Frequently asked questions |
Trends
What's "in" this season (spring/summer 04-05)?
What's "in" for next season (fall/winter 05)?
What is the current "It" bag?
How long will I be able to wear my metallic bags and shoes?
Are Uggs still in style?
General Fashion and Style
How far above the floor should my hem fall?
What is original hem...and why is it good?
How do I minimize my wide shoulders?
What tees are long enough to cover my long torso?
I'm confused with all the different skirt shapes!
What does it mean when something is "cut on the bias" or "bias-cut"?
I hate thongs--how do I avoid visible panty lines (VPL)?
The truth about bra sizing....
Please help me find a fashionable laptop bag!
Best of: Designers and Retailers
Who has the best CS?
Who makes the most comfortable shoes?
Who makes the narrowest shoes?
Who makes the widest shoes?
Where can I find extended calf boots?
Who makes the most comfortable thongs (panties, not shoes)?
Speaking of thongs, who makes the most comfortable thong sandals?
Care and Maintenance
How do I take care of my designer bags?
How do I keep my bag safe from the rigors of everyday life?
How do I treat/clean leather?
How do I treat/clean suede?
How do I keep a white or ivory coat clean?
Handwash or dry clean? Cashmere, wool, silk, and more....
Should I use lingerie bags in the washer/dryer?
Should I tip my tailor or cleaner?
How should I wash my high-end jeans?
Authenticity
How can I tell if my designer items are authentic? (Click for Chanel, COH, Fendi, Hermes, Kate Spade, Lacoste, LV, Sevens.)
Are knockoffs illegal?
Trends
What's "in" this season (spring/summer 05)?
Bohemian chic is definitely in. The Olsen sisters, Sienna Miller, and Nicole Richie seem to be inspiring the trends this season, though anything Jessica Simpson wears is still highly coveted. Keep an eye on these celebs. Classic bermuda shorts have been making a comeback for laid-back weekends. For those of you who just won't "go there", there are plenty of bohemian and prairie skirts to choose from. Accessorize with wedge sandals (espadrilles are especially hot), oversized sunglasses, wide belts (think Jocasi), chunky bangles, and longer necklaces. Colors: earthy tones, aqua/turquoise, yellow.
What's "in" for next season (fall/winter 05-06)?
Word is designers are adding military and Victorian touches to their collections. Wedge sandals will morph into wedge boots and mules. Black will be back in a huge way.
What's the current "It" bag?
Honestly, I don't think there is an "It" bag this year. Perhaps the Balenciaga moto bag that all the celebs have been seen carrying. Botkier and Kooba remain hot for mid-end bags. Chloe always has "it" status for those who can afford it.
How long will I be able to wear my metallic bags and shoes?
You can wear your metallic gold and silver year-round, every year. However, moderation is the key. While it may be in style now to carry a big gold bag over your shoulder, but a smaller gold clutch is absolutely timeless. For other metallic colors, less is more. I can imagine that big gold bag to still be fashionable for a while, but it's likely that big metallic fuschia bag you have will have a more permanent place--in your closet. Again, clutches are safer. As for shoes, everyone should have gold and silver sandals in their collections.
Are Uggs still in style?
"Uggs" commonly refers to the Ugg boots produced by UGG Australia. UGG Australia was founded by an Australian surfer who popularized his sheepskin boots among Californian surfers, who needed something warm and soft to keep their feet warm. These boots later infiltrated into mainstream culture and became a trend and other companies began making them (though keep in mind that UGG Australia was not the first to produce boots of this style). Everyone was wearing them.
How about now? Well, first of all, these types of boots will probably continue to be worn by the original surfers forever or until something better comes along. With that said, as a TREND, yes, it is fading. However, now that it is part of so many people's wardrobe, it will probably be worn for a few more seasons.
Be careful when buying these. While there are many genuine sheepskin uggs in the market, there are twice as many "f'uggs"--cheap non-sheepskin Uggs.
General Fashion and Style
How far above the floor should my hem fall?
1/2" - 1" is preferable, give or take 1/4".
What is original hem...and why is it good?
Original hem is when you keep the pants' original hem after alterations. This is the alteration style of choice because it maintains the pants' original look--can you imagine how altering an originally frayed jean hem would change the look and style of the jeans? The cost is around $3-5 more than regular. Be sure to explain to your tailor what you want, because not all tailors use the term "original hem". Or, if you're handy with the sewing machine, here's a simple set of instructions on how to do it yourself (courtesy of paradive).
How do I minimize my wide shoulders?
Aside from the obvious--no shoulder pads!!--have the shoulder seam end at or before the shoulder, not below. When wearing a sleeveless top, make sure the straps are not too close to the neck. Necklines are important. Wide necklines, scoopnecks, and cowlnecks are good. Tight crewnecks and squarenecks are not. Boatnecks and turtlenecks depend on the wearer.
What shirts are long enough to cover my long torso?
