When I revisited my Wardrobe Audit a couple weeks ago and did another closet purge last week, I decided to get rid of almost all my Everlane. I had a lot of Everlane (27 pieces). I have 13 pieces left (with some on the way out) and have decided not to buy anymore.
I’m over Everlane.
There are many reasons, but mostly, it comes down to fit and quality. Also, it’s become a bit more cult-ish than I’m comfortable with. And millenial, let’s be honest. Yes, I’m that old woman LOL. Everlane just doesn’t “fit” me anymore, in more ways that one.
When Everlane launched several years ago, they manufactured most of their t-shirts (the first thing they offered) in Los Angeles, the same factory the brand that makes my favorite t-shirt manufactures THEIR t-shirts, I was told, and I was excited to try them. Everlane’s t-shirt was $15 and the other brand’s $50. But they were not the same.
I bought and tried the t-shirts as cheaper alternatives to my favorite James Perse tees, but they’re just not very good, not even for the low price. They’re too long and big on me (and yes, I have tried all the styles), and the seams at the neckline always twist and fold and lose their shape with just a few wears and washes, which makes me CRAZY. I kept them around to wear at home, etc., but at this point, I’ve decided to let those go too. I just don’t care to have frustrating items of clothing around anymore.
The cashmere was always a favorite, but I’ve only kept a couple of my cashmere sweaters – the older ones, mostly; I prefered their original cashmere to their new “$100 cashmere.” And honestly, cashmere should cost more than $100 – much more. It’s theorized that the reason China & Mongolia are running out of grazing and farming land, and that Mongolia is turning into a desert, is because of cashmere goats’ overgrazing. I’m buying alpaca for sweaters now, the general consensus is that it’s much more sustainable than cashmere and doesn’t have the mulesing problem that wool does.
Pants, shoes, bags are mostly all gone. I thought the Petra bag held up really well for a couple of years, but tired of it, and the shoes were always too narrow for me to wear much. Pants never, ever fit me well.
Everlane’s styles are basic, and somewhat appealing, but the execution was never there. In my opinion, they should have perfected some of their signature styles and focused on producing less and increasing the quality instead of launching so many new things all the time.
In spite of always trying, the fit for most items was always “off,” and ultimately the styles are more boring than I am comfortable with. Even weighing the “value” of the item, I have come to the conclusion that I’m not willing to pay for mediocre styles and generally poor quality. You could say, what do you expect for a $15 t-shirt?? Nothing much, I guess, but why should I buy a $15 t-shirt that I don’t like, and don’t want to wear? For me, it is better to buy a t-shirt for $75 (yes, $75) that I can put on and know it will fit me perfectly, never, ever lose its shape, and that I can wear for years.*
And for me, Everlane was starting to present as a fast-fashion problem.
I started noticing that I was treating Everlane a lot like I treated H&M and Zara way back when I still shopped there: I would look forward to new arrivals, always found something to get excited about buying, and usually bought it primarily BECAUSE IT WAS SO CHEAP, relatively.
The brand is appealing on many levels; they are “transparent” with regard to manufacturing (really, though?? that is another point of contention I’ve spoken about before), they have a generally minimal aesthetic which is having a moment now, and they are much more affordable than the other “high-end” luxury brands they aimed to compete with at first (“luxury” tees and Equipment silk blouses).
But they’re stuck. Other than their new jeans, I think they’ve haven’t necessarily advanced their “cause” of transparency as much as I would have hoped. (I was really hoping they’d take it further and try to be more sustainable as well) I want to know more about how much the workers in their factories are paid. Yes, we appreciate knowing their pricing structure, and their efforts to improve life for their factory workers, but still, it seems like not quite enough.
And the jeans. Ugh. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think they completely missed the mark with their denim collection. The styles were “meh” and the fit was all over the place. I appreciate what they did in terms of water-saving manufacturing, which is a huge issue in denim production, but it doesn’t do much good if the jeans are mediocre.
Then again, there is a cult of Everlane (of which I belonged for a very long time**) whose members are more than willing to keep trying the brand until something sticks. In fact, I think that is what Everlane is counting on. And that is what’s most frustrating of all.
