Friday, September 4, 2009

Nancy Talbot, RIP

If you were raised in the suburban northeast of the United States, the store known as Talbots (or "The Talbots", as it was archaically and correctly called in its earlier years) was a simple fact of growing up.

I owned countless Talbots cardies, skirts, and dresses over the course of my teens and twenties. It is a tribute to the store's unswerving dedication to tailoring that was "ladylike, simple but not contrived, gimmicky, or extreme" that I cannot remember a single one of them. Before it became a national chain, the physical proximity of Manhattan--with its helter-skelter seasonal trends--did little to ruffle the becalmed racks of Talbots. No, this shop had as its compass the redoubtable dress sense of Boston.

If you count yourself among the Talbots sisterhood, there's an interesting history here, courtesy of Nancy's obit in The New York Times.

More interesting still might be this vintage Talbot's bathing suit, up for sale on Etsy. Conservative, well-boned, and unwittingly clashy in the color department. It's the Talbots style to the nines.

4 comments:

  1. My mother loves Talbots! They do have some basic classic pieces that everyone should have in their wardrobes.

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  2. You're right Ms. B!!

    I really oughtn't snark because I cruised my local Talbots ALL THE TIME when I lived in Manhattan.

    And I'm coming around to the idea that it's the basic pieces that make the world go round. Finding the right ones, that's the challenge.

    Hugs to you and your mom and have a great weekend!

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  3. I've never owned anything from Talbots, but I do sincerely appreciate the classic cuts and elegant styles they've long produced. It's always a sad day when the fashion world losses a pioneering spirit such as Nancy, thank you for bringing her passing to my attention.

    Big hugs,
    ♥ Jessica

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