Happy Saturday!
posted by Colleen Shirazi
on
Saturday, July 31, 2010
at 1:05 PM (Pacific)
Lessee... Yesterday was Sysadmin Day, at least according to the System Administrator Appreciation Day website:
Had I realized sooner, I would have baked a cake. I actually have a good recipe...it's chocolate, but tastes light and very chocolate-y (for this you would also make the frosting). I have my calendar marked for next year...sorry, but I have to take my furlough days the next week and a half.
...via Respect the Shoes, and thought it was pretty cool. Imo the shoes look better stained than un-. And where does she find those socks? I'm still working out the socks thing.
Summer sales are bustin' out...thanks to Gigi's Gone Shopping, I got a tip about the Jackie Shell price drop (and cardigan "popback"):
J.Crew Jackie Shell in Hyacinth
I'd been on the fence about acquiring more Shells...I have Pearl, and love it. So, though I'm already pre-drooling over fall clothes, it makes no logical sense not to stash items for next year, at these good prices.
Being a skirt whore, I need tops, preferably those which don't require ironing. I got the Shell in Large...it's final sale, otherwise I might have tried Medium...my Large Pearl Shell was too big and I had to shrink it (it's still an eensy bit loose), but I found the Cardigan sizing inconsistent and didn't wish to be stuck with something I couldn't wear.
About the cardigans: I got all of my Jackies in X-Large, and they all fit, but very differently? Some were cute tiny sweaters, while Pearl was more a traditional cardigan.
J.Crew Jackie Cardigan in Wild Mushroom
This one fit between Pearl and Navy (I know, I need to take more pictures).
It's a look I've done since the 1990's, when my husband gave me some of his ties to play with, but of course it was not novel. The usual cycle; folks my age would call it the "Annie Hall look" (0:11):
So, did you get anything with the short-lived sockdreams coupon code? It's still on today. A small discount of 10%--not enough to make me adventurous, but enough for me to comb the site for useful items.
MP Checkered Pattern tights
Wondering how these will work out. They're 80% cotton, look a bit sheer, and are made in Denmark. According to the blurb, the checkers are more of a basket-weave. I debated between black and grey for this, but black--if it's sheer enough--will be more useful to me, even in our so-called "summer" season, because it goes with just about anything.
Socks!
More socks for my "socks on Friday" idea, should any Friday prove clement enough for it.
K.Bell Footsies
My adventures with Aristoc footsies kind of left me wanting more, if you catch my drift. Likely I should've gotten the bigger size... But it won't hurt to try these footsies.
Okay, so I finally went bungee jumping bought something from the J.Crew Final Sale.
After dithering, I got a size 10. I'm perpetually between sizes. Silk shrinks though, even washed in cold water; so, for this, and for natural fibers in general, I tend to size up.
I was expecting either it would fit reasonably well, and I'd breathe a sigh of relief I hadn't gotten an 8, or it would be a total feed-bag of a shirt and I'd have fun shrinking it.
Hmmm...it was a total, well, feed-bag. It's cut straight, not fitted at all; and it's gorgeous, with the fine crinkles and smoky purple color. I promptly put it into a mesh bag and washed it with my other office clothes: cold water, delicate cycle, Woolite. (The shirt is clearly marked "Dry Clean Only.")
Heheh...I removed it from the bag. Eh, doll clothes? It appeared to had shrunken a full three sizes. Upon closer examination though, the crinkled fabric had simply folded up, like those paper fans you made in grade school. Gently pulling the shirt back into shape revealed something wearable, albeit more fitted than my personal style icon would don:
A stylish nun
I put the shirt on a hanger, and gradually it stretched out to, I believe, a fairly loose-fitting size 8. Yay!
Conclusion: if you intend to dryclean this the way you're supposed to, size down. If you want to wash it at home, size up.
Happy Friday!
posted by Colleen Shirazi
on
Friday, July 23, 2010
at 9:53 PM (Pacific)
The Clash - "The Prisoner" (1978)
Not the greatest Clash song, exactly, yet an interesting relic--of pre-Internet times. You can feel the smallness in the lyrics...it was written in a small place, which is what people lived in, back then. What you knew was what you saw around you, and whatever you could find in books and music.
I think I will have to shelve the "wear socks on Friday" concept, at least until the weather warms sufficiently for, ah, socks. Tried these instead:
Wolford Marie tights
I lost my Wolford virginity when Bare Necessities marked these down and had a Friends & Family. They ended up costing less than my B.ella Codori Tights.
