Vibrant Nation

I'm with you Tuffy. I think the fit of Chico's, Coldwater Creek an JJill is excellent for mature bodies and how you put your outfits together is what matters 2nd, as you will never look good if stuff doesn't fit. Banana Republic and J Crew are kind of not my style at all.

I wholehearted agree with Sherrie Mathieson and highly recommend her books.  Chico's, Coldwater Creek and J Jill scream Golden Girls to me.  With an open mind, I've shopped at these stores and hated what I saw looking back at me in the mirror.  I don't want a costume, I want real clothes.  A lot of this season's trends don't fit my "pear" shape, so it's harder for me to shop right now.  I find even with J Crew and Banana Republic, I have to make sure the fabric is not too fine, thin or clingy, but I can find the right styles at these stores.  I wish Sherri Mathieson would put out a book that also address directly the different body types - but she's provided a great deal of help for me so far.

You know, this is getting ridiculous.  I pulled up Sherrie's posts, and it strikes me that she is trying to sell her books on this site.  The issue right now is not whether or not one should shop at Coldwater Creek, but rather the type of forum this should be.  Sherrie Mathieson went out of her way to attack the tastes of people who were simply making suggestions.  She could have made her own suggestion without ripping apart someone else's idea of good taste, but she elected to try to set herself up as The Authority on taste and style.  Now, Truwinter, if you are a friend of hers or if you are in sync with her taste, then I'm glad you found someone that you feel comfortable with.

However, Sherrie Mathieson (and after your post, I finally checked her other posts on this site, and there is a clear pattern of trying to assert herself and her taste in order to market her books) went beyond giving her opinion...or even promoting her books.  She actually decided to tell some of us that our taste was for the old and decrepit.  That was insulting and negative. 

I wish you and Sherrie all the happiness in the world, and I hope she sells lots of books to people like you....but this forum should be for the purpose of women helping other women.  It should be a positive force.  There should be no negativity.  If this forum is going to deteriorate into an arena for people to pursue personal agendas, personal attacks, and personal profiteering....if there is not going to be support for one another....if members' coming on here is going to result in their feeling attacked, belittled, or talked down to, then frankly I won't be on here much longer.  I have a life to live, a happy positive productive llife.  If I can be of help to someone else, then I am glad to offer whatever insights I may have.  I wish you and Ms. Mathieson much happiness since you each have found a look you feel comfortable with.  Let's just be careful how we use this forum please.   There are ladies out there who might find this to be a constructive way of reaching out to each other.  Negative degrading posts will send a lot of us out the door.

Amen Sister!  Exactly my thoughts.

Tuffy,

I go "out of my way" to try to share my expertiece (and if my background makes no difference to you--it's certainly your choice) with the ladies on this site. You can view it as an attack but that seems to me to be a totally inappropriate reaction. My books were also written and photographed to help boomers and those older with the multitudes of challenges they face. Unfortunately you view them as a purely mercantile effort on my part.Your resentment seems to be woefully focused on an insinuation you falsely perceived--it's a shame. Thankfully my proffessional observations, everyday experiencce with a diverse clientele and unique background has been sought after and appreciated by many.

You are getting very defensive, which is quite sad.  I already had looked up your page and am aware of your "background".  You have no idea what MY background is, and I have not made it a point to bring it out on here as I don't think this forum should be about MY background or YOURS.  Obviously I am not alone in viewing your comments as confrontational, as evidenced by the support others voiced in this thread.  Once again, you are concentrating on your books.  (And if it makes you feel better, I did pull them up on Amazon....and I found the comments, especially on your first book, to be quite illuminating.)  Again, that is neither here nor there.  Obviously you viewed my comments to you as an attack rather than constructively learning from them and you have twisted my words to make yourself into a victim.  That is your choice, and it is a shame.  I suggest you approach Vibrant Nation and specifically request that you be given your own thread...as I suggested....and those who appreciate your outlook can speak to you there and hear your "proffessional [sic] observations" and benefit from your "expertiece" [sic]...those of us who do not wish to solicit them can avoid your condescension.  (And yes, in that one sentence I will admit that I myself was being condescending toward you; and I will apologize before you have to point it out.  Anyone who has such an obviously high opinion of herself is an open invitation....)  Yes, since you do not want to be perceived as being engaged in a "purely mercantile effort," perhaps you might want to give away a few copies as a gesture toward the group who appreciate and need you.  Simple.  Start your own thread and let your buddies and fans flock to you there.  But don't confront others' observations and telll them that they have faulty taste when they did not ask for your opinion. And don't make this thread about YOU or YOUR books.   I don't resent you, Sherrie; you are wrong, there.  I resent your attitude and had hoped that your words created an unintended impression of superiority and entitlement.  Sadly, your latest post shows that the arrogance was intended. 

