At 5'3" Even Professional Critical Shoppers Have Trouble

Zarah Crawford begins her NY Times Critical Shopper piece, Vintage Clothes With an Eye on Tomorrow, noting that "at just under 5-foot-3, with a body my mother describes as 'well covered,' I often find my love of high fashion to be a sadly one-sided affair." This statement, posted in an article just after NY Fashion Week concluded, highlights one of the problems that non-standard shaped people have with high fashion. If the shoe doesn't fit, my dear fellow Stepsister, you're just not Cinderella in Designerland.

What's worthy of note is that 5'3" is just an inch under average height for a woman in the United States. I personally have already written off designer wear because I'd have to perform radical and expensive surgery on the already expensive garments for things to fit - and potentially destroying the elements and proportions that make it notable to begin with. I mean, what can you do when the waist of the garment is at your hip bone? The very fact that a woman of average height and probably higher budget has the same problems makes it even more troubling. I mean I hate to ask again, but how tall do designers expect their clients to be to wear this stuff? 5'7"? 5'9"?

Crawford's review of Frock, seems generous and hopefully, particularly for a shorty like me. She starts by uttering the statement that I've become fond of when entering unknown stores: Do you have anything to fit me? The answer for her is yes! So it's no surprise that I'm anxious to try this place out.

The knowledgeable owners helped her find a few things that worked, and Crawford even purchased something that "fitted like it was made for [her]." At a full 5" height disadvantage to Crawford, I still intend to hit Frock up sometime this week to get my own impressions. Hopefully, the owners are as knowledgeable as she claims them to be. And after all, vintage is one of the suggested options for smaller and shorter people. And you know what? It's good that some benefit can come from our parents' and grandparents' nutritional woes!

Banana Republic 00P and 0P on Sale at UES Location!

Banana Republic
1136 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10028
212-570-2465

Now that I've already cleared through and bought everything I wanted, I guess it's fair game to the rest of you guys that haven't stopped in yet! I popped into this Upper East Side location while passing through a few hours ago. This has always been one of my favorite BR locations because it has a great petite's selection, and the foot traffic isn't insane (like in Rockafeller or at Lexington/59th).

If you're a size 00P, 0P, or even 2P, you're in fabulous luck! I think they decided to ship out all the tiny sizes to this particular location, as I saw a TON of pants, jeans, jackets, and dresses in those sizes for really low prices. What do you expect? It's the 2nd after-Christmas cut and they need to clear this stuff out NOW!

My stash:
* Ryan cut cargo pants for $11.99
* Ryan cut skinny cordorouys for $25.99
* Velvet jacket for $59.99 (really $99, they misticketed it but let me have it anyway)
* Strapless dress for $48.99

I'm debating on a bunch of other items, but I'm super picky. I brought a ton of pants into the dressing room, but alas, my butt is a touch too flat to wear them. There were jeans there for $10.99 or $12.99, and the rest were below $40.

If you're anywhere near this store tomorrow morning, my advice to you is to hit this place up! Normally, all the 00P and 0P online are all sold out or really ugly, so here's a chance to get everything and try it all on in one trip!

Only downside is that there are no size 5 or 5 1/2 shoes in the entire store. But I think the clothing is good enough of a reason to come in!

(I'll post photos of what I got tomorrow)

Brooks Brothers, You Broke My Heart

Yes, dear readers, I know I suck for not posting in a timely fashion. But I just got a new job recently, and then I somehow got a little too caught up watching political commercials on YouTube of the midterm elections. Come on, I know you were watching something on YouTube too. I get an ounce of leeway, right?

I have committed myself to finding a decent charcoal grey or navy blue suit for fall/winter. Somehow, even though I own 3 suits that I use, only one of them can be considered nondiscript (read: wearable more than once a week). So when Brooks Brothers had their twice a year 25% off for people with BB cards sale last week, I made a beeline for the 346 Madison Avenue store. After my last experience, which I reviewed here, I figured I should give it a try and land me a suit with expert (and cheap) alterations.