Hmmm...these are beautiful. You're thinking, eh, striped tights...but black and tan work well together, if you own enough black and brown items. I wore them with this:
NO, it is not a mini on me, and this, but not in black...I have a greyish-brown one:
and my black Cydwoq boots.
At this point, because it's Friday, and there's black, grey and brown going on, the shirt becomes kind of irrelevant. Surely you have something that coordinates with these tones. Ta-da! you have composed a harmonious outfit, out of this that and the other.
I told ya, J.Crew, that I don't want one of anything in every color. (I know, it's a sales pitch, I'm just saying.) I want my own set of colors where a lot of stuff just goes together.
As I was surreptitiously browsing the J.Crew porn New Arrivals today, I chanced upon a bevy of Tissue Turtlenecks.
I'd gone through turtleneck madness last year, once I'd discovered how useful and plentiful they were. (For example, C & C California marked theirs down to $10 a pop at the end of the season; sign up on their website for future sale and coupon info.)
But the 'Crew Tissue T's have proven the most versatile of the lot, due to our peculiar climate. I wore one today in fact, at the end of July, with a cardigan over it.
May I vent on "J.Crew haiku" for a bit?
I feel like throwing something every time I read, "You'll want one in every color." I do NOT want one in every color. (Even if I could AFFORD one in every color.) Thank you.
Back to the porn...hmmm...I like the Dried Rose above, and this:
J.Crew Tissue Turtleneck in Apricot Mist
Sure, it looks like eight shades of tepid, but the Champagne one I got last year is easily the one I reach for most. It goes with just about everything, and, as I favor dark skirts, dark tops tend to create further...darkness.
Without seeing the shirts b & m, those are the only two colors I'd want, even though the peach and purple shades look quite pretty to me. I know myself; there are colors I gravitate towards...not necessarily "flattering" shades, I don't think about it that way. It's--do I like it? Yes? Then that's what I want to see.
Yes, that is a stuffed animal. I didn't have one of those fake necks to model jewelry on, so the cuddly bear had to do.
I made two of these necklaces, the cream one and a grey pearl version I wore today. I don't have an image of the grey, it's quite similar though...the trick is to get two strands of fairly large freshwater pearls (you will have a few left over to make something else with), Softflex (beading wire made of fine strands of stainless steel covered with a clear coating)...pretty sure I used .014 21-strand?...crimps (tiny sterling silver tubes), and crimp covers (sterling hollow open beads you close over the crimps). That's one way to make it.
Here I used "wire guardians," which are small hollow sterling horseshoe-shaped pieces, to cover the Softflex where it touches the clasp--but I wouldn't make it that way now. I would use french wire, even with Softflex (it's fairly standard for silk thread). French wire is extremely fine wire in a tight coil; you cut off a little piece and string it over the loop of thread you want covered.
I wore grey and black today, which sounds kinda dreadful, but I was in a hurry and I think it came out okay.
J.Crew Boatneck Painter Tee in Soft Dove
Here is my "grey" shirt, from the last batch o' boatneck painter tees (I really like these, but then I missed the prior batch with the nefarious raw-edged neckline). What I like about 'Crew, perhaps above all other factors, is their use of complex colors. So this, which would be drab and soul-sucking had any other mainstream manufacturer cranked it out, incorporates a little green and a flash of blue. It's rather like the sea on an overcast day. My grey pearls are the slightest bit green and subtly pink...so, though there was no obvious color, at least I avoided the funereal (which I've done before, typically involving too much black).
My boss told me it could take a week to fully recover from general anesthesia. I do feel a bit worn out, but don't often wear a tie, so wanted to get a picture of it.
Cardigan: J.Crew Jackie in Dark Charcoal Shirt: ? a white shirt Tie: gift from husband Skirt: Velvet by Graham and Spencer Shoes: Cole Haan
Hola!
posted by Colleen Shirazi
on
Sunday, July 18, 2010
at 12:15 PM (Pacific)
Ah...at least I've gotten past the massive migraine-with-chills bit, eh? :) Back to shopping. That was a fast recovery...hmmm...
I've finally bitten the bullet and forayed into the J.Crew FINAL Sale.
