I've been away but now am back (maybe)
Mar 19th 2013, 1:56 pm
#61
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: I've been away but now am back (maybe)
But you can't try them on. I just bought 3 pairs of chino's from M&S but in the intervening years they have *improved* them to have elasticated waist that now don't seem to stay up on me even with a belt. I now look like fracking humpty dumpty. it will cost more to send them back than buying them in the first place so now I need to find a wall to sit on.
Top tip is to keep slim, and fit, and keep that waistline down - and avoid pleats. It's annoying when shops introduce changes. It's why I tend to buy clothes from the sort of shops that don't eff around with their styles and act like a bunch of See You Next Tuesdays.
On that note, I see that I am now well over this month's tedious 'shop talk' quota so I'll get off the thread.
Mar 19th 2013, 2:18 pm
#62
Ex BE ***** Addict
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Re: I've been away but now am back (maybe)
I was rather under the impression that legs and arms in many outfitters are supposed to be an inch (etc) too long and you then finish to length.
No shop really stocks a huge range of leg lengths - if your leg length is under 30" you are in a minority. I quite like jeans shops because they often have a 34, 32 or 30 (say).
Wol, I find some of the better trousers I have bought are deliberately cut straight and the idea is that you get them hemmed - and as a discerning customer you want them the right length. As you say, standard manufacturing decrees for some cuts that if you are a 30inch leg (say) then you must have a 36" waist etc....and so they would be boxy trousers made even worse when shortened again.
I got some moleskins years ago and whilst they were hemmed to the right length - they had left a sodding thick hem on them - broadcasting to the world that they had been shortened - however the service was fantastic - I sent them back, and they came back perfect with a normal natural-sized hem as fast as you could turn them around.
There is a shop in Melbourne which does perfect alterations to jackets for a very reasonable price. Last year, I had a jacket sleeve shortened a fraction and even narrowed in the cuff. You can't tell they've been pulled apart and remade.
No shop really stocks a huge range of leg lengths - if your leg length is under 30" you are in a minority. I quite like jeans shops because they often have a 34, 32 or 30 (say).
Wol, I find some of the better trousers I have bought are deliberately cut straight and the idea is that you get them hemmed - and as a discerning customer you want them the right length. As you say, standard manufacturing decrees for some cuts that if you are a 30inch leg (say) then you must have a 36" waist etc....and so they would be boxy trousers made even worse when shortened again.
I got some moleskins years ago and whilst they were hemmed to the right length - they had left a sodding thick hem on them - broadcasting to the world that they had been shortened - however the service was fantastic - I sent them back, and they came back perfect with a normal natural-sized hem as fast as you could turn them around.
There is a shop in Melbourne which does perfect alterations to jackets for a very reasonable price. Last year, I had a jacket sleeve shortened a fraction and even narrowed in the cuff. You can't tell they've been pulled apart and remade.
Mar 19th 2013, 2:38 pm
#63
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: I've been away but now am back (maybe)
If it's all so great here how come last month I needed a new catch button thing put on my suit trousers, took it to the alterations shop in Miranda only to be told they could do it but I'd have to go find/buy the catch first then they would do it for $20, Took me 2 hours of searching before I found something that would work, went back to them and got them to also let them out an inch plus the new button thing. Total cost $42!! I could have bought a fracking new pair! But I would have had to fly back to the UK to get them as I can't find replacement pierre cardin to match for love nor money. Although if I want some 33" dungarees I'm laughing.
I've found a great alterations place in Melbourne was all I said, so I didn't have to rely on shops own outsourcing or sizes. There's a chance this joint might have similar issues in getting catches - I will ask them soon as I have another jacket that needs a cuff alteration.
Pierre cardin!! Mate....you buy 'fashion' and you take your life in your hands...
Mar 19th 2013, 2:46 pm
#64
Proudly Deplorable
Joined: May 2003
Location: Alloha snack bar
Posts: 24,246
Re: I've been away but now am back (maybe)
But you can't try them on. I just bought 3 pairs of chino's from M&S but in the intervening years they have *improved* them to have elasticated waist that now don't seem to stay up on me even with a belt. I now look like fracking humpty dumpty. it will cost more to send them back than buying them in the first place so now I need to find a wall to sit on.
Mar 19th 2013, 2:58 pm
#65
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
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Re: I've been away but now am back (maybe)
If it's all so great here how come last month I needed a new catch button thing put on my suit trousers, took it to the alterations shop in Miranda only to be told they could do it but I'd have to go find/buy the catch first then they would do it for $20, Took me 2 hours of searching before I found something that would work, went back to them and got them to also let them out an inch plus the new button thing. Total cost $42!! I could have bought a fracking new pair! But I would have had to fly back to the UK to get them as I can't find replacement pierre cardin to match for love nor money. Although if I want some 33" dungarees I'm laughing.
It's all part of a race to the bottom we are at risk of getting - as we are all so obsessed with price -eventually there is a chance that beyond the top tier all clothes will be baggy and designed to last a season. Which is fine for a fattening population of course which is yet another factor. Who knows whether M&S quality at that price point will continue to be viable. I'd rather pay more, and also hope that people will continue to support the repair and maintenance of clothes by supplying catches you name it.
Mar 19th 2013, 4:31 pm
#66
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Mar 2003
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Re: I've been away but now am back (maybe)
Forgot to say - if it's hard to find a catch - I expect this trend will increase in the mass market as consumers insist on cheap. It simply will not be viable to sell catches in stores as people generally will buy that one size fits all garment and will not bother repairing stuff.
