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WWYD - holy grail item but subpar construction & high price

Fruitful

Veteran

My dear Dad told me to go shopping yesterday and leave the kids with him, yay! I didn't buy anything - but I did find something I loved:

http://www.facebook.com/photo......38;theater

I think with my shorter stature and wide hips it actually looked better on me than this model :DDD

The problem is the price for the quality (as well as the price alone). It's $188 AUD. Firstly, I'd have to scrounge around to come up with that. Secondly, the quality left me feeling I might not get great cost-per-wear out of it. The way it's cut, even if I size up, I feel the sleeves pull a bit when I put my arms up; a split seam is forseeable. One of the coats on the rack already had a button missing. I certainly couldn't wear it around my toddler. (Could put it in the "when he stops destroying things" part of my wardrobe...)

But that colour! That shape!

2 people saw me try it on and asked where to find it (my brother says they're paid to though!).

It's not the kind of thing you can wait for a sale and expect it to be there. But I don't feel good about the price.

Last time I saw a dark blue coat I loved, I didn't act. It's taken 3 years to see another one.

On the other hand I didn't know about Ebay then. This time I've noted the maker and name, and could save a search, bide my time, and hope.

What would you do? Cough up the full price & buy it asap (yay) or bide your time and hope for an eventual bargain (nay)?

Shopping

24 replies

Latest reply was from Fruitful

rae

(website)

Veteran

This is a tough one. I don't see anything by this brand on Ebay, so the chances that it will turn up *and* turn up in your size are very slim. Don't count on Ebay.

So that said... what kind of coat were you looking for? A workhorse that you can wear everywhere? Or a special item that you can trot out for special occasions for at least a few years? It would still be a splurge but, if you're looking for the latter, then I think the quality matters less than the "wow" factor.

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

Sorry but I would wait until you can find something that's perfect that you can wear around your toddler. It doesn't seem like it's very practical and it doesn't fit you perfectly.

Fruitful

Veteran

Ooh you're swaying me Rae - I don't "need" a workhorse, but I do factor durability in where possible. So yeah, that's nice but not the reason I want it. I want it for the look!

Revival is an Aussie brand and there is some of there stuff on Ebay.com.au (thanks for checking btw!) Nothing as nice as this though.

It's the sheer gorgeousness of a femininely cut navy(ish) blue coat that attracts me. I used to be really into red, and still am, but in the last couple of years I'm starved for dark blue. Abd not just any navy coat will do.
It's got to be special, feminine, perhaps vintage inspired. The last one I liked was velvet with princess seams.

I picture it with cream or white boots, or cognac, or black button boots, or with fishnet tights and mary janes...

Fruitful

Veteran

Thanks modgrl! Yes I'm leaning to your thoughts as well... hmm... there is that great feeling of peace walking away from something to wait for something better...

becab

I vote yay :). It is a lot of money, but as you said, you haven't seen anything you liked this much in three years, so go for it. If you don't need it as a "workhorse" then it'll stay nicer for longer. Some things are just worth a bit more cost per wear

Fruitful

Veteran

Thanks for your vote becab! I think I partly baulk because this store/line personally irks me with their attitude (not the SAs, the marketing and prices) so part of me wants to thumb my nose at them - but it may be worth the cost as you say!

Louise

Veteran

For that amount of money you want something that fits perfectly and is better quality. I'd also want to be able to wear it all the time. I vote pass x

RoseandJoan

Veteran

If the quality matched the price tag I would splurge but as it is I say pass, onto better things for you.

Velma

Veteran

Nay! If the quality is below par, I'd say to hold out for the complete package.

OChoc

Since you really love that coat, you'll be devastated if it falls apart after only a few wears... For that price you should be getting better quality. So I'll vote nay.

krishnidoux

Veteran

If the quality isn't there, the item will quickly not look as good as it does in the fitting room. If seams are looking bad, if cut is making you feel strange, chances are the material is not as good as it looks either. I would pass.

Anonymous

Subpar construction? Don't spend that much money on something that isn't even made well. The only winner in that situation is the clothing company that managed to shirk on quality and still get someone to shell out hard-earned money for it.

I understand you've been looking for awhile and this is a tempting purchase, but I would wait it out. At least let it go on sale.

Fruitful

Veteran

Louise, Roseann and Joan, Krishnidoux, Velma, OChoc and Anne, thanks for your wise words.

Anne, I agree with you that the clothing company is the winner here (think of the pittance the overworked makers would have received) and that certainly fuels my chagrin. This brand is self-styled as reviving the styles of yesterday and thus has an unearned credibility that does not align with the actual cynical merchant practices.

Krishnidoux, great point about it looking/feeling different at home. I know cheap fabrics are treated to give them a finish that doesn't actually last.

