[Previous entry: "Another hiatus"] [Main Index] [Next entry: "Sorry."]

02/23/2005 Entry: "Brooks Brothers"

My dad and I are a lot alike. There are things that I can't even put my finger on, but I noticed last night while in a class discussion group, that my speech patterns are almost identical to his. Every holiday my dad gets something for my mother that he thinks that she will like, but that is inevitably more his (and my) style than hers. When this item is clothing, it usually comes from Talbots, or Saks, or Ann Taylor or some other place that caters to the ultra-tailored, crisp-oxford-shirt set. Absolutely my style, not so much my mother's style. Therefore, of course, a trip to the store of origin is planned to return the item.

This past birthday of my mother's, the item came from Brooks Brothers who did not see fit to include it on their website, damn them. It was a periwinkle blue cable knit sweater, a cardigan that reached down past the knees. It would have even on a taller woman. It was reminiscent of those long sweater-jackets that were so popular when I was in college. I hope my dad doesn't mind me quoting the price here at $148.00 cause price is important to the story.

My mom tried it on and immediately asked how it looked. It looked tailored, and because it was knit, it was a little clingy in all those areas that no normal woman wants to show off with clingy clothing. So it was going back. Admiring the cabling handiwork, (it looked like it was knit on size 9's or so), I asked, "What's it made of?" 70% silk, 30% cashmere. Thinking of Alison's latest ripping adventures, I said, jokingly, "Maybe I could rip it up and make something you like better out of it." The thing was so long, I'm pretty sure there were at least 8 good size balls of yarn in it. I should have known, that's not something to joke about.

We returned the luxurious yarn in the shape a cardigan to Brooks Brothers and Mom got a few things that were more her. When we got home, I decided to see how much the yarn to make that cardigan would have cost had I bought it online. I can see you all sitting there reading, as if watching a slasher movie where the buxom blonde is about to open the door. "No, Melissa! Don't Google! Don't! NOOOO!!!" I had to. I had to know. My search for "yarn 70% silk, 30% cashmere" yielded the following result.

Ok, I'll just subject myself to more torture and do the math. In order to make a profit on the sweater purchase, it would have to yield a minimum of how many 125 yarn balls? Anyone? At $33 a ball, it would take less than 5 balls of yarn to break even.

I shoulda fought harder, kicked and screamed til I got my hands on that luxurious yarn. There's always Christmas.

Stay tuned for tomorrow. I've got pictures. :-)

08:40 AM CST |