A Romantic Adventure Through Clothing

Growing up in the 1990s, I remember combing through the J. Peterman Company clothing catalog that arrived in our mailbox. I assume that my mom found her way onto its direct mail list. I/We never bought any items, but I enjoyed looking through it. It was kind of like a magazine, because the clothing was not photographed on beautiful models; each item was intricately painted and was described in a story—a story about travel, adventure, romance. The descriptions transported me to other decades and other locations around the world.

For example, here’s a portion of the current listing for a suede patchwork skirt:

“Here’s what Moira remembers.
Folk musicians flooding Washington Square Park with new music. The world wobbling a bit on its axis.
Unpaid gigs at Greenwich Village coffee houses like Kettle of Fish and The Gaslight Cafe, passing the basket for change.
Dylan at Gerde’s playing Guthrie, playing his own songs…”

All of the items are unique…retro-inspired, travel-inspired, Middle Eastern-inspired. And all of them are pretty expensive. Hence, I’d never bought anything from the company.

Until now. I had forgotten about J. Peterman for decades, but I recently rediscovered it and signed up for its email and catalog lists. And then one fateful day, I received an email from its outlet. Now these were prices I could afford. I bought black cigarette pants, navy lace pants, and a floral skirt for about $100.

The items came impeccably wrapped, and the quality is great. I can’t wait to wear them!

Note: Seinfeld fans will recall that Elaine worked for the J. Peterman Company! Enjoy this clip from when she met J. Peterman…