Alas! Tragedy struck when all the suits available either were ugly (what were they thinking????) or very large on me. Try as I might to plead with and beg the tailor, he refused to take in the pants (sides, seat, and waist) and the jacket (through the shoulders and shorten the sleeves) as much as I wanted and needed him to, because he was concerned with the structural integrity of the garment. That, or he was afraid to screw up a harder alteration....

I made an effort to try on some other things, and again, discovered that they were just too unmanageable by the tailor. They apparently daren't do anything that requires more than an inch, or even half an inch, of adjusting in the harder to fix areas (seat, waist, leg, shoulders, etc). They also seem to not want to screw around taking in women's jackets through the shoulders. I think, for most people, they'd do just fine in Brooks Brothers. Definitely, I still stand by their generous alteration policy and their merchandise quality. Most of you aren't so freakishly small.

After exhausting the poor sales woman to find me things that would be the right size and color, I wound up trying on a skirt to see if perhaps the genre would fit me better. As you can see, I probably need to have it nipped in about 4" also around to fit me like it's supposed to. At Brooks Brothers pricing, it's not particularly worth it to buy an expensive skirt when the suit jacket will never fit me without serious financial costs. Ah well, back to Banana Republic and Ann Taylor!

But wait....

On my way down from the women's department, I figured, why not, it can't hurt. I stopped by the boy's section. Yes, you heard me correctly. The fact that I felt ridiculous in there didn't help. Nor did the fact that I was still in the men's dressing room when the sales man walked through calling out that the store was closing. Guess who had a sheepish expression on when paying for her purchases? Straight up, I never admitted to the sales staff that I was buying the items for myself. Clearly though, I was. I mean, who else would I be buying this for? And why else would I be in the dressing room?

I discovered that all the boys pants are completely inappropriate for me because they're all pleated. And most of the button down shirts have button-down collars (too male for me). I also disturbingly discovered that I am apparently the same or lesser width as a 6-8 year old boy (size S) - according to Brooks Brothers. Isn't that pre-puberty by a more than a few years? Heck, it's pre-growth spurt prior to puberty! But through it all, I found that some of the items weren't half bad.

This button down shirt was quite nice, but of course, had the button down collar. Maybe I can get away with it.... Anyway, it fit me very well except for the fact that the sleeves were definitely too short for me when buttoned. So of course, I rolled them up. $34ish isn't so bad. Just wait for the sales to kick in.

The vest was a bit baggier than I liked, being for a, well honestly, flat chested boy. Of approximately 6-8 years of age. But it was a beautiful color and 100% lambswool for $37. Definitely cheaper than an equivalent in the women's department. The wool isn't scratchy either - it almost feels like merino.

I have to say, I've been mulling over my purchases for a few days now. The only reason to buy the shirt is to wear it to work, and I honestly can't pull that off without looking silly for noticeably wearing boys clothing. Even if it's practical and fits. I recall someone at a conference noticing a woman wearing men's pants immediately (don't ask me why he was looking at her pants!) and remarking on the strangeness of it.
I think I may keep the sweater. What do you think? (If you see a small Asian female running around Manhattan in this sweater, come up and say hi!)

But Brooks Brothers, I still feel like a jilted lover! The romance has ended, and of course, I should have known it was too good to be true! (for me anyway)

(I'll post the measurements soon...I need to get another measuring tape!)

Club Monaco - Bargain Sales Rack

Club Monaco
1111 3rd Avenue
New York, NY 10021
212-355-2949

This retail chain is my favorite basic tops store - I LOVE the sales rack! For me, even though this chain is actually Canadian, it mushes into the same Euro mold as the Mexx, Zara, and Armani Exchange types. The look is long, lean and minimal, with not too many prints and mostly monocrome shades. Club Monaco is pretty reasonable in price - cheaper than A|X, and about on par with Banana Republic full priced. However, unlike either of them, CM discounts sales items quite agressively so there's quite a decent selection of styles and sizes on the rack. The sales clothes are not just the Bad Ideas and come in more than just extra huge or extra tiny.

