The Vine: April 25, 2008
Three queries on Ask The Readers Friday today, all clothing-related. If you post an answer/solution, please make sure it’s clear which letter you mean, and as always, keep those URLs short ‘n’ manageable. Thanks!
Hi, Sars. Can your readers help me find a hooded sweatshirt, sized for women, made in the USA, and preferably zip-up? I’ve been buying them from American Apparel (specifically the California Fleece Zip Hoody, but — and this is weird — I go through the elbows on them pretty quickly.
I’ve had three total: the first one sprang a hole in the left elbow, the second one in the right, and now this current one has holes in both elbows. I’ve had this problem with really cheaply made shirts in thin fabrics from American Eagle and Kohl’s, but I was surprised that it started to happen with sweatshirts, and especially three in a row. But the California Fleece Zip Hoody fits me perfectly and comes in tons of colors and only costs $38, so I keep buying them…like a sucker.
So I’m looking for a USA-made, woman-sized hoodie that might last me a little longer than this American Apparel one. I try not to be hard on the elbows, really I do. I’ve managed to patch a couple of them, but I’d rather just find a better hoodie — and I live in San Francisco, so I wear one practically every day. Online retailers or Bay Area stores preferred.
Thanks!
Ol’ Pointy Elbows
Dear Point,
Can we get a ruling on “hoody” vs. “hoodie”? I don’t really care that much; I’m just curious.
Readers, hit it: durable-elbowed hoodie for the ladies, made in the USA.
Dear Sars,
I’ve just returned from a super-frustrating shopping trip and I think I need some help. I’m looking for new summer t-shirts, preferably with a fun logo/print or a v-neck. My problem: this season, everyone seems to be making super-long t-shirts. I’m 5’4″ and pear-shaped, and having a ton of extra fabric bunched around my hips or hugging my butt is not a great look for me.
I tried my old standbys — Gap, Old Navy, American Eagle, Macy’s — and didn’t have any luck, even in the petites section. I’m hoping other short/curvy girls out there might know where I can find cute belt-length tees (preferably for $25 or less).
Sincerely,
I spent three hours at the mall and all I got was this pair of slippers
Dear Slip,
I share two physical traits with Mr. Stupidhead which he is in the habit of referring to as “the genetic betrayal that is our legacy”: farm-people sweatiness; and a really really long torso. The super-long shirt is, to me, a gift from God sent to cover my back-ulite, so I may not be of much help.
As it happens, though, I own a number of J. Crew “perfect-fit” tees, which actually hit a little short for my taste (sometimes clothiers do not account for the possibility of big boobs pulling the shirt out of alignment), so you might have some luck with those — plus the Crew has a whole petites section on their website.
Surely the readers have a solution as well.
Trusted Sars,
I’m writing to plead for help from your chic and savvy reader base.
I’ve been on the hunt for some shoes for…oh, eons. I’m looking for something in black that will meet the following criteria:
– Should offer at least 2″ of height without being “steep.” I’d be perfectly happy wearing a platform shoe between 2″ and 4″.
– They must be completely black — meaning no polka dots, stripes, or cork. Buckles or other silver accents are okay if they’re simple.
– They should be versatile, meaning they can be worn casually with jeans, capris, etc. or can be dressy enough to wear with a skirt or slacks for, say, a job interview or work in a corporate setting.
– Canvas won’t work; it’s too casual and collects dust.
– They must not be open-backed unless they have a strap. (I can’t have the thwip-thwop thwip-thwop problem in certain situations.)
– They should be really comfortable, meaning I can walk at least a half mile at a time in them, or stand in them for at least an hour without being reduced to a crouching, wobbling, whimpering parody of myself.
– They should be durable, because if I’m going to fall in love with a shoe, I don’t want to suffer a broken heart after one season when I can no longer purchase the shoe to replace the pair should it wear out.
I know I’m asking the world, but I’m desperate. I’ve tried looking online, I’ve tried department stores and I’ve tried “boutique” stores. I’m willing to pay a bit more for them than I usually would for shoes, but I’m still hoping to keep the cost below $100.
Please relay my request. I’m starting to question my sanity for believing that these shoes could actually exist.
Shoe-rly This Isn’t An Impossibility
Dear Imp,
Give online another try — between Zappos and Piperlime, or Bluefly, I can’t imagine you wouldn’t find something in your price range. Zappos has free shipping both ways, usually, so there’s no penalty for getting a shoe to the house and then changing your mind; you can search by color and heel height, casual and dress, you name it.
