Roux: Shop at home, find what you need

Jeans that fit really well are extremely hard to find, and they are a necessity of life. They are my default pants of choice for any occasion where they might be loosely construed to be appropriate. I have been many sizes in my life, from 4 up to triple XXX, and I have always had at least two pair that fit. That's a lot of jeans.

Most women like them tight enough to kind of take some effort on the zip-up so they will hold in our bulging stomachs. That's the only concession though; they must be perfectly comfortable in every other way. With our changing bodies, how is that accomplished?

Lots of trial and error, especially if you are one of those people who have to get a bargain. I suppose for some it's just a matter of finding a brand that works and sticking with it. The problem there for me is that brands change and even disappear.

My new favorite jeans – four pair total, two black, two blue – came from the Dollar General in Eastpoint. The brand is Bobbie Brooks. Didn't that used to be the prissy, prep brand that was sold alongside Villager's in department stores? They cost $12.

I discovered the store on my way from work when I needed cat food. They have a good price on big bags. Since I feed two outside cats in addition to Mrs. B, who comes and goes as she darn well pleases, I opt for the most food at the lowest cost. After several trips, I started spending more time there. That's how I spotted the jeans. I bought them one-by-one as I gradually realized this was a really good deal. I bought a black tank top. I filled up my buggy with canned commodities, paper products, cleaning agents, note cards, pens, and toiletries. When my cell died and my expensive contract expired, I bought my phone there, and I go back to buy cards with minutes when I need them. A friend in town for a wedding forgot his shirt at home. He found a perfect long sleeve black number that was just the thing.

Dollar General is the closest to a community general store that I have seen in ages.

Make no mistake. The IGA and the Piggly Wiggly still get a lion's share of my business. I don't go out of town for the cheap lure of Wal-Mart or the siren song of Publix. Well, maybe sometimes, but rarely. I love the Pig and the IGA. They aren't interchangeable. I shop at both for different reasons.

I have come to understand that shopping, especially for clothes, has to be increasingly creative. Many of us work before the public, and we want to look put together and moderately stylish. We want to dress well without spending too much money.

Honestly, I was never a big shopper. I never found it fun or amusing. Sometimes, need necessitated a real store visit to try on lots of stuff until I got the basics I needed. Not generally a pleasant experience.

I have always looked for good deals and limited myself primarily to the sales racks. Now, I go much further. I shop the outlets online at Land's End and Coldwater Creek with a critical eye, looking for the rock-bottom deals. I just bought a lovely gently- used dress from Giselle at Circee in Apalachicola. The price was easy to swallow. Through the years I have found exquisite things at Penny's Worth. I donate a lot of my stuff to that church thrift shop, so my karma is pretty good.

Maybe the economy really is improving. I read an article positing that position because underwear sales were up. My son and I agreed that acknowledging it was time to buy new drawers might be a fairly accurate indicator that people are spending money again, at least on some things.

But I like my new buying habits. There is a certain victorious joy at living well and looking good and being frugal at the same time. Many of us are being humbled financially during these times. It doesn't have to affect who we are. It can open doors to new and better ways of living.

Denise Roux is a regular columnist for the Apalachicola and Carrabelle Times. To reach her, email her at rouxwhit@mchsi.com