While Club Monaco doesn't have a petite's section, I have no size problems with the extra small knit shirts. I love the t-shirts, and I stock up on them when the sales are going on. Curiously, like H&M, I find that the tops seem to be proportionally smaller than the bottoms for the same numerical size. This should be particularly weird coming from me, as I'm pretty sure I'm smaller on top. While the tops are a bit longer than I ideally would like, they're still a real steal at this price and quality! I typically pay around $9, and sometimes $5, for a plain 100% cotton T-shirt that's well made and isn't baggy on me.

In trying out pants or skirts, everything is huge on me (and too long!). Unlike the shirts, these Ursula pants in size 0 are just way too big and long. While some people like very, very low rise pants, I don't - especially when I get a baggy butt since they're not meant to be that low! Like the shirts, the pants are quite a decent price on sale at $49, but originally $119. But these pants are a lost cause for me even with alterations - the back pockets would be so close together after getting the waist and seat taken in that I'll just have one weird looking pocket hanging out behind me!

Club Monaco helpfully mentions that alterations are free in the fitting room - but is it only hems? Unfortunately, yes. When I asked, I learned that the alterations policy was typical - free hems only if you buy the items full price. If you need more work done, tough, as the tailor won't do it - and if you buy it on sale, you'll have to pay about $10 for the hem. Still, if all you need is a hem (which, is never the case for me), my general policy is let them do it - even if you pay. Since it's the store's merchandise, if the tailor screws up, you won't be paying a dime for any of it.

All in all, I do like the merchandise and plan to visit the store's sales rack often when I need new shirts. As generally the case, if you're going for a better sales selection, hit any location that isn't as well trafficked.

Measurements:
Ribbed Tank: 7" strap to strap, 21" underarm, 30" waist, 13" to waist from shoulder.
Plain T-Shirt: 13" shoulders, 29" underarm, 25" waist, 13" to waist from shoulder.
Ursula pants in size 0: 34" inseam, 29" waist, 36" hips, 7.5" front rise, 13" back rise.

Gap Kids Store Review - Have I Shrunk Again?

Gap Kids
1535 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10128
212-423-0033

I popped in a few weeks ago when my brother suggested I check out the store again. Of course, now I remember why I never shop in here! Most of the clothes are of decent quality and cut for the prices (sales come and go all the time here). So it's only the insistence of the Gap Kids designers to make everything so, well, childish that makes me refrain from buying most anything.

I know, at this point, most of you are thinking, 'what do you expect? It IS a children's store!' But my God, does everything have to have a little embossed (or gigantic printed) cutsie palm tree/sailboat/heart/rainbow on it?! Poor teenagers - I don't get the impression that 13+ year old girls or boys want to be dressed like this. Then again, it's been over a decade since I was that young, so maybe I'm wrong here? It gives me the impression that the only parents that shop here for their 14 year olds are desperately trying to tampen down their children's hormones. Can you possibly get more wholesome (at this price anyway) than this?

Anyway, despite my grumbling, I did wind up checking out the jeans -and a random dress, for kicks. It's been several years since I tried on a pair of jeans here, and I was surprised to find that either I've lost weight and a few inches off the top, or the pants are sized differently. About 7 years ago, I fit into a size 16 slim. The 16 slim fit in the waist, were just a little longer than my heels, and a little baggy in the thigh/leg area. Imagine my surprise when I slipped on a 14 slim and found that they were slightly longer than the old pair (which, alas, I no longer own), and tighter in the leg. I actually recall that I probably bought the size 16s back then because the legs were too short. I guess Gap realized teenage girls want to wear high heels or something, as I highly doubt they've gotten more willowy over the years.

The pants were not baby dolled up except for a tiny rainbow tag on the right back pocket. Easy enough to snip it off if you so desired. Quite a few of the other jeans did not have any of the girlie adornments on them, so if you can find a pair that's good here, it's a good deal cheaper (these were $29.50...about $20 cheaper than the ones in adult Gap). It also has some 'distress' marks on the inner thighs for stylistic purposes. They measure 26 1/2" around the waist, and have a 28" inseam.

The big shock came when I suspiciously looked at this dress. It came in the entire Gap Kids range of sizes. It's actually unbelievable to be wearing something like this past the age of 12, but I was stunned to find it available in larger sizes! The belief in the age appropriateness of baby bunnies and huge colorful flowers on clothing for 16 year olds by the designers is to be...commended.