J.Crew Crinkled Chiffon Tunic in Orchid Shadow
Normally, I would not let my dog shop the Final Sale online. (I don't actually have a dog, just saying.) There's something monumentally insulting about it, at least on the face of things...how can it be worth it to buy something you can't return?
But, I've decided, so what. Apparently I am now what they call a "JCA," meaning I know what a popback is, have benefited from the secret coupon in the print catalogue, have a pretty firm grip on their sale cycles, not only call it a "Jackie" but own several (in discontinued shades, yet)...I think I'm okay with this.
The worst-case scenarios are: it's too big (I'm eternally between sizes in just about everything anywhere), in which case I can shrink it. It's silk, which shrinks handily. In the freakish case it's too small, my daughter can have it. Come to think of it, it was a popback. They still have Orchid Shadow up in a few sizes if you're interested.
I had a minor surgery yesterday. I shouldn't bitch...it went well, and I am truly grateful to have health insurance. The next guy doesn't have it.
I had a bad reaction to the general anesthesia though, to the tune of a throwing-up migraine. I suppose that's what comes from not having had surgery before; I didn't know what to expect. shrugs
I'll write some more tomorrow, I really don't feel up to it today.
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It was so hot...
posted by Colleen Shirazi
on
Thursday, July 15, 2010
at 11:54 PM (Pacific)
Huh, listen to the spoiled Californian. It was actually warm today, so I brought out this "sweater" (more of knitted top), from Tulle.
Tulle is one of those etailers I'd never in a million years have discovered on my own. I saw it first on Fashion for Nerds, and, at the time, glanced briefly at the Tulle site and concluded this line was for the tiny-sized women, they of the fabled XS.
The clothing does run small, but they have a size range, and what's nice: bright colors hard to find elsewhere, reasonable prices, a size chart with measurements for each item, "Tulle's Day" sales...a lot to like.
Of course I discovered this top would have fared better with a racerback bra (rolls eyes), which I don't own, but hey, that's what lightweight cardigans are for? I've found it advantageous to always have one on hand, something you can close in the front if need be (a primary reason I don't like the "open cardigan" trend). You never know, and, this way, you don't have to care.
I didn't wear this with it, but it's another nifty Tulle item:
This is the linen "paper bag skirt." Mine's black; not, I believe, the "dew" shade pictured, and it's longer on me. I wore it with black tights before, it looked okay for a Friday, but I'm not sure it qualifies as a hot-weather office-friendly item for me. I'd have to figure out the leg covering first.
That said, it is pretty cool. It's constructed exactly like a paper bag: a straight tube of cloth. As a lightweight skirt with no tailoring involved, it works surprisingly well.
This might be more like it though:
This is the other, cotton "paper bag" skirt they had when I tried my sampling o' Tulle. I haven't worn it yet...unlike Straight Paper Bag above, Structured Paper Bag requires ironing. My secret dream, amongst other things, is to have an ironing board that folds out from the wall. I'm not the best at ironing but for certain things it is essential, and the stand-alone board I do have is a major hassle.
I tried these out today...the ivory ones, in size "tall."
Ah...the perfect environment, today, because we had one of our signature "arctic in the morning, sweating by afternoon" days. I was wondering if these tights, which are 70% cotton, would prove sufficiently warm/cool.
Hermmm...for that purpose, they definitely worked. The look is kind of interesting. It's more casual than I'd normally do, the first four days of the week, yet I found it integrated pretty well with my regular clothes. I found my grey micronet stockings looked far more corporate. Yet, so what. The key to business casual is to balance out looking nice and professional, with being comfortable and not having to stress too much about drycleaning and ironing.
The ivory shade (again, it's yellower/more cream than in the image) made my legs look a bit plump...I'll guess the darker shades would be more minimizing, or less maximizing? Hm. It's not something that bothers me, just fyi (for thin legs it might be beneficial).
Sockdreams.com didn't mention, but the toes are solidly knit rather than lacy--important, since you don't want your toes ripping holes there.
All in all, I'm pleased with these. I hope they launder well (my other Italian-made legwear has, so far).
Jewelry meanderings
posted by Colleen Shirazi
on
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
at 10:08 PM (Pacific)
Unlike many, if not most, of my early jewelry-making endeavors, both of these pieces have managed to survive.
Even though I do keep kicking myself to redo the hoops on the earrings. The originals are too crude.
The sapphire dangles on the earrings came about when I realized just how small the drill-holes in the stones were. The wire you can fit through them is a little thicker than a hair...
