Let’s Go To The Mall Today!

For those of you who are devotees of this show, you know the significance of that title.  For the rest of you, click here for the Best TV Song Every Written.

Tip Of The Day:  Recently, I ventured out to the outlet mall – something I usually avoid like the plague.  But now I have a whole new respect and love for Albertville, MN, and the treasures it contains.  Namely, the perfect white v-neck t-shirt.  Otherwise known as, the mainstay of my entire spring/summer wardrobe.  Read on to learn where you can get your hands on one.

Tip For The Weekend:  I plan on spending the weekend doing two of my favorite things – working on my costumes for this summer’s Fests and celebrating the birth of my BFF, Lou.  My beloved Lou is celebrating the anniversary of her 25th birthday tomorrow, and we plan to whoop it up Saturday night.  Well, as much as a trio of 30-somethings can whoop, that is.

Further Elucidation Of My Cheap Deal:  Last weekend, Lou and I were cleaning out her closet (yes, that’s what inspired this post) and figuring out what she needed to buy for spring and summer.  And as boring as it may sound, her overwhelming closet need was clear – plain white t-shirts.  Why, you ask?  Because they go with everything and can be worn everywhere, I answer.

For example, you can wear them with cute little skirts to dress them down for everyday wear.  You can pair them with capris for a simple summer uniform.  You can wear them under blazers instead of stiff oxfords or blouses.  In short, they are the perfect clothing item.  The only problem?  They can be more elusive than John Mayer’s singing talent.

I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect white v-neck T for years.  They used to be readily available at New York and Co, The Limited, and Express.  But lately, that gaggle of former shopping goodness has become more and more, shall we say, young?  As in, all their clothing is either too hoochy, too tight, or too inappropriate for anyone over the age of 25.  Which CLEARLY I am.  And the stuff that does work for me and my over-thirty brethren tends to be a bit busy.  Their clothes are fine for occasional wear, but what happened to their basics?

I did manage to find a cute, snug, stretchy white T at Express, on sale for $15 a piece (sorry, this was a month ago) that will work great for layering, but is too thin to wear on its own.  That is, until I lose about 10 pounds of pudge around my midsection…

So, my search continued, until that fateful Saturday when Lou unpacked her summer clothes for my perusal.  There, amongst her tanks and skirts, was the PERFECT T-SHIRT.

“Where did you get this?” I demanded – exhibiting that bossy-pants behavior my friends love sooooooo much.

“Eddie Bauer, of course,” she replied, unaware of my Shirt Quest, and equally unaware of it might now have come to a glorious end.  Eddie Bauer.  Why hadn’t I thought of it sooner?

But then reality hit me upside the head.  I remembered why I tend NOT to think about Eddie Bauer – because the Bauer tends to be on the spendy side of life.  And also?  Kind of – oh, how do I say this delicately? – on the “Mommy-jeans” side of fashion.  You know what I mean.  Shapeless, comfy, and not very figure-flattering.  But very durable and well-made, to be sure.

I eyed Lou’s T-shirt again.  Maybe it wasn’t the answer to my perfect T prayers.  But then she said, “Try it on.  See if it fits.”  And oh happy day did it EVER fit.

Eddie Bauer’s t-shirts fit close to the body, but not skin-tight.  They’re made of 100% cotton in a nice, thick weave that won’t show unsightly lumps or bumps.  They (magically) don’t wrinkle when you wear them.  The v-neck (my neckline of choice) is deep without being too revealing.  And the cap sleeves are none too tight and none to flappy.  They make my arms look like I actually lift weights and stuff.

However, I still had the price tag to consider.  Eddie Bauer T’s can run as high as $22.50 – way past my basic shirt comfort barrier.  That’s when it hit me – we have an EB Outlet at Albertville.  I could wend my way up there and see if they had the T’s for less.  So I did just that.

Folks, my perseverance and patience FINALLY paid off – just like my Ma always said it would.  All the Eddie Bauer Outlets in all the world currently have their basic t-shirts (men’s and women’s) on sale for $7.99 a piece.  For less than a ten spot you, too, can own the best t-shirt in the history of EVER.

Sometimes, life gives you a happy ending.

And speaking of happiness, let’s kick off this weekend party with a picture of my best guy, Piglet.  He is accompanied in the photo below by my elusive Ma – who avoids photos the way I avoid housework.

I know.  It’s so sweet, it makes your teeth ache, right?