HEWI - what is top of your list? - YouLookFab Forum

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HEWI - what is top of your list?

Bijou

Veteran

For the last 12 months I have admired jumpsuits and playsuits on others and tried on countless ones. My criteria was very specific, so much so, I honestly thought that I would not be able to find what I was looking for. My requirements:
- cool to wear
- washable fabric (so many jumpsuits are made from dry clean only viscose)
- not black in colour
- if a play suit, not too short
- it had to fit me.
The fit part was probably the most challenging aspect, because so many jumpsuits and playsuits were too long in the body on me or gaped at the back.

Yesterday, I tried on this one, and it fits and meets all of the above criteria! It is orange - and I just said that I did not like orange on me.... However, the colour looks good and particularly so with my white booties or gold sandals. It is super light weight, a washable georgette. As I am shorter than the model, it is mid thigh on me. I plan to wear it with my red bag or my white bag (in finds).

I would be interested to here what is the top of your HEWI list and why it is proving to be hard to find.

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Latest reply was from Janet

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Hi Bijou that playsuit is gorgeous! Yay, I no longer have a HEWI having struggled my way around 2 Aussie shopping centres to find my red sandals and several NZ ones for my coral sandals. My trouble is partly in trying to replace things too closely I suspect.
Perhaps olive pants for next winter are a HEWI- but I have thinner ones and fewer winter olives now so the need has faded since not finding any this year.

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Style Fan

Veteran

That is a very cute playsuit. Love the colour. I don`t really think in terms of HEWIs because I have a number of things on my list that I am hoping to find. But my wardrobe is in better shape now than it was a few years ago. These are the things I would like to add:<br><br>1/ More bottoms for warmer weather - not short shorts!!!! My dominant season is winter but summer is so hot and humid here. I struggle to find something to wear that looks reasonable.<br><br>2/ Footwear for special occasions - I don`t know what I am going to do if we get invited to a wedding or some sort of formal event. Gold Birks?

Bijou

Veteran

Jenni - replacing beloved items that have worn out can be hard. I think you did incredibly well with these sandals, both are even nicer than the sandals they replaced. I hope you find those olive pants... Given that olive has been so popular in North America this winter, I think you may find a good selection of olive coming our way.

Style Fan - Your approach of not having HEWI is probably much more sensible. I did wonder if I was getting a bit fixated on what I could not have, rather than what I could get. With a hot climate, I don't like wearing short shorts either. So this playsuit is going to get worn a lot this summer. Footwear for special occasions is something that I struggle with too. I never wear stilettos, I tend to have a low kitten heel or a thicker high heel...as I get older the height I am prepared to wear is getting lower. I do like the sound of Gold Birks, comfy and pretty!

Kathie

Veteran

Super cute outfit! Love that you have so many ways to accessorize it.

My HEWI is sleek black boots with a 2-3” heel and a leather lining. Preferably not suede. My challenge is finding ones that are wide enough through the calf, but not shapeless at the ankle.

Bijou

Veteran

Kathie - sometimes it is the deceptively simple items that can be the hardest to find. I have had that issue with boots too. I have a pair of boots that bag out at the ankle and it is incredibly frustrating.

Meredith

Veteran

Perfectly fitting eyewear in an uplifting, fun color. Last year I found a good color, but less than perfect fit and settled for them because I was tired of looking. But after my recent trip to Italy and admiring the amazing glasses on everyone from young to old, I’m inspired to renew my search.

Kaelyn

Veteran

A classic black or red trench coat. You'd think it'd be a piece of cake, but nope. It's been on my list for YEARS. I could probably hypothetically find one if I was willing to shop around more, but being plus size and not having much time or energy for shopping makes that pretty difficult. I never seem to see trenches in my size in stores.