It’s been a long time coming, but Everlane, I quit you.
Are you still buying Everlane? Do you own a lot of Everlane? What are your thoughts on the brand now after so many years?
*I understand that is a lot for a t-shirt under most circumstances, but as I’ve said many times before, I know what I like and what fits me at this point in my life. I don’t want to compromise anymore, and thankfully I don’t have to.
**I believed in Everlane, and even when I stopped believing I WANTED to believe, so I stayed a part of the cult for a bit too long. And yes, I made a lot of money via referrals, and I received a lot of free items from the brand to try and review over the years, but those of you who have read me consistently or who have been with me the last decade know (I hope) that the reason I take items to review (and DO NOT DO SPONSORED POSTS or take money for reviews) is so I can remain radically honest (see what I did there?) in my reviews and opinions of items and brands that I try. Inevitably, things change, and my excellent review of Everlane’s first tee changed over time, and with wear, and I tried to always reflect that in my discussions about the brand.
Grechen, I love your integrity! Agree on all your points. In the past year I bought only 2 items and I used to buy a lot more. Something doesn’t sit well with me with their whole merchandising, transparency, etc. Quality is not there in many cases. Customer service, which used to be great, has gone down too. Shipping is slow as molasses. Recently went to their pop-up shop at Nordstroms and their stuff looked to me like something that GAP would produce. The cuts of clothing aren’t good. And yes, people are trying hard to like them and give them a chance over and over again. And you know, Everlane feels very self righteous to me and at times quite full of themselves.
oooh, I’m interested in the sweaters you might sell! Keep us posted 🙂
Have you looked at Cuyana for alpaca?
Kate,
I’m very similar to you in age and stage of life (and size, too, it sounds like). I agree that there isn’t a lot that’s sustainable AND accessible. I understand and agree with the line of thinking that says that we need to be willing to be content with less that’s better quality. But at transitional times, such as when you have a small child, it doesn’t make sense to buy a two hundred dollar knit shirt from Elizabeth Suzann.
I also worry that sustainable clothing is, in some ways, just another marker of status when it is not affordable to a huge segment of the population. A few months ago, I read an article highlighting several more-ethical clothing companies. There were some comments following the article , and one of them mentioned that the prices seemed pretty high. The author replied to the comment, essentially saying that if the commenter would just stop buying multiple $10 t-shirts per month, something the commenter never claimed to do, the prices would be affordable. I found that really offensive. I don’t buy fast fashion multiple times per month (or at all, really), but I still find a lot of sustainable brands seem pretty expensive.
That isn’t a judgement on other people’s decisions, just a reflection on where I find myself right now. Ultimately, what seems most sustainable to me at this point is buying used clothing, but that isn’t always feasible, and I still feel the allure of shiny new things being sold by fast and slow fashion alike.
Well, obviously you struck a nerve with this post! I agree wholeheartedly. I’ve always had fit and sizing issues with Everlane, so I never really bought very much. I have one cashmere sweater (old style) that I like and a cotton sweater that is pretty good, but I knew from your reviews that the shoes, jeans and blouses would never fit me. It was pretty frustrating, but in retrospect, was probably a good thing.
I think you have the big issue pegged when you suggest that Everlane should’ve focused more on perfecting their signature styles. They really could’ve had a good thing going. But, as you said, the Cult of Everlane is still strong.
You taught me a long time ago that a high quality tank top would hold up better than a cheapo Old Navy one, and you know what? I still have and wear that Vince tank top regularly. 🙂
Grechen, we’ve chatted Everlane over the years! It’s so hit or miss for me. I’m 39, had three babies in two years, narrow shoulders with boobs, arms, thighs. Even from reviews, sizing remains a gamble.
I have about 6 tees: 5 uneck and 1 vee. I love them because I can nurse in them and they’ve looked good since purchase in 2013-14. Even the white!
I have bought two cashmere items: a gray cardi from the second round that pilled and became dingy and developed holes and was sloppy. I got rid of it. A second v neck from the same era in a mulberry color that I love, but over the winter was devoured by moths. It’s going and can’t be replaced.
