WEARING
HELMUT cocoon leggings
CP Shades top
Repetto flats
Lizzie Fortunato necklace (not available)
Jerome Dreyfuss billy bag with added long strap (see my review here, where to buy Jerome Dreyfuss online here)
I think I have reasonable expectations of quality…I expect that leggings I paid $150 for would not start falling apart months after getting them. I exaggerate, they didn’t start falling apart, only the stitching at the waistband started unraveling (a lot) about a week ago. Yeah, that happened. I took them to my alterations lady and she fixed them, and re-enforced them for me, for about $7. No big deal, but should it have happened in the first place?
I’m writing a longer piece on this as we speak, so more on this later, but I still love these leggings, and I still recommend them, I just wonder if there is such a thing as an expectation of quality anymore….
Oh, and about this top. Aside from the obvious dissheveled look I have going on (I don’t own an iron, or a steamer – you know I don’t own anything that needs ironing! except for this top…), I LOVE LOVE LOVE this top and highly recommend it. Especially since it’s $36 at Isaay.com right now with code CLOTHING60 for 60% off (ALL SALES FINAL!!!). Well, not this color, but a really nice plaid. I love everything about this top, but mostly that it’s super-long in the back. It’s basically a mullet. It’s also very soft; so comfortable to wear.
Stay tuned tomorrow for a discussion on quality – in the mean time, share your thoughts. Do you have any expectation of quality anymore? or do you just have a really good go-to seamstress??
Clothing should not start coming apart after one week, regardless of its price. I think we almost expect things to fall apart now which isn’t right. Everything lasts a shorter period of time these days, but manufacturers want that because they can move more merchandise that way. I’d be really peeved if my $150 leggings started coming apart within a week.
i’ve had them since the beginning of november, so it’s been months, not just a week. but still…the stitching shouldn’t have come out. i agree…
Gretchen, I’m with you on that quality issue. My pet peave is when particularly expensive sweaters start to pill almost immediately. Your outfit looks cute and I agree that those cp shades shirts are exceptionally cozy. I’m wondering if you could expand uppon your guidance regarding Repetto sizing (I love the ones you’re wearing). When you say size up a size, does that mean if I’m generally a 40 in french made shoes I should go to 41 or does it mean that if I wear a size 9 in American sized shoes I should wear a 40 in Repettos? Are you at all familiar with Nordstrom’s AGL brand. I wear a 40 in those but they’re Italian amde. It’s s little confusing with all the different sizing. Unfortunately I’d neeed to drive 1.5 hours to find a place to try them on…but that may be what I’ll need to do.
Agreed, heartily! I am so tired of teensy holes in the front of my high-end knits, loose threads that if you pull, unravel the whole seam, “shrinkage” (must have been a woman in charge of that issue, because a guy would never have let THAT happen!), and just plain shabby quality. I paid around $300 for my Clare Vivier bag, and I’ve NEVER had a bag that shed so much suede on the things inside of the bag! (I pulled out a tissue at the movie “Amour” the other day, and it’s a good thing I used the bathroom after the movie because I had black stuff all around my nose!!). I no longer believe that money always equals quality. Some of my Old Navy items have held up better than my expensive things. Imagine that!
*And after my vent, I LOVE CP Shades. And the fact that they’re meant to look unironed! GREAT quality, too.
hi margie! i am a size 8/38 in everything – except robert clergerie, which is made in france, and with that i’m all over the place depending on the shoe – and always take a 39 in repetto. i have taken a 38.5 and been okay with it, but i prefer sizing up a full size. i guess i would recommend that you go up at least a 1/2 size if you’re not sure, the leather definitely stretches. alternatively, if the sizing is just a bit too big, you can cinch it a little with the bowtie on the top!
haha! i don’t mind the ‘unironed’ look, but i know my husband will think otherwise.
again, i’m sorry about your CV bag – it really should be lined for that price. i guess you could probably take it to a leather place and have them put a lining in, but you shouldn’t have to do that…
we put up with a lot of crap, don’t we??
We do. And why is that when we’re the consumer?!? We should have more power in the “relationship”, so to speak. If we’re not happy with the quality, the manufacturer’s should listen…or, we can withhold our money and not buy from them!