Sharon, you sound like such a doll. Thank you so much for all your interest. Your fodors-faux pas made me hoot and holler.

I've been meaning to tend to that old trip report of mine but if I say one more word about Venice, I may have to throw myself into the Grand Canal, Dior dress and all. I'll be back in good old Serenissima this September/October and then again for New Year's. I'm sure I'll have more to say at some point. It's pretty hard to get me to shut up about Italy.

Jocelyn, Marilyn is the only one who knows my real name and she is sworn to a secrecy pact Harry Potter can't break. Frankly, I'll answer to just about anything but, so far, you're doing just fine.

Oh, and Thin, my trainer (did anybody catch him on television last night? He was interviewed by Jane Hanson on her new NBC show, "Jane's New York." I think it's local only.)...he told me that Saucony and New Balance are the new ghetto shoe. He said they're all the rage in Chelsea, too. Apparently, it's chic to take your workout shoes seriously these days. Nike went out with Bill Gates. Maybe it's time you take a trip out of Philly. ;;)

Fuuny about Saucony being a "ghetto shoe" these days - years ago, a friend from NJ would meet me and we would run/walk in Central Park. She always wore Sauconys because her sister works for a company that makes clothes for athletes.
Now they are made for the "ghetto"? :) I always thought they were just Suburban housewife running shoes~

Oh Gads!!!should we hari kari because our shoes, clothes are wrong?
NYSnob is going to be buried with her Dior gown, but we'll be buried (or whatever) with loving memories)

Chiming in late here, but I agree that capris are not the most forgiving of clothing items. I'm 5'6" and usually wear a U.S. size four and still don't wear them. Dresses and skirts are terrific summer travel options (as somebody here's already pointed out), and you can pick exactly the length that fits your body type and activity.

In urban and tourist areas, most Europeans are used to seeing people from all around the world dressed in all sorts of ways. Many Europeans are actually quite sophisticated and open minded about things like clothing and the customs of other lands. Not as true out in the countryside.

Capris -- I just don't get it. Are you really that much cooler because your pants are 3" shorter?

No, they are worn because they are the fashion, and like so many other styles, the desire to be au courant induces some sort of mirror blindness. Ladies, here is a simple test: If you can reach down and grab a handful of flesh anywhere between your breasts and your hipbones, do NOT wear low rise pants and midriff-baring tops. (Sorry for the rant, but I just returned from NY.)

I don't happen to think capris look that bad on so many women, but that is probably because they look so utterly hideous on me. On the other hand, at under 5'3", most capris hit me at the ankle and they are the only pants I can buy that I don't have to shorten. :-D

Hello Ladies.
I have a question: have anybody buy anything from Travel-Smith? I'm getting they magazines with very tempting promisses about wrinkle free and durt resistant white shirts, easely washed in the Hotel sink, however they are bit of pricy. I'm going to Italy(Rome-Florence-Sorrento/Naple-Capri-Rome) in the middle of August and wonder should I stil get they cloths.
Also have anyone used Space saving bags while travel and packing cubes.
Thanks a lot for any input regarding packing.
Marusya

igemini48: Good questions. BE very careful about the wrinkle free stuff. Some of it is true to it's name and some not so much. I've found "off the rack" stuff that works just as well for wrinkle free. There are lot's of good fabrics these days, and I find that the "Travel" clothes are often not very attractive and very expensive for what you get.

I've just returned from a week long trip to Europe, visiting 5 countrys in 7 days (6 flights & 5 hotel rooms) all for business. Since this meant lots of wrinkles and one small suitcase, I tried the 2 gallon plastic freezer bag method and had very good success! The bags can't be used again but I only paid $2 for a box of 10. Quite a few Fodorites suggested the method in place of the travel bags you inquire about. Have fun!

I've had great success with anything microfiber. Izod has a good selection, as do many department stores, including Wal-Mart. I'm way too messy to wear white, TravelSmith or not.

Instead of packing cubes I use soft side lunchboxes from the Dollar Store and zip lock bags.

Back to the Capris - Someone posted: "I have one pair that is flared and they look positively ridiculous!" I thought I was the only one. I have longish legs with really skinny calves, and the wide legged Capris make me look like Gilligan.

Warning: This is a saga, I do get verbose.

