Designer Maternity Brands Reviewed Part 2: NOM Maternity Review

Nom Ruffle Wrap Maternity Dress

NOM Hawthorne Dress

As part two of my series on designer maternity fits, I will discuss NOM Maternity, which offers American-made pieces that look stylish, classic, and simple. I liked that overall, the designs don't scream "maternity." NOM clothing looks like regular, cool looking womenswear. It just happens to have extra belly room.

The quality of NOM in the two pieces I tried was mixed. The Maternity Ruffle Wrap Dress was incredibly soft and warm. The fabric was stretchy but thick with a brushed effect on the interior. This meant that a slip wouldn't be necessary, if not for the true wrap style (which always has me feeling a bit vulnerable). The tulip hemline looked attractive but also revealed more leg than I'm comfortable showing in professional settings. The ruffle trim was pretty but ultimately I returned this dress because of the length. For reference, I ordered a large and thought that I had enough fabric to wrap it tightly.

The second NOM dress I tried had a cowl neck with ruched seams on the side of the waistline and was called the Hawthorne. In the model shots, it appeared as though the black version was longer than the gray (which was the color I wanted). I hoped this was a fluke. But when the gray arrived it was not only quite short but also pretty sheer. I ordered a medium and it was snug. I should have gotten the large. Thank goodness for favorable return policies. I sent both back and received a quick refund.

Both of the NOM pieces I tried were poly blend dresses with a good amount of stretch. Of the two, I preferred the quality of the wrap dress. But the lengths on either dress were a dealbreaker for me. And I'm only 5'3"! I would size up in this brand for length. 

Quality Control Issues and Customer Response

I bought a dress from Urban Outfitters back in October and am having a dilemma. Although the dress is very cute, the button loop at the neckline broke immediately and after I laundered it (exactly according to the care instructions, although I did not tumble dry like it said I could for fear of shrinking) the already short dress shrunk considerably. Now I realize it was not the world's most expensive dress. But even for $44 I expected it to hold up for longer than 2 short (dinner-length) wears and 1 wash!

I am still within the holiday return window and need to decide whether I should take the dress to the store or call and ask if I can mail it back due to defects. Or should I just eat the money and be annoyed? What would you do?

Do you ever feel timid about asking retailers to stand by their products? I normally wouldn't but the idea of staring the hip Urban Outfitter customer service staff in the face, explaining that "I simply cannot wear a butt-displaying former-dress-now-tunic, therefore I want a refund," makes me nervous.

This entire experience is also a lesson about the futility of buying cute but cheap thrills. It is a lesson I have learned too many times over!

Favorite Buys of 2010

Plenty of my favorite blogs have done year in (usually outfits) posts. To name a few:

Roxy of Effortless Anthropologie
Rosa from Love at First Shop
Anjali from Golden Means
Marianne and Adrien of Looks Good From the Back
La Historiadora de Moda of Fashionable Academics
Carol and Kathryn of In Pursuit of Pretty Things

And because my own blog began primarily as a place to reflect and analyze my habits of consumption, here I will overview my top ten (mostly sartorial) purchases of the year. A favorite outfit recap will follow.

10. My stockpile of Havaianas bought in Brazil. I choose these recent buys because in addition to wearing them everywhere, they made great Brazilian themed gifts to give to loved ones. I learned quickly why they're inescapable because they are by far the most comfortable of their genre.

9. Two Paths Trenchcoat by Idra (from Anthropologie). When I was sorting through outfits, I noticed this trench carried me through Spring, Summer, and Fall. Now that tiered jackets are everywhere, I am sure it will look very obviously dated from 2010 in a few years. But I'm going to wear it and enjoy it while I can!

8. My Vintage Coach Satchel. I bought this little bag off ebay in March of 2010 and I've carried it constantly since. Any time I want a no nonsense, small sling bag I reach for this. It is so practical but also so cute and it cost very little.

7. Similarly to above, my two map printed satchels from Alviero Martini (also bought from ebay). They're smaller in size than I normally carry which makes them great on the go bags. I throw in my wallet, keys, phone, and lipgloss and I'm ready. They get tons of compliments despite being so 90s (or perhaps because of it!). And they match everything and nothing simultaneously.