Gone are the days of midriff tops! Long-torsoed girls must thank C&C California for making long tees fashionable and widely available. C&C, Splendid, T, and Generra are among the few higher priced brands. For more affordable brands, a lot of stores have come out with their own long layering tees, such as Express and J.Crew. My personal favorites for longish (not as long as C&C) tees are Velvet and Gap favorite tees.
I'm a little confused with all the different skirt shapes!
A-line is a skirt that flares out diagonally like the letter "A". Pencil hugs your hips and tapers in a little at and below the thighs. Straight is somewhat between A-line and pencil, though not always completely straight. Tulip/Fishtail curves over your hips, tapers in at the thighs, and flares out near the bottom.
What does it mean when something is "cut on the bias" or "bias-cut"?
Normal cut is straight up and down. Bias cut is when the grain of the fabric flows on the diagonal. This results in a more hip-hugging fit, so avoid if you want to minimize your hips or saddlebags.
I hate thongs--how do I avoid visible panty lines (VPL)?
Well, first check this out. But if you insist on avoiding thongs, give Spanx power panties a try.
The truth about bra sizing....
People may disagree on this, since obviously sizing still varies from designer to designer, even for bras. However, it's very often the case that two different cup sizes, while labeled one size apart, are the same size. For instance, if you are a 34B, a 36A or 32C cup size will be the same. The only difference then will be the strap length. Keep this in mind if they are out of your normal size.
Please help me find a fashionable laptop bag!
There's actually a lot of choices out there for you--unfortunately, most of them are pricier than the plain black laptop bag you're probably using now. Still, here are some suggestions (some gender-friendly, some specifically for women). Acme Made, Booq Bags, Cesauri, Dicota, Gyms Pacific, Mobile Edge (check out the special breast cancer foundation bag!), Kara B, Talene Reilly, Wabag, Pinder, and Marware. Kolobags has a nice selection of many of these brands. If you'd like to splurge, these luxury bags should fill the bill: Filofax (Belgravia collection), Tumi, and Knomo.
Best of: Designers and Retailers
Who has the best CS?
Nordstrom has the best CS overall. What they do best--price matching, product guarantees (if your Seven jeans rip after a year, they'll take 'em back), easy returns, and friendly SA's. To be fair, Neiman Marcus is a close second. Personal experience--I wore a pair of Cole Haan boots for a day before deciding they were too uncomfortable, which was strange considering my good experience with Cole Haan in the past. I explained this to the NM.com Live Help lady and, without hesitation, she told me to ship them back for a refund. Wonderful! Of course, there are plenty of smaller retailers and etailers with great CS, but these two are the most common and easily accessible.
Who makes the most comfortable shoes?
I've heard that Aerosoles are good for low-end. Ecco is a personal favorite for mid-end--check out their City Fall line for less dowdy styles. Taryn Rose is great for mid to high-end, though style is somewhat compromised for comfort. For high end, Manolos rule. Not that I would know....
Who makes the narrowest shoes?
Magdesians makes shoes as narrow as 4A (AAAA/SS) and wider. For a width of 3A (AAA/S), you have a wider selection--Dansko, Hush Puppies, Naturalizer, Sesto Meucci, SoftWalk, Stuart Weitzman, Trotters, Vaneli.
Who makes the widest shoes?
Propet wins this one at a whopping 4E (EEEE). As you can see, the range is larger than that for narrow shoes--C (W/Wide), D (W/Wide), E (WW/Double Wide), 2E (EE), 3E (EEE), 4E (EEEE). Apis and Magdesians also make good quality wide shoes. Obviously, the narrower your feet are, the more selection you have of "nice shoes". If you are only slightly wide (C), shoes from top designers such as Bruno Magli and Stuart Weitzman are available to you. For lower-end wide shoes, check out Aerosoles.
Where can I find extended calf boots?
Aerosoles, Ann Taylor, Ann Taylor Loft, and J.Crew all sell boots in extended calf sizes.
Who makes the most comfortable thongs (panties, not shoes)?
Hanky Panky. Try the low-rise style 4911 for your hip-slung jeans.
Speaking of thongs, who makes the most comfortable thong sandals?
Mella and Havaianas are rumored to be the comfiest.
Care and Maintenance
How do I take care of my designer bags?
Always store your bags in their original dustbags. If they did not come with dustbags, a pillowcase will also work. If they came in boxes, it's good to leave them in there. If not, store them sitting up and stuffed. A convenient way to stuff them is by filling a ziplock freezer bag with tissue paper and then placing it in your bag, making it all the easier to remove. Please refer to the leather and suede care questions on how to treat your leather or suede bags. For fabric bags, spot treating them with mild soap, water and a toothbrush should do the trick. If you like to prepare for emergencies, read on to the next question.
How do I keep my bag safe from the rigors of everyday life?
Unfortunately, we can't stop the rain or snow from coming. Nor can we foresee a cup of (heaven forbid!) coffee spilling on our $1000 bag. However, there are some things you can do. Keep a plastic grocery bag in your purse that you can use for your mad dash from your car to the mall in the rain--no, an umbrella is not enough for some of us! Always have a Shout Wipe packet handy for accidents. You may even want to use a scotch-guard spray on it.