You can shop the individual retailers’ sites — Nine West, Aerosoles (although they’re having a dowdy season, based on the last catalog I saw), Aldo, Steve Madden — but your best bet is probably Zappos, where they’re all under one roof and the search engine is broader.
And when you find a pair you like, buy a back-up pair or two. I wish I’d done that with my Report Mary Janes, and now they don’t make that style anymore.
Readers, anything to add?
Tags: Ask The Readers retail
To Imp: I can’t suggest the perfect shoe for you, but I can suggest another online retailer that Sars didn’t mention: Endless.com. They also do free shipping/returns, and often their prices are better than Zappos for the exact same shoe. Good luck!
For Elbows, and maybe even Slippers, how about http://www.neighborhoodies.com/index.php
Made in Brooklyn and you can even customize to your heart’s content!
For Shoe-rly: Try the Lily Darling by John Fluevog: http://tinyurl.com/6a3q7s. I realize this blows the top off your budget, but the shoe is totally comfortable, you can walk in them all day (which I have done in San Francisco), and they work with pants or skirts.
Fluevog sizing is kind of odd, so its critical that you try on a few pairs to see what works for you. If you’re not in a town that sells Fluevogs, I would suggest ordering a couple of pairs from Zappos and seeing what fits best. You can always send them back for free.
If you love the Fluevog, but can’t swing the price, they turn up all the time on eBay: you can pick them up there for a lot less than regular retail.
I always thought that I wear hoodies and eat a hoody. Or something like that. One is ice cream that they give out at kid’s birthday parties.
I second Endless. Their search interface is hell & gone better than Zappos. And for hoodies, I like Champion. I found a great one at Target, not too expensive, the right length, not too bulky.
For the woman looking for shoes: I don’t know if these will be dressy enough for you, but I really love Merrell’s in every size, shape, and color.
The pair I was thinking of for your criteria is the Merrell Women’s Plaza Bandeau. They have a slightly elevated heel, but still have a good sole for walking. They are around $90. I love Merrell’s because I have never had a “breaking in” period for them. They have been comfortable (and walkable >.5 mile) from the day I buy them. Good luck!
T-shirts: http://www.hanes.com, the v-necks are all quite short (I am barely 5’3″ and share your troubles). To make them awesome buy iron-ons on eBay, or make your own on your inkjet printer.
For Slip, because I too am a pear-shaped girl: Have you tried modifying your tees a bit? I buy tunic-length shirts and cit a little slit on one side or straight up the back — usually I cut it to juuuust below the waistband of my jeans, but you can cut a slit to just below the bra-strap to make a cute going-out shirt that’s sexy without being, you know, Paris Hilton-y. For daytime stuff, the shorter slit works greak — unbunches the fabric from my hips, allows me to wear longer shirts to hide a little muffin top, and looks pretty darn stylish.
Your other option is to buy shirts with ruching, then crumple it all up — it shortens the shirt and adds a little torso bulk to balance out the hips. If you just want a plain old T-shirt, though, I am as helpless as you are. Anyone else?
For Imp: I’ve had luck with Merrell shoes (esp. the Plaza Bandeau) – attractive, comfortable, and able to be worn with skirts or slacks. A good place to look is The Walking Company: http://tinyurl.com/3vhtww.
Elbows: try No Sweat Apparel at http://www.nosweatapparel.com/ Union-made, sweat shop free clothing!
Slippers: I’m 5’2″ with a short torso and big boobs and big hips. I really like Threadless’ shirts [threadless.com], printed on American Apparel tees [americanapparel.com] and stuff from Natalie Dee/Toothpaste for Dinner/Married to the Sea [nataliedee.com], printed on Bella 1001 tees [bella.com].
For Elbows & Slippers, try http://www.bella.com – their stuff has been very durable for me (I haven’t actually ordered directly from them, but their t-shirts are used for a lot of online t-shirts (see the awesome “In case of zombie attack” shirt here.)
Slip:
Try J. Jill. They have some t-shirts that run right about waist level. Not too pricey and last quite a while. I have a couple and I love them.
Hoodies – J. Crew is the best. I have a sherpa lined one that is worn nearly every day, and it’s indestructible.
Tees – again, J. Crew. Best to wait for sale/outlet and snap them up when you see them marked down.
Shoes – quality counts. bluefly, saks, even neimans – they all have deals if you keep checking. Stuart Weitzman does a good dressy black shoe – in so many sizes, but I just got an amazing pair of shoes by Nanette Lepore (who knew?) and they are a bit taller than I’m used to, but they are so hip and comfy.
