Web Conference and Clothes Shopping

After work today, I went to the Web Innovators Group at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge. I had forgotten that I signed up for this until yesterday, when I noticed it on my Outlook calendar. To be perfectly honest, I couldn't remember what it was, or why I signed up, but the fact that it was on my calendar meant that at one point, I thought it might have been interesting.

So, I decided to go.

I parked at the Cambridgeside Galleria, and walked across the street to the hotel. I followed a few folks who clearly had web 2.0-esque logos on their T-shirts, and soon wound up in the right spot. Good thinking.

When I arrived at the function room, I realized that this was their 17th meeting, and that they attracted quite a crowd. Lots of Internet startup folks speaking a language that I could follow, but didn't speak fluently yet. Their industry in quite interesting to me, but at this point I'm still observing from the periphery.

I hung out for a bit to look at the various startups that had table space in the room, but decided to bail on the main presentations. It's the kind of thing that I would have regretted not attending after having signed up, but once I got the feel for what it was all about, I didn't need to stay.

I figured that since my car was parked at the mall, why not go shopping?

I was on the lookout for denim-cut pants - meaning non-jeans that were cut like jeans. Khakis, though I do wear them, unfortunately don't complement my, um, shape. With bulging pockets and such, they make me look more bottom-heavy than I currently am.

Denim-cut jeans and pants, however, give me more latitude to pretend like I'm the same size as I was a decade ago.

I found my way into J. Crew, where the friendly sales guy sized me up, predicted that I was a size smaller than I actually am (flattery, perhaps?), and tried to stuff me into a pair of jeans that just didn't work.

As I explained a bit more about what I was looking for (twill or black pants cut like jeans that left some room and didn't adhere to my body), he recommended I take a look in......

Sears.

Sears!

Goodness. Not to sound completely vain, but the last time I bought clothes in Sears, I was in high school, and my parents were outfitting me.

When I think of Sears, I think of Lee acid-wash jeans, Craftsman power tools, and older ladies buying nighties.

Have I reached the point in my life and/or size that Sears has become the best option for clothes shopping? Really? Am I unaware that Sears is, in actuality, a vendor of couture? Is it?

I scurried over to Banana Republic and found a pair of jeans that I liked and that look fine.

Deep breath.

Immediately, I felt better and decided to come home, leaving on a high note.