Ok, honestly the thing that really threw me is that the sizes for some of the clothing seems be really off. The dress I tried on did come in size 14 and 16 too, but I was wearing one sized for an 8 year old! How embarrassing! Not only was the item a size 8, but it was slightly too big for me, well, everywhere except the shoulder straps.

So I have a relatively big bottom and small top? Hmm. I'm not really sure about that one either. Another item I own is a denim skirt that I bought about 3 years ago that I absolutely love...in a size 8, with a 24" waist. Oh well, I guess this isn't something to fuss about - after all, the adult clothing is the same way!

Gap Kids does not carry dress up clothing except for a button down shirt or two, in either gendered section. If you're willing (or deliberately looking) to put up with the cutsie stuff, then the place does carry quite a good selection of decent polo shirts, pants, jeans, and outer wear - with a definite imbalance towards pink and pastels for the girls, and blues and yellows for the boys.

Otherwise, you can do what I do, and hit 'em up for a lone skirt or shirt that doesn't make your short self look like you're supposed to be shopping here! If you're looking for great quality however, I'd suggest somewhere else, as most of the stuff isn't made to last terribly long in great condition.

If anyone else has any other suggestions for children's stores, be my guest and let me know!

J.Crew - A Quick Store Visit

J.Crew
347 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017
212-949-0570

As I noted in a revision to my previous post, Finding Petite Stores - Where Can I Go?, J.Crew does not in fact, stock petites in any of its retail locations. They do, however, have a petite selection that can be ordered either online or over the phone. I decided to take a closer look at the large J.Crew on Madison to check out the quality of some of the items in person.

This store is one of J.Crew's largest in Manhattan. It's really close to several other traditional suiting stores due to its Midtown location near Grand Central. Brooks Brothers, Paul Stuart, and Ann Taylor are literally across the street. The store is laid out all on one floor and includes both men's and women's selections. I found the staff there to be extremely nice and helpful. Yet again, I discovered another thin salesperson to commiserate with - she also has to get 0's taken in! She was very good about explaining the alterations policy to me.

Alas, J.Crew is rather miserly and won't pay for any alterations on non-full priced items. And even for the full priced merchandise, only basic hems are free! Hmph! But I did walk out of there with the card for the store's tailor. Not only does he do all the alterations for this store, he also has accounts with other retailers so I'm pretty sure he's good. J.Crew and he have an arrangement so that if anything happens to mess up the garment, it's handled so you won't get screwed. I'll have to give him a try some time on some stuff I have already.

Right now, they're running a summer sale, but the only things I actually took a fancy to were the cheap ribbon belts and the men's bowties (yes, you read it correctly). I never got the impression that the 'J.Crew Man' wore bowties - but I guess that's why they're on sale. I snagged a ribbon belt for myself, and two bowties - one as a gift and one for me as a gag. Yes, I do know how to tie one!

I poked around the non-sale items but wasn't particularly impressed there either. Ok, I fully admit that I really don't like J.Crew merchandise in general - but its traditional suiting and work wear is definitely classic and wearable. A few seasons ago, I was taken with the quality and pricing on the Super 110 suits they had. If only more of its corporate stuff fit!

Searching a bit, I latched onto a J.Crew's cashmere sweater. I honestly thought they were better than Ann Taylor's or Banana's. And they're about the same price (this one's $138), if not cheaper. Pity, as it seems a cruel joke that none of the sweaters in any fabric or style are made for petites. So, this woefully huge XS cashmere sweater (at least on me) is as close as it gets for me in J.Crew. In the picture, you might be able to tell that I'm trying to extend my fingers as far as possible. Yeah, sleeves are way too long (19" from armpit to cuff) and wide, along with everything else!

I promise! The review for my petite phone order at the J.Crew store will be up very shortly!

Brooks Brothers store review - FREE or cheap alterations!

Brooks Brothers
346 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017
212-682-8800

Considering the number of times that I've dropped into this chain, you'd think I'd know all the in and outs by now. Known for it's uber old-school country club/corporate attire image, it's definitely as upscale as you can get before you get into designer labels.