Bonus: until last year, my ideal denim jacket. I used to wear denim jackets a lot when I was a kid, and I'd wanted a new one ever since I outgrew my last one. I wanted a denim jacket with a dark wash, with a bit of a stretch (because boobs), and without any distress or other maximal design details. For the longest time, I could only find them in light washes and with tons of detail.

What is it with me and outerwear?

karen13

Veteran

Love that romper - your outfit plan sounds divine and hope you will post pics.I have been searching for the perfect jewel tone (not black!) velvet cowl/drape neck shell in a petite size and and amazed I can't find it in this year of velvet.

I finally broke down and bought some fabric, although it isn't perfect, but am having trouble finding the time to even try to make it. The Find is what I want in Petite, navy, burgundy or hunter in a rayon/silk lux velvet.

Calvin Klein Petite Drape Neck Matte Jersey Shell

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Anonymous

Light-weight hiking boots.

Anonymous

So so so cute! But this is a jumpsuit?! Maybe I’m just not seeing the leg openings very well.
I think that in the summer, you can wear colours outside your normal range. Summer is more forgiving that way.
Your accessorizing is bang-on too.

Anonymous

Whoops! Maybe I should answer the question. At the top of my hewi list is a high rise skirt that is not too constricting on the derrière.
I’ll look for a larger waistband and maybe have it taken in.
It is so hard for me to think of myself as an hourglass with a waist—but I think I hit on an epiphany recently I’m an hourglass from the back!! Straight at the front. “Business in the front, party at the back”

JAileen

Veteran

Navy knee high boots.

K.M.

Veteran

I love your question, Bijou. I think at the end of the day I always have some HEWI as a kind of unfulfilled longing or Holy Grail. Once I find it, I all of a sudden obsess over a new one.

Until recently it was nude booties with a pointy toe and low, pointy heel, but comfortable. I found them a month or so ago: Impo Navika booties (see Find 1 below).

Now I am obsessing like an unrequited lover over a burgundy velvet dress. It has to be fitted on top, preferably a wrap; it has to have a swishy skirt (i.e. not pencil or straight); it has to have long sleeves; and preferably the sleeves must have some kind of interesting detail or shape. The ones I did find aren't working (one is out on my size; the other doesn't fit me well; see Finds 2 and 3 below).

PS. JAileen, I recently got Impo Norris tall boots in navy (see Find 4 below) and they are amazing. The navy color is lighter in person than online, and they are comfortable and warm.

Impo Navika Bootie

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Fit & Flare Velvet-Knit Dress for Women

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Women's Velvet Twist Front Dress - A New Day™ Burgundy XS

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Impo Norris Boot

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Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

YAY. You're wearing orange. I thought it would look fab on you, Bijou. Love how you've put together this look and hope to see it on.

No HEWIs for me at the moment.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

I’d love to see that on. I had playsuits back in the day (my 20s, not when I was a toddler—although I probably had them then too). These days I’m hesitant to try them, so I’d love to see someone “real” looking good in one.

HEWI..... mostly I’m searching for a coherent enough wardrobe to have such slots, and I’m in flux in a couple ways until summer. But I’d love to replace my low-cut brown boots with low heels and a cuff.

approprio

(website)

Veteran

Good question!

HEWIs tend to kick around in the back of my mind as vague wants rather than pressing needs, and they typically only become obvious when I see the item in question. Very occasionally I've gone hunting for "the perfect (blank)", haven't found it and ended up buying the wrong thing instead. Hence I learned to apply Angie's three P's the hard way.

However, these things have a way of turning up when I'm not looking for them. The latest was a lightweight haori (kimono jacket) in black, which turned out to be a summer workhorse. Another example is the vintage men's dress shirt I found last year after looking for it for most of my adult life. Yes, really!

I'm not sure if I have any HEWIs on my radar right now because I feel like my winter wardrobe is fairly well stocked. I'm still pondering a long puffer coat and I'm probably on the lookout for another beanie but that's about it. I expect I'll have some clearer goals in mind come Spring...

