Things I Used to Buy That I Don't Love Anymore, Part 2
RIP, my unconditional love for 7 for All Mankind jeans. We had a good run.
Poking around some shops yesterday, I looked into buying another pair of Seven jeans. Sevens are definitely pricey (around $165 a pair full-price) but in the past I've always found them to be worth it. The denim is really high quality- thick, soft, really luxurious feeling- the colors are rich, the fit is flattering, and they hold up for years and years.
All the Seven jeans I've owned were made in California. I was under the impression that the primary reason Sevens are so expensive is because they're made here in the US. As you may know, I'm happy to pay a premium for things that are made here.
But the Sevens I saw for sale yesterday felt very different from ones I've seen before-- the material was flimsy and rough, and something about the fit was off. They just seemed cheap. Then I looked at the tag, and cursed out loud.
The Seven jeans at the store (apologies for blurry camera phone photo)
I was really surprised to find that Seven has started making (or "assembling", whatever that means) at least some of their jeans in Mexico. 7 for all Mankind has been in business since 2000; why would they start offshoring to boost profits now?
Well, a quick web search confirmed that Seven has gone the way of Nature's Gate: In mid-2007 the company was acquired by VF Corp., a publicly-traded apparel conglomerate, and cost-cutting changes ensued (stock market shareholders can be a pretty demanding bunch.) Of course, Seven hasn't passed down any cost savings to the customer-- the price tag on this pair still read $165. VF doesn't break out profits brand-by-brand in their earnings reports, but I have to imagine that they really started making a killing, margins-wise, when they shifted Seven's production south of the border. I mean, most Levi's are made in Mexico, and those retail for $50 or less.
Apparently there are still some Seven brand jeans made in California, but they're sold mostly on Seven's website and in the brand's own boutiques-- which makes sense since they don't have to pay any retailer fees there. I guess it's good that some pairs are still being made here, but it's a bummer that I'll have to be a stickler about checking tags going forward.
So the search for ethically-manufactured jeans that I enjoy wearing resumes (sorry, American Apparel, you fit the former requirement but definitely not the latter.) If anyone out there is interested in starting a company and sticking to their original principles, I swear I'll be a loyal customer!
Poking around some shops yesterday, I looked into buying another pair of Seven jeans. Sevens are definitely pricey (around $165 a pair full-price) but in the past I've always found them to be worth it. The denim is really high quality- thick, soft, really luxurious feeling- the colors are rich, the fit is flattering, and they hold up for years and years.
All the Seven jeans I've owned were made in California. I was under the impression that the primary reason Sevens are so expensive is because they're made here in the US. As you may know, I'm happy to pay a premium for things that are made here.
But the Sevens I saw for sale yesterday felt very different from ones I've seen before-- the material was flimsy and rough, and something about the fit was off. They just seemed cheap. Then I looked at the tag, and cursed out loud.
The Seven jeans at the store (apologies for blurry camera phone photo)
I was really surprised to find that Seven has started making (or "assembling", whatever that means) at least some of their jeans in Mexico. 7 for all Mankind has been in business since 2000; why would they start offshoring to boost profits now?
Well, a quick web search confirmed that Seven has gone the way of Nature's Gate: In mid-2007 the company was acquired by VF Corp., a publicly-traded apparel conglomerate, and cost-cutting changes ensued (stock market shareholders can be a pretty demanding bunch.) Of course, Seven hasn't passed down any cost savings to the customer-- the price tag on this pair still read $165. VF doesn't break out profits brand-by-brand in their earnings reports, but I have to imagine that they really started making a killing, margins-wise, when they shifted Seven's production south of the border. I mean, most Levi's are made in Mexico, and those retail for $50 or less.
Apparently there are still some Seven brand jeans made in California, but they're sold mostly on Seven's website and in the brand's own boutiques-- which makes sense since they don't have to pay any retailer fees there. I guess it's good that some pairs are still being made here, but it's a bummer that I'll have to be a stickler about checking tags going forward.
So the search for ethically-manufactured jeans that I enjoy wearing resumes (sorry, American Apparel, you fit the former requirement but definitely not the latter.) If anyone out there is interested in starting a company and sticking to their original principles, I swear I'll be a loyal customer!
On Balenciaga and going beyond the LBD
Nina Garcia and her ilk can have their "perfect little black dress" and "classic trench" and "timeless nude kitten heels." Really: I'm so over this adulation of Jackie Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn and the concept of "investment pieces" of clothing.
