adventures in shopping: a few quick reviews and an update

awwwwww….

We'll get to the bunny later. First, apologies to those of you who might have read the enthusiastic comments I posted on J.CrewAficionada a little while ago, concerning the J.Crew Collection Wool Flannel Tuxedo Dress. By the way, why do mass-produced garments have more names than many minor British aristocrats?

This morning I rescinded that review, for reasons stated in a fresh post on the JCA review page, and I want to mention it here for those who haven't seen that post.

In a word, the dress I loved began to fall apart. After one wear, the front placket - the applied strip of fabric where the buttonholes are - began to detach from the bottom up. I looked to see if the seam allowance could be tucked back in, but there was essentially no seam allowance. The placket was shredding. No repair was possible. I love shirtdresses, and I always leave the bottom button, or the two bottom buttons, unbuttoned to allow for walking, so there hadn't been any pulling. Someone at a factory had over-skimped. So, good-bye, and thanks to the sales associate who gasped in horror and immediately credited back my purchase.

Next, another tweedy misfire of alchemy. The Sorcerer's Apprentice cooked up a brew that includes snipped black plastic threads, for texture, I guess, and you can see the results here. The plastic things that stick out are meant to be there, they're part of the weave. They reminded me of the plastic lace used for making lanyards, only thinner. Notwithstanding that, the fabric is thick and not flexible. The inset waistband is fringed top and bottom, making the waist look thicker. And the bracelet sleeves are just a mistake. I didn't even bring this one home.

I'm loving the gray pocket dress for all the reasons I had hoped to be loving the tuxedo dress: it's wool, it's simple, the waist is at the waist, and since I'm 4 or 5 inches shorter than most models, the hem covers my kneecaps. I note that while I have identified pocket flaps, I haven't yet found pockets, but this is only a quibble, since if the pocket flaps in fact were part of pockets I wouldn't be putting anything in them anyhow, given their location. And for once I understand the Copywriter from Space - she wanted to call attention to the pocket flaps without calling the dress the Pointless ChestFlap Dress. I forgive her.

I guess I have to end with another downer. I thought I'd
be able to wear the blend of which this season's Cambridge sweaters are made. They feel soft to the touch, and the colors are lovely. Just lovely. The blend is viscose, wool, nylon and Angora -- well, the website says Angora, the label says Rabbit. Angoras are rabbits that are raised for their soft and fluffy yarn, and are just too too adorable.

cute fluffy Angora rabbit

I've had vintage Angora sweaters, and I've been fine in them. Moreover, we've had rabbits as pets, and I was fine. I've never had an allergic reaction to a rabbit. On the other hand, when my nose turns red, followed by swollen teary eyes, sneezing fits and closing throat, this is a sign that my double-barreled cat allergy is acting up. I left the sweater in the dressing room and fled. And I showered and washed my hair when I got home.

Just to be clear:

really cute fluffy baby Angora rabbit

cute, but not rabbits