Tuesday, January 5, 2010

This Red Jacket Reminds Me: I Have a Beef!

I'm having fun putting together outfits from all my new and new-to-me clothes. I got this jacket on the shopping trip with Elaine before Christmas - thrift store, $22.95. The long-sleeved mustard top is also new - $19.99, and a good layering piece.
I narrowly averted disaster today! I had picked out a bluey-green thick knit cardigan to go over this instead of the red jacket, and at the last second this morning, I pulled it out of my knapsack and put the jacket in.

I also stuffed in the knee-highs. Again, whew!
I love these shoes - I've had them for just over 3 years. I love the shape of the wedge and the cool look of them. They were under $20 at Winners.

The stuff:
New woven leather brown belt from Mom, from her trip to Australia - Christmas gift. I love it since I can do it up at any length - thanks, Mom!

A close-up of my domino necklace:
Okay, here's my beef. When I unpacked this jacket this morning, I saw The Stitch on the slit at the back hem of it. I snipped the X thread and undid it. Which you* ALWAYS should do.

I see SO MANY people wearing coats and jackets with that stitch not removed! It is supposed to come out. The manufacturer puts it there so that the slit doesn't open up and crease during shipping. Take it out! Go check your coats and jackets (and skirts) right now!

Also: Take the labels off the cuffs of your new wool and cashmere winter coats! Those are also meant to be removed once they have served their purpose and informed you of the fabric content (which is a "feature" in sales lingo) in the store. And those weird looking skirts whose pleats are stitched down around the hem? Pssst...those stitches are also meant to come out. They help the skirt keep its shape during shipping.

*Of course "you" in my little rant does not refer to any of the wildly fabulous and fashionable women (or men) who may be reading this and would never be caught dead with The Stitch done up.

Jacket (Nine and Company by Nine West, thrifted), top (Mexx), belt (Sussan, gift from Mom), jeans (Esprit), trouser socks (Sox Trot), shoes (Unlisted).

14 comments:

  1. Love the top-jacket combo and the sock-shoe combo! Fabulous.

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  2. SHEILA! I love EVERYTHING about this outfit! The color combo, the wild socks, those amazing wedges ... what a winner.

    And I love your rant. Really folks, how could that little X serve any purpose? Snip it!

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  3. I love those shoes, everytime you wear them, I LUST after them!

    As the rant..go ahead, I amazed how clueless people are. I have had women come back to my shop and tell me their pockets are sewn shut..DUH??

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  4. I am lucky, my ginourmous ass would never allow one of those little stitches to stay in place, I need the extra room. So apparently, besides cushioning, my butt serves another purpose: keeping me from committing a fashion faux pas! Cool.

    I want to steal all your cool tights. And velvet jackets.

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  5. Confession: I totally didn't know it was supposed to be removed until one of my (much older) male coworkers was like "what the crap" and cut it for me. I am, too truly, new to this game.

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  6. yes, the stitch.... i have nightmares about iT!
    I dream that i have a pair of scissors and chase people around who have not removed it....
    drives me insaneeeeeee

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  7. Great color combo! And as I read your post, I am staring at my coworker's coat with the label on the cuff. I've been trying to figure out how to politely point out that it should be removed, but I can't think of a good way to do it. We don't have that kind of relationship and I don't think it would go over well. le sigh.

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  8. LOL, whenever I see the unstitched stitch on random people on the street I crack up.

    LOVE the red jacket and mustard top. That's a hard combo to pull off but you do it with ease.

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  9. I didn't know that! Love your red jacket, it is FABULOUS and fits you perfectly.

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  10. God, I love those socks. In regard to your rant, see, I'm one of those people who suspects those things are meant to be removed but struggle against my natural inclination not to "mess things up," so it's a bit hard for me to take scissors to new garments. I did, however, know they were supposed to be removed.

    Anyway, quite funny and those shoes are too cool!

    xx

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  11. Great outfit..... I think I've got a red jacket in the deepest darkest depths of my wardrobe - from my Gran's wedding in 1993! I'll dig it out and see how dated it looks - perhaps it will have come back round again it's that old!

    Love the rant - I'm off to check my new jacket for stitches! I'm always amazed at the number of people who don't know about stitched up pockets!

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  12. Thanks, Wendy!

    Jane, thanks - I love these shoes.

    Mervat, thanks! It makes me want to rip the stitch out on strangers' clothes.

    SAL, thank you! I'm so glad I skipped the blue sweater. I know! Snip the stitch!

    Erin, thanks! They are pretty awesome. The pocket thing makes more sense, since it keeps the lines of jackets nice, prevents shop customers from shoplifting earrings and small items, and keeps customers from ripping the sides of the pockets when they jam their hands in. I usually leave pockets stitched up, for that reason.

    Sherylyn, oh please, you have a great ass! ;) I'm going to make it my personal mission to find you funky tights in your size.

    Brianna, oh, you bad girl! ;) I'm glad someone helped you out. Pass it on!

    Lorena, haha, that's what I want to do, too!

    Thanks, Tina! Oh no! You could say, "Oh, did you need a pair of scissors for that tag? Let me get that for you! Don't you hate that stores leave those on?" You know, like you're on side and it's the store's fault, haha.

    Kristen, it seriously drives me nuts. Thanks so much - I was the Condiment Queen that day!

    FA, girl, now you must pass on the Knowledge! Thanks so much - I love my reds!

    Julia, I do too. It's not messing it up - they wouldn't do such big ugly X stitches if it wasn't meant to be removed. Do it!

    Thanks, Tat! Dig that red jacket out! Get those stitches out!

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