Best quality clothing/shoe item you've ever bought?

[WCsweet<3]

Originally Posted by lovespink88

I used to get defensive about VS since I worked there and I thought I did a damn good job at measuring, but I've come to realize that a lot of the problems come from the bras themselves and what the mainstream market has caused consumers to believe about bra sizes. When VS can't get that right, no wonder it's impossible to get a consistent size there!

If there are any redditors out there, I HIGHLY recommend /r/abrathatfits (http://www.reddit.com/r/ABraThatFits/) especially their "starter guide": http://www.reddit.com/r/ABraThatFits/wiki/quick

The problem is there are quite a few misconceptions about bra sizes--for example, so women believe that if they are "smaller" they are automatically a A or B when that's absolutely not true.

I followed the instructions on the link above to find my fit--I came up with 30G!!!!!!!! I had been wearing a 34D!!!!! I was in disbelief because of those misconceptions led me to believe that someone like me who didn't look "busty" could no way be that size. So a week later I went to Dillards (one of the recommended stores for true bra sizing) and she came up with 30DDD, which is what I told was comparable to 30G and OMG it fit WONDERFULLY. One big mistake I was making was I was worried about "back fat". Yes, my 30 band is snug, but is correct and with my shirt on, everything looks SO much better than the 34 band I was wearing.

So basically, stores like VS are extremely limited to "traditional" bra sizes when in reality, 34A-38DD sizing misses out on a LOT of women.

I highly recommend going to Nordstrom or Dillards to get a real fitting. Try the self fit guide that's linked in those links above too--you'll be surprised, but trust me, it's correct (and if it's not, it will be SO much closed than what VS is telling you).

/brarant

No I agree with you. I had two best friends who worked at VS through college and they were wonderful. Their coworkers... not so much. I am a 32 DDD/E (depends on brand) and almost all the VS workers try to put me in a 34 DD every single time. I don't look that busy when you look at me most of the time, but in bikinis they definitely show. My absolute favorite store for bras is called the Pencil Test. The owner posts her stats from time to time and her most popular size for August was 34F. I love seeing her posts!

Also as far as breasts go, there are different shapes. So while one brand might fit someone the same size, that brand may not be the best shape cup for your boobs even if the size is right.

[Sciencewoman]

Wacoal bras are the best bras ever. They are worth every extra dollar. Seriously.

[lovespink88]

Originally Posted by Sciencewoman

Wacoal bras are the best bras ever. They are worth every extra dollar. Seriously.

That's what I got fitted with! And YES it's amazing! I was lucky and got mine for $20 on sale. Looking at the website though it looks like even their regular prices beat VS.

[WestcoastWonder]

Also, I love Lululemon! The fabric quality is amaze-balls and the pair I have keep me warm in the winter in cool in the summer and they offer complementary hemming for the items you buy no matter how old they are, receipt not necessary!

[BraveMaroon]

After losing some weight last year,I went to SOMA for a fitting. They clearly just didn't have what I needed in stock, but still wanted to make a sale. So she had me try on one that really wasn't quite right, and she said, "Well, that's not too bad." I said (nicely), "Well for $64 a bra, I think I'd rather do better than 'not too bad'."

I politely thanked her for her time and went to Cacique (the lingerie store attached to Lane Bryant). I'm a 38 DDD and their Balconette line nails it for me. My advice in re: bras is that even if you're busty, a little padding smooths things out and adds support. I'm glad I got over thinking I didn't need any padding.

That said, Wacoal makes amazing bras, and when I'm a little thinner, they're my go-to.

As far as shoes, the ones I spend money on are my Birkenstocks. They're not for everybody, but I love them.

[lovespink88]

Originally Posted by BraveMaroon

After losing some weight last year,I went to SOMA for a fitting. They clearly just didn't have what I needed in stock, but still wanted to make a sale. So she had me try on one that really wasn't quite right, and she said, "Well, that's not too bad." I said (nicely), "Well for $64 a bra, I think I'd rather do better than 'not too bad'."

I politely thanked her for her time and went to Cacique (the lingerie store attached to Lane Bryant). I'm a 38 DDD and their Balconette line nails it for me. My advice in re: bras is that even if you're busty, a little padding smooths things out and adds support. I'm glad I got over thinking I didn't need any padding.

