[Hunter's Rest]

My brother in law -- a French comte from sophisticated Normandy France (doncha know), with impeccable taste and fashion sense -- has always said I'm a walking disaster in the wardrobe department. (Granted, nearly everything I own came from his ex-wife - my younger sister; they've been divorced 10 years -- if that tells you anything about my modern clothing!)
Soooo, I'm having this big party next weekend, and the CotH hunt, and he says we're going shopping to get me a new outfit, nay, a new wardrobe, and possibly a makeover while we're at it.
On Friday!!
He's taking the day off.
Any NoVa peeps care to weigh in on where we should go?
He says Fair Oaks Mall, and I find Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, The Limited, and various stores there.
My chief outfit needs to be for outdoors-wear -- for my Bluegrass BBQ party, and, really, that's more my 'style' than slinky/hose/heels/office attire.
I'm thinking tweedy skirt, tall boots, pretty top, maybe a scarf. But ... hell, I own dozens of exactly that in my closet! And he's offered to burn all of it. : (
Hurry before the OT day ends -- looking for Extreme Makeover support, store ideas, outfit guidance. Any and all!!!!!!!!!!!!
(I'm pretty excited!!)
(I just hope he doesn't cut off my long ponytail!!)

[ManyDogs]

Betsy-is there a Nordstroms around? If there is, they have personal shoppers. Yes, I KNOW your BIL will be your OWN personal shopper, but Norstroms can pull outfits for you/him to approve. How about Lands End outlets/LL Bean outlets? One good idea is Orvis. They have lots of country/horsey style clothes.
Bon chance!
Carol :-)

[LexInVA]

Women's fashion is not my forte but I think Tyson's is where you want to go. Fair Oaks is for suburbanites, particularly teenagers, and does not really meet your needs.

[carolprudm]

There's a small Orvis in C'ville and a bigger one at Short Pump. Also Nordstroms and Coldwater Creek at Short Pump. And Williams Sonoma. I actually like shopping at Short Pump

Sigh, I have acquired a son in law from the south of France. Pharm D and PhD married to my PhD daughter. He instantly gives me an inferiority complex, not that that is hard to do. His 7 year old daughter is into horses.

[ManyDogs]

Short Pump! I'm from that area and never even considered it! Great idea! Look for shoes/boots at Saxons, and check out their back room. Dillards, Macys, Nordstroms, Coldwater Creek, etc. A lot less traffic than NOVA, too. Lots of restaurants in that area, too, plus a Barnes and Noble. The Orvis is great and is near the Cheesecake Factory. :-)

[Cammie]

I haven't been to either Fair Oaks or Tyson's in years, but Tyson's is probably the better bet with more stores. See if there is a J. Crew around too- that along with Banana Republic might be a good compromise between what you are comfortable with and what your BIL might be able to tolerate.

You might try the Reston Town Center too- Banana Republic, J. Crew and Anthropologie are there along with some boutiques. There is also a White House Black Market, sometimes they have great dresses and skirts in there.

My Mom says beware the construction traffic around Tyson's- it's a mess right now.

[carolprudm]

Short Pump! I'm from that area and never even considered it! Great idea! Look for shoes/boots at Saxons, and check out their back room. Dillards, Macys, Nordstroms, Coldwater Creek, etc. A lot less traffic than NOVA, too. Lots of restaurants in that area, too, plus a Barnes and Noble. The Orvis is great and is near the Cheesecake Factory. :-)

LOVE Saxons. We have one in Spotsy now

[Pony+ an inch]

Let me add Eddie Bauer to the mix. They have some great, chic yet well made and durable clothing. Don't suppose Pendleton is up that way, is it? I've gotten two fantastic tailored suits there, but they have some really nice out-doorsy kind of stuff too that's still fashionable.

This is all coming from someone that likes to wear flannel shirts and boxers most days with a flask on her work desk at home, but she still has to look good (and be comfortable!) for all of her professional engagements outside the house and barn.

[KPF]

You could always go to the outlet mall in Leesburg-- lots of stores there to choose from, including a Ralph Lauren outlet:

http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=14

I live near Short Pump but I make an annual pilgrimage to the Leesburg outlet mall, it's worth it!

