Holiday Shopping Report Part II

B. finally came in yesterday afternoon. His flight was a half-hour delayed out of Denver, but that’s to be expected. Denver International is the worst airport I have ever had the misfortune to fly out of. And that includes Bombay’s airport, a lonely, completely fun-free aviation experience that I don’t care to ever repeat.

While waiting for B. to arrive, Mom and I headed out to Clotheshorse Anonymous, a cult favorite among Dallas fashionistas and the largest consignment store in Texas. (And that’s saying a lot.) It’s even more expensive than I remember it being, and quite frankly, the handbag selection was looking quite dismal. I found some great classic Tod’s handbags in their signature creamy beige with buttery-soft leather, but the majority of the lot was unremarkable. Lots of fugly Guccis and Pradas — I never understood the appeal of the nylon Pradas. I mean, seriously? A nylon handbag for $700? I don’t think so. Unlike quality leather goods, nylon doesn’t age well at all. A five-year-old Prada wristlet that I found at Clotheshorse a few months ago looked like something I’d find in a bargain bin at the Salvation Army.

Eventually I settled on a Stanley Korshak cashmere cardigan in chocolate-brown, a Juicy Couture long-sleeved top with green toile, and a chocolate-brown fitted Banana Republic long-sleeved top with a medium V-neck. I think the total came to about $90 ($60 of which was the sweater alone), which is more than I usually pay for clothes (my shops of choice usually involve thrift and vintage stores), but I couldn’t resist, especially the Korshak sweater. I’d read in several places of the wonders of cashmere and decided that I just had to have one, and now that I’ve felt its silky touch against my skin, I’m a convert. The drape is so flattering, as it hugs the body without being clingy and doesn’t leave that awful scratchy feel on the skin. Wool makes me itch just looking at it, but I think cashmere is my new love.

I did try on a bunch of really high-end designer outfits, including some Chanel coats and jackets an Escada top (Now that I’m getting a purse from that brand, I’m becoming mildly obsessed with it), and a Neiman Marcus coat. Unfortunately, most of them were either too big or too small — with haute couture, you generally get the “true” sizes, so while one may wear a size 8-10 at Target, if you want to wear Chanel or St. John’s you’ll probably have to go up to 12 or even 14 (if they even make those sizes). I really like the little chain that runs the entire length of the hem in the Chanel jackets, which supposedly give them just enough heft to fit the body well, as opposed to cheaper jackets where the hems can pinch, crease, fold, or just do anything but drape. It’s just a cheap little chain, but it works miracles.

What I found when I put on the jackets is that, like the house’s signature scent, it evokes a feeling of, uhm, maturity. I suspect that it’s probably because many of the shop’s consignees consist of Dallas’ old money bluebloods, women of a certain age who would look fabulous in these classic outfits, but on me I just look dowdy. Many of the St. John’s clothes look appropriate for my mom on cruise ship dinners (if she was willing to fork over $500 for a sequined top, which she decidedly isn’t), but would age me about twenty years.

Still, if you’re ever in Dallas, Clotheshorse is the place to go if you’re looking for “discount” couture. The shop occupies about 7,000 square feet, and while the racks can be a little too packed, you don’t get that overwhelming feeling that Wal-Mart or Goodwill can engender. I think Clothes Circuit off Preston Road offers a much better selection of handbags and accessories, but again, the prices can be intimidating. They do often have purses from more recent collections, including Louis Vuitton, Fendi and Marc Jacobs.

In Irving (Dallas suburb) you can shop at Chapter Two, located on the southeast corner of O’Connor and Rochelle. I’ve been a few times and like their clothing selections, but you can skip the handbags. If you find any designer accessories, chances are they’re quite old and dated and well-worn. If not, it may be a fake. I once bought a “Ferragamo” purse that the proprietor claimed was genuine, but if you look inside, you’ll find that someone had removed the original handles and replaced them with bamboo ones using cheap-looking glue. I think the “body” was original, but the handles definitely weren’t. I shuddered at the waste. The better consignment shops in Dallas are much better about spotting fakes than many of the smaller, suburban stores.

Today we finally hit very favorite malls, NorthPark Center and the Galleria. We then have dinner with B.’s mom this evening, probably in the same Mediterranean restaurant in which we ate last night after B.’s arrival. If you’re ever in Irving, Texas, check out the Kasbah Grill on Esters Road, just north of 183/The Airport Freeway. Located just north of the sprawling mosque complex on the east side of Esters, they offer what I think is the best hummus in the suburbs: smooth, creamy, and with just the right amount of garlic. They make the freshest pita bread and a rich, juicy lamb shank served on a bed of grilled vegetables and couscous. Also try their Moroccan tea (the proprietor and most of his staff are Moroccan): minty and hot with just a hint of sweetness, it’s served in an elegant pewter carafe accompanied by little cobalt-blue glasses.

Everytime I go there — which is anytime I’m in Dallas — they seem to have upgraded the decor a notch. Check out the gorgeous, unframed acrylics adorning the cumin-colored walls. All are by a Moroccan painter and offer brilliant, dynamic images of Morocco village life.

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