I love my gray silk shirt. The poplin button-up shrank and fits weirdly.
I hate the shoe sizing. I’ve had the modern loafers in three sizes (8.5, 10, 9.5) and they’re comfortable, but I’m self conscious about whether they make my feet look bigger (I’m 5’3 135). The modern point is softer, but I could almost take a 10? The heel seam rubs. I have cross-ankle sandals in 8.5. I like the aesthetics, but the fit isn’t supportive or particularly flattering. I ordered oxblood day heels. Best yet, but almost need a 9.5. I’m 8.5-9 (usually 9) everywhere else.
I find the boatneck tees tricky to get in and out of. The cotton poplin dress was a cute cut but didn’t drape well. The wide pants were comical on a curvy petite. The jeans were so backordered I bought Levi’s 501s instead. The trench was way too big for a petite. I wish I’d tried the swing trench.
I’ll keep buying because of the price point, but it’s not my favorite place. I can’t afford much ES/EF now, but have bought three well-made EF items through Trunk Club I love. Huge quality difference.
I hate the artificial scarcity. I couldn’t afford a first-gen raspberry cashmere cardigan and it’s never been available since. Colors are hit or miss. I have very little interest in square crops. It’s not generally kind to almost-40 nursing mom bods…
… but I love it when it works.
Yes to this, Hoyaheel! And it really pisses me off that a size 14 is considered “plus size” to them, and therefore, not worth their time. I think that soured me on Everlane from the beginning.
Thank you for saying that, Jessica. I might be older, but that doesn’t mean that I’ve accumulated wealth! I also find it off-putting when people think it should be easy to “save up” and purchase just one thing per season. I love fashion! And I’ve found great quality pieces at all kinds of lower end stores, including one of my favorite striped tees from Old Navy that was purchased 4 or 5 years ago. I bring it on every trip I go on!
Ina, I think Spongebob Squarepants is a big fan…;-)
I’ve actually never ordered anything from them because of their anorexic-looking models. I’m pretty thin, but I think their models set a terrible example and I also happen to think their clothes look awful on them. I have no idea how they’d look on a real person that they actually fit, which has kept me from trying anything. In fact, looking for real people wearing their clothes is how I discovered this blog.
I also was much more interested in trying them when they had stuff made in LA, as I try to only buy clothes that are eco-friendly, made in the US, or super ethical like Sudara. They’re now really none of those things.
Definitely struggling with that love / hate relationship with Everlane. I’ll try to say something not already said, which is that Everlane seems to be the only retailer that posts very detailed measurements for every size on every garment and that gives me some reassurance that the garment will fit. But in the end, even with the size chart, half the things don’t fit right =T. Also, agree jeans are horrible and so “basic” (in the bad sense). And the shoes are too damn narrow. I own a lot of everlane and the only thing that I really like still is my winter puffer and old cashmere/wool sweater. Some stuff are downright disappointments. The rest is just OK, but a lot of times just OK is fine. They need to slow down, do more research on their garments, and focus on making higher quality clothes.
I still really like Everlane. I’m a short size 8-10 with big boobs and a belly, so a lot of their shapes don’t work on me, but I still find a piece or two every season that I think looks good on my body. I’ve had really good luck with their sweaters and sweatshirts, and even a pair of shorts. However, I had been thinking that their quality has really gone down in the last couple of years. The first time I bought their t-shirts, I really loved them. They used to be made from a thicker, weightier jersey, that didn’t show bra lines and hung a little loose. Those t-shirts made me start wearing t-shirts again. Last year I needed new t-shirts, so I bought a few more and noticed they were a little thinner, clingier. Last week I ordered a few more t-shirts. The newest ones are even thinner and clingier than the last ones. It’s still a nice soft cotton, but it looks much cheaper than the older ones did. It seems like they are starting to cut corners.