5. My Burberry Trench. It is a shorter length but still so classic and unlike anything else I own. As much as I love the Two-Paths trench, I know this Burberry won't look dated in a few years. I will be able to wear this decades from now.

4. This is sort of cheating cause it was a gift but one I picked out and received from my parents. My Dyson vacuum. It is seriously a quality of life changer if you have hardwood and throw rugs (and need to transition quickly and easily between them). It is a quality of life changer if you have an adorable shedding dog. It is a quality of life changer if you are a little ocd about stuff. It is worth the money which is easier to say when it was a gift. haha But I adore it and had to put it in the top five. Even if it isn't sartorial, it outfits my home so beautifully that it gets a mention.

3. Ferragamo Varina flats and Valentino rehearsal dinner dress. Tied because of similar fanciness.

2. Chloé and See by Chloé everything. This year I noticed a shift. Not only did I buy more Anthropologie, but I replaced my brand obsession. My ebay searching and sale stalking used to be colonized by Marc Jacobs. Though I still love the pieces I have, I definitely coveted more Chloé than ever this year. I specifically expanded my selection of shoes and dresses.

 

1. My wedding dress. I must be honest. I truly dreaded shopping for wedding attire to the extent that I postponed it for as long as possible. I presumed the genre to be confining and largely uniform. It isn't that I don't find all brides to be beautiful, but I feared deeply the way that a wedding dress could erase or supplant my own personal style. I wanted to still be me and not merely "bride." Some of the shops I visited confirmed my anxieties by imposing the tyranny of the majority on me and ignoring my plea for sleeves. But then I visited Anne Gregory for the Bride and found a dress that was as me as I could have fathomed. And by the end of the night, I was so sad to take it off, knowing I'd likely never wear it again.

All in all, 2010 has been a very good year for my closet. In 2011 I resolve to sort through what I have and donate/sell those lesser worn items. Focus on pieces that transcend trends and seasons. And as always, fight the lure of sale goggles, try to buy less, etc. Happy New Year!

Pittsburgh Shopping Event: Fashion for Food!

Attention all Pittsburgh readers! If you are looking for some stylish gifts or just eager to treat yourself in the name of a good cause, please consider attending the Fashion for Food charity event and fashion show. It will benefit the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank which is among my favorite local organizations. The event will be held at the Union Project in East Liberty on Monday, December 6th, 2010 from 7-9pm. Local vintage shops, Crazy Hot Clothes, Red Pop Shop, and Daffodil Vintage will be featuring and selling their most fabulous, exclusive, one of a kind pieces! Many of the items for sale are not currently available on their sites so come check out what is new and shop in a way that gives back to the community!

Anthro-less OOTD

When I look at my outfit posts over the last year, I see how heavily I came to rely on my Anthropologie pieces. Last November, I bought a bunch of dresses on sale right before my trip to Chicago. So that began the shift. Still, when I evaluate my cold weather wardrobe, I have more options from other stores/brands than I do from Anthropologie. Around this time last year, I came to really participate in the community Roxy created through her blog. There I learned all the tips and tricks for tracking down beloved pieces on sale. And I also came to probably grow influenced by the lovely outfits so many Anthropologie community bloggers published. The other factor was that my nearest Anthropologie store was not so near to me in the South Hills.

Now that there is a store in the city of Pittsburgh, I can stop in while I run errands, instead of making a specific destination voyage to the Galleria in Mt. Lebanon. I also find myself going less frequently to Saks Fifth Avenue. This might be because I still long for the caliber of discounts that decorated fall of 2008. It is hard to accept a mere 30% sale when 65% was a weekend norm in the local store, this time two Novembers ago.

