Do you love tailored pieces? Do you hunt down the best deals at Talbots? I've been exhaustively shopping at Talbots, and let me tell you -- I have decided that there are some pieces simply not worth purchasing.
I don’t like the narrow shoes at Talbots. There’s something about the way that the sole is constructed that makes me side-eye the whole thing. The one pair I accidentally ordered had a different-looking sole than all the pairs of my leather-soled Talbots shoes and really looked inferior in comparison. They are not my top choice.
Another big fail for me. I bought a pair of lightweight jeans at Talbots, and I was pretty disappointed with what I got. One pair was defective, with a fly that -- for some strange reason -- wanted to slide around my midsection until the back seam wasn’t quite even. I also noticed that, after just a single day of wear, the jeans’ back seam was strained quite noticeably. The fit was snug around the hips, but the waist stretched... all in all, a pretty confusing experience!
All the nice things to buy -- why get something that you could pick up at any old mall store? Yes, it will have great drape and fantastic weight, but it won’t seem like it’s worth the money... in comparison to something like tweed or leather picked up at the same shop. If you insist on modal, just try to avoid getting it in bright colors, because it will look cheaper than you’d like it to. Good substitutes for modal that still have some quality weight are ponte and silk blends. The conclusion? While modal is great, you can buy a lot of other top fabrics at Talbots.
This is more than just Talbots. If you are a wrap dress fanatic, you might think that a faux-wrap will suffice... but it really won’t. You need to take advantage of the wraps you can really cinch up and cinch down -- ones that you’ll have complete control over. You won’t find that with a dress that just knots at the front or at the back. However, if you are looking for a faux-wrap, I would take a good look at Talbots.
1. Narrow Shoes
I don’t like the narrow shoes at Talbots. There’s something about the way that the sole is constructed that makes me side-eye the whole thing. The one pair I accidentally ordered had a different-looking sole than all the pairs of my leather-soled Talbots shoes and really looked inferior in comparison. They are not my top choice.
2. Chunky Wool Sweaters
I have had some bad experiences buying chunky woolen sweaters at Talbots. They are cut fat and squat, which makes you look wide and bulky. I’m not particularly in love with the wool-acrylic blends in general, however, and I think that I would be better off buying the cotton-blend sweaters instead (they drape more beautifully and feel cozy, not scratchy).3. Jeans Without Stretch
Another big fail for me. I bought a pair of lightweight jeans at Talbots, and I was pretty disappointed with what I got. One pair was defective, with a fly that -- for some strange reason -- wanted to slide around my midsection until the back seam wasn’t quite even. I also noticed that, after just a single day of wear, the jeans’ back seam was strained quite noticeably. The fit was snug around the hips, but the waist stretched... all in all, a pretty confusing experience!
4. Dresses with Flounced Skirts
I picked up two chiffon dresses that had slightly longer-than-average hemlines, and I was really disappointed. The flounce on the skirt wasn’t placed well, and the lining underneath stopped a good 5 inches above the seam of the dress. Since the dress was sheer, it hiked up when I belted it, and it looked altogether odd. I really wanted to like the dress, but i bit the bullet and returned it.5. Modal
All the nice things to buy -- why get something that you could pick up at any old mall store? Yes, it will have great drape and fantastic weight, but it won’t seem like it’s worth the money... in comparison to something like tweed or leather picked up at the same shop. If you insist on modal, just try to avoid getting it in bright colors, because it will look cheaper than you’d like it to. Good substitutes for modal that still have some quality weight are ponte and silk blends. The conclusion? While modal is great, you can buy a lot of other top fabrics at Talbots.
6. Bright Printed Silks
Silk is so tempting,and the way that Talbots presents it makes it even more so. But if you are going to invest in silk of any sort, why not invest in the kind you can wear again and again? I’ve mulled over checked silks in orange and blue, bright florals in all the colors of the rainbow, and some too-trendy brights, but they won’t get the wear that they deserve. I purchased one dressy skirt that was on sale, but I can’t justify the cost-per-wear-- the darn thing has sat in my closet for months.7. Faux Wraps
This is more than just Talbots. If you are a wrap dress fanatic, you might think that a faux-wrap will suffice... but it really won’t. You need to take advantage of the wraps you can really cinch up and cinch down -- ones that you’ll have complete control over. You won’t find that with a dress that just knots at the front or at the back. However, if you are looking for a faux-wrap, I would take a good look at Talbots.