Tuffy,

Please stop this. Sherrie said something that hurt your feelings. She didn't apologize for her opinion. That is the sum total of what has happened. No more of this back and forth, and no more of this Sherrie bashing.

Sherrie has provided VibrantNation.com and its members with a wealth of content, free of charge. She also gave away 25 copies of BOTH of her books, a very generous thing to do.

You don't think Sherrie's point of view is correct. Sherrie doesn't agree with yours. End of story.

http://www.vibrantnation.com/promo/2009/10/19/community-guidelines#respect

http://www.vibrantnation.com/promo/2009/10/19/community-guidelines#debate

Your post was unnecessary. After I responded yesterday, I decided to follow my own advice and take an exit from this site. I sent an e-mail to you requesting that my account be deleted.  I do have a life, and I don't have time to spend on this.  I don't think anyone ever understood my initial post and what I was trying to say.  My post had to do with civility rather than being judgmental in respecting others' opinions.  Obviously the request hasn't gone through yet.  I wish you all the best.

Bye bye

I agree with you about Coldwater Creek and Chico's - they scream Golden Girls!  No matter what anyone else says.  Sherrie Mathieson is right!

Like I said, this is getting utterly ridiculous.  I have a wonderful idea.  Just set up a post and call it "Ask Sherrie".  Otherwise, just rename this whole forum the Sherrie Forum.   Then the rest of us will know better than to waste our time replying to anything.  I really don't think you are helping your friend that much.  What might have helped her would have been had she herself had the character to apologize.  Look at her posts.  She addresses the tastes of people who didn't ask for her opinions.  I pulled up Truwinter after I responded to her post....and curiously, that was her first post ever on this forum.  I repeat.  It's neither here nor there where you like to shop.   That's not the issue.  The issue is how this forum is going to be used. 

Wow - I had no idea my comment would cause such a firestorm!  I apologize to those of you who took it so personally.  I have no connection to Sherrie Mathieson whatsoever, other than reading her book.  I was struggling with my wardrobe after 50 and stumbled on to her book, which was immensely helpful to me.  Beyond that, I was simply stating my own opinion about my own shopping experiences at certain stores.  How can I state this positively?  I guess I can say I can't find anything that looks like my style at Chicos or Coldwater Creek.  I know my body type, I know my style.  I have a particularly hard time shopping for my body type.  My body type in Chico's and Coldwater Creek's offerings make my look matronly.  I did find some nice pants at a store called Syms the other day, which is a miracle.  (Lafayette 148 and JNY).

Truwinter-

I too "never saw it comin'!"--but hoped that the ladies who took offense may benefit from my point of view. I love your matter of fact deductions--all based on well observed personal experience. I appreciate that you are open to new possibilities and continue to search out what looks modern, and ageless. Interestingly the simple white shirt, black sweater and slacks on my "real" African-American" model, Ife, (sz 20) on the cover of "Steal this Style" was from Lafayette 148.

Thanks for the comment, Ms. Mathieson.  It would be so much easier for me to just go out and buy clothing that adequately covers me, but aesthtics are important to me.  My closet contains clothing between sizes 6-10 that all fit me.  Even when I was pretty much a size 4, I had difficulty finding pants to fit because I have a pear shape; my thighs are fuller than what the average designer accommodates in clothing.  The part of your comment that is especially valuable here is to be "open to new possibilities and continue to search. . ."  I'm looking forward to coming back to this thread to share and find new possibilities for "modern and ageless" looks.  I hope everyone continues to share.