When I evaluate my wardrobe for the upcoming seasons, I feel pretty satisfied. I don't have a lengthy fall wishlist at all. And when I look at outfit pictures, I am reminded about why. All of these specific pieces were purchases made during previous fall seasons. The ruffled Tibi coat was from last November. The Marc by Marc Jacobs paisley wool dress was from December 2009. The tights were from the Nordstrom half yearly sale. The Jimmy Choo flats were 70% off in fall 2008. My closet is stocked with things I still enjoy. And department store sales so far haven't enticed me. Since my material memories are so pronounced, I wonder if there will be any pieces I come to associate with fall 2010? Could it be that I will only remember those that I wore for wedding related activities? I guess that is possible. But only time will tell if sale goggles end up provoking me.

See by Chloe Trail Print Dress: My Saga and A Review

Sometimes my efforts to hunt for a specific piece occur too soon. The worry that something has sold out takes over. Rationality about there being "other dresses" or any notions of shopping destiny succumb and you end up paying a little bit more for fear you will never see the piece again. The above is one such example. I tracked down this See by Chloe Trail Print dress (just in as of today at The Outnet) last summer with the help of an Intermix sales associate in Georgetown.

I first tried on this dress at Saks in Pittsburgh. Since this store doesn't carry See by Chloé, I knew it was a random website return. I loved it but couldn't stomach full price.

Then I saw it at Intermix when I moved back to DC in May. They only had small sizes and it was still too expensive (one first cut sale) when I first visited. By the end of my trip I decided to stop in one last time and found it was marked down once more. Because they only had small sizes they had to search the company stores. They shipped it to me in Pittsburgh and it was there the day after I returned. It was still a little more than I like to spend on a dress. But I've worn it a bunch since, and the cost-per-wear is now low. Still, if I had waited a little longer (like a year) I could have had it with little effort thanks to Outnet or Yoox.

That was one of my only customer service interactions with Intermix and although I desired a sale item, they were very helpful and kind. For some reason this was surprising. Perhaps because what I knew of Intermix was limited. The website, the Vegas store (where my shopping partner and I weren't treated so well), and their ubiquitous presence on the Real Housewives of Orange County made me nervous about asking to for the service of tracking down a sale piece. That just wasn't so in Georgetown. They were great!

I really like this dress for it subtle details so I don't have buyer's remorse. The piping around the collar evokes Peter Pan without actually disrupting the silhouette. The print has plenty of color without feeling bright and conspicuous. The sheer sleeves can be rolled easily for summer wear. The lining is a cut more narrow than the exterior which can be a problem, depending on what fabric comprises one's undergarments. If you are thinking about tracking it down on ebay, Yoox, or Outnet, I would say this dress runs small for See by Chloé. I am wearing an 8 and a 6 would have definitely been too small in the bust and hips. Be warned that its solid color counterpart (on sale at Yoox) is unlined and cut more amply.

Have you ever allowed your impatience and irrationality to inform a hasty purchase?  Has the nagging feeling that something could sell out influenced a decision to buy at a price a little above what you typically spend?

Uncovering a cute coverup

I try to find plenty of reasons and places to swim during warmer months. City of Pittsburgh pools just opened this week and I got a season pass! I have a few bathing suits (bikinis, tankinis, and one pieces) that are surprisingly supportive. Thank goodness for figleaves.com, at least prior to their changes in the return policy. I found many suits complete with underwire, ample selection, and sizing that mimic perfectly that of brassieres.

So the difficult part of locating suits in which I can comfortably and functionally swim is tackled. The thing I am always on the lookout for is a cute coverup. I am a fairly modest person so I feel uncomfortable showing a lot of skin even in scenarios where it is appropriate (i.e. at a beach or around a public pool). Cute coverups are integral to my summer swimming exit strategy. I throw one on after a swim to read, chat, snack, or bask.  And I often find them in the women's intimates section, where pretty printed night dresses are plentiful. The key is finding pieces that are not obviously negligees. I did just that this week at Marshalls. This one by the pajama brand, Munki Munki was clearanced and too cute to pass up.

The roller skate print borders on being too twee, but I figure arbitrary limitations regarding age and fashion don't necessarily apply, poolside. Marshalls had little short and pant pj sets in this print in addition to an elephant print that I might go snag. I had no idea how pricey the stuff was supposed to be until I got home and scoped their website.

