According to the annual new car reliability study, "the quality of all-new 2011 models “declined considerably". Apparently, the engines are not good quality and all the fancy electronic gizmo they're stuffing the backseat with to keep kids busy add further glitches and complications to the debuting vehicles.So if you've been putting off a new car because of the economy, you can now cheerfully plan to keep that car a few years longer and tell everyone that studies show there just wasn't anything worth buying and you're too smart to pay for low quality!
Those on a budget (which I think is pretty much all of us at the moment) will also be cheered to hear that you can cut your clothes shopping budget and boost your socially- conscious reputation at the same time. A new report shows what many of us already knew - clothing retailers are quietly adjusting the sizing of their clothing lines. For most retailers, this means that what was once a size 16, for example, has become a 12.This re-sizing allows progressively more overweight consumers to continue buying the size they think they should be. While great for self-esteem, its very bad for physical health as people (primarily women) lose one of the standard measures by which they track their weight and one of the biggest motivators to stay in shape.
(Incidentally, it's also a serious pain in the neck when it's time to go shopping. As if it didn't already take long enough to grab and try on four different cuts of jeans or tops to find one that's flattering, we now have to get each of those cuts in three sizes to figure out which one we need. Last I checked, dressing rooms only allowed up to six things at a time... I'm not a math genius, but even I can tell you those numbers don't work.)
Interestingly, some retailers are purportedly doing the opposite - scaling their clothing down to the smallest possible sizing to discourage larger women from buying those brands.
Where's the good news in this? You can proclaim yourself socially conscious and righteously indignant about the whole mess and declare that you're not buying any more expensive, mis-sized brand name clothing until they get their acts together! Then go shop second- hand or from independent on-line companies and spend an eighth of what you would have in the mall. Not only will you and your budget looking smashing at the end of the month, you'll have banked a little social capital besides!
I'm glad that I'm not in the market for a new car! lol. I guess that I will keep my Honda until I've at least paid it off. Actually, I plan on keeping it until it dies. That could be quite a while. :)
ReplyDeleteAs for the clothes, why does it not surprise me that some clothes designers are prejudiced against real women? I hate to break it to them but not all of us are meant to be size 0 waifs! God made some of us larger and unable to fit into those tiny little sizes no matter how much we starve ourselves. Also, I wish that designers would stop creating clothes for larger women that could double as your sofa cover. Why would somebody who is already self-conscious about her body want to wear giant flowers? Or horizontal stripes?
I will continue to shop at the consignment stores and the Salvation Army. I found a BEAUTIFUL dress for $6 at a Hospice Thrift shop while I was on vacation. There's not a thing wrong with it. :)
Love the scenes of domesticity on display here :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the big milestone!
Should have said....I picked up an ice cream maker (it's the basic $50 cuisinart and it's not nearly as pretty as yours) at a yard sale last year. I just made Alton Brown's chocolate ice cream recipe from the food network. I don't have a thermometer so I just winged it. It was awesome. Good luck with yours!
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