Okay. I just have to jump in here again and question the advertising practices of MORE. I read several women’s magazines, and most of them DO NOT have luxury items in their ads. This sets me to thinking and wondering….. If all of these other women’s magazines can afford to publish WITHOUT luxury item ads, then why can’t MORE? So…. I also wonder if MORE is just choosing to only advertise and promote luxury items. Cindy brings out such a good point about feeling like she’s not supposed to be reading this magazine – like if she and others can’t afford these items, why are we reading the magazine. Furthermore, I would love to be able to buy quality items, but I, like many other readers, can’t afford them. So, why on god’s green earth can’t MORE at least balance out their advertising?

Cindy, Thanks for jumping in on this one—-you are SO right, this mag has so much good stuff for women of a certain age but the fashions are pretty pricy—-I’ll tell you what hey offer me…ideas…..I’m a mix/match gal and need direction re: putting this look with that….More.com has become another ‘stylist’ for me——sure do agree about 900.00 outfits….not in my budget anytime soon, that’s for sure

I love More, yet I actually get angry every time I see the fashion pages because they say to me, "You’re not really supposed to be reading this magazine; you are not our target market." But I’m a 48-year-old married mother of two teens, so the stories and financial advice seem perfect for me. Why would More include a section that feels so exclusionary? The rest of the magazine is about reinventing yourself in attainable ways. A $900 outfit is not likely ever to be attainable for me!

my girls have their own versions of this mother’s tale—-Growing up in newport beach, we were always among the ‘poorest in the city which did not mean poor by any means—-However, the ’newly rich’ hat flocked there in the 70’s & 80’s loved to spend, spend, spend—-in fact, i do believe today’s advertsing campaigns sprang from 1980’s & 90’s over the top spending to keep up ith the Jones——I could not afford to exclusively dress my 3 little girls in ‘labelled’ wear so i bought ‘second hand’ which along the So Cal coast is a relative term——Fab consignment shops in laguna and newport kept my girls looking up to date——a good dress here, a winter jacket there…..Target-like stores supplied the rest. Today, they all love good clothing but settle for Forever 21-like daily wear now that they’re paying the bills…..:)

Oh…just had to reply because it reminded me of a story. When I worked in DC ( did some stuff on the hill) Anyway, I met a man who was a lobbyist. He was a striking looking black man who had a presence like no other. It wasn’t because he was one of the few minority men up there, but because he was dressed like GQ and made the rest of them look bland. We happened to be talking shop and somehow began discussing "rising from the ranks" and working your way up. He told me that HIS MOTHER was instrumental in his appearance. They were very poor and clothes had to be handed down from one sib to the next. The boys went to private school so they needed to wear jackets and ties. What he said to me still resonates. He said…Anne, we were too poor to buy junk. It had to last. My mother bought quality and we took care of it, knowing that she worked hard and long to give us the best. Like your mother, Marla, and mine, she taught her children the value of the goods far beyond the fashion statement of the moment.

great story annie—-put us all together and we’ve got a few to tell, yes? My mom ADORED designer/couture-Loretta Young her idol—-she’d take us to the Loop (downtown Chicago) to Marshall Field’s basement and we’d run thru the stacks while she dug hrough piles of clothing looking for the right pieces—-When she found them, regardless of condition, if the price was right, she’d purchase and then bring them to this VERY old seamstress who would stitch her magic into them and VOILA! whatever was wrong with the garment disappeared. This is where i developed my interest in quality clothing. My mom always said that a woman doesn’t need a lot to look good but she does need to know how to put it all together. Accessories? Her secret weapon too. When she died, I picked through her stuff and pulled out precious pieces that my sisters saw it as junk—-not me. I just found a gorgoeus silk half slip Mom bought when half slips were big——French label—-i put it on and my sweetie loved it. "Your mom bought this?" he asked. ‘Quality at affordable prices in 2009’ is my mantra… , ..

Okay, here comes Annie again with her bah humbug. My mother loved fashion. She did not have "what" to spend on it. Her advice. Buy basic, spend on good accessories and keep them forever. Here is the secret to a fashionable you. Have you own sense of dress that suits you. Make it "your brand". Let folks say…wow that’s a "Marla"….Me? I’m as basic as it gets. Black slacks, lots of jerseys and jackets. I could travel around the world with one pair of good jeans, one pair of tan cotton pants, one pair of dress blacks and maybe a pale linen whoopdeedoo slack. It’s how you put it together. Magazines are great places to get ideas. I love to see what is new, of course, it is usually old re-done….like the big bow thing. Anyway, We don’t need originals….we are the originals. Make your own statement..the world is your runway. I a cousin who is stuck in the 60s. She’s a hippie. Was a hippie…is a hippie. We always love to see her newest/oldest look. It is just who she is…not a knock off of haut couture. For me the women who were the best dressed EVER were, Kate Hepburn and Audrey Hepburn. Must be something in the name. Jackie O was my favorite. They all looked great in pants and sweaters. Has to do with the woman who wears the clothes, not the clothes. Its about attitude. Thanks for inviting me to join in.

great story joan..i’ve ot a few too—-don’t you LOVE a good deal?

hi wendy, Duh…thanks for the head’s up—-did not see on the site——i’ll check them out—-first reaction—lrom the titles of a few you offered here—-‘Under $50’ is probably what most gals would like to see if they were really shopping the mag for items to fall in love with & buy—-times are till tough and probably will be for some time—-yet, most gals do enjoy a purchase every now and then even if the budget is tight…..thanks for ur comments—-

Advertising is so complicated—in my 3 years of running a regional mag, my biggest headache—-so i sympathathize and don’t know the answer re: higher end lines—-i do know, bigger companies have more AD dollars——however, in the era of designers branding to Target-like retail stores, seems there’s room to expand the model—— i’d love to read a story about x number of MORE.com women who perhaps have the money to buy retail but wouldn’t DREAM of it because what fun is that? Like Joan, my closet is filled with ‘stories’ of FAB pieces i got "for a song" to use my mom’s favorite phrase when she’d snag one of her great finds ‘for a song.’’ I ADORE this site —these discussions feel like we’re visiting over a cup—-very cool——thanks for all ur responses…. m