It's all part of a race to the bottom we are at risk of getting - as we are all so obsessed with price -eventually there is a chance that beyond the top tier all clothes will be baggy and designed to last a season. Which is fine for a fattening population of course which is yet another factor. Who knows whether M&S quality at that price point will continue to be viable. I'd rather pay more, and also hope that people will continue to support the repair and maintenance of clothes by supplying catches you name it.
It's all part of a race to the bottom we are at risk of getting - as we are all so obsessed with price -eventually there is a chance that beyond the top tier all clothes will be baggy and designed to last a season. Which is fine for a fattening population of course which is yet another factor. Who knows whether M&S quality at that price point will continue to be viable. I'd rather pay more, and also hope that people will continue to support the repair and maintenance of clothes by supplying catches you name it.
Mar 19th 2013, 5:21 pm
#67
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Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
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Re: I've been away but now am back (maybe)
I've already stated that mass production limits sizes.
I agree with you, I'd rely and take the risk on online sizes, even more in the country.
Clothes are cheap in Target. I'm not so fussed about the cost, i'm more concerned about the quality, and there are places where the quality seems to intersect the price point, all online. I think your problem of sizes partly relates to mass production, being in the country I'd suggest the boutique outfitters with better sizing would be prohibitive, so online still the best
bet.
But I don't want to demand prices so low that the quality drops below a permanent threshold.
Last edited by BadgeIsBack; Mar 19th 2013 at 5:23 pm.
Mar 19th 2013, 8:33 pm
#68
Proudly Deplorable
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Mar 19th 2013, 9:02 pm
#69
Chan eil aon chànan gu le
Joined: Feb 2009
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Re: I've been away but now am back (maybe)
and is it crisps or chips?
Mar 19th 2013, 9:12 pm
#70
Proudly Deplorable
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Mar 19th 2013, 9:30 pm
#71
Chan eil aon chànan gu le
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: On the ning nang nong
Posts: 22,437
Re: I've been away but now am back (maybe)
Skelp = slap
Polis = Police
Wain = child (west coast, east coast is bairn)
Glaikit = ugly
Oh and we say trousers and crisps.
(troosers if yer a tad scruffy like me 
)
Mar 21st 2013, 12:10 am
#72
Crazy Cat Lady
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 65,493
Re: I've been away but now am back (maybe)
Welcome back Arkon Oh and I realise you don't care or believe that I'm still very happy with my Aussie world and my world still bears very little relation to yours but I thought I'd tell you anyway Last four years have been complete shite but none of it was down to where my abode was thankfully.
Oh and I realise you don't care or believe that I'm still very happy with my Aussie world and my world still bears very little relation to yours but I thought I'd tell you anyway Last four years have been complete shite but none of it was down to where my abode was thankfully.
Mar 21st 2013, 12:15 am
#73
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Joined: Mar 2009
Location: Kohimarama
Posts: 1,626
Re: I've been away but now am back (maybe)
I was rather under the impression that legs and arms in many outfitters are supposed to be an inch (etc) too long and you then finish to length.
No shop really stocks a huge range of leg lengths - if your leg length is under 30" you are in a minority. I quite like jeans shops because they often have a 34, 32 or 30 (say).
Wol, I find some of the better trousers I have bought are deliberately cut straight and the idea is that you get them hemmed - and as a discerning customer you want them the right length. As you say, standard manufacturing decrees for some cuts that if you are a 30inch leg (say) then you must have a 36" waist etc....and so they would be boxy trousers made even worse when shortened again.
I got some moleskins years ago and whilst they were hemmed to the right length - they had left a sodding thick hem on them - broadcasting to the world that they had been shortened - however the service was fantastic - I sent them back, and they came back perfect with a normal natural-sized hem as fast as you could turn them around.
There is a shop in Melbourne which does perfect alterations to jackets for a very reasonable price. Last year, I had a jacket sleeve shortened a fraction and even narrowed in the cuff. You can't tell they've been pulled apart and remade.
No shop really stocks a huge range of leg lengths - if your leg length is under 30" you are in a minority. I quite like jeans shops because they often have a 34, 32 or 30 (say).
Wol, I find some of the better trousers I have bought are deliberately cut straight and the idea is that you get them hemmed - and as a discerning customer you want them the right length. As you say, standard manufacturing decrees for some cuts that if you are a 30inch leg (say) then you must have a 36" waist etc....and so they would be boxy trousers made even worse when shortened again.
I got some moleskins years ago and whilst they were hemmed to the right length - they had left a sodding thick hem on them - broadcasting to the world that they had been shortened - however the service was fantastic - I sent them back, and they came back perfect with a normal natural-sized hem as fast as you could turn them around.
There is a shop in Melbourne which does perfect alterations to jackets for a very reasonable price. Last year, I had a jacket sleeve shortened a fraction and even narrowed in the cuff. You can't tell they've been pulled apart and remade.
Badge they are taking about Big W not Paul Smith!!
Mar 21st 2013, 12:22 am
#74
Ex BE ***** Addict
Thread Starter
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Re: I've been away but now am back (maybe)
I'm pretty sure that if my bad few years here had happened back in the UK there would have been a ton of mitigating good things to fall back on to make it a bit better.
Mar 21st 2013, 12:28 am
#75
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Joined: Oct 2005
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Re: I've been away but now am back (maybe)
I know what they are talking about! Manufacturers tend to have varied lengths in trousers, even if it's only regular, or long, or the better brands have unfinished lengths, and cut so that you can shorten them.
Everyone knows that manufacturers have ideas about sizing so in some cases a short leg goes with a big gut. Sometimes.
I know nothing about Paul Smith other than he is probably some sort of brand that people probably think is cool.
Everyone knows that manufacturers have ideas about sizing so in some cases a short leg goes with a big gut. Sometimes.
I know nothing about Paul Smith other than he is probably some sort of brand that people probably think is cool.