I decided to try out the Madison flagship location, which is also their main corporate office. Although the bulk of their business is in menswear, they have a decent women's and even boy's section. I have always found their clothing to be expensive, but very well made. Some of my favorite slacks, with massive alterations, have come from Brooks Brothers. This is definitely not the place to pick up anything that even conjures up a whiff of sex appeal. It's perfect for a particular type of female corporate image, but a truly horrible place for date clothing.

The staff was extremely courteous - much more so than some of their other locations. Much to my surprise, the saleswoman stated flat out, "you're going to need alterations" and went to fetch the tailor without asking me. Armed with a tape measure, I entered the dressing room with a jacket and matching slacks, not realizing that I'd forget to do any sort of measurement at all in my later excitement.

I stepped out of the very swanky dressing room and braced myself for some major pinning. The waist, the seat, and the sides were taken in - a ton of altering was required. Since this was an exploratory, I wasn't going to be too fazed by the cost. Well, I was just not prepared to be totally knocked off my feet. Almost aplogetically, she explained that the waist and seat would be free, but they'd have to charge me an extra $15 to do the sides. Oh, and the hemming's free too. Hello?! The pants would have cost about $80 on sale, and had I gotten them altered elsewhere, the hems alone would have been at least $15 (they were lined). The only exception to this generous offer is that redlined clearance items will not get free alterations. Heck, with these prices, if you need alterations, you'd be better off NOT getting something on sale!

The suit jacket, alas, was not alterable because, as a matter of policy, she would not take in the shoulders. For you ladies and gents that only need to nip the waist a bit, the cost is $25. I also discovered, much to my dismay, that they flatly refuse to alter most of their shirts. Brooks Brothers shirts are usually non-iron, and the thread (plain old thread I guess) used to put in new seams might pucker the garment. I've definitely had a tailor elsewhere put in darts, and I can vouch that puckering wasn't really a problem.

If those pants weren't a perfectly pastel blue (I won't EVER wear dress slacks in that color....) I'd have gone the whole way with them. I kinda wonder how Brooks Brothers can afford all these alteration costs - after all, someone has to pay those experienced tailors. But hey, not my problem. I'm just gonna take advantage of it while I can! If anyone's looking for conservative corporate clothing, this is really the right mix of service, quality, and price. I very highly recommend it - especially at this location.

I feel a little stupid now for not previously taking advantage of the alterations, but I've come out armed with this extra tasty tidbit. Now, I finally have a source for dress pants that fit!!! Of course, I'm just wondering how many other clothing companies have the same alteration policies. Somehow, I don't think they'll be quite so generous. But for once, I'm really hoping that I'll feel dumb more often.

Spontaneous commiseration at Talbots

"You know, someone really needs to do something about this. There's nothing available for petite women in their 40s - especially if this keeps up!"

Susan, a 40-something shopper, told me this while we were commiserating about our shopping woes in Talbots a few days ago. I had struck up a conversation with her after the salesperson had informed me that Talbots has never made size 0P clothing, and suggested that I check some of the department stores, as Ann Taylor had stopped selling petites - untrue! Susan chimed in at this point because she was worried about what she'd heard. I reassured Susan that no, it hadn't stopped selling petites, but filled her in with what the Times had mentioned about the disappearing petite sections in department stores.

Even though she was fuller than me (she told me she was about a size 8P), she has the same exact problems I do because she is also quite short - 4'11". Nothing fits her correctly - the armholes are too big, the rise too long, and jackets are made for someone longer in the torso. In short, the proportions were all wrong for our height. She mentioned that she often shopped in Lord & Taylor, as they also had a petites department. I replied that I don't really shop in department stores as they usually start at sizes too big for me - and I didn't like the styles. When I mentioned that the bulk of my clothing came from from Banana Republic, she was astonished - she never knew they had a petite line! She promised to check it out.

We wished each other luck with our shopping trips as I left. Well, I thought, the Talbots trip was a disaster for me, but at least I was able to point someone else in the right direction!

It really is hard for older short women to find appropriate clothing (well, I guess that's true for any sized older woman too). At least 20 or 30 somethings can still get away with shopping in teen stores! What do you do when you can't spend a fortune to look tasteful for your age? Have any thoughts? Susan and I would love to know.