I wore the necklace today, is why I dredged up the pic (late 2007). The silver pendant and butterfly beads came from Shiana.com, a fair trade company in Thailand. The true beauty of the pendant lies not so much in the neat layout of petals (for being a flower, it looks geometric), as in how the pendant feels. Every edge is smooth.
Once in a while, I will actually take the necklace off and run my fingers over the pendant. I'm thinking of the pendant-maker, how each layer of silver was tooled, and cut in such a way, each petal curled down...it's oxidized, which means they darkened the silver and then polished parts of it. It's meant to add depth to a piece, where all bright silver would not appear as dimensional, but I'll have to say it's brilliant at keeping the piece looking like new (or old, if you will).
Nope! I don't own this pendant, by glass house jewelry (etsy.com); I came across it while searching for an image of a pendant similar enough to one I do own. Mine isn't tabular; in fact it's a triangle of glass, patterned with waves of turquoise outlined in the same black as the one pictured, with a swatch of purple and a little one of blue (am too knackered to photograph it, sorry).
For all its vivid coloration, it's curiously soothing to look upon...but here are my thoughts on this fashionable Monday. Handmade dichroic glass can be a relatively inexpensive way to add a total pop of color to your outfit. Etsy is perhaps a bit underrepresented in the fashion blogosphere (ugh, did I actually write "blogosphere"); it's a goldmine of the unique and the inspired.
The Uncertainty Principle. It proves we can't ever really know... what's going on. So it shouldn't bother you. Not being able to figure anything out. Although you will be responsible for this on the mid-term.
What a wonderful skirt! I thought. Turns out it was from H & M. And that is what makes this blog so amazingly useful to me: she shops at stores I never do, from H & M and Forever 21, to Ann Taylor and Reiss, all the way up to pieces from Missoni, Diane von Furstenberg, Givenchy...a marvellous shmeer, but nowhere I ever go. Urban Outfitters? Target? Hoboken? :) Can't say that I do.
Here is another example of the sensible-shoes-with-little-socks concept, from The Sartorialist (click the link for the full-sized image). Here the focus was on the pink shirt-dress, not the shoes. I love the color of the dress and the idea, but imo it's too short to actually work (she had to wear shorts because of it). A little longer and it would have been perfect. (Yeah, try finding exactly what you want...a lovely shirt-dress this color, but just a wee bit longer?)
image courtesy sockdreams.com
B.ella Codori Crochet Tights in Ivory, preliminary review
I decided to try the ivory shade after all; thanks to the preternatural delivery speed of sockdreams, I already have them. I've tried them on but haven't worn them properly, if that makes any sense.
Ladies, these are bee-autiful tights. At first I was concerned ivory tights might resemble attire outgrown in fourth grade, but the sheer complexity of the pattern precludes that. The ivory is yellower than the almost-white pictured; it's more a delicate cream, which again helps with an older and more sophisticated look.
I went ahead and got the "tall" size (I'm 5'5", 134 lbs. so I'm not small, but hardly tall)--in my experience, Italian legwear tends to run small. A touch big would be fine, whilst too tiny would not work, and the quality usually excels (nice and stretchy, unlikely to bag out on you). Tall is fine.
* Why the silly numbering? I felt oddly superstitious and didn't want part 13.
Happy Friday!
posted by Colleen Shirazi
on
Friday, July 9, 2010
at 7:21 PM (Pacific)
I was going to deem this "socks Friday," in which I dramatically cast aside traditional legwear in favor of, well, socks. But it was too cold for this concept, so I wore tights. :P
This was a J.Crew oxford I semi-drooled over, back in October of last year (see J.Crack update). It looked too masculine to me...but now I see 'Crew has put out new versions:
J.Crew Camden leather brogues in Light Ginger, Nutmeg and Black
Aha! Much better. The key with this kind of shoe is to make it look pretty, and the perforated designs and delicate shades do just that. (There's a two-tone one up as well that to me looks fug, but is likely much better in person.)
I really like the black ones. Nutmeg looks beautiful, but how useful would it be? Would it show dirt and scuffs quickly? Light Ginger is out of the question for me, for that reason. I just got around to polishing my Cole Haans the other day...I am laaaaazy.
These are Cydwoq prices, but it's not the price that would make me decide for or against. I'm not a shoe whore--a shampoo whore, for sure; something of a stocking whore, definitely into skirts...a skirt can make an outfit almost to the same degree as a dress, while being more versatile and cheaper. Shoes, I don't actually want to own too many of. So the ones I do want, have to be right.