Being that one of my vices is a taste for fashion magazines, I'm up on the latest designer clothing offerings. The past few years have been full of duds, in my opinion: everyone has been trying to play it safe due to the bad economy. My thinking is, if you're on a really tight budget and can only buy one thing per season, why would you buy something completely boring-- another iteration of what you already have in your closet?
Even if I had all the disposable income in the world, I'd still shop primarily at consignment stores and places with reasonable prices and ethical manufacturing practices like American Apparel. Once or twice a year, I'd buy select designer pieces that are actually bits of art from a distinct moment in time-- things that can't possibly be aptly replicated by Banana Republic.
I've already done this a little: In college, I decided to splurge on my first "designer" handbag. After considering a bunch of neutral colored purses from the likes of Kate Spade and Coach, I went with the graffiti-inspired L.A.M.B. bag pictured here:
It couldn't have possibly been more 2003, but I actually still think that's what's cool about it.
What I've seen in Harper's Bazaar and Elle of Balenciaga's current collection has stoked my long-dormant desire for truly unique fashion. I read that the designer Nicolas Ghesquière's inspirations included "cosmonauts, seventies Formica, packaging and food boxes, synthetic foam, and plywood." It's bananas, and I absolutely love it.
If I could, I'd buy several pairs of Balenciaga's Fall 2010 shoes-- some to wear now, and others to put on ice for myself and future generations. I really think they're that special.
Being that one of my vices is a taste for fashion magazines, I'm up on the latest designer clothing offerings. The past few years have been full of duds, in my opinion: everyone has been trying to play it safe due to the bad economy. My thinking is, if you're on a really tight budget and can only buy one thing per season, why would you buy something completely boring-- another iteration of what you already have in your closet?
Even if I had all the disposable income in the world, I'd still shop primarily at consignment stores and places with reasonable prices and ethical manufacturing practices like American Apparel. Once or twice a year, I'd buy select designer pieces that are actually bits of art from a distinct moment in time-- things that can't possibly be aptly replicated by Banana Republic.
I've already done this a little: In college, I decided to splurge on my first "designer" handbag. After considering a bunch of neutral colored purses from the likes of Kate Spade and Coach, I went with the graffiti-inspired L.A.M.B. bag pictured here:
It couldn't have possibly been more 2003, but I actually still think that's what's cool about it.
What I've seen in Harper's Bazaar and Elle of Balenciaga's current collection has stoked my long-dormant desire for truly unique fashion. I read that the designer Nicolas Ghesquière's inspirations included "cosmonauts, seventies Formica, packaging and food boxes, synthetic foam, and plywood." It's bananas, and I absolutely love it.
If I could, I'd buy several pairs of Balenciaga's Fall 2010 shoes-- some to wear now, and others to put on ice for myself and future generations. I really think they're that special.
Le Nez
"Perfume, like wine, is beautiful when you know how to stop."
-Fabrice Penot, co-founder of cult fragrance house Le Labo, in a very well-written article in the July issue of Food & Wine on the similarities between perfume and wine.
The article is chock full of "Lettie Teague (the piece's author) has the best job ever" moments. One of my favorites is when she and The Modern's chic female sommelier spend an afternoon sniffing and shopping at the perfume counter at Saks Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, and then repair back to a table at The Modern where they proceed to pop open and drink bottle after bottle of expensive wine, trying to find matches with the perfumes they just sampled. Best girlfriend date ever.
Crown and anchor me
In the months leading up to my wedding, I really wanted to have a pedicure be my traditional "something blue," and was searching high and low for a tasteful blue nail polish (which is, not surprisingly, a very difficult thing to find.) I wasn't able to find anything remotely acceptable, so my mom and sister ended up putting a blue ribbon in my homemade flower bouquet and calling it a day.
But now, just about 6 months after my nuptials, pretty blue nail polishes are en vogue and everywhere! Current brides-to-be should definitely take note:
Essie Summer 2010 resort collection,"Lapis of Luxury" (here is the cheapest place I've found it)
Essie "St. Barth's Blue" (also can be found here)
But now, just about 6 months after my nuptials, pretty blue nail polishes are en vogue and everywhere! Current brides-to-be should definitely take note:
Essie Summer 2010 resort collection,"Lapis of Luxury" (here is the cheapest place I've found it)
Essie "St. Barth's Blue" (also can be found here)
