Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with clothing and resolved

sports clothing for the large?

LN — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:46:38 -0800

Hiking gear in XL? My hunny and I are going on a two week hiking trip in about a month, and I need proper clothing. Jeans are all I have, and I am given to understand that jeans are the worst possible thing to be wearing in the great outdoors. Hive mind, can you recommend good places to buy larger-sized outdoors clothing online?

Difficulty: I'm female, and am teetering just on the edge of regular and plus sizes in regular clothing, which means that the women's gear most outdoors shops sell will be far too small for me. Also, I'd like something that looks good and feels comfortable, rather than the baggy, shapeless, elasticated-waist stuff most outdoors shops sell to people my size. I don't want to be ashamed to be seen hiking!

What are these thin, stretchy dress socks called?

hjo3 — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:18:44 -0800

What do you call these dress socks? They're very thin and stretchy, almost like opaque calf-high pantyhose. Where can I buy them? I have exactly one pair of these dress socks that I adore. They come almost to the top of my calf and have a one inch wide band at the top. The material is patterned and just barely thicker than women's pantyhose (enough to be opaque and slightly less clingy).

I'd really like to buy more. They may even be a women's product, but I don't care. Sadly, I forget where I got the pair I have and they don't have a tag.

Questions: What are these called? Where can I buy them? Do you know a good place to order them in bulk (i.e. by the dozen or more)?

I need help storing hundreds of clothing items in a manner that I can quickly access them.

2legit2quit — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 07:36:50 -0800

Please help me manage my clothing inventory in a smallish office! I am not just limited to closet organizers and have an entire room to get this together. I own a small on-line business that sells clothing among other things. I have approximately 1,000 hanging items (shirts, sweaters, jackets, etc) at any given time and need an efficient way to store them in a smallish office. I have tried garment holders such as: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=11072970
and also large plastic bins.

The bins work nice, but it is a huge hassle to get to the right bin and to find the correct size when processing orders. The garment holders are nice also, but they take up too much space and all but the most expensive ones seem to fall apart after a month or two.

My ideal solution would have the following characteristics:

1. Each size in each item is separate, or at least very easy to locate.
2. Easy to get in and out of each storage device.
3. CLEAN. Items must be protected from dust.

Thank you for your help!!

Suggestions for durable colthing

racingjs — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:35:41 -0800

I’m looking for quality, durable mens clothing, what are your recommendations? It could be dress wear, working clothes, shoes, sportswear; I want to buy those pieces of clothing that you pay 2 times the price but still looks fine after 10 years.

For example, I’ve been dissatisfied by Banana republic but satisfied by the quality of Patagonia clothing and I want that durability across my wardrobe.

The film itself shaved points off my IQ...but the wardrobing was good.

Mike Mongo — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 05:16:28 -0800

Who makes the suit Ryan Reynolds wears in the wedding scene in the recent film The Proposal? Alright, this is embarrassing to ask because in doing so I must admit I sat all the way through The Proposal "starring" (haha) Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock. That said, at the end of the "film" (hoho), Reynolds attends a wedding and is in a really great suit.

Simple, austere, black, stylish, tasteful, and light. (Note: it is NOT the suit worn earlier in the film during the movie's eponymous proposal moment. That's an sort of drab office number.)

Is the a repository of such information? Is there a way I can find out?

Will I turn my fancy suit into a clown suit?

abkadefgee — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:01:13 -0800

I'd like to buy a new suit. I'd also like to lose a lot of weight. Will the suit still look alright if I lose 60 lbs and have it altered, or should I just wait until I lose the weight? I recently started a new job and have some extra money to spend on some upgraded clothing. The suit isn't a requirement of my job, but I'd like to look extra sharp now that I can afford a suit that fits properly.

On the other hand, I'd also like to lose a fair amount of weight. I'm currently about 5'9" and 220 and I'd like to gradually get down to about 160. Obviously, if I lose that much weight, my current suit will no longer fit.

So, if I have a suit altered to fit me after losing 60 lbs, will it still look decent? Would a jacket/blazer/sport coat be easier to alter than the slacks? Or will I look like a mess either way?

If the answer is yes to the latter question, I'll keep my suit money in the bank.

Where to find a black skirt with a zipper slit?

Knicke — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 06:10:25 -0800

Where can I find a professional-looking longish black skirt with a front or side zipper slit? (for $150 or less, ideally) I have a skirt exactly like this - mid-calf length, with a zipper slit that goes from fully closed to mid-thigh height - and I like it so much it's starting to get ratty. It's so perfect and versatile, going from all-business to a bit sexy in several seconds flat - but now it should really be retired.