How do I treat/clean leather?
You can pre-treat them with sprays and conditioners/lotions (condition first, then treat with protectants), then apply cleaners for cleaning stains. There are many manufacturers of leather conditioners and cleaners out there. Coach has a commonly used set. I've seen Enzo and Nine West have their own cleaners as well. Kiwi lotions and repellant sprays are found in most drugstores. AppleGuard leather lotion is in the same price range, but generally better though harder to find (Burlington Coat Factory usually has it for about $5). I have myself often wondered how often to reapply conditioners and sprays. From what I've heard, conditioners can make the leather oilier than you'd like, so I'd only reapply when it's looking drier than it should. As for sprays, reapplication varies depending on the brand. Some instruct you to reapply in as little as 6 months, others as long as 2 years. My Kiwi Protect-All recommends retreating every year. Leathers that suffer the elements (rain, humidity, etc) more than others will need to be sprayed more often.
How do I treat/clean suede?
Like leather, you can pre-treat them with sprays and conditioners/lotions, then apply cleaners for cleaning stains. Kiwi, AppleGuard, and Cadillac are good brands to look for for pre-treating. Suede cleaning eraser blocks are good for dry-cleaning suede. These can be found in drugstores.
How do I keep a white or ivory coat clean?
Scotch guard spray it before you wear it (do this with caution!) and keep a packet of Shout Wipes in the pocket for accidents.
Handwash or dry clean? Cashmere, wool, silk, and more....
For the most part, it's good to follow care tag instructions. Unfortunately, these instructions can sometimes be misleading, mostly because the manufacturers rather us play it safe. Dry cleaning is usually a pretty safe bet. But if you have time or want to save money, read on. Cashmere is most often asked about because most care labels instruct us to dry clean them. In truth, dry cleaning chemicals can damage cashmere fibers in the long run. It's actually safer to wash them in room temperature water with a mild detergent and lay them on a towel to dry. Wool and silk can also be washed in water, but you must do so carefully. Since some fabrics are more delicate than others, even if they have the same material, when in doubt--dry clean. Please visit the following links to find detailed instructions on how to wash these fabrics and more.
Should I use lingerie bags in the washer/dryer?
Yes! Those bra straps can be pretty damaging to your other clothes, and you don't want to get snags in your nice lacy lingerie either. I've found that the bags also somewhat prevent pilling. For a cheap and easy alternative, I like to throw my bras in my pillowcases so that they both get washed. But for real delicates, hand wash.
Should I tip my tailor or cleaner?
You can, but it's not expected. It is common practice to tip if you rush-order something, unless the vendor already has a pricing policy regarding rush-orders.
How should I wash my high-end jeans?
It's probably safer to dry clean, so you don't have to worry about shrinkage. However, even if you dry clean, you should probably wash them in water every few washes to get the gunk out. I always wash my jeans in water. Here's what you do: turn them inside out, wash in cold water w/ Woolite for Darks (or another "for darks" detergent), place in the dryer with a fabric softener sheet for about 10 minutes, then take out and lay them out to dry.
Authenticity
How can I tell if my designer items are authentic?
Due to the widespread popularity of Ebay, there is a growing number of resources online to assist the consumer in determining if a good is authentic before purchasing.
Here is a list of articles and tips for specific designer authenticity questions:
Chanel
Citizens of Humanity Jeans
Fendi
Hermes
Kate Spade
Lacoste
- Double tag--(1) the standard "Lacoste" one with a picture of the alligator and size, and (2) then behind it should be a slightly longer tag that should say "Designed in France, made in xxx" with an RN # and CA #.
- Many are "Designed in France, Made in Peru". Fakes made in Spain/Argentina will have the first tag, but not the longer one behind it. They are also outsourcing to India but ensure that the quality is equal to those manufactured in France.
- Ladies polos sold in U.S. stores are slightly different than those sold internationally--U.S. ones have the crocodile embroidered straight onto the fabric, others may have a sewn-on crocodile patch.
- [this is courtesy of alicat2928 on MUA]
Louis Vuitton
Seven for all Mankind Jeans
Are knockoffs and replicas illegal?
I tend to use "knockoff" to describe something that takes the style and design of a good, but does not label or distinguish itself as being the original. In this sense, knockoffs are legal. Replicas, however, are illegal.
As long as there is no trademark infringement, you're in the clear. What's trademark infringement? According to Webster's, a trademark is "a distinguishing characteristic or feature firmly associated with a person or thing". So if you buy a Gucci bag from a vendor and it actually says "Gucci" on it or just the signature "G", that's infringement, EVEN IF it was sold as a fake without deception. If the bag only resembles an existing Gucci bag in style, that's okay. However, if the trademark is "confusingly similar" to that of the original product (think "Kade Spade" instead of "Kate Spade"), you can still get in trouble.
Here's an awesome resource for more details:
http://www.narts.org/shopping/fakes.htm
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