Good morning everyone. I am in dire need of some "What not to wear" type help. If ya'll could be so kind:

FACTS: Female
43 yrs
5'2 and 3/4
Bust around 35 inches (B?) (Everyone always says how tiny I am in the arms, shoulders, etc.)
Waist 29
Hip apprx. 40 at widest point
Thighs, sigh, saddle bag city, one side is 23 and the other is 26. Thank gosh you can't really tell the difference without measuring. I am blessed with attractive legs from the knees down. (At least this is what everyone tells me. For instance my ankles are nice and slim.)

I can wear size 4 to size 8 dress depending on the style, or I could until a few months ago. Pants need to be size 10 to 14 depending on the style.

I lost around 60 pounds, (did get down to 126 and my friends said I lost too much) about a year and a half ago and have been trying not to gain it back. What a struggle. I have gained about 10-12 lbs back, not sure, won't get on a scale. All I know is that the pants I bought to replace my old ones are too tight to wear comfortably so I am really concentrating on dropping some of the weight I picked up.

SITUATION: Sooo, my trip is in 2 months. Italy October 3 to Oct 16. I have convinced myself that I must take only 1 rolling suitcase. The kind you can put in the overhead and one pocketbook. (I did buy a money belt.)

I was thinking of bringing 1 skirt, (I do love skirts, they are way more becoming in mho than shorts, they hide the cellulite! But would a skirt be ok for the weather in Italy in October?)and 2 pairs of pants. One pair of jeans, jeans are ok are they not? and one pair of black pants that can be dressed up or down. Does this make good travel lite sense?

My quandry is the material and style of the black pants, mainly the material.

I was told by a saleslady that St.John was the best travel pant. The store had only a few pairs. As it turns out I would probably have needed the 12 but they did not have it. The material seemed like it would be very good for travel. Heavier stretch material.

I left the store and looked in other stores for this St.Johns. Nobody else had it. Another store said Misook. Not half as attractive, and the material showed my cellulite. They were not as fitted/taylored either. Plus they seemed awful lite weight for October in Italy. (My mother insists I purchase some WinterSilk pieces to wear under my clothes.)

I kept looking at labels on the other pants I was shown trying to find the same content as the St.John which was 95 or 97% cotten and 5 or 3% spandex. I can't remember. I saw tons of pants with all sorts of combinations of blends but I had no clue as to what would be best for low or no wrinkle, quick dry, etc.

(Is it really true that if you have a large rear you should have pants with back pockets? I understand the theory that the pocket breaks up the expanse of behind but I keep thinking that pockets will just draw attention to the problem.)

I can't stand pants with pleats in front because I do have a tummy and pleats seems to accentuate the situation.

L.L. Bean seems to have best pants. But I do not like ordering clothes on-line. I checked their return policy and I would have to pay for shipping again if I have to exchange what I buy.



I found the most gorgeous Dana Buchman black jacket yesterday. I wasn't even looking for it and I saw it and tried it on. Other than the sleeves being too long it is fab. (I can tuck the very ends up inside and it is fine though.) The lenghth comes just over my saddle thighs and covers my rather largeish behind. The jacket looks great with jeans and dressier bottoms. I figure I can bring 3-4 tops to wear under it. If I had more of a clue as to what the weather will be like it would help. Everyone I speak with has a different opinion of what the weather will be like. The Cortona villa owner says it won't be cold, my mother seems to think it will be frigid. The weather charts don't help me much, I can't "sense the temps." (I live in Central Florida and we only have cold weather for about 1-2 months. Sometimes it is in the teens but we don't keep much in way of cold weather clothing.)


So back to the bottoms question, WHAT MATERIAL BLEND do I need? What style would be best? Am I on the right track for what to bring?

Sorry for being so rambling, there is much more in my head to say but I don't want to bore EVERYONE with this nonsense. Yikes, I could keep going but my fingers will fall off.

Hi, PLMN -

Well, I'm certainly no fashion expert but, as a woman who is similarly challenged in the hips and lower area, I find that pants with back pockets are not terribly attractive on me. I don't care what the "rules" are, they just don't feel right on me. Trust yourself as you try on clothes. For me, a pant with a wider leg that falls straight down (no tapering) is more flattering to my shape.

I think you're on the right track with a skirt and a couple pairs of pants, along with your Dana Buchman jacket and assorted tops. I personally wouldn't travel with jeans but that's because I don't find jeans to be very comfortable and they add weight to the suitcase.

I used to live in South Florida (but grew up in Wisconsin). I'm not familiar with the weather in Italy at that time of year but it wouldn't hurt to take some Wintersilks along with you. They're lightweight and don't take up much room and could make you more comfortable if you feel chilled. (I remember how cold I would get on visits back to Wisconsin, even in June).