However, I have a really good Everlane story that I want to share. My experience with their customer service has been excellent. I still get that family feeling from them when I need special support. In October 2016, my three year old Everlane square zip wallet was stolen out of my purse (it happened to be the weekend before I started a new job, which was terrible timing!). I really loved that wallet, so I went to see if they still had it on the website so I could get a replacement. At the time they no longer had it listed for sale, so I emailed customer support to ask if they were going to sell it again, or if I should look for a wallet elsewhere. They responded that they were going to stock it again, but in totally new colors. However, they had a small stash of the old colors sitting in a warehouse somewhere, and they sent me one in the same color as my original for free, along with a lovely note about how sorry they were that the original got stolen. That wallet was a fantastic product, and it came with great customer service. I anticipate having it for at least 10 years. The thing is, I’ve seen the wallets they have now in person and they aren’t the same as the one I have. They’re a little narrower, I don’t think US dollars would slide in quite as easily as they do in mine which is not great for an American company with mostly US-based customers. Mine has a nice big change pocket, the new ones have smaller ones that couldn’t possibly hold enough quarters to do two loads at the laundromat. Mine has cool slanted credit card pockets, the new ones just have straight across pockets and less of them. Mine zips up completely shut around the outside, so if I forget to snap shut the change pocket I don’t end up with a puddle of coins in my purse, the new ones have a gap on the ends of the zipper. Basically the new ones don’t seem to be made with the same care and consideration as the old ones, and I don’t think I would enjoy owning them as much as I enjoy the one I have. My Everlane wallet really is one of my favorite things that I own, it’s well-made and has unique details. The new ones feel like a slightly hipper version of something you would get at J. Crew. So I totally agree with you, and like you I’m also reluctant to write them off since I’ve had such positive experiences with them in the past. I’m definitely gonna start looking for some James Perse t-shirts on sale though…
Re: t-shirts — I pretty much gave them up while I was living in Southern Nevada. I realized my short sleeve tees didn’t give me any sun protection, and started shopping for lightweight long sleeve button-front shirts at Goodwill etc. I pretty much live in lightweight linen, chambray, and oxford shirts in the summer now (I’m back in an east coast humid climate, but I still prefer the look and feel of a lightweight woven when it’s hot). And they last forever and wash so well. I hang to dry on hangers and never iron my woven shirts. I wear them in winter, too, with a baselayer. It helps, I guess, that I’m built a little bit like a boy — shoulders are the widest part of my body, so I buy shirts to fit my shoulders and the rest usually hangs down without any gapping.
Linen is amazing and I agree with Grechen- the more I wear it the more I want to wear it. Elizabeth Suzann has the best quality linen, in my opinion, but not perfect linen is a fantastic family owned shop with a huge variety and they will customize pieces. Their tops have replaced my ‘basic tees’ and are a more affordable option.
Yes — I do feel that there’s at least as much virtue signalling, if you will, among the slow fashion brands and the people who follow/promote them as there is from Everlane and its fans. I want to look current and interesting, and feel comfortable and like myself, but there’s always so much tribalism to navigate in the fashion/style world.
I too end up shopping secondhand whenever possible — though I live in a rural area with really limited brick-n-mortar options, including a fairly limited secondhand selection. There just isn’t the population density to support much retail, so I end up buying a lot through eBay and Etsy (both vintage and handmade). I feel better about that than going to Old Navy or TJ Maxx (my local options), and the price-point is more in line with my budget goals. I would like to save up for a couple ES pieces, but I have an acute sense of the privilege of being able to do so.
I am just not willing to work this hard for clothes, especially cheap clothes that ship slow, fit weird, have poor customer service, a crappy return policy, and aren’t good quality. I’m probably in the minority here but I would rather take a few tries to get the sizing on an investment piece right if it’s quality that will fit me comfortably and last. Everlane failed to impress me after my first order. Honestly I think a lot of the popularity is the idea that people are shopping ethically and the clothes are inexpensive, but I agree with someone else who said that their transparency marketing feels like spin.
This is interesting! So I checked, and my Everlane tees are 100% supima cotton, which is grown in the U.S., and the shirts are still made in L.A. I have some that are several years old and two that I bought earlier this year. I don’t wear white tees often, Grechen, so maybe that’s the issue. My favorites are navy blue and black, and they have held up really well for several years, with wearing, washing, and drying multiple times a week, especially in the summer. I did try their linen tees when they came out, but I found them itchy and fairly see-through, and I didn’t want to wear a cami in the summer.