For Imp,
I recommend the “Remy” by Baci. Sorta hard to find online now, but did find them at :
http://www.6pm.com/n/p/p/7201381/c/554.html
(You didn’t say what size; this site has these in 8.5 and 9.5 in black leather.) Zappos currently doesn’t carry these anymore, but I got mine from there a few years ago and wore them OUT. You may need a gel cushion for the ball of your foot if you have issues with that like I do, but these are the most comfortable heels I’ve ever worn, and very cute on.
All of the things that Imp is looking for in one shoe means that she’s not going to find what she wants in a trendy shoe. Classic and understated, and yes, that means she’s tipping into “dowdy” territory. Add in the “walk a half-a mile” requirement and I’d suggest that she look at
These HushPuppies:
These Franco Sartos
These, from Chinese Laundry:
Capezio is also a real possibility, as long as she doesn’t mind that they’re t-straps or Mary-Jane style;; look under both Dancesport and Character/Tap. They’ll be both durable and comfortable
@Laura:
Thank you!! I have the world’s widest feet and can never find cute shoes. So I saw your comment and checked out Endless.com and just bought 4 pairs. (A lot for me – there’s pent-up demand going on here.) I check Zappos out regularly but the prices on Endless seemed better. Awesome!
Slip: I’m a short, curvy person as well, but I’ve been cursed with a relatively long torso and short legs, so I’m digging the long shirts. However, I do a lot of shopping petites for when available. While the pants are great for me, petite shirts are too short in the torso for me so they may be just what you’re looking for.
I suggest checking out Anne Taylor Loft. They have a great selection of t-shirts this time of year and, while some of their stuff is a bit pricey, nothing is outrageous and when they have a sale, they mean business. Also, they’re stuff is super cute and wears well. Good luck!
For the sweatshirt elbows, how about cutting a couple of pieces from the old sweatshirt and reinforcing the elbows? On the inside of course – you could attach the patches w/iron on interfacing and no one will know. I also second neighborhoodies – their hoodies are super thick and plush.
For Imp: I would highly recommend a pair of Danskos. Their classic clog-soled shoes come in many styles, including closed backs and mary janes, and meet all your other criteria. I own two pairs myself; a closed back style I’ve had for six (maybe seven?) years now, and a mary jane style. I’ve used both for on-my-feet-all-day work and walking vacations and they have never, ever disappointed me under either circumstance. I purchased them for about $100 a pair, maybe a bit more. They are available at zappos, but you need to know your European size to order. Good luck!
Re: shoes. I’m not finding the particular style that I fell in love with (and bought pairs in every color), but miz mooz shoes are incredibly comfortable. I’ve worn mine out and gone back and bought new pairs, and I’ve got them in multiple colors.
In addition, they even come with extra heel thingies (the little caps on the end of the heels that wear down from too much walking).
For the hoodies, you might try patching the elbows before you actually wear through them. Buy some of the iron-on patches at the sewing store, and iron them on the insides of your sleeves at the elbows.
For shorter t-shirts, try Wal-Mart – they seem to cater to younger girls who like their stomachs showing.
For the shoes, try: http://www.dsw.com . I found a pair of boots there after searching for TWO YEARS for exactly what I wanted!
@Imp: Maybe you’ve already checked these and discarded the idea, but my first thought was: Danskos. They meet nearly all your criteria. Heel height on the classic Professional is 1.75 inches, not 2, but they do have other styles, including heels. The Professional is worn by nurses and others who need to walk a ton. I can easily walk miles in mine. They’re super expensive — though you can sometimes get a new pair from eBay for a little less — but they last. http://www.dansko.com
Does the hoodie have to be sweatshirt material? I have four zip-up hoodie style sweaters in various weights that have proven very durable — and the fabric tends to be a bit stretchier, so perhaps they wouldn’t be so apt to rip with constant elbow pokage. My cotton one from the Gap makes a great beach/workout cover up. They’re all a few years old (at least) so I couldn’t point you to someplace that has them for sure right now, though.
I got a pair of these in cream for my graduation two years ago and loved them, so I got them in black to wear to work. I’m hard on heels, but I’ve made these last through my hour-long commute last year between Oakland and San Francisco and now at my East Coast job as well. After a year, I did have to have them re-heeled, but I’m hard on them, so you may not have that trouble.
http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/23809957/c/72.html
First of all, Sars, I think if it’s a noun, it should end in “-ie,” and adjectives in “-y.” This also applies to “girlie”/”girly.” As in, “April is my favorite girlie in the world.”/”Judy is a girly-girl.” This then reminds me why I never use it as a noun. Gag.
Hoodies: I have one from J. Crew that is practically indestructible. It’s fleece-lined, but not in the sleeves, which are still quite durable. I got it at a J. Crew outlet store, and somehow could actually wear the XS size (I’m 5’8″ and 130lbs.), so there is the added bonus of not feeling like an oaf!
