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
@ Imp: I’ve had great success with Nine West shoes. I’m no fashionista, god knows, so I might be missing some important footware quality here, but I wore the same simple, comfortable, durable pair of black Nine West platforms to every college and post-college job interview and business-y occasion for 10 years–and in fact, they still look decent, but one of the sole’s just begun to detatch a bit. I just replaced them with these, and I’m very happy with their comfort and versatility: http://tinyurl.com/4drhul
Elbows:
Here’s a couple hoodies I found with elbow patches made by a local San Fran company. They are cute although a little pricey:
http://www.ataylordesign.net/tops_BlueSwimming.html
http://www.ataylordesign.net/tops_greenswimming.html
” 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.”
-if you actually want to “fall in love” and wear a shoe forever, buy something higher end from a company known for transcending fads- Invest in something $100 or over. when i want a trendy shoe, i go to payless. when i want the classic shoe that i’ll wear forever, i pay for quality and take them to my shoe repair guy when they need maintenance.
For Slip: I buy the $8 Target specials – I think they’re Mossimo or something similar. They come in v-neck or scoop, and they’re not too long – I’m 5’1″ and short in the torso, and they fit me fine. The colors can be a little garish, but I’ve done well with most of the basics – red, black, white. Hope that helps!
To Imp: Keep at it with the search on Zappos, but I suggest that you bite the bullet and go above $100. Eccos are worth the cost. I’m on my second pair of Ecco shoes in almost four years. Their Basel T-Strap and the Casual Clog Strap are the pairs I’ve had, and they were $144.00 and $102.60 (Zappos current pricing), respectively, and they fit your required parameters of color, heel hight, versatility wardrobe-wise, durability, and comfort. (Especially the Clogs – I bought mine a week before taking an extended trip to England, took no other pairs of shoes, and didn’t get a single blister or foot cramp after full days of tromping around London and the Cotswolds.) I work in a law firm, and the T-Straps are my go-to shoes all seven days a week.
To Imp: I’ve been coveting these for myself..
http://tiny.cc/Rpuf9
To Slippers: Hemming is your friend. I hem my tshirts, and sometimes my roommates tshirts, and every single pair of pants I own (I’m 5’0″ and wear a size 24). I generally hem with a sewing machine, but you can do it by hand, if you want. Hemming is not difficult at all if you know how to sew (I found a million how-tos googling just now). If you don’t, and you have no interest in learning, it’s also not very expensive at your favorite tailor.
For elbows–a pumice stone? Hee. Sorry. Have you tried the men’s (er, unisex) AA hoodie? Maybe you really need longer sleeves and then there would be more elbow room? I recently bought an AA Medium unisex where I’d probably buy the girls XL and it fits great. I have freakishly long arms so the girl versions are always too short.
This one is for ‘slip’… Like Sars, I have a long torso… I also have large boobs, which means that yanking my shirt down to make sure that (at least) my belly button is covered happens with alarming regularity. As such, I’m recommending places where the shirts are always too darn short and usually invoke ridiculous amounts of pulling and result in oddly stretched shirts. Place number one would be Target– if you look at the Mossimo ones in the Misses section; those aren’t that weird funky/”fashionable” length, and at $10/each, won’t break the bank. Second place is the Gap– yes, I know Slip tried the Gap, but did she go to that funky corner in the back of the store that looks like shirt detention? They usually have more classic tees back there that are “normal” length. And my final suggestion is H&M. They have a huge variety of t-shirts in a wide selection of fabrics and lengths; I would think that would be the best bet, overall… [They’re also dirt cheap, and wear surprisingly well for how much they cost.] Good luck!
