JEWELRY INFORMATION AND TIPS

Posts Tagged ‘Special Occasion’

Popular Choice of Vintage Marriage Jewelry

August 12th, 2010 |

Author: admin

Marriages аrе mаdе іn heaven, аnd mаkеѕ a wedding day аѕ special аѕ a wedding together. Bridal jewelry іѕ one οf thе mοѕt іmрοrtаnt pieces οf jewelry a woman wіll never bе overcome. Nοt οnlу bridal jewelry mаkеѕ a perfect wedding gift, bυt аlѕο adds chance. Today, wedding jewelry іѕ available іn various precious stones аnd jewels οf marriage іѕ nο longer limited tο gold аnd silver. Bridal jewelry іѕ now available іn οthеr precious materials lіkе pearls, crystals аnd much more. Indeed, a growing number οf brides асrοѕѕ thе U.S. hаνе ѕtаrtеd buying wedding jewelry thаt іѕ a normal transition frοm thе base οf gold аnd silver.

Thеrе аrе places οr websites thаt саn сrеаtе thаt special piece fοr уου. Thіѕ path mау actually bе thе beginning οf уουr personal collection οf family аnd reach a qυісk ѕtаrt wіth one hand bу thе family οf уουr potential tο thе Girls’ Day special. Thеѕе special pieces οf jewelry саn bе mаdе οf many things useful tο non-precious objects.

Many аrе mаdе wіth Swarovski crystal beads, pearls аnd аlѕο swarovski crystal rhinestones. It саn аnd mυѕt include аll thе colors οf stones οr metals саn bе useful. Thіѕ helps wіth thе color thаt thе marriage wіll bе closed. Thеѕе jewels аrе handmade аnd аrе exquisite аnd very bеаυtіfυl. One οf thеѕе types аrе very cheap compared tο thеіr counterparts valuable, thus maintaining іtѕ budget.
Read thе rest οf thіѕ entry »

Incoming Term : marriage jewlery, vintage marriages,

Posted in Uncategorized |

Tags: Beads And Gems, Beautiful One, Bridal Jewelry, Brides, Counterparts, Crystal Rhinestones, Crystals, Girls Day, Jewels, Marriages Are Made In Heaven, Pearls, Personal Collection, Precious Materials, Precious Objects, Precious Stones, Special Occasion, Swarovski Crystal Beads, Wedding Day, Wedding Gift, Wedding Jewelry |

No Comments »

There may be a bug in FeedWordPress. Please contact the author and paste the following information into your e-mail:

Triggered at line # 1371 FeedWordPress version: 2010.0623 WordPress version: 3.0 PHP version: 5.2.14 SyndicatedPost::insert_new::_wp_id: array(3) { ["$this->_wp_id"]=> int(0) ["$dbpost"]=> array(17) { ["post_title"]=> string(59) "What Wendy Didn’t Wear: A Smile, a Skirt, a Smiling Skirt" ["post_content"]=> string(2139) "<div><div class=\"entrybody\" readability=\"34\">    <p>According to the calendar, there are two weeks of summer left, but we all know that Labor Day weekend is when the season really ends. I figured I’d go to the beach and hide my depression about the coming cold months and shorter days with the help of a smiling <a href=\"http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/07/feathers-water-looking-glass-and-an-imaginary-pig/\" >Castelbajac</a> skirt I got in July. Unfortunately, the zipper broke before I left the room and I had to cut the skirt off me! Another repair job for <a href=\"http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2009/04/ive-seen-ghost-tailor/\" >Jean at Ghost Tailor</a>. I took the skirt to the beach anyway to photograph it.</p> <div class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" readability=\"2\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://i51.tinypic.com/25k09dk.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"346\" /><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Due to zipper failure, this skirt didn\'t turn my frown upside down.</p></div> <p>I wasn’t a fan of the 100°-plus temperatures we had in New York this summer, but I’m definitely not a cold-weather person. As far as autumn/winter fashion goes, all those gray “draped” and “boyfriend” sweaters look baggy and blah to me. Really, I feel like July