Polyvore-ish
posted by Colleen Shirazi
on
Thursday, July 8, 2010
at 10:38 PM (Pacific)
Cardigan: J.Crew Jackie in dark charcoal Top: J.Crew boatneck painter tee in pale blossom Skirt: Velvet by Graham and Spencer (the grey one in the middle of the three, not the blue-grey one on the model) Dark grey stockings (not the ones pictured, but close) Shoes: Cole Haan
The weather is still weirdly chilly, so this is another version of fall-ish colors in summery-weighted fabrics. The shirt is actually pink, like a ballet slipper. I don't have an image, but I made some pink and grey earrings a while back and wore them today as well (rose quartz, grey moonstone, silver chains).
Pink and grey is a combination one of our posters on the defunct Lipstick Page wrote about, years ago...along with many other cool ideas. She was Swedish, and it's tempting to believe she simply emerged from a hotbed o' Euro fashion savvy, but I don't think so. People, overall, are conservative, no matter what. She was special. (Okay, she was a software tester at the time, gotta appreciate that too.)
Strike a pose...
posted by Colleen Shirazi
on
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
at 8:16 PM (Pacific)
...or don't. Please.
Now I can appreciate what those intrepid fashion bloggers have to go through. At the end of the day, the last thing in the world you feel like doing is posing for a photograph. I ended up grabbing a prop, because my first effort today looked identical to the one I did for July 4th. I can see where this would work for others, but didn't care for the deranged short Barbie effect I got?
turtleneck: Eddie Bauer--wears surprisingly well (I've washed and worn it many times over two years) cardigan: J.Crew Jackie in Wild Mushroom skirt: gift from husband shoes: Cydwoq Category
Because the weather's been so nutty lately--cold, but San-Francisco-Bay-Area-summer-cold, not actual-autumn-cold--I thought I'd play with the idea of wearing fall colors in lighter weights. Were it in fact fall, I'd have worn the same turtleneck and skirt with a wool sweater, wool tights, and boots. Here I have the cotton Jackie, cotton tights, and shoes.
I'll be honest, I'd rather have worn this with a different brown sweater. I like Wild Mushroom Jackie but hanker for a more masculine style cardigan in a deeper brown. It's no great rush buying it...likely there will be better choices in, well, autumn.
To the best of my recollection, it's closer to the green of the lower pic. Not a super-strong olive green, but rather a muted one. Definitely not the brown of the upper image.
Sometimes it's easy to forget there are only two b & m Sundance stores, and a solitary Sundance outlet. Naturally, I'm jealous of anyone who lives within driving distance of the outlet, but I can be at one of the stores within half an hour.
The clothing generally runs between true to size, and large. It's a bit bigger than J.Crew. I'm not sure I've ever worn a medium top at 'Crew...the exception which springs to mind is this hellish sweater (scroll down). Normally I grab a large, and even went X-large with the J.Crew Jackie cardigans. For Sundance I might qualify for a medium or large, depending on the top.
Skirt-wise, it's more similar imo. If you wear an 8 at J.Crew (sorry for harping on the 'Crew comparison, but at least it's coast-to-coast), you could do 8 at Sundance.
I've never tried on a Sundance dress, to the best of my recollection. The dresses always seem to arrive pokily to the store.
Sundance clothes are expensive overall, but I have been happily washing and wearing my Sundance items. The Carnegie skirt:
...I got late 2008 has been a staple over the past two winters--it's nice and soft and warm, and olive green (yay!); can be dried in the dryer if need be (we have a rainy season once it gets cold). It's shown little sign of wear. If they could come up with other colors in this skirt...coughs
The owners of POPPYsam did get back to me about the dotted-swiss blouse. Ah...they had to liquidate their stock. Wondering if they're still in business, or just not etailing (they sell at a b & m store called Cherry Pie in Atlanta). sighs Wouldn't it be marvellous to shop at a store called Cherry Pie, in Atlanta?
I've had my eye on some of their stuff for quite a while...like this:
...which came in pale blue or pale pink. Even something like this:
At first I'm thinking, the eternal strapless bra issue...and everything is puking ruffles these days. But this top was created long before the "throw ruffles on it, ship it" mentality. Ruffles here are placed carefully...even strategically, if you want to pick it apart. Might well be worth the extra step of wearing a strapless bra.