I am going to compromise and watch the website for a sale, then see how I feel about purchasing.

Thanks so much for all your input xxoo

Lyrebirdgully

Hi Fruitful. I'm guessing you saw this in Dangerfield.?
I'm a great fan of Dangerfield - all the staff in my local store know me, I have been shopping there for years - but I totally agree with you about the quality of their clothes, especially the Revival line. I am always disappointed when I see the Revival garments up close; the fabric too is also sub par. I only buy clothes there on sale. [The bulk of my purchases at Dangerfield are accessories.]
Navy is coming right back into fashion now (Thanks to Kate Middleton - navy trenchcoats, for example, are hard to get now, they are mostly sold out) so I would hold out for other manufacturers to come on board with navy for your statement coat!

Michelle

(website)

Veteran

I didn't have to think too long about where to cast my vote, but then again, quality is important to me. Even if a garment was perfect in most ways, poor quality would ultimately detract from the purchase. It wouldn't last, it would make you feel guilty, and it wouldn't ultimately satisfy your desire for "the perfect" navy coat. Let this one go -- there will be others! And through the power of online shopping, you may find more options out there than you have in the past!

Anonymous

I don't think you are alone in craving dark blue and it's about time that became more widely available again. Waiting for a better coat may be wise.

Fruitful

Veteran

Wow, Lyrebirdgully, so nice to hear from someone (sort of) local! And to know I'm not going mad about the quality! Your experience re Dangerfield/Revival is reassuring.

I haven't bought much from them; a Black Friday red miniskirt to wear during my pregnancy in 2008 (that was actually a reasonably sturdy item, but it's Dangerfield not Revival), a couple of fab Revival t-shirts circa 2000 that were faves I wore for years (a giant strawberry on white backrgound with red cap sleeves, and a similar one with a giant tiger face) and in highschool (around 1990!) I got a stripey blue and black boatneck top that was sooo expensive (back when we had to make our clothes in Australia) and I thought I was so cool...

But I digress. I saw it in Myer. I'd prefer to buy it in Myer because they have a decent return policy. Revival won't participate in their sales though... so I'm going to have to get it on sale from Dangerfield/Revival if I can. IF I get it.

Which brings me to your other point - thankyou for pointing out that navy will be everywhere! Thanks Kate Middleton! (Isn't it crazy the way Issa dresses are marketed on Ebay now - I wanted one before she wore it, might have to wait longer now!)

Michelle, thankyou for your vote. You are right that there will be others The only qualification I have on that is online shopping is a bit trickier for Australians; we have to pay to return stuff. Returning in Australia basically sucks full stop; it's not the norm here and you feel like you are in trouble if you try to do it.

My only other qualification (and this is not contradicting Michelle, just bouncing off her ideas) is that in Australia a coat is not generally a workhorse item, and although I do value quality, I have compromised on quality in coats before as the cpw doesn't justify the expense of a coat that is both well-made and beautiful.

Fruitful

Veteran

So Joy, you're saying it's in the zeitgeist? You may be onto something!

Fruitful

Veteran

I would add Joy I spent years craving red coats and boots. They're everywhere now! (Still hard to find the special ones though! ^_^)

Lyrebirdgully

Hi again Fruitful, thanks for the tip about Revival in Myer; I didn't know. I don't really like shopping in department stores, but as you say, Myer [and DJs] are the only places that have a decent return policy. So, now I can try on in Dangerfield, and then head on over to one of the Big Two to purchase!
BTW did you know that DJ's have a six-month return policy? yes, six whole months to return clothes !! no questions asked, no explanations required = no stress. I have bought clothes for my kids there a few times on that basis. And the prices are not always OTT- DJs often run on-the-spot sales on their good stuff that are not advertised; you have go into the store to find out about them - and then ask the staff what is on sale, half the time you can't even see the sale signs, they are so tiny and hidden away. Happy coat shopping!

Fruitful

Veteran

Thanks for the tip re DJs, Lyrebird! I will certainly shop there more often.

GGB

Not sure what $188 AUD is, but maybe you could have one custom made?

nicoleb

(website)

Veteran

If the price is high yet the quality seems low i'm automatically turned off. Replacing buttons on a coat i gotten pretty cheaply anyway? No big. Having something rip or fall off on something i specifically saved up for? I start seeing red.

Fruitful

Veteran

Thanks for the idea GGB. I should look into it - I've got several favourite things I want duplicated as well.

I think I'd have to be pretty canny to find someone who'd do it on the cheap though - I'd imagine it'd be several hundred dollars here. (As for Aussie $188, we're around parity with US dollars at the moment. We used to be about 2 thirds of it though! We also have a 70% luxury tax, so nice things normally cost more than double what they'd cost you).