That said, Wacoal makes amazing bras, and when I'm a little thinner, they're my go-to.

As far as shoes, the ones I spend money on are my Birkenstocks. They're not for everybody, but I love them.

Ohhhhh Soma is bad too! I recently went there after I got my "real" size (30DDD) and she measured me at 34B. lol

[Sciencewoman]

I've always been curious about Soma, because their ads are appealing and I really like their sister store, White House Black Market. They don't have a store nearby, though, and I wouldn't want to order on-line without a fitting. Sounds like I should stick with Wacoal, though, anyway!

Wacoal is usually excluded from coupons at Macy's, etc. I'd you have a Younker's card, though, the cardholder coupons are sometimes exclusion-free. I use those to buy Wacoal.

[AnchorAlumna]

Best article of clothing?
That would be an Austin Reed suit - double-breasted jacket with pants. Wool twill, lined pants. Quality through and through, and of course, beautifully finished inside.
It cost more than my husband's suits - $250 for the jacket and $150 for the pants, about 14 years ago. That may not be much to many of you, but to me it was a fortune - more than 2 or 3 fortunes.
I just barely hesitated - I knew it would be good for years and years.
And it has. I wore it to chapter visits, church, business events, luncheons, job interviews, even formal events with a sparkly blouse. The jacket is now so worn out it's shiny and the lapels are limp. The pants - I wound up buying 2 pairs - are still good, and I still occasionally wear them although they're not fashionable right now.
Wish I could update, but the company, which is in England, quit making women's clothes in plus sizes.

[Maman]

Stephen Bonanno sandals are far superior to the Jack Rodgers. The leather is softer and doesn't cut into your foot. The footbed is also sturdier.

[angels&angles]

Some of it's really terrible, but I don't like taking shots of things that taste like alcohol, so until I grow out of the age where people love shots, it's mixed shots or flavored vodkas for me. I like pinnacle's whipped cream and their chocolate cake flavors.

[WestcoastWonder]

I just mix it with a loooooot of soda or juice and hope for the best!

[IUHoosiergirl88]

So it's not clothing or a shoe (although I love me some Sperries--wore the sole off my last pair!), but I've now bought two Longchamp bags and while they are a bit pricey for what they are, they hold up beautifully after being a little abused. I also am partial to Burberry--hit up the outlet stores for more manageable prices--I have a sweater I scored at the outlet for $30 and it looks like brand new several years later. No pilling, no pulled threads, no color fade, nada.


On the bra front, I'm partial to VS even though they don't hold up as well as I wish they would because I have a teeny tiny chest and their pushup bras actually allow me to fill out my clothing--something I haven't found with other bras.

[WestcoastWonder]

Originally Posted by IUHoosiergirl88

So it's not clothing or a shoe (although I love me some Sperries--wore the sole off my last pair!), but I've now bought two Longchamp bags and while they are a bit pricey for what they are, they hold up beautifully after being a little abused. I also am partial to Burberry--hit up the outlet stores for more manageable prices--I have a sweater I scored at the outlet for $30 and it looks like brand new several years later. No pilling, no pulled threads, no color fade, nada.


On the bra front, I'm partial to VS even though they don't hold up as well as I wish they would because I have a teeny tiny chest and their pushup bras actually allow me to fill out my clothing--something I haven't found with other bras.

Hmmm, I've been thinking about getting a Longchamp for a while, and I need one for travel, so now I guess i should!

[PhiAlpha05]

I buy most of my stuff discounted on Ebay or at places like TJ Maxx, etc. - but one of my best (pricier, for me anyway) investments was a pair of $80 J. Crew wool dress pants that I bought in 2002 (age 16) and still wear. Dad had thrown a pair of my wool Express pants in the dryer and ruined them, and since I couldn't find the same model anywhere (they were older and from Marshalls) I stuck it to him by finding what I thought was a pretty expensive, similar pair. Of course, in the long run I probably saved him quite a bit of money on all the other pairs of black pants I didn't buy again!

Other than those, my "investment pieces" include a Theory suit for conferences, some Tory Burch Eddie flats from Ebay, and a couple of Longchamp bags (though my current one badly needs replacing--bought it used and it's been with me for 2 years, so now it has holes in all 4 corners!)

[33girl]

I like Soma bras but when they tried to put me in a C, I just nodded my head and said "thank you, I'm fine."