The idea of wearing sensible shoes with little socks, but not in the expected context of, well, being a man.
I'd like to try it. I'm already playing with the notion of ditching stockings on Fridays and doing something with socks. If you look closely...I made a thumbnail for the Sartorialist's image; the original shows the shoes in fine detail...the shoes are high quality. The socks are dark grey or black, thin, and short. Would folded socks be too much?
Side note: can you even believe I'm asking this question? Not--is it okay to wear so-and-so without a girdle (or shapewear, which is what they call it now)? Or--can I survive without mascara? I have those Asian why-bother eyelashes, and have never bothered with mascara. I'm not even arguing as to how high my heels need to be. Just wondering if folded-down socks would work with what is essentially a man's shoe.
Happy Fourth of July!
posted by Colleen Shirazi
on
Sunday, July 4, 2010
at 8:52 PM (Pacific)
Top: gift from husband Skirt: J.Crew Embroidered Zafrina Skirt in Stone Blue Sandals: Cydwoq Bare
Ta-da! Finally got one of those nifty "outfit of the day" pics up. This is the size large of Zafrina. I'm 5'5"; here's the skirt on the 'Crew model:
I was actually not planning to bring Blue Zafrina out until much later...it's the kind of thing handy in a corner of the closet, to make an appearance when you hit wardrobe doldrums, or else there's nothing else clean to wear. But my only other blue skirt was ah, in the wash, and I had a red-and-white striped top just sitting there...
The traditional Fourth of July fog began rolling in a few hours ago. lol! Some years we can see the fireworks from our house--in fact they had a show last night on the third, somewhere in Marin, from which you could see every scintilla. But, normally, it's fogged up on the Fourth itself. Once it was half-fogged and we saw the lower part of an entire fireworks show, which was pretty trippy.
Chicago - "Saturday in the Park" and "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?"
Hands down my favorite patriotic tune.
Edited to add: Apparently the 3rd of July fireworks were in Richmond, not Marin.
It's Friday!
posted by Colleen Shirazi
on
Friday, July 2, 2010
at 8:20 PM (Pacific)
I would write something like "shrieks" here, but my mind is totally fried. I started converting another program of mine, the "student record change form," to PHP. The new version is bigger, since the old one used our old style sheet. The new one uses my style sheet, and Sam Gordon's header image. The SRCF has thirteen functions, most of which can be combined on the same form (it generates a PDF dynamic to the information you input). Some actions warrant a separate form due to the way the form is processed.
Why not a fillable PDF? That would be dull, but, more importantly, the online SRCF validates student and course info, checks against deadlines, calculates course fees, customizes options to specific student type, yadda yadda...it's more fun to use. But, on the business side, the object is to reduce errors.
On to the fashion stuff... :)
B.ella Codori Crochet Tights
Thinking of getting some of these--and leaping into a tree! (I like the photo.) The logic of these tights is they're 70% cotton, so could function similarly to thin socks, and the crochet pattern would be nice and airy. I wish they carried the "graphite" shade; grey can be more useful than black in these matters, as it has a softer, subtler appearance.
They do have the graphite sock version:
B.ella Doris Crochet Trouser Sock
...and espresso, in the sock version only. Dang it! can't they have espresso and graphite crochet tights?
On the bright side, Burgundy Codori (reviewed here: Daily Waifu Snapshot) seems darker than it appears on sockdreams. I've found that generally true of Italian-made colored legwear btw; it can be a good thing.
Sort of dithering now between the olive green tights, or ivory? Does ivory look kinda saintly? I've seen solid ivory stockings pulled off pretty well, but, on me, ivory crochet tights might simply connote grade school. mumbles...
Hmmm...I had to start thinking about custom-made clothing. Actually it wouldn't even have to be custom-made; it could be produced on a small scale. Why not? We don't have dirt-cheap labor. What we do have is innovation.
(About Dave Allen, I really could not resist.)
The most cursory web search nets this beautiful skirt, in the same price range as J.Crew's. The piece is made by hand in the U.S. Like 'Crew, as I say, it's not cheap. But, should it be? I like it.
This is what caught my eye initially, for the orange hue, boat neckline and--best of all--the triangles.
This ranks pretty high on my drool list though it is spendy. It's hand-knit in Italy, and comes in a potential of 23 colors and four sizes.