Thank you, K!
I just wanted to add a somewhat opposing opinion. I am 52 and LOVE Everlane pants. I wear Everlane pants to work and I find them affordable and I love the slouchy fit. Wool pants can be so expensive and I have been grateful that they offer an option that works for me. There are many brands that I can’t wear because of fit. I do not think that is company flaw- I think that is just fashion.
Do love your blog and LOVE that you are willing to offer an honest opinion. Thanks for your integrity!
I’ve been losing interest in them as well. I have some older t-shirts and a sweatshirt that have held up nicely, and a couple of thin merino wool sweaters that still have a lot of life in them too. My very favorite thing though is the wool-cashmere cardigan that was called a “boyfriend” previously – I have a navy one that’s about two years old that gets worn frequently in the winter, and this year I also got it in black. But most of the new styles have been losing me, and their constant new, new, new feels frantic. I’ve been skeptical about $100 cashmere, and it was interesting to read other commenters’ thoughts on that.
ES is wonderful, and her linen is the nicest fabric I own. However, I’d recommend Not Perfect Linen (on Etsy) for a much lower price point, a lovely family owned and operated company, great quality linen, well made, simple designs. I love everything I have purchased from them and as with all linen, it just looks better and better the more you wear it.
I totally know what you mean about having become disillusioned with Everlane and increasingly realizing that I’m highly skeptical about their transparency claims. Credit where credit is due, I have some well-loved old items (including a Petra tote) that have held up well and seemed very fairly priced (albeit likely not ethically manufactured), but other things are just perplexingly bad and low quality. Their shoes, for instance, seem to me to often be poorly designed (I bought the Modern Point because pretty, but ack it refuses to break in and doesn’t feel that right when I’m walking). Someone was saying she found them not ergonomic, which sounds right.
Oh and someone from Everlane customer service was very rude to me in email. It was just kind of bizarre because it was a situation where the most reasonable response on their end was a brief apology that the item was in fact backordered so there wasn’t anything they could do to ship it faster, sorry again, rather than er escalating it into an argument with me,.
The fact that I am a size 12 and I am the LARGEST size they make clothing for just…enrages me. I’ve pretty much stopped buy from companies that don’t make clothing for folks larger than me, even if I can fit into them- on principle. Just…makes my blood boil!
Would love some suggestions on where to get some decent solid basic alpaca sweaters.
I pretty much agree on your post and all of the comments here. I’ve released a lot of cheaply-made, ill-fitting garments out of my wardrobe and have been really slowly building it back up with items from Everlane and other retailers. It has taken SO much effort and probably more returns than keeps, and your point about keeping trying until something sticks really hit the nail on the head for me (to be honest, I hadn’t even noticed, but that’s what I’ve been doing). I think I’ve been so focused on the low-ish cost that I have been buying and trying to make it work. Most of the items I’ve taken to the tailor this year are from Everlane, and all of the alterations had to do with taking things in at the waist because they are just too boxy. (Some of these items were second-hand, so I still feel that I “came out ahead,” but still). I had already noticed that I’ve felt less enamored by them, but I needed your words to help me figure out why! I’ll probably still try a few things in the future, but mostly using referral or return credit. For now, I’m still enjoying a pair of jeans (altered; I ordered a second pair in the next size down – not sure about it yet), a wool mockneck, cashmere crop mockneck (LOVE this one actually), a silk tank (altered), silk dress (altered), the modern loafers and modern points, and my long PJ shirt.
After reading these comment I’m so glad I never tried Everlane! (I always found their clothes kind of boring and was turned off by the models as well. ) So glad you are keeping up your blog despite your jaw issue. Best wishes for continued healing to you!
I will, however, second what several people mentioned about their detailed sizing information – I wish more shops would do that! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been interested in a dress, and the description reads “hits at the knee” – how do they know where my knees are? I want to know how long it is in inches (or cm), so I can determine if it falls in the range I like. Okay, rant over. 🙂
I used to be really into Everlane, but my interest has waned. I’m so tired of cropped square/drop shoulder shirts – that seems to be the ONLY style of shirt they release these days. And to me, that’s lazy – because it’s the simplest, cheapest shape to make. I don’t even like how it looks on their models.