[carolprudm]

LOL, I have a HORROR of NoVA. You cannot pay me to enter Fairfax or Loudon. If you're going to do outlet malls go to Williamsburg

[Hunter's Rest]

OOOOOooooh! Forgot about Leesburg outlets! Great idea.
No to C'ville. No to Tyson's. We already have a date for 10 am at Fair Oaks -- I think there are several Ross/Kohls style big boxes around it aren't there? Are any of those worth it?
I love Crew, Coldwater Creek. Just the right idea.
Keep 'em coming.
Anybody have a more specific thought on an outdoor/indoor party frock for next Saturday night in hunt country of Virginia? I'm the hostess, so I need to be dressed 'up' but not so much so to look silly at my own house! Outdoorsy but not shapeless, tweedy but not frumpy, cool and summery but not sleeveless.
BIL says, at the least, I must throw out my fave summer outfit - my black-print skorts. : ( Sad. Very very sad. And my fun faded straw Paddington bear hat. : (((

[Hunter's Rest]

Carol
I'm going to already *be* in Ffax (at b.f.'s house) Thursday night, so it'll be easy to get from his house to Fair Oaks (like, 5 miles) Friday morning.
What all stores are at Leesburg outlets? Aren't outlets harder to shop at b/c they're just all jumbled up piles of stuff?
I'm more of a thrift store person, or a Costco khacki-pants-and-a-new-top style!

[kateh]

Sleeveless is totally off the list? Even if it's a sheath? And remember sleeveless is not "strapless".

For example,
Sheath with some Fun

Love This

Or something like this with with bright wedge heels

As you can tell, big fan of White House Black Market.


In the "tweedy but not frumpy" category

[Hunter's Rest]

KateH - LOVe the ideas. No wedge heels, though. Its an outside party (weather permitting), on the farm, in the yard. Needs to be flats or boots.

[KPF]

Leesburg has Anthropologie, Ann Taylor, Loft, Banana Republic, Eddie Bauer, Chico's, Sak's, Talbot's, and a bunch more. They're not a jumbled mess at all, just like normal stores in the mall for the most part. The Sak's one is probably the worst as far as having to paw through huge racks of stuff, the others have normal racks of clothes just like at a normal mall.

Carol, I hate the traffic on 64, so don't like Williamsburg outlets-- I can go the back roads to Leesburg and it's not a bad drive at all. Of course I always stop in Middleburg to tack shop on the way up to make it more worthwhile!

[Event4Life]

Anthropologie ROCKS if someone else is paying!!!.....wait a sec, did you just say Anthropologie OUTLET?! Sounds like my dream come true. I have to park far away from it when I go to the mall to work so I don't do a run through on the way home.

Short Pump is great, Tyson's stresses me out. It's not worth the drive all the way to Charlottesville just for the shops.

Outlets can be kind of like a high end jumble sale but the stores are generally organized; just not as well as the actual stores are. In some, like JCrew, the outlets are completely different from what you find at the regular stores.

I had really good luck in Ann Taylor and Banana Republic buying work appropriate mother approved (business casual) outfits the other week.

[WNT]

Check out Tri-County in Marshall, a lot of nice country lifestyle stuff like Dubarry, Joules, etc. and a bunch of scarves, too. You might not be able to get everything there, but there are some nice options that would fit right in to the hunt country style you're looking for. Plus, it's kind of on the way into the no-man's-land east of Haymarket...

[ridingagain]

I think you always look great, HR! People look best in what they are comfortable/confident wearing - so don't let BIL try to make you into something you're not. That being said - Anthropologie has cute stuff, as does Saks. I like Banana Republic and Ann Taylor because I'm small and tailored stuff suits me better. I think Coldwater Creek and Chico's is for old ladies. I like some Orvis stuff, because it's comfortable, but it is pretty shapeless - and mostly too big for me. Aren't there some nice chic boutiques in Middleburg?

BTW - is BIL up for grabs? I'm not sure my current BF is going to work...

[AKB]

Bloomingdales at Tysons 1 and LLBean are excellent. There were huge sales last weekend, but they may still have some items on sale. In either store, a saleswoman will outfit you from head to toe if you need help.

[SmartAlex]

Betsy your BIL is nutz! You look fine. But have fun anyway!!!
You're lucky a lot of fall fashion is equestrian inspired, particularly this year.