Talbots Store Review: A Short Disappointment

Talbots
525 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022
212-838-8811

I have to admit that I very reluctantly entered the store today - mostly to give it a fair shake with a fresh look. As soon as I entered the door, I was already confused. The store was several floors, and as usual, the petite's section was not on ground level. I consulted the floor directory and my eye immediately latched onto "Talbots Woman" on the 3rd floor. Maybe it was from walking into several department stores recently, but somehow "petite" became instantly knocked out of my brain. I'm a woman, I thought (duh). This must be my section.

Entering the elevator, I was soon confronted with the truth. Indeed, the phrase "Talbots Woman" wasn't really an indication of brand loyalty and gender, but a euphamism for "large Tablots Woman." Not only was I wrong about my section for sizing, but it wasn't even for petites! Another woman in the elevator confided that she had gotten confused too.

When I stepped out on the 4th floor, I kicked into browse mode. Ok, some of the stuff was definitely wearable. I started leafing through a rack of skirts (hung woefully high, I might add!), looking for a 0P. I could have sworn that they carried this stuff. Well, after going through several different styles, I confronted the sales staff. Excuse me, I asked, what is the smallest size here?

The answer shocked me because I swear that they used to carry 0P. Maybe it's a function of wishful thinking or turbo-advanced old age (yeah I know, I'm only 20-something), but I was wrong. NO 0P stuff at all!!!! The smallest size in the store was a 2P. And yes, I tried stuff on that totally didn't fit me (what a surprise). With that, I became fully despaired. Some of the stuff shows promise, even if it is a little, eh, old. The website even helpfully gives inseams for pants! (A cause for some confusion as a pair of pants I brought up had the unfathomable measurements of 32" for misses, 29 1/2" for petites, 31" for woman, and 28" for petite woman. I guess heavier older women are pressumed to not wear heels?)

Talbots has completely abandoned all attempts at capturing the young (maybe fashionable) audience! Ok, sure, you have to admit they're not strong on the fashionable side of the equation, but there are certainly enough young, not too picky women that'd like a fair selection too, at a reasonable price. Overall, their prices weren't that much lower than for the lower end stuff at Banana Republic or Ann Taylor (though my complaint about crappy fiber content is still valid - check out the amout of polyester being used!). Heck, label us as unfashionable, but don't cut us short and skinny people out completely!

Togs Soho store review - typical random, pricey boutique

Togs Soho
68 Spring Street
New York, NY 10012
917-237-1882

Inside, looking at just the clothes offered, Togs seems no different than the hundreds of tiny clothing boutiques scattered across the city. You can usually find them in swank areas like SoHo, Midtown, and the Upper East Side. It always surprises me that these places stay in business - but I guess they scrape by somehow. The stores are usually filled with sexy, slightly trashy garb perfectly suitable to go out clubbing in. There's also a tiny dressing room with no mirror - both for saving space and for forcing you to go out under the eyes of the sales staff to use the one outside.

I guess the saving grace of all stores like these, is location, location, location. The 6 line's Spring Street stop is very close - you can practically trip over this store (and just as easily walk past it too) when you get off. What made me stay in was the Russian model/saleswoman that was as thin as me, but almost 6' tall! I definitely wanted to ask her where she got clothes herself. As typical of the waiters and boutique workers in New York, she was obviously working there to cover expenses while she tried a hand at modeling. Talking with her was very amusing as we shared complaints about finding stuff that fit.

It's pretty funny when the sales staff can't actually wear the clothing that is being sold there - even if they're the correct gender and share the same style. It was pretty late in the day when I walked in, so it was just me and her. I've gotten pretty upfront in shopping at this point - so I asked point blank whether anything Togs had would fit me. She looked me up and down and then confessed that not many of the things even fit her!

At this point, she hurridly snagged me two tops before I could leave. Ok, sure, why not? The t-shirt fit perfectly and was made of some stretch cotton with gold snakes. I walked out to take a look in the mirror and she declared it looked fabulous on me (as if she'd say anything else, really!), but I didn't think it was anything special. "It looks expensive," she said. Well, I beg to differ, but even so, it certainly cost $88! I definitely shimmied out of that one quick.