I still get a cotton tee from them every now and then, because I like how those fit me and how they feel. But I’ve stopped watching for the new items…I’ve stopped caring about their “sale” stuff…I’ve just stopped caring. Also their brand language/image now just seems pretentious.
Re: transparency, I’ve always been confused about where they derive the “traditional retail price” from. Is it aggregate? What retailers do they base this on? I’ve sent several emails to them with this question, and they are never answered. They are super quick to answer any other email I send them – but not that one. So that’s always bothered me.
“And for me, Everlane was starting to present as a fast-fashion problem.”
This.
I’ve felt for a while that Everlane’s insane turn out of new styles over the past year was them directly competing with fast-fashion name brands (banana republic and j crew types of places mainly) and it didn’t leave me feeling all that great about the company. More often than not I associate Everlane with fast fashion now because of their releases every other week. I no longer care nor bother with looking a their “coming soon” section because I feel the styles aren’t nearly as innovative as they used to be.
I have the same issues with sizing as everyone else – it feel like a crap shoot or roulette wheel roll as to whether or not something will fit right. The tees I bought a couple years ago have wonky collars now and I only wear them as night shirts. One sweater got a hole in it and the other lost it’s shape really fast. I washed another sweater by hand as the directions said (cold hand wash or dry clean) and laid it flat to dry and it’s lost shape now as well. The E2 pants I bought completely unraveled at the bottom hem after two wears – while mostly sitting at an office desk. I still have a couple shirts I wear from them, but in general I don’t feel like I’m getting my money’s worth.
I relate to this so much. I want to love EL but I just can’t sometimes. I actually still have some of their tees because they have held up for me and I like the thin texture of them. But for the most part I just don’t shop there. I tried the jeans recently and they where okay. I really love the fabric but they have back gap which wasn’t shocking to me as most jeans tend to do anyway. When I feel up to it, I will get that tailored like I do with everything else I own. I probably won’t be buying anything else from them for a long time as I can easily go to a thrift store and find something that fits be better there.
Thank you for this! I bought a few Everlane items when they first came out, but I returned them all, because I didn’t feel like the fits and quality were there. I totally get the appeal–the clothes are affordable and make people feel like they’re getting quality, all while being “transparent”, but here’s how I see it: when you have cheaper prices, you need to cut corners in order to do so. Everlane makes it seem like the only thing that’s different between them and “quality” brands is their direct-to-consumer model, but the truth is, they cut corners in design and fit, too. There’s a reason why the clothes are so simple. And considering design and fit are the top things I look for when I buy something, Everlane has never cut it for me.
Wow also was about to post this on reddit and searched to see if it was already posted and found this :
https://www.reddit.com/r/femalefashionadvice/comments/52l7e2/everlane_hiring_an_unpaid_everlane_ambassador/
I am very opposed to unpaid internships in my own industry so it would make little sense for me to support a company that has them. Really also makes me question how much they really value labor.
I appreciate your honesty on Everlane. But, I’m still in the cult 🙂 I discovered them about a year and a half ago (relatively late to the game) and some of my favorite items are from them. I agree with you on fit…it’s the most important aspect of a clothing piece to me, and Everlane fits me. I’m not a millenial or stick thin, but a lot of their pieces fit me great. My favorite items are their shoes. I have a very narrow heel and foot, so for me they work great. I lived in the form sandal last summer and the day heel has been treating me right this winter. I love the wide leg crop but agree that the jeans were a disappointment.
Looking forward to discovering new brands from you 🙂
I’ve never liked Everlane stuff. Everything is so blah. I like basic, but find their colors and cuts just kind of depressing. I went this fall to their showroom (they have one in New York where you can try on everything and make some purchases in store) and left feeling underwhelmed. There’s nothing necessarily “wrong” with their stuff, but I want some kind of spark or specialness in my clothing.
