@introverted_innovator: Could be that I had a fifteen year gap between my periods of paying attention to Jcrew. It could also be that I always thought of their clothes as expensive...

Wow. My three-year-old dog does a pretty good impression of a three-week-old maltese puppy when you wake him up in the morning.

@CollegeCamel: That jacket was the thing I actually would want on that page, damn it! Chalk it up to coming of age in the grunge era and a deep hatred of most patterns other than plaid....

@Wandell: I guess we are frogs! Love 'em too!

@marathonjunkie: I was a J Crew lover from the early 90's and their prices for basics have stayed the same. They've just added a lot of "higher end" stuff to the mix.

@Murban: Oops, just read your comment about Target. Try TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Loehman's and Filenes Basement for the good stuff cheap.

@Diziet_Sma: Marks & Sparks! The food! Believe it or not, try Target's Exhilaration line. They've got some bikini's that come in black (and lots of patterns) that I find plenty comfy and cute and can be found on sale at 4 for $10.

@pinkkittie27: My Elmer Fudd hat is awesome and has landed me ridiculous amounts of complements...with no snark involved.

@LittlestCrazy: SmartWool! I had pledged un-dying loyalty until I found a line call Goodhew that may actually make better wool socks (blasphemy, I know). I still love me my Smartwools, but its nice to have an alternative. Also, try Sierra Traders for both discounted.

A couple of things this veteran Central New Yorker has learned about being winter friendly and not looking like the Yeti;

@Fishbear: Seriously. The company made a commitment there.

Loved LLBean for their oddly classic fuddy-dud stuff? Now try it with less fud!

But this is the spring/summer line??? Velvet, taffeta, black, olive, peacock? I'm confused...Or did Yohiji use his mystical powers to somehow change the cycles of the earth (or the cycles of fashion)?

Regarding zits;

@Oleander: Amen! I've also found adding pure vitamin e to the mix helps the healing process go twice as fast.

I am known for my accessories. My students are constantly complementing me on them asking me where I get them. My rule of thumb is to pick one complicated accessory and keep the rest minimal.

My boyfriend is one of these people. He is trying to get rid of everything and bemoans the fact he has so much stuff (it all fits into a small SUV). To be honest, it is trying. Especially when his lack of stuff relies on his friends having it (see his "car-free experiment in grad school, which he even acknowledges was…

@OPhyliaKilledHamlet: Re: concealer

@Eldritch: Last I heard, they were switching to their own line of t's (which, judging by the designs I've purchased printed on them, are far better fitting)

@bluebears: from friends that work in the clothing industry, I understand that it also has a lot to do with the production schedule. Because of the way H&M and F21 (and I would argue Urban Outfitters) have their design, manufacturing, and distribution run, they can see a garment on the runway, design a knock-off,…