What do you wear when you're feeling modest by the pool?

Serial Returns and Compulsive Online Shopping

One of the limitations of living in a small city is that the lack of retail variety. Many of the stores here don't carry my favorite lines so I find myself lusting and coveting the mere opportunity to see a garment in person, and try it on. To that end, I will occasionally succumb to favorable online promotions, free shipping, and strong return policies, ordering things that might not be kept unless they are purposeful, reasonably priced, and flattering. Lately I've had a spate of bad luck and ended up returning a lot of things I knew were risks. The benefit of this method is that I won't be tempted by low ebay prices because I will know how unflattering these particular items were on me. Exhibit A:

I blogged not long ago about a See by Chloe dress called The Favorite, in a lovely sky blue with ruffled sleeves. I hadn't realized that the bubble shape was held together with an elastic gather placed uncomfortably around the upper thigh area. This caused the dress to hike up quite a bit during any movement. And an already short dress quickly moved into scandalous territory. Back it went to Bloomingdales.com!

But it left me feeling guilty. It is not as though returns are a victimless endeavor. Particularly when you consider the environmental wake of online shopping and transportation of goods. Why had I purchased something sight unseen, anyway? I didn't need a dress. I just wanted it. And that compulsive move goes completely against what my resolution for this year was: To WANT less. But I try to remember that this project is not linear and I have good and bad weeks because I am fallible and human.  It is a good reminder that consumerism can feel so instinctive and exigent when its roots and its objectives are completely the opposite of both those descriptors.  I guess my summer should be spent contemplating: How does one unlearn that wanting? And why/when am I nagged by consumer desires most?

Window Dressing as I Wait for Fall Sales

Some dressing room pics, with quality, and fit reviews from my 36 hours in NYC:

I wish this Nanette Lepore "Florodora's" dress was available in a different colorway. The electric blue with black embroidery and beadwork is 80s bohemian goth and I feel too old to pull that off.

Tibi Ruffle coat. I LOVE THIS. Very nice wool that is substantial without being stiff. I really want it but it was new and not at all on sale so I passed. Plus, this is the 6 which was a bit snug if I wanted to layer underneath. The 10 was a tent. They didn't have an 8 at the Fifth Ave store.

Nanette Lepore "Cafe Paris" (Paisley) dress. This is super cute in person. I loved it so much that it will likely be the shower dress. Chris's mom was extremely generous in purchasing it for me. The pleats are forgiving and although it is sleeveless, I can easily layer a cardi over top or something with sleeves underneath if I feel too self conscious about my arms. I am wearing a 10, which offered slight additional length. They had no 8 for me to try. 6 would have been obscenely short and too small in the bust, especially.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Ruffled Silk Kaleidescope dress in two colorways. The dress on the right is a 6 and the left is a 10. The 6 was too snug. The 10 was a little blousey up top. They had no 8s so I passed without remorse.

Marc by Marc Jacobs wool "Peacock Paisley" dress. This loose style is not very flattering to my figure but I love the print and the ease of the shape. I am wearing a medium and found it to be very forgiving. I didn't try on the small but I imagine that would have been fine too. The wool of this dress is very soft. I will hunt for this in the coming months, hoping for a sale!

This silk chiffon "Lynda" Diane von Furstenberg dress in "Passage to India" has a paisley print very similar to the Nanette Lepore dress, but the ruffles, fabric finish, and shape are quite different. I liked this but it was full price and I was already getting another paisley print dress. I am wearing a size 8. Apparently it should have had a belt but it was the only one there and I saw no belt in sight.

I ended up getting a souvenir trinket key necklace.

I also got to try on the Peretti Bone cuff in Ruthenium, which is so cool.

Someday it will make a nice self present to commemorate a future milestone yet to be determined.

Other than the necklace, I left New York with some lovely memories (including teaching Chris's mom how to use the subway!) and the gifted Nanette Lepore Paisley dress that I hope will make a cute shower outfit. I might try to track down a few more of the above pieces if prices becomes right after markdowns.