Aussies please help - advice about timing of seasonal releases - YouLookFab Forum

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Aussies please help - advice about timing of seasonal releases

Fruitful

Veteran

Hello Aussies,

I thought by now all the coats and boots would have hit the shops. I'm sure in years past they started in summer.

But yesterday I went on a reconnaissance mission (down Bourke St DJs and Myer) for coats and although quite a few are around, they're not as plentiful as I was expecting. Of what I did see, at least one piece was super fresh (it was a coat at Review in Myer and she said it had just come in; an alternate colour would be coming next week, IOW they hadn't even put out all the colours yet).

The reason I wanted to know is, for a while I've been thinking about a yellow coat. It's because I tried one on at Sportsgirl. I'm not sure whether to get the Sportsgirl one (which has been around for many weeks now) because I'm not sure if I can't do better (and I have weird feelings about Sportsgirl for a number of reasons - anyone else?).

My plan was to see if there are any better yellow coats out there(not jackets, coats). Then decide out of everything I saw,which was The One.

The only yellow coat I found was one Burberry trench which I didn't even try on.

Should I take that to mean the Sportsgirl coat is the only yellow one I'll find this season (of which sizes are now dwindling)? Or should I assume all the coats haven't been released yet, wait, and look again later?

TIA xx

Shopping

17 replies

Latest reply was from Fruitful

Deborah

Veteran

Fruitful I am not sure but it does seem as though stock kind of slowly trickles in these days. What is the return policy at Sportsgirl? Could you purchase it so you don't miss out and keep looking and return if you find something else you prefer?? I am guessing but I would imagine there are more coats to come as it is still warm and I can't imagine people buying coats just yet (aside from maybe yourself who is super organised) Have you been looking on the internet?

anne

Veteran

Last year I tried to do my winter shopping in the Easter holidays and was frustrated at how little stock had come in.
It is a bit annoying if you want to get your winter shopping done at the beginning of the season.

jen

Hi Fruitful, because our Aussie dollar is so strong at the moment, shop overseas! I just love all the US sites like Shopbop, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Macy's. So much more choice and their customer service and return policy is excellent. I just love the US gals!!!

Fruitful

Veteran

Deborah, thanks for that - you put it well; trickling in is what seems to be happening!

Sportsgirl has normal %^$%y stand-alone-shop return policy, I believe it's 14 days - unless you buy on sale, then it's exchange only (annoying).

Anne, thankyou as well for confirming my experience. It is hard because a lot of seasons I've missed out on things like boots from going too late, yet there doesn't seem to be a consistent time of stocking to plan around if you want to get in early, It does look like retailers are changing their strategy doesn't it? Maybe even a bit Zara-like?

Jen and Deborah, I did look online a few weeks ago and due to the season reversal there's not much out there. I may look again but I really didn't see any I wanted before (I'm fussy too). The Sportsgirl one was the closest to my style (and let's not forget the opshop one that got away :))

Jen, it's funny you should say that because all day I've been mulling over posting "Who wants to quit shopping online?" My wardrobe is full of duds I bought online over the last few years, that I never returned because of the shipping. I am very picky on colours, fit, and feeling of fabric. I have experienced significant differences in how I think something is going to be and how it really is. Shopping online only works for me when I treat it as gambling or an extreme sport (i.e. on experiments I'm not invested in and when I have a substantial chunk of cash on hand, which I currently don't). I have been slowly cutting down on it and have been much more thrilled with my purchases lately. But if it's working for you that's great! I had enough successes that it kept me going - but oh, too many mistakes around those successes ^_^

jen

I really try to buy the items that have a lot of great reviews. It gives me a better idea of sizing and fit. If the item is not too heavy the return cost is not too high however you do have to pay an additional cost of $10.00 for some items that are heavier for US security. I just find that we seem to have such limited choice in the Aus and after traveling to the US they have such a wonderful range, especially petite sizes which I am.

I understand that we are out of season and I do think that more coats are yet to come into the Aussie shops! x

stringy

Veteran

Hmm - I've seen the same trickle-in happening too. I like Sportsgirl, and have found the quality of items there to be pretty good. If they had a longer returns period, I'd say get it and leave the tags on for now. How do you feel about selling clothes online? That might be an option if you get the Sportsgirl coat and later find one you like better.

Are you looking at the yellow "Carrie's Paris Coat" style? It's very nice, especially if yellow will work with your existing colours. It'd look lovely and fresh with navy, white, emerald, etc.

Fruitful

Veteran

Thanks Jen, I have never actually tried to return stuff overseas so didn't know how much it actually cost (and I have a 3 year old who gets very rambunctious at the post office) - I agree they have much better range and prices in the USA, and I'm glad for you you can find your sizes more easily. I don't use a credit card so have to have actual money in my Mastercard debit or Paypal account, and when I have enough headroom there I tend to be more experimental. Not so at the moment

Fruitful

Veteran

Stringy, it is the Carrie's Paris coat (here's me trying sizes 10 with flash then 10, 12 and 14 left to right).

That's a great suggestion about selling it later. The reason I was hesitant is I'm trying really hard to absorb Angie's PPP attitude and Ines, Queen Mum's and others that you must want to rip off the tags and wear it right away. I also have a backlog of clothes I need to sell or donate and I was trying to be strict about not adding to the pile.