Dear Janeygirl,

Thank you so much for your input. Ahh, no tapered leg seems to be a good point. I know that back pocket thing is a tad confusing.

Sooo, does anyone know what material blend % I should be concentrating on? There are so many out there that SEEM like they might do, but these are hanging on the rack and have not traveled with me yet.

Anyone in Central Florida know what stores I can look in? What about at Burdines-Macy's? Ann Taylor Loft?

The most comfortable capris in the world for the larger woman - try the capris at Avenue (stores or online). They are lightweight cotton with some spandex, but are not tight at all with extra room in the tush and thighs. All sorts of colors and styles. I don't like wearing shorts in public and have lived in these capris for the past three years. They were perfect for my May trip to Southern France and for plane travel.

The good news/ bad news is that since I've lost weight I can only wear the smallest size Avenue carries (14).

And for my ankles. I don't give a *!%$ what you think they look like. If they are in bedpost category for you, just don't look (they aren't but how judgemental can people really be?!?!)

PLMN, I have some of the most comfortable black pants for travel, so I went and looked at the label, and they are 63% polyester, 32% rayon, and 5% spandex. This particular pair is Caslon, from Nordstrom's, but lots of brands make pants from similar fabric- Talbot's, Rafaela, and others. Look for some that say "2-way stretch".

Hope this helps!

Chico's makes a comfortable line of travel wear that is very stretchy and doesn't wrinkle. It is made primarily of acetate with a little spandex. They also have some great coordinating jackets and tops. The clothes are moderately priced (sometimes you can catch a good sale), are well made and will last a long time if properly cared for.

If you don't have a Chico's near you, you can try shopping online at www.chicos.com.

You might also find a similar material at your local department store or at Mervyn's (brand name French Laundry).

Another vote for Chico's, but since you are EXACTLY my height, PLMN, let me caution you that many of their shirts are way too long for us.

My figure is different from yours, but I can tell you that no matter what your friends say, 126 is NOT too little to weigh for someone our height. I'm a bit older than you, and it just gets more difficult to lose and keep off the weight. Aim for 130 and try not to get above it, and you'll be glad in 10 years, believe me!

Hi, I am the same height too and 126-130 is a good weight. I think being toned is the most important thing no matter what the scales say. If you develop some muscle tone you might weigh a little more. I would'nt try to gain either at your age, in a few years it will add on by itself! Trust me and Marilyn!!

Marilyn, did you buy those pink pants at Bloomies in NY?

Hi SeaUrchin!
No, I never did get those pink pants. They looked so fab on you, but the little voices in my head (channeling Trinny and Susannah) said "No, No, NO!"

I can't believe you are the same height! You look taller. Must be the lens on the Sorrento webcam. :-D

PS I can just feel the shudder of horror go through all the size 2's and 4's when we speak of 130 lbs at 5'3". But you are right -- muscle tone is critical, and more and more difficult to maintain as we get older. I think I'll get up from the computer now and go to the gym!

Yes, when I started lifting weights I gained weight on the scale but toned up so I was smaller in inches. I won't even tell you what I weigh, yes, the 2's and 4's will faint, but I wear a size 8 which is as small as I want.

I think thin and flabby is just as unhealthy as being overweight.

Marilyn, should I tell you that I bought the matching jacket to the pants? Yikes!! I only wore them once together (with a black cami) - to a fancy shmancy restaurant near home. In LA anything goes!

Thank you VERY much to all of your replies to my questions. I really appreciate the input.

I am very glad to see the fiber content specified because I was getting WAY confused by what the various sales people were telling me. I started bunching up the pants into a ball to see what happend to them but I had my teen daughter with me and she was out of patience with me so I couldn't stand there long enough to get an idea. I will try my experiment again when she isn't with me.

As for the 126 being too LITTLE weight at my height, it really was for me. When I lose weight it always comes off the areas I least need to lose it first. In my case it is from my face, neck, upper chest, arms, etc. My face at 126 looked gaunt, even to me. (I am very small boned on top, my hips, thighs, and butt are the culprits.) My doctor even was a bit concerned I had gone overboard. When I went back up to 130 everything was looking better. It is TOTALLY correct about being in shape. When I first started Weight Watchers I worked out at the gym and I was really getting into it. But alas, I got out of the habit. I would love to get back into it...Maybe one day I too could wear pink pants!

I'll let ya'll know if I find the perfect travel pants.

Bye and thanks again.