T-Shirts: Since I, like Sars, have been gifted with a torso from here until Christmas, I can recommend some shirts that are too short for me. Target seems to be good at this – not the Mossimo stuff in the Juniors section, but the Misses’ Merona line. They are way too short for me, and seem to come in a nice variety of v-necks, stripes, etc.
For Slip:
I’m 4’9″ (4’9.5″ if I keep up with my yoga!) so I share your pain. I’ve really liked the v-neck t-shirts from Target. They are either the Cherokee or Merona brand (pretty sure it is Cherokee, but do check out both) and they are a good length on me. Not so long as to have bunchy fabric but long enough that when I have to stretch to reach something up high (as most things are for me) I’m not exposing myself. And they are tagless so no itchy neck! They come in solids and maybe stripes, but no patterns to my recollection.
For the clothing options, try the Gramicci website. They have a bunch of hoodies, (I like the way that looks, as opposed to hoody’s) t-shirts, etc. and they have decent prices and good sale selections. Go here: http://www.gramicci.com/
For the shoes, do a search for the specific tags at Zappo, but specify the brand Born. I just got a pair that seemed to fit that criteria and they are all black.
Then see if you can find them cheaper!
to Imp: dansko and born are my two “simple black shoe” standby brands. they are both available at nordstrom and also through the regular shoe sites (and you can check out styles online too, at bornshoes.com and dansko.com)
Slip, I feel your pain, as a five-foot-nothin’ superpear. I wept as cropped shirts slid out of style. Now, even the petite shirts are 4-6 inches too long for me. You can always take them to be altered – it’s not that expensive to get them hacked off. Also, I have found that the Talbots Collection line for petites is way shorter, shirtwise, than their other stuff. I have a curved-hem pima tee from them that I love, it’s close to the right length (close enough for horseshoes and petite clothing?) which NEVER happens these days. Good luck, I look forward to other suggestions.
Check out Capezios, if you don’t mind that it will be either a T-Strap or a Mary-Jane style. They’re durable, comfortable, and Capezio doesn’t vary their styles much from season to season. The one to look at will be in the Dancesport and Tap/Character categories/
For Imp, check out American Munro shoes, I can walk miles in their dress shoes! And they’re always simple and elegant. And usually right around that 100 mark, which caused me great pain the first time I bought a pair (“THAT MUCH???!!”) but oh my, it’s soooooo worth it. Even my podiatrist reccomends Munros!
Imp — Ecco shoes! Ecco shoes! Ecco shoes!
Sorry, I’m an Ecco evangelist. But seriously, check them out — http://www.ecco.com . They run around $100 (sometimes a bit more) and they are phenomenally comfortable, incredibly durable (I have a pair of Ecco flats that have survived an insane amount of abuse over the past 3 years and still look great), and they have many cute styles of flats and pumps that could dress up and dress down as you desire.
Looking forward to the t-shirt suggestions — even my boyfriend (who has never thrown away a t-shirt in his life) has noticed mine are looking kinda threadbare …
For the shoes: Dansko! I have: http://www.dansko.com/flash.aspx#detail,Narrow%20Pro,Stapled%20Clog,2
I don’t honestly find them to be the most comfortable shoes ever, but I have very, very low tolerance for uncomfortableness. You could throw some inserts in there for your arches, and I think they would be perfect.
For Slip:
Try http://www.Threadless.com, they have a ton of cool t-shirt designs in unisex or women’s sizes, and they aren’t inordinately long. Most go for $15, and they’re all designed by users.
I’m no help for any of the questions, but I’ve been using “hoody” since at least 1996–the “ie” variation makes me think of teenage girls named Tracie and Stacie who dot their “i”s with little open circles.
For Ol’ Pointy Elbows, I’d say just do an iron-on denim patch on the inside of the next hoody she gets from American Apparel.
I don’t have anything particularly link-worthy to say, but I would like to shout out for “hoodie”. I always think “hoody” looks like too much of an adjective to be an item of clothing.
Elbows, I would suggest patching the new hoodie from the inside before you wear it. It ought to give the elbows more substantiality (is that a word?) and pad your pointy bits.
Slippers, I have sooooo many v-neck T’s from Target that are too short for me…they start out fine & then get shorter in the wash. Makes me crazy, but it might be just the ticket for you – and they have some cutecute stuff, so I keep getting suckered into buying ’em all “maybe THIS one won’t shrink…” Hope dies hard, huh?