I've been Googling like crazy to see if I can find something to replace it, but I'm having trouble fishing the skirts with actual "zipper slits" out of the sea of "black skirts with zippers and slits". Anybody know where I can find a new favorite black skirt? I am not terribly picky about what material it's made from (except LEATHER/PLEATHER IS OUT), and I'll happily buy something online if need be.

Help me find more pants like my favorite pair

Jacen Solo — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 21:32:35 -0800

I can't find any pants that are anything like my favorite pair. And I'm not even sure if my favorite pair is reasonably fashionable, in the first place. Help? So I have this favorite pair of pants. Here are some pictures I managed to take in the bathroom mirror... not so great, but hopefully they'll give you some idea: 1, 2. They're black, and kind of like cargo pants, but made out of a more synthetic and less jean-like material. The tag says "Shell: 100% polyurethane, Support: 70% cotton/30% nylon." The only branding information I can find is "Old Navy" and "Outdoor," with this strange symbol. I think I bought them like 6 years ago or something, so I doubt this exact model still exists. They have two pockets on each side, and two in the back, fastened with velcro (except the top-side pockets), and have a built-in belt-type thing with one of those three-pronged "click" fasteners, if that makes any sense.

So, my question has two parts:

Are these reasonably fashionable, for casual wear with, say, a nice t-shirt? I've recently discovered fashion, and am still getting the hang of it; for example last week I upgraded from nerdy XL t-shirts to American Apparel solid-color M t-shirts. I much prefer these type of pants to jeans, or to the usual jean-like cargo pants, but if everyone thinks they're super-lame or something, I would welcome the advice.
Assuming they're reasonable, where can I get more of them?!? I've tried searching the internet, but nothing quite matches. The features that I most like are the material---it feels very smooth and synthetic (in a good way), while not being anywhere close to work-out pants---plus the color; the abundance of pockets and the belt-type thing are also nice.

Thanks!

Where can I find some USA-made jeans in Los Angeles?

rybreadmed — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 22:06:21 -0800

Where can I buy jeans in Los Angeles that are made in the USA? I got sick of all my clothing being made in China and Vietnam. It seems that no matter what store I go into (including "high-end clothing"), everything is made in Asia.

I want to wear jeans made here in the USA--without spending an arm and a leg. That means I want to spend less than $100, and closer to $50 would be much better. I want something comfortable, long-lasting, and perhaps in a boot cut--but I'm not a cowboy. I'm not looking for rodeo wear.

I went into an American Apparel, and did not like anything. It's perhaps too hip for the likes of me. I'm impressed with their desire to provide livable wages and make their product in downtown LA, but it's not my style. Up until now, I've mostly been a Gap and Banana Republic type of fella. I'd also like to be able to try on my jeans first, so buying something online sight unseen isn't going to happen.

Recommend casual button-down shirts for sale in NYC

Spacelegoman — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 12:28:20 -0800

Please recommend good quality button-down shirts for sale in NYC for a slender guy - I'm looking for something casual that can be worn tie-less and untucked if I'm in the mood, but still well made with good fabric and cut, i.e. at the level of Thomas Pink or w/e but casual. Priced up to around let's say $200 a shirt, although if it's less that's even better. Thanks!

Premiere Attire?

peachykeen — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:30:39 -0800

What should one wear to an L.A. movie premiere? I've scored tickets for a movie premiere tonight and am clueless as to what I should wear. I'll be attending as a member of the general public, not walking the red carpet or anything.

The catch- I'm leaving in an hour! And what's more, my wardrobe is pretty limited. Jeans, some cute tops, sundresses, and one LBD. Will the LBD be too fancy? Jeans and a dressy top too casual?

Any help would be much appreciated!

Holy jeans need healing

srboisvert — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 02:52:29 -0800

My jeans always wear out in the spot right behind the crotch seam in the two rear quadrants formed by the four way seam intersection. It's not an area people generally tend to see and I could probably extend their wearable life considerably by patching the holes to keep my tackle from hanging out. Is there any easy way to patch these holes? Some product perhaps? I have no sewing machine, have never sewn a thing in my life and my mom is a giant ocean away.

Please turn me into a yuppie.

canadia — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 01:38:47 -0800

YuppieFilter: I've recently graduated from university and am about to start my first professional job ever. I'm a 25 year-old woman. What the heck do I wear? I'm going to be teaching this fall, and so far the only thing I know about the dress code is I have to look "professional." No shorts, no jeans, no flip flops, no sleeveless shirts, that sort of thing. Until recently, I was a university student who only worked at jobs that didn't care what I wore as long as I did my work. Right now, I bike to and from my non-professional, wear-what-you-want job, so I typically wear t-shirts and running shorts. In winter, I wear jeans and sweaters with cardigans or hoodies.

This post has a lot of good ideas, but a lot of the suggestions are... well, a little bland to me. I like things that are very girly and classic but not boring, so I think what I'm looking for is more "cute librarian" than "investment banker." So far my top choice is Anthropologie, even though the prices horrify me. Other than that, though, I'm completely stuck.