Would you mind letting me know which stores? haha I really like their shoes but they are out of my current budget
I would seriously recommend uniqlo’s crew neck t shirt and LL Bean’s Pima cotton scoop neck elbow sleeve t shirts. They are both opaque, very well cut and the seams are straight, unlike the everlane ones that twist. Despite the scoopneck moniker, the LL Bean shirt is a great, non-gaping shirt. Both affordable too!
Kate, can we be friends?? Your comments are so well written. I especially love “there’s at least as much virtue signalling, if you will, among the slow fashion brands and the people who follow/promote them” and “I have an acute sense of the privilege of being able to do so.” Your point about shopping secondhand as it’s both sustainable and within budget for your lifestyle is inspiring me to shift towards that. I have also felt the price point on sustainable brands to be problematic, though I end up splurging on a few pieces per year anyway.
I agree with you about how they should spend more time refining what they have rather than churning out new styles. I’ve had way more misses than hits with Everlane. Most of it doesn’t fit me, but I thought that was because I’m petite with wide feet. But maybe it’s just because it’s all ill fitting! The Everlane items that I get the most wear out of are the Twill Zip Tote, the Pocket Tote, and the Cotton V Tee. I also have the high-rise skinny jeans, which I thought were great at first, but after wearing them a while, they wrinkle quite a bit. Thanks for your honesty!
I really appreciate the intellectual honesty of this post. I recently purchased a $165 tote from Everlane that was advertised as 100% Italian leather. It actually appears to be reconstituted leather backing material (with a lot of plastic filler mixed in, by the smell of it) with a thin hide, like a goatskin, on top. But the thin hide exterior is so poorly attached to the backing that the bag was all wrinkly when I pulled it out of the box. I couldn’t figure out why everyone was reviewing the bag so positively until I read this post.
I am in complete agreement with this! I started supplementing my wardrobe with everlane years ago (while still shopping fast fashion unfortunately). It feels like over the past year to 18 months they’ve really gone downhill. They’re churning out new styles every week, sometimes multiple releases in a week, sizing is inconsistent and the quality is hit or miss! I have two of the cashmere crop mock necks, one from 2-3 years ago and the other from last winter, the older one is so much thicker. I tried ordering a crew neck cashmere from their $100 cashmere line last winter and again, so much thinner than my 4 year old v-neck one. Given I live in Canada and between the exchange rate and duties and taxes, the $100 cashmere ends up costing me $180-$200, is rather order from a place like Cuyana where the cashmere is more substantial. All the “boxy” looks everlane has been marketing this year as well are getting way to trendy, bring back the classic styles and cuts.
I have a long list of grievances against Everlane, but to be brief; I agree that fit and quality are pretty awful (esp last 2ish yrs) and I have really struggled to understand all the Everlane love out there and the overwhelmingly positive product reviews !?! Fit is boxy for the most part (cheaper to produce) and not flattering even on their young and slender models. This is a great post and I hope more people will have the veil lifted!
(Also: STOP giving me a popup every time I try to leave your page Everlane! NO ONE ELSE does this! Rude and so annoying.)
Little late to the game here, but I have one Everlane dress — the v-neck cashmere sweater dress, that is effortlessly, perfectly, fabulously, flatteringly, gorgeously, one of the best looking items in my closet — it makes me feel like a million bucks. I just went and looked at their recent offerings and was sad to see that instead of that dress’s “I look amazing but am not trying to show off for anyone” vibe, there’s a lot of more fashion-forward stuff. What a shame. I’m sad to hear that the quality has gone downhill, as I probably would have bought more (they still have a few classic items) otherwise.
I stumbled upon this entry after doing a Google search on Everlane and I wish I would have found it three weeks ago.
After spending several years being incredibly frustrated at with the quality of sweaters available, I finally decided to bite the bullet in order to from everlane. I ordered a black wool oversized turtleneck and a black cashmere turtleneck. The cashmere turtleneck is okay and I’ve decided to keep it mostly as an experiment. I had a terrible experience with Land’s End cashmere last year and I’m hoping this ends better.