Imp, have you tried dance shoes? They’re made for hard use, usually have padding under the ball of the foot, and while the soles are thin, they can be resoled over & over.
RE: the black shoes… try Fluevog.com VERY comfy, well-made shoes; even the higher heels are fine for walking around all day. A bit spendier than you want, but worth it. The “Friends” line is fairly low cost and will be under $100 in the sale/clearance sections of the website.
Slippers: check out threadless.com, which has about the widest variety of cute-to-snarky designs you could want, and the shirts are just shirts, not extra-long. I haven’t actually bought any Threadless tees myself, but I’ve seen them on friends.
In that vein, “snarky t-shirts from websites” all tend to be printed on typical utterly normal (non-extra-long) t-shirts. And if you’re into that sort of thing, zazzle.com lets you design your own, at much better quality than CafePress.
For Slippers: I feel your pain. At a curvy 5’2″ myself, those extra long tees are the devil. I’ve had luck with both Ann Taylor Loft (love their v-neck and the heavier cotton holds up longer than most) and both Mossimo and Cherokee brands at Target.
Melanie,
Your post wasn’t directed at me but thank you for that link!! My credit card won’t thank you but I sure as heck am. Coolest idea ever!
For Shoe-rly: look at Danskos. I know they’re a bit more than $100, but they’ll last forever. I have two specific styles to recommend. They both give you height without a heel. The Margrete sandals are completely attached to your foot with a closed toe; super-cute, looks great with pants and dresses. The Marcelle Mary-Jane clog is very professional and doesn’t look like a clog, but is comfortable like one. I live and walk to work almost a mile through downtown every day (not New York City, but city-walking anywhere is never clean, hence closed-toe sandals), and these shoes have held up great for three and four years respectively. I treat them to a professional clean and polish 2-3 times a year. They still look brand new, despite my clumsiness, and they are really comfortable.
I have some suggestions —
Letter 1: I got a cute zip-up Hanes hoodie in the Misses department at Wal-Mart. (Yeah, I know, Wal-Mart = bad, but until I get a job I’ve got to do the discount shopping thing…) It was cheap, came in several colors, and I *think* it’s made in the U.S.A., but since this is Wal-Mart I can’t swear to it.
Letters 2 and 3: Try looking at Goody’s (a Kohl’s-type store in the Southeast and at http://www.shopgoodys.com). I was just there last week and I found a couple of T-shirts (Ashley Judd brand – yep, we’re definitely in the South) for my curvy 5’2″ self and two pairs of casual pumps to wear with jeans (Unlisted brand, round toe, about a 2.5″ heel, one in plain brown and one in plain black – I wore the brown ones to a bachelorette party that night and was comfortable throughout dinner and the subsequent bar-hopping).
For Imp, I own these Aerosoles in both black and red, and I just came from a conference where I had to be on my feet for most of an 8-hour day, and my feet didn’t hurt at all! No blisters, no aching arches, nothing. And they go with everything and have a cute, rounded toe. I’ve gotten loads of compliments. Plus, they’re on sale! I might buy them in brown now.
http://www.aerosoles.com/product1.asp?P=SEMISWEET
For t-shirts you can just cut the extra length off and redo the hem with some hem tape.
Per Sars: WORD on the long torso. I’m 6′ barefoot (and boobilicious) and I’ve been suffering the tummy-out tuck tuck tuck tummy-out tuck tuck tuck for YEARS. I now own 2.5 million Old Navy Long torso tees.
As for Imp: Danskos. Live it, love it. They make cloggy type shoes but they don’t look like mom shoes, they are generally leather and leather-like. I have these: http://tinyurl.com/3wvbnc (mine are all black) and they fit like a dream and lasted me about 3 years of continuous wear. They come in European sizes too, which means I can get mine in the ginormous size I need and not settle for a pinching American 10. And they are super comfy.
I also like NAOT, which are extremely comfy because they’re orthopedic (heh). These look good: http://tinyurl.com/4q2fq7
For hoodies: I don’t know if they’re still making them, but I’ve had consistently good luck with Old Navy. I’ve owned 3 – the first was the best b/c it was more fitted and thinner (I lost it) but the two I have now work just fine.
For Slip: Try Target. Their Mossimo brand has some cute v-neck t-shirts that aren’t too long and they cost under $10 each. Plus bright, fun colors for summer!
Regarding a) quest for hoodie.
I used to have a Champion-brand red hoodie (with the “ie”, thank you), and I loved that thing. It was made of much heavier duty fabric than my current American Apparel hoodie (which I love, too, in different ways). I wonder if you could find a Champion hoodie at a sports outfitter or somewhere online? Amazon?