Confession: Yesterday when I received a holiday look book from Talbots, I didn't even bother to pull the red, spiral-bound book of images from its fed-ex envelope. I just tossed the whole thing straight into the trash.
Now, this may seem like a very biased, un-journalistic approach, but this is Talbots I'm talking about. You know, gold-buttoned boiled-woil cardigan sweaters; pleated plaid trousers; short-sleeved tea-length dresses (make it stop!); and loafers—with the penny. All of these are just dandy for my granny, but not exactly stuff for the style pages.
However, something (my conscience? a psychic flash?) made me yank the thing out of the trash. What I found inside was shocking. Vintage-inspired accessories. Chic patterned cardigans. Classic button-front shirts. Glamorous trench coats. It's J. Crew meets Tory Burch—at Talbots prices. Still classic, but defintely more stylish and sophisticate. With a little research I learned that the fall/holiday 2008 collections are part of a brand relaunch. Even the Talbots font, now in all-caps, block lettering, has been modernized.
Here's a sneak peek, but you'll have to wait until November when this collection hits stores to decide if it's as good as it looks. I'm keeping an open mind.
Posted on Friday, August 29, 2008 in Permalink
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