my beauty-product purchases, both in quantity and in price, but I will not (yet, at least) forgo moisturizer. There was a time in my life when I did, but my twenties were a while ago.

In efforts to economize, I’m trying to limit my shopping to discount stores. I’ve tried two brands of night cream recently, Dove Sensitive Essentials Night Cream and Olay Age Defying Intensive Nourishing Night Cream.

Of the two products, the Dove is less expensive–about $7 compared to about $10 for the Olay. The Dove night cream is fragrance free, which I appreciated. The cream itself, though, feels watery. The jar is heavy glass–hard to travel with, and had me worried that I’d drop and break it. Overall, the Dove felt like an inexpensive cream in a needlessly expensive-seeming jar.

I like the texture of the Olay cream better; it is thicker and feels more concentrated. But Olay has a strong fragrance that I do not like. It is in a simple, light, plastic container.

Both the Olay and the Dove do an equally adequate job of moisturizing. I do not notice a striking improvement in my skin with either product.

What I’d prefer is the Olay cream in the Olay container, with the Dove lack of fragrance. Instead, I’ll keep looking, and pining after the lovely sample of Darphin Arovita C cream that I once got in a Neiman Marcus beauty gift.