A little about me: I'm 25, 5'4", and anywhere between a size 6 and a size 10 (US) depending on the brand. I wear plastic cat-eye glasses. My hair is curly and bra-strap length (and no, I won't straighten or cut it; I'm proud of my curls!). I'm shaped like a ruler; there are no curves here. If it matters, I'm white as a ghost with dark blonde/light brown hair, so I look terrible in both white AND black. I have tattoos on both inner arms that need to be covered by sleeves.

Any suggestions? I have no problem shopping online if I have to.

This is my second post, and so far I've only ever asked questions regarding clothes and shoes. I should actually ask something smart next time.

Clothing for hot & humid climates.

mairuzu — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:28:31 -0800

I'm going to be spending three weeks at my inlaws in Japan over summer where it will be super hot and humid day and night - simply stepping outside makes me sweat. Any recommendations for clothing that will make it a bit more comfortable and bearable? What types of material are best? any specific brands / items (preferably from the cheaper end of the spectrum)

How to dress (or not dress) on my visit to Cologne, Germany?

RedReplicant — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:33:14 -0800

I'm going to be visiting Cologne, Germany on a research trip at the end of the month-- how should I dress? I'm an American PhD student from an East Coast university, speak decent (but not flawless) German and generally I try to avoid the major pitfalls like bright white tennis shoes, obnoxious t-shirts and fanny packs. However, one of my professors keeps suggesting that if I wear any color at all I will look like a tourist. Generally my uniform is a nice pair of slacks or jeans, a colorful top and a jacket or cardigan. Is that going to look out of place? Any pro-tips would be greatly appreciated, as it's my first time going to Germany alone rather than with a group of students.
Thanks!

Since time travel just isn't an option. Help me live in 1974, sartorially at least.

lottie — Wed, 27 May 2009 23:30:20 -0800

Anyone know a good, relatively inexpensive tailor in Sydney who can duplicate a fabulous vintage dress for me? I have this terrific vintage dress that I wish I could wear every single day. It's a one-off, which looks to have been handmade in the first place, probably in the Seventies. What I would like is several copies made with my own supplied fabric. I would prefer that this exercise not cost a fortune.

I would love to take it to tailors in Vietnam, but the travel just isn't on the cards right now, so the tailor must be in Sydney, or at least Australia and able to ship.

Any ideas, handy Mefites?

Suitable for the workplace?

Ratio — Mon, 04 May 2009 10:43:30 -0800

Should I wear a suit to work every day? I'm a 40 year old male. I work as a designer for a large software company. The dress code here is very casual and I already dress more formally than most of my co-workers -- they're usually in jeans and t-shirts; I usually wear dress slacks and a dress shirt. The thing is, I want to upgrade to wearing a suit (w/o tie) every day. Is that weird? I love the way I look and feel in a suit, and I already have a reputation as a bit of an eccentric aesthete around the office. But I am well liked and don't want to start coming off as superior or pretentious. I just love to wear suits.

Help me not look like Gordon Gekko

martens — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:54:40 -0800

What tie should I pair with this shirt? I'm going in for a job interview tommorow, and I own literally no ties. I'll be wearing the linked shirt, navy blue slacks, and a brown belt and shoes (right? Don't wear black with navy?). The tie combos suggested on the Ralph Lauren site seem pretty horrid to me, like something an investment banker from an 80s movie would wear. I'm willing to spend a little extra cash if I have to, but I'd prefer something modestly priced.

(Side question: the interview is for an ad sales position at an alternative weekly newspaper in a big, liberal city. Am I overdoing it?)

What do I wear when lobbying?

yomimono — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 07:16:35 -0800

What do I wear when meeting my state legislators? Is it the same as what I should wear to meet members of Congress? I'll be doing some lobbying in my state legislature (Wisconsin) soon. In late July, I'm also planning on lobbying members of Congress. Temperature concerns aside, since we'll be indoors, can I wear the same thing for both these events?

Also, what should I wear? I am a 23-year-old female with short hair. I am usually a ripped-jeans-and-hiking-shirt kind of girl, and am feeling way out of my depth. Do I need to wear a business suit? Are pants acceptable, or do I need a skirt? What kind of shoes should I wear? Should I get someone to put some makeup on me? I have seen that dress code post, but it doesn't mention meeting lawmakers, and is kind of skimpy on the details for us ladies.

Thanks a lot for any advice you can give.