Women Light Weight Down Volume Collar Coat

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delurked

Veteran

Summer woven dress with short sleeves and knee or midi in length. Most knit dresses are too short and look like I’m wearing pajamas. Must be flattering, wide enough through the shoulder and bicep, and cool in temps up to 115. Travel friendly and machine washable with minimal wrinkling would be nice too. Preferably non black.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Delurked, have you tried Talbots cotton ponte fit-n-flare dresses? They are longer, and some have 3/4 sleeves, even though the one in my finds is sleeveless. I know you said “woven”, but these fit the rest of your criteria.

by Stagiaire Fash

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delurked

Veteran

Fashiontern - there are indeed many things I like about the dress you post. It’s my favorite color too.

I must admit I don’t even try on fit and flare dresses anymore due to my long torso. What usually happens in this style dress is the line across the torso hits too high on me, and the flare also starts too high above my hip, thus giving me a shape that never nips in at my narrowest point with excess fabric where it shouldn’t be. This is also the issue I usually face with wrap dresses.

Probably a good reminder to me to try on all styles though, since proportions on garments aren’t always the same.

ETA -that’s why I was so surprised the jumpsuit I got fit me. Bet lots of ladies tried it on and found the proportion too long for them.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Delurked, thanks for replying. Don’t bother with the Talbots—they are barely long-waisted enough for me.

Anonymous

The perfect navy bag. I've been looking for years.

JAileen

Veteran

K.M., thank you. My size is out of stock, unfortunately.

Cardiff girl

Veteran

What a fun play suit!I bet you ll enjoy wearing it.Also what an interesting question.I find that I regularly have items on my HEWI list but by the time I have spent much fruitless time searching for them I go off them and inevitably that’s when I find them ,then I take a perverse pleasure in NOT buying them.Obviously I m a passive aggressive shopper!

K.M.

Veteran

Oh, that's too bad, JAileen. Not sure what your size is, but I also had my eye on some Boden navy boots that look amazing (except a little over my budget); they are also not fully stocked at this point, but just in case...

Round Toe Stretch Boots

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JAileen

Veteran

K.M., they are out of stock, too. I wear size 10. I found some boots that were perfect except for the shaft width, which was too wide, these Borns. Thanks again for mentioning the other boots.

https://shop.nordstrom.com/s/b.....oHaXuE0vZw

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Suz

(website)

Veteran

My top HEWIs right now are a pea coat with silver hardwear in navy, the *right* red puffer coat, and navy gloves/ boots/ booties and bag Sounds as if some of my wants are similar to others!

You'll look adorable in a jumpsuit!

K.M.

Veteran

JAileen, I hope you find your HEWI navy boots! These Borns you posted look beautiful, but I know what you mean about shafts that are too wide. I have this problem too... It took me almost two years to find my HEWI nude booties, and I'm glad I persevered

Sal

Veteran

Great score Bijou - this will suit you and your climate well. I have always been an orange fan.

I have been pretty lucky with shopping recently and feel well set up. I would like a light weight jacket (I have added a second kimono last week) but it is very warm here (for NZ) and so I am not even feeling tempted to look.

I have added in the following HEWI's this year
- tall brown heeled 70s boots
- fun glam winter coat
- flared jeans

I am well set up for summer and lead into next winter with a few new pieces that I only added at the end of the season.

Brooklyn

Veteran

A summer dress! I have a few occasions this month (one of which has already passed) and more next month (my birthday, husband’s birthday). I really wanted an elegant summer dress in a dark floral or a good for me colour (eg dark red, teal or rust) but I can’t find anything and I have been looking for ages. I want knee length or longer and I am fussy about fabric in summer because I feel the heat. There is nothing! I think I will probably end up wearing a skirt but sometimes skirts feel a bit work like and not as festive as a dress, if that makes sense.
I am glad you found your HEWI. I can see that playsuit working with the fun side of your style (not to mention your climate). Love how you plan to wear it too.

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