My fashion black list is essentially a list of certain places or categories I basically avoid thanks to past experience. Over time I've felt it more and more important to put money towards designs that really continue to work for me, rather than try to fit myself (i.e. through tailoring and other means) to accomodate them.
1) Macy's - what once was a solid department store (in my neighborhood) has become a bastion of poor customer service and a lot of supposedly mid-priced items with low quality or rather boring style. Hopefully your local one is faring better. But for me, I think I go in perhaps once a year at most to see if things have changed and then leave disappointed again.
2) White House Black Market - the company definitely doesn't cut its clothing for petites, which is most unfortunate.
3) Target - with the one big exception of the designer collaborations, universally all other clothing I have ever purchased from the store has fallen apart after very little wear. I don't even bother buying basic layering pieces from them because nothing lasts.
4) J. Crew (Pants) - while I still love the sweaters and headbands, the entire pants section is completely off limits because the cuts simply don't work for me. Annoying lack of a petites section in-store always ticks me a off a bit.
5) Any polyester, acrylic, man made leather - I've found that it's increasingly difficult as manufacturers get better and better at making the fake stuff (i.e. polyester) look like the real stuff (i.e. silk). A highly disturbing trend is I've found many otherwise good brands inserting crappy textiles or materials but pricing them on par with what they would normally charge for the real thing. I've seen what should be silk blouses from Leifsdottir and Elizabeth and James actually made out of extremely good 100% polyester being sold at a prices only reasonable for real silk. Sacrilege!
Don't believe me? Take a look at the Jeffrey Campbell 'Mention' Flat below - see how pretty the pictures are? But it's not real patent leather, it's pleather! Priced at a regular price of $99.95! Don't get me wrong - I love Jeffrey Campbell's leather shoes, but I literally trusted the brand to be all leather to the point that I bought this flat, got home, realized it was fake and returned it.
6) "Free" cosmetic counter makeovers or facials - I swear doing anything besides a swatch on the back of your hand is asking for trouble. No matter how immaculate or expensive the counter, I've found myself breaking out after almost any makeup application or facial. I think it ultimately boils down to the bacteria factor thanks to tons of people trying out the same thing you are, some with better or worse ideas of hygiene. Petrilude has an excellent video on proper cosmetic counter etiquette.
Do you have places or things on your fashion black list? Do tell in the comments!
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