1. Peeps 2. Glue Gun 3. ???? 4. PROFIT!

Unicorn on the cob — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 13:07:42 -0800

I want to affix Peeps (the Easter atrocities) to fabric in order to make a costume. BY TOMORROW. Crafty MeFites, hope me with your glue-gun wisdom! I am attending an Easter party tomorrow that requires some kind of costume. Everybody knows I hate Peeps more than anything in the world, and lo and behold, the neon critters are on sale. So I decided to make myself into one giant neon Bunny Peep. Tons of googling and clicking leads me to believe that I can hot-glue them directly onto most things, and ribbon is mentioned here in this book.

A friend who is quite crafty has assured me that Peeps + glue gun + fabric = disaster; there must be something between, like a piece of cardboard or other intermediary surface that will adhere to the hot glue while also keeping the fabric from sticking to any backing, myself, etc.

I have already cut open the packages to allow them to harden as much as possible so they don't melt as soon as they touch the glue gun; I'm not sure that spray-varnishing them now would have them ready-to-wear by tomorrow afternoon, since the varnish would have to dry overnight. (I read that one woman allowed them to dry for five days before making them into garlands and wreaths, and 5 days from now is not an option). Also, I don't want to buy more stuff unless I have to; something around the house (painting tape? more fabric? buttons? I'm listening...) would be ideal.

Please don't suggest another costume idea; I already spent time and money getting this ball rolling and won't have time to whip up anything else from scratch, time-wise or financially. I have a lot of neon pink components now in front of me--what I lack is the ingenuity to make it stick. Literally.

Alternatively, would another type of adhesive work better? I am not married to the glue gun; it's mentioned a lot in Peeps craft links, though. Bonus if you have experience making arts and crafts with Peeps--firsthand knowledge is what I'm really looking for here.

Found it but can't have it

widdershins — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 08:47:06 -0800

So close! And yet so far away... I cannot believe I'm spending another AskMe question on this, but I STILL have questions on how to find my perfect raincoat... A couple of weeks ago I asked this question for help in finding the perfect raincoat.

Well, I found it - but I can only find this particular style on this one website, and they don't have my size (L) (and as of this minute are now out completely).

So here is the question before I give up and go for my second choice: does anyone have a trick for finding clothes that seem to be out of stock on all the major online stores? Is there a way to find out if a store somewhere still has one of these coats lying around? I've called the Michael Kors stores (online and NY) and neither has one and could not give me any tips.

Thank you all again!

help me locate this belt

raphael19 — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 23:28:44 -0800

Can you help me find online a belt (for jeans) i saw on a magazine cover? Hi,

I supply an uploaded photo. On the buckle, the script reads as either "tough" or "rough". (If you know something similar it is all right too...)

Thanks in advance...

http://img258.imageshack.us/my.php?image=27122008669aw1.jpg

Clothing mess - how to solve?

burhan — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 11:03:23 -0800

Help me organize my 7 year olds clothing! I am in the process of going through my daughters (7) room and cleaning it. The end goal is to declutter and allow for her to put away her laundry/find clothes easier.

What is the best way to organize? Near as I can figure it out, I've got the clothes in piles, donated of old clothes/small clothes. These are the piles I have:

Socks
Underwear
Undershirts
Short sleeves (summer and warm days)
Long sleeves
Jeans/casual
Dresses
sweaters
thermal undergarments
Ethnic clothing
pants
school uniform pants
school uniform shirts

It's not that she has too many clothes.. it's that there are too many categories! I have a 3 shelf dresser drawer, and a 4 cube dresser from ikea...

Thoughts?

Nice robes with bold designs in London

ninebelow — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 05:51:23 -0800

Nice robes with bold designs in London I am after a nice women's robe, probably cotton or silk, with a modern, bold design like a large repeating print. I don't really know where to look though, most of shops I've been into have had thick plain dressing gowns but nothing nicer. The closest I've seen to what I'm after is this but there is a slight air of granny to it.

Bonus points if it is widely available because it would be nice to get hold of something before Christmas.

What are popular stores to buy jeans and sweaters as a gift for a 14 year old boy?

Caz721 — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:45:41 -0800

What are popular stores to buy jeans and sweaters as a gift for a 14 year old boy I've never met? I am participating in a charitable "Secret Santa" program at my office, through a local charity we work with. My letter is from a 14 year old boy, who asks for, among other things, jeans and sweaters. The organizer in our office doesn't have any further information from the charity as to preferences, and the kids I'm related to are all a bit younger than 14 and still more interested in toys than clothing.

I'm in Manhattan and happy to go into a store or order online, though I'd like to include a gift receipt in case he needs to change the size or absolutely hates what I buy so I guess places that have a NYC store would be best.

All I know about him is his age (14), that he's living in the Bronx, and that his size is 18 (which appears to be the upper edges of boys' sizing, though if I'm reading sizing charts wrong, please let me know). I'd like to get him clothing he'd actually like, so if anyone has recommendations for where 14 year olds boys would like to shop, I'd appreciate it. Thanks for your help.