The other top was way way way too low for me in the front. I'm pretty much hopelessly boob-less, and this top would require me to wear it bra-less, as it dipped below my sternum (you know, that bony bit where your ribs connect in front). Uh-uh. No way. It'd be falling off of me! I was wearing my padded strapless bra, and even then, it was too big. And the cost for the little slip of silk? $108.

As I was leaving, I figured I might as well ask. What do you do for pants? She leaned in and conspiratorially mentioned that she was in love with Buffalo jeans in size 23. They were slightly too short for her and they be too long for me but a cuff or hem wouldn't kill me. I've never heard of them before, but I promised to check them out.

Overall, pricey and typical of such stores; it's all about convienence, convienence, convienence. The nice part for me was that even though the help couldn't help me in store, she gave me a hint or two for elsewhere!

Mexx store review - Euro urban style

Mexx Soho
500 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
212-343-7954


With a sprawling international presence (would you believe 2 stores in Afghanistan?), Mexx has barely touched the American market with only 4 stores in the NYC and DC area, and no way to buy online right now. This is certainly a shame for anyone elsewhere, as I found the brand to be quite a good value.

Style-wise, I admit that I can't distinguish between the different Euro labels very well. I associate stores like H&M and Armani Exchange with a sleek and slim style, cooler color scheme shying away from loud colors, and open almost sterile store environments. However, it was Mexx's mix of style, quality, and price that makes me recommend it. Unlike H&M, its clothing (and clientele) tends to be more upscale and is of better quality - at a higher price of course. It lacks A|X's slightly snobbish appeal and is noticeably less expensive.

Mexx doesn't have a petite section, but the sizing was suprisingly better than I expected. I picked up a few size 0 items and found them to be comparable to petite's sizing in stores like Banana Republic and much slimmer than Ann Taylor. Definitely, the sleeves and hems are a bit longer than traditional petite's, but the body fit is more snug. Given a choice, it's much cheaper and easier to fix sleeves and hems than taking in at the body. Here's a rundown of some of the items I picked up to try.

This long blue cotton skirt is great. The waist is only 27", smaller than this BR skirt in size 00P I tried on. I appreciate the quality of the zipper and it's interior button reinforcement. All the stitching is well done - the seams all lie flush and there's no puckering anywhere. I always want a lining for skirts and dress pants, so the full length cotton lining was very appreciated. The designers were even thoughful enough to think to have the lining stitched so that the "outside" side is facing your legs so that everything is smooth. All the hems are finished so there's no snagging or shredding. The price? $79.

The button down fits me almost perfectly. For this shirt, I should have a slightly longer torso, and be slightly fuller. Ideally, I would want to be 13.5" or 14" from the bottom of the collar to my natural natural waist - the shirt measures 14.5". However, I'd be happy to wear this as is. It's made from a thin, filmy cotton that tends to wrinkle, so it's not my personal preferred cotton weight, but very good for hot weather. The lines emphasize a feminine cut and hourglass-like figure, which helps me, since I'm so flat and straight. $44 full price is perfectly reasonable.

As you can see from the pictures (please ignore the horrendous matching job!), this linen jacket is too big for me - particularly in the shoulders. But otherwise, it's a good fit. It's cut for a bigger busted woman, but the waist size is perfect for me (although slightly lower than ideal) at 25" for a jacket. As for the skirt, it's a big looser than the other one at 28", and I'm not too thrilled with the decorative extra fabric at the waist - it makes me look like I have a puffy butt! Costwise, the jacket was $119 and the printed skirt was $59.

I'll definitely be keeping Mexx on the list of stores to stop in regularly!

Zoolook store review - Fancy Dresses to Fit

Zoolook
399 West Broadway
New York, NY 10012
212-431-9431

So I gotta rave, because it's not often I find a shop that is so willing to be accomodating. I walked into Zoolook on West Broadway after an interview around the corner a few weeks back and was immediately surprised.