Anyway, the wool turtleneck was wonderful. As soon as I put it on I knew it would be my favorite sweater of all time. Until my husband noticed that it had holes on the right shoulder. I took a look at it and realized he was right. I emailed them immediately and they sent a replacement. I was very excited when it arrived only to discover that this one had similar holes except on both shoulders rather than just the one. It’s not a damaged the garment it’s simply a design flaw. I am a knitter and so is my mom and so we took a closer look at it hoping we could somehow fix it. When a row was added to increase the back it was done so poorly that the yarn wasn’t pulled tight enough, hence the holes. I emailed Everlane about it and I was forwarded to yet another customer service representative. She made the comment that it might just be a design issue and they didn’t see a need to send me a third one because I was likely going to have problems with that one too. What’s disappointing is that they are still selling the sweater on their website in spite of their being these major design flaws. I have never, ever had this problem with a sweater let alone one at that price point.
At this point I am just so exasperated how difficult it is to find quality clothing items. I don’t keep a large wardrobe so I’m willing to spend up but I found it increasingly difficult to find things in the mid price point range that are worth the money. It seems my options are either the crap $50 sweaters or the $400 – 600 ones. I am difficult to fit and frankly, everytime I try to branch out into more expensive retailers I simply cannot find clothes that work on my body. It’s extremely discouraging.
Today I happened to stumble upon a charcoal grey sweater from Eddie Bauer to fit in my wardrobe for the everlane one would have. It’s not as nice of an item, 65% lambswool and 35% nylon, but it also doesn’t have giant holes in the back.it’s not going to last more than 3 to 5 years but at this point I just simply don’t know what to do. Ugh.
Ugh and I just stumbled upon your review after having exactly the same problem with this sweater! I guess I won’t worry that customer service said they don’t have it in stock in my size anymore to send me a replacement, it’s just a really bad design flaw. I’m sooooo bummed because I LOVE the sweater otherwise. I’m also a knitter and even as a total newbie I’ve managed to make sweaters without such glaring errors.
Yeah, my co-worker and I tried two of their jeans, and the fit was terrible. We work as technical designers so measuring is my job. We were so confused by their size charts, we had no idea what size to order and ended up ordering one size too big. When we measured the garments, they were verrrry off compared to their size chart. The calves fit like mom jeans, not fitted at all (they were skinny jeans) Problem with returning is you only get a credit, so I ordered the Utility crop and they fit great, at first. Then they stretch waaay out and are too loose. They are also very long, so I had to cuff off the hem to make them cropped. I will not be ordering any more.
Glad to know I’m not the only one! They were polite but clearly thought I was insane.
I’m also deeply disappointed in the cashmere turtleneck I bought from them. I’ve only had it since Thanksgiving but it’s already pilling so badly I’m embarrassed to wear it. I have a sweater shaver but I shouldn’t have to carry it with me to keep my clothes looking presentable!
I too wish I has seen this review before ordering and especially the comment from Susie. I dont have access to stores to try on so I rely on online shopping and purchasing jeans is a constant struggle. I personally think all jean measurements should include a flat lay measurement. I shell out so much money to essentially try on jeans and its BS. Ill have to send these back now and pay $6 to restock. You got me Everlane. You got me and my $6 LOL
I wish I had read this and the associated comments before purchasing 3 pairs of shoes I saw advertised on a blog. I’ve worn the same size shoe all my adult life and the size never fails to fit, so I felt comfortable order three pairs of the same shoe in 3 different colors. I paid $25. extra to get them quickly so I could take them on a trip to Europe. They fit like an 8. This is a simple, slip on shoe. There’s no valid explanation for a size difference that great. Sure, I can get a refund–minus their $6. restocking fee (per item) and minus the $25. for the fast shipping. That’s nearly the price of a pair of shoes. Very disappointing! I will never order from Everlane again.
S´s last blog post ..Outfit | Still in a Jumpsuit
I agree that everlane does not have the best fit although I am happy with the fabric quality. What are some good brands you suggest for good quality and tailoring ?
I found Everlane to be one of the most dowdy lines of clothing. I don’t understand the frenzied, cult-like following. I was happy to find I am not alone?