Re: Shoes
From the letter I got the impression that she’s looking for a more summery shoe, but my mom (who has bunions and other foot problems and is therefore nearly incapable of finding good shoes) captured a unicorn with a pair of super-comfortable, really cute black boots recently and since the Dillard’s in my town had her size, she e-mailed me the specs and I picked them up. I still have the email, and here’s how she described them:
Antonio Melani
Style: Clark 201
Color: Black
Size: 8 ½ M
Price: Originally $99.00; marked down to $24.75
It’s a short boot with a side zipper, no buckle, scrunching or any other ornamentation, just smooth leather with stitching. It has a 2 ½ “ stacked wood heel (solid black, no “natural wood” color). You can see a picture of them at http://www.antoniomelani.com (search footwear, then boots). I got excited because it said you could purchase them on-line, but that just linked to Dillard’s and apparently the Clark is not available on line.
Hope this helps!
I could be wrong, but doesn’t Neighborhoodies use American Apparel shirts and sweatshirts?
I vote for “hoodie” rather than “hoody”. It’s irrational, but “hoody” seems like it should be pronounced hoo-dee. Boo!
And I second the recommendation to look for ideas at Zappos, but then put that shoe’s make/model into a search engine and find it somewhere else cheaper. I like to buy online to find discounts, and Zappos often charges MORE than retail price for their shoes. Double-boo!
Also, I know totally not helpful, but when I googled American made sweatshirts, I found this . Hee!
To whomever mentioned Franco Sarto: amen. If you have feet like mine (long, narrow, kinda bony, high arches), these are very chic, don’t make your feet look like canoes, and wear really well. I have a pair of the ankle boots with the button on the flap and even though the heel is 2 1/2 inches, it feels like nothing at all.
A word of caution re: Neighborhoodies — be prepared to 1) wait a longer time than promised, and 2) have to correct mistakes. Things may have changed, but my customer experience was not real positive.
@Shoe-rly – my Mephistos are fabulous – dressy, comfy, durable and pure black. Don’t think they make my model anymore, but check them out. Now yes – they have a $300 price tag – but I found mine for $99, new in box, on eBay after I id’d the model I wanted. Good luck!
T-shirts: New York & Company. I am plenty curvy and hate long-torso shirts — NY&Co. shirts are my main go-to.
For Slip: I go shopping with a friend who is a long torso/32DD, so basically we just try things on and swap whatever doesn’t work for the other person’s things because we’re total opposites. It’s to the point where I can’t even shop at Target anymore because all their stuff is stupid tunic-style.
Anyhow, Express has a number of short-sleeved tops right now which are longer but cut more generously around the hips so they’re actually flattering. I’ve also had luck at the Limited in the past. If you’re looking for button-downs, I got a few at Ann Taylor Loft that were cut properly as well (and also had flattering pleating down the middle that nips in your waist).
Imp: One more chiming in for the Danskos. I have one brown pair and one black pair (of the Professional) and I have worn them 98% of the time since I bought them three years ago. As far as I can tell, Danskos are forever shoes, because these show minimal wear even after I took my black ones wading through the Verde River…
For Slipper I second the person upthread who suggested Talbots. The t-shirts aren’t terribly expensive and you might catch a sale. They have all different lengths in shirts/tees. But I find the cotton tees tend to get shorter quickly when washed.
I would just like to point out the fifty hojillion typos in my last comment and apologize to the entire world for being an idiot. Here, Slip, take my advice — I’m SMRT!
Also, to whoever mentioned curved-hem shirts (smrtyboots?): DUDE, AWESOME. I don’t know why I never thought of that, but I am totally looking for some next time I go clothes shopping. Thanks.
Re: Slip….
I can’t believe I forgot this! I recently bought one of these shirts from Lands End and it really is a pretty decent length for me, which is remarkable – many of the shirts recommended above are way too long for me. I immediately ordered several more.
http://tinyurl.com/3roxsu
Fabric quality is very nice, as with all LE shirts, sizes run large, you may need a size or two smaller than your regular size. My only complaint with this shirt is that it’s very high necked. There is a v-neck version that I haven’t tried, here:
http://tinyurl.com/4ohsw7
To Imp: I realize this sounds cheap (because I’m a college student, so it is), but I’ve found a few decent pairs of shoes from Payless, especially the American Eagle Kimber Jane Pump. They’re under $30, all black, a soft leather, and I can walk in them with no problems. The heel’s about 2.5″, and pretty sturdy: I rarely feel off-balance. They’re easy to dress up and down, which I love as I go between work and school on a daily basis. I’ve had mine about three months, so I’m not sure how long-lasting they’ll be in the long run, but on the plus side, they’re priced so you could buy a few pairs. And if nothing else, they may work well as the Mr. Now versus the Mr. Right.