Sportsgirl was mecca to me as a teenager, and I got burnt buying things (which I had to layby, my first big purchases on my own) that looked totally different away from their store lighting, and that had quality issues like seam slippage. So it's a weird feeling coming back there in my 30s.

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Deborah

Veteran

I had a look on line this afternoon (more fun than housework) and I didn't find anything in yellow. I did have a look at the Modcloth site and they have some very cool coats... but not yellow.

Fruitful I like the Sportsgirl coat but, if it were me, I think I would tire of the style. You don't sound like you are completely sold on the coat?? If its not exactly what you want I would be inclined to keep looking. There is no question it looks lovely on you, I just think something a little more quirky is more you.

jen

You've got me looking for yellow coats for you on Ebay!!!!

jenanded

Veteran

Hey Fruitful... Yes to trickle and CAN YOU BELIEVE Country Road just had the mid season sale? I ask some of the bigger brands what they know they have coming in... But I don't suspect there will be THAT many yellow coats around... Am looking for you... Have you looked online at Ezibuy? For some reason they have more colours in things than other stores... The Sportsgirl one looks cute but are you madly in love with it...

Fruitful

Veteran

Jen mid-season sale that is ridiculous (is that mid-Autumn or mid-Summer?). I haven't looked at Ezibuy, will have a look, thankyou!

Well the Sportsgirl one, I have mixed feelings about. First I was surprised I liked the colour on me (I think yellow isn't an easy colour for me to wear but my newish glasses have a translucent yellow arm, like tortoiseshell or leopard print - and my hair was down when I first tried it on, and looked wonderfully black against the yellow. I also have been wearing a bit of burgundy, and saw opportunities for me to try a new-to-me palette of burgundy, white, black and yellow. Mainly it's my glasses leading me to these new colours).

I was also surprised I really liked the Peter Pan collar.

I have been trying to wear hemlines around the knee or lower, so this hemline wasn't in my wardrobe plan. But the shorter hem does look good and fit the vibe.

Although I love the way the sides flare out, things I don't like are, there's no shape over the bust so it hangs there in a weird way that makes even my small bust seem droopy lol.

It's not fitted at the back so it hangs down from the shoulders.

The lining doesn't feel that nice, not that smooth, and it did the annoying thing of popping out at the wrist when I put my arm in.

Sportsgirl colours can look very different away from the store lighting.

The collar felt a little rough on my neck; but I guess in winter I'd wear a scarf...

I did actually put that red Review coat on layby. After years of missing out on princess-y red coats I knew I wanted it immediately; it felt good, looked good, fit my style, seemed well-made. Big contrast with my hesitation over the yellow coat.

Hmmm, maybe I should wait for years for the right yellow coat, even though I'm, in the mood for it now...

jenanded

Veteran

Sportsgirl sounds a dud in terms of true love then! WE are now on the hunt for the yellow though! I used to have a yellow jacket and it was fab with the colours you mention, leopard etc.... It looked great. Maybe you could get a brilliant yellow scarf in the interim? Even those market "pashminas' might tide you over for a little bit... Your glasses sound way cool... I am excited to see what you do/get... And roll on cool weather. I went to Sydney last weekend with high hopes it would be cooler than Bris vegas and lasted 15 minutes max in my Autumn gear...

Fruitful

Veteran

Thanks Jen, great idea about experimenting with a scarf/pashmina! Good way to test out my comfort zone and hone in on shades. Sorry about limited chances to wear Autumn gear... if you ever get to visit Melbourne you should get a chance to wear it (we had a meet here last year and YLFers flew down from Brisbane!) although it is going to be 27 today!

Fruitful

Veteran

Deborah, thanks for looking at Modcloth xx although I'm a little nervous about quality variation I've read on some reviews on the site. On the upside, clothes from Modcloth (and Anthro) are quite easy to find pics of real people wearing them which helps a lot.

I think I'm going to be hard to please with styles as well. To me this is calling for retro flair, and I'm envisaging a wool-type coat (as opposed to a trench for example). I'm also hoping to find a sweet spot with just enough quirk and not so much that it feels cheap or juvenile. I did feel the Sportsgirl coat was young-looking compared to what I'm going for right now. In my outfits I'm trying to find a balance where I can play with a bit of sweetness/cuteness yet still carry an aura of self-possession.

And especially after you and your striped blazer I am thinking I am the kind of person who will wait a long time to wear the right thing.

jenanded

Veteran

I notice charlie brown are doing some yellow dresses so maybe... I have been scouring cherryred and birdsnest online stores as they have more 'boutique' stuff and brands so not sure if you can get a sense of what everyone has in store on the yellow front... onto me me me, I found a cobalt blue blazer in non wool jersey at howard showers - that ticks the boxes for me me me for cas and work!!!! ok back to said income producing activity or the frocks will have to be on hold!

Fruitful

Veteran

Thanks so so much Jen, I might have to check out those sites. Saw some Charlie Brown at Myer, it was so vibrant and fun - yay for the cobalt blazer, Howard Showers is very nice too! Love cobalt but haven't found the right cobalt thing yet. Lol, yes, work or no more frocks! xx