It's got that art studio splashed paint thing going on and is pretty open and airy. A wonder, the place actually has its own skylight. The store had a bunch of stuff on sale and I was looking through, just for kicks. The owner, Shine, came over to help me and she suggested a few items on sale that were "small." I was doubtful, but figured, sure why not?

If girlie dresses aren't your thing, this is not the place for you. The dress I tried on was definitely too big, and when I came around to check it out in the mirror, I told Shine. Who, wonder of wonders, proceeded to pin in the dress so that it didn't just look like a sack on me.

So it turns out that Shine is the designer of all the dresses in the place. Huh. Now that I'm looking at myself pinned in, it suddenly fits. And I wanted it. I really wanted it. Designers, are you listening? When it fits, it totally increases a customer's desire to buy it! Needless to say, I gave in and have already worn it twice since the end of April. Price? Well, sans alterations, it was less than $300. Ok, not cheap at all, but where the heck are you gonna find a handmade dress for that price? Plus, everything is silk lined, which feels fabulous.

Shine had to take it in and move the boning and straps. A heck of a lot of work, but in the end the dress, originally a "4", fit me perfectly. I totally will be checking out her sales rack in the future. In fact, see pictures of a yellow size "2" dress ($150 I think). It was too long for me (and I don't think I dare wear this color), but if you're slightly longer in the torso and above 5'0" naturally, it'd fit.

I can't be the only person terrified that a tailor is going to screw up that big ticket dress/coat/skirt/etc. So for once in my life, I was completely sure that she wasn't going to ruin it. Cause it was her baby.

Quality, fit, price, and a personal touch. Things that are often hard to find for smaller clothing - but I definitely found it here! I asked her if she would be making other clothing - but alas, she doesn't have the time. Sigh. The search continues....

X-Girl and Uniqlo store reviews - trying my SoHo luck

X-Girl New York
265 Lafayette Street
New York, NY 10012
212-343-2457

Uniqlo
76 Greene Street
New York, NY 10012
877-486-4756

SoHo and NoLita in New York are flooded with little boutiques and independent designer shops. The area is quite a great place to shop if you're looking for something different from the mainstream bunch; a few stores also serve as launching pads for up and coming designers. But buyers be warned: it's also too easy to drop several hundred without even trying.

I stepped out of the subway at Spring armed with the names of a couple of stores that a friend had given me. Both stores were Asian brands/imports. East Asians as a general rule are smaller than their counterparts in America, so it wouldn't be a bad place to start.

My first stop was X-Girl, on Lafayette. I stepped into the store finding a casual-trendy mix of urban chic Japanese designed goods. Not the sort of style anyone would normally associate with me, but I figured it would be a nice shot. I talked to the salesperson and asked if she could suggest any items that may fit me. I walked into the dressing curtain and tried them out, a little doubtful as some of the things looked a little big.

I was a little surprised at the dressing 'room' situation. If you look carefully at the storefront picture, you'll see a pinkish curtain behind the mannequin. Yup. That was where I was shucking off my clothes. Since there was no mirror to use to take a picture, I was a little bad and adjusted the curtain so sunlight came into the booth. I sure hope no one was looking a little too closely at X-Girl's window!

So I tried the stuff on. I was also disappointed and surprised that everything was too big! Their sizing is XS, S, M, L, or 1, 2, 3. Huh. Taking that small numbering system even further than I would have imagined. And as I thought, it wasn't cheap to shop there - the 'sweetheart shirt' was $106 for a frilly cotton button down! I left after learning that the sizing was supposedly the same in Japan. Huh. Well, moving on....

Next stop - Uniqlo on Greene. I knew that this particular store was a Japanese retailer, and my friend mentioned that they were in Japanese sizes. So as I stepped in, I got excited. The place kinda reminded me of a slightly funkier GAP - "casual wear that can be worn by anyone, any day." The stuff was certainly a good price; t-shirts were on sale for $9.99.


But alas, I was informed that their sizing followed US standards! Er...ok. Does it run small for American sizing, I tried to casually ask an employee. No, it actually runs large, he replies. WHAT??!?!? I was a little annoyed now. They might import the Japanese goods soon, but right now, it's American. Somehow, I thought that physical proximity to Chinatown would make a difference for sizing of their clientele. Silly me right?