I don’t think anyone has mentioned Sierra Trading Post (www.sierratradingpost.com) yet — it’s kind of hit or miss, the website version of TJ Maxx — but occasionally you find great deals on some good stuff, and, for instance, occasionally have a good stock of Danskos, Mephistos, Merrell and the like.
If Shoe-rly is willing to do some research for a killer eBay deal and/or plunk down a little more cash — I’ve recently invested in some Cole Haan dress shoes with the Nike Air “technology.” The “Carma Air” style in black, for instance, comes in open toe and closed toe versions, “mid” heel and high heel (I think the “high” is about 3″ with a teeny bit of platform to it) and I believe all versions in both flat black and patent? Anyway, these are shoes that I wear a LOT and I can tell I’m going to get them resoled when that time comes, so the way I see it, the initial investment will pay off. I wear them with suits and jeans and dresses/skirts and they are remarkably comfortable — and they’re well-made and classically styled. So, that’s my plug.
I didn’t mean STP was affiliated with TJ Maxx in any way, just that it’s the same kind of “you have to look through everything” shopping experience.
Another brand to try for very comfortable shoes would be Clarks. I have a bunch of extremely comfortable pumps and sandals from them, and I’ve never paid above $90 or so.
Thanks for the suggestions, everyone!! It looks like I’m in for a major online shopping frenzy. Tough life, eh?
I have these Aerosoles (last season–I agree that this season’s are not so cute) round-toe pumps in black and red. I just wore them at a conference where I was on my feet all day for three days straight, without blisters or foot pain, and and I get tons of compliments on them. Plus. they’re on sale fro $50!
http://www.aerosoles.com/product1.asp?P=SEMISWEET
B: Tees that don’t come down to yer knees…
I found a bunch recently at Target, in a brand called Mossissimo, I think. Lots of fun colors, and don’t pouf out to make me look pregnant or accentuate my general bulk in an unflattering way.
Another excellent shoe website (better prices than Zappos with same great features): shoebuy.com
It isn’t as pretty of a site, but it does the job.
I second the recommendation for No Sweat; I haven’t bought a hoodie from them, but I do own one of their T-shirts, and it is the heaviest-duty T-shirt I’ve ever had. Super high quality stuff.
Imp: if you’re looking for something a little daintier than Danskos, try Sofft: http://www.sofftshoe.com/ I have a pair of their dress sandals and am about to buy a few pairs of their heels for work. Most comfortable heels I have ever worn. And they fit right in your budget :)
Slip–I long ago just came to the realization that if I ever want anything to fit properly (I’m 5’3″), I’d have to get it tailored.
I know most people think getting t-shirts hemmed is excessive, but insteqad of hunting all over for the one company that’s not making extra-long t-shirts, you might as well just buy something you like, and get it hemmed (or hem it yourself if you have a sewing machine). Just make sure to remind the tailor to use a stretchy thread.
Sars,
Regarding the sweatshirt letter, whose writer only buys ‘made in the USA’…
I imagine you wouldn’t publish a letter demanding that an item be made only by people of a certain race–after all, it’s pretty obnoxious to refuse to buy from someone because he/she happens to have been born with a particular skin color.
So why publish a letter from a person who refuses to buy from someone because he/she happens to live in a different country?
Let’s distinguish between “refuses to buy from someone because he/she happens to live in a different country,” and “prefers to buy goods manufactured in the U.S.,” which is what the author asked for.
Reasons why a sweatshirt shopper could want to buy American may include:
1. Buying goods that are made in the U.S. is understood to help the U.S. economy. It is understood to provide jobs here, which provide wages here, which are then spent here. The American economy is, as you may have read, in the shitter at present; I’m not an economist and can’t speak to how much good buying American really does at the end of the day, but it is something people like to do to keep the system oiled here at home.
2. When it comes to clothing items in particular, buying goods made here reduces the likelihood that they have been manufactured in a sweatshop, or under other conditions unfair or dangerous to the workers. The U.S. does not have a perfect record in this arena, but certainly American Apparel has a reputation for non-sweatshop production.
Economic policies like this one can be and have been used to advance xenophobic agendas; to say that’s the case here is, I think, a deliberate misread of the original letter, which did NOT say, “I don’t want a sweatshirt made by stinky furriners,” or anything even close. Given that she specifically mentioned American Apparel, I have to think the author’s reasoning for buying American is a political interest in working conditions and a desire to support those companies who treat their employees fairly and respectfully.
Thanks for implying that we’re both close-the-borders racists, though. Love that.
Whoa. OK. I know this isn’t a forum for talking economics, so I tried to appeal to an instinctual sense of fairness. But, if we’re going to have the discussion…
To take the second point first: Yes. Some people in poor countries work in sweatshops. But so long as they are free to walk out the door, they must be working there because it’s their best option. The alternative must be something worse, or no job at all–and even worse poverty.
A hundred years ago, when this country was poor, we had sweatshops too. It sucks. But this is how economies grow. India and China may have had (and still do have) poor working conditions. But we know from the headlines that their people are developing skills and becoming richer. And that’s something to be encouraged, not stunted.
As to the American economy. When Americans buy something from abroad, the dollars they spend don’t just vanish. The foreigner who received that dollar spends it to buy something from a US manufacturer, or buys an American stock or bond from somebody (making that dollar available to be borrowed and spent here). Bottom line: how can anyone else buy our exports if we don’t send them dollars by buying their imports?
And if it hurts a country’s economy when its people buy from abroad, shouldn’t Americans feel guilty for hurting foreigners every time we export anything?
One last point, since I implied you are “close-the-border racists.” What, exactly, should workers in poor countries do when people in rich countries refuse to buy from them? Emigration sounds like a pretty good idea.
Anyway, I know this is entirely off-topic and this letter is about to drop off the homepage. But I hope you post this, because I think your comment about me was unfair. “Ol’ Pointy Elbows” is probably entirely well-meaning. But her attitude (which lots of people here and abroad share) is not just misguided; it hurts people. And it should be called out.
P.S. I love your work, and I’ve been a TWoP fan from the beginning. Friends?
“What, exactly, should workers in poor countries do when people in rich countries refuse to buy from them?”
Again: nobody is REFUSING to do anything. The author is ELECTING to buy American. I’m not sure I see why a citizen of any given country should feel obligated to buy products from other countries that are less fortunate, simply *because* they are less fortunate. I don’t buy Kobe beef, either; it’s got nothing to do with its country of origin. I don’t eat meat. Don’t subscribe me to motives I don’t hold.
“Bottom line: how can anyone else buy our exports if we don’t send them dollars by buying their imports?”
How about building an economy that does not rely entirely on spending power from abroad?
Look, I’m not here to sing the praises of the American economy, in theory or in practice. Nor do I want to get into an argument about the dependence of the rest of the world on American dollars. But if the author wants to buy American, it doesn’t make her heartless or xenophobic; nor does my running her letter make me either of those things. Manufacturers in developing economies may choose to use sweatshops; consumers in *this* economy may in turn choose not to patronize companies that may avail themselves of those sweatshops.
We don’t know what Pointy’s attitude was; it’s not relevant in any case. And my “friends” aren’t in the habit of attributing ignorant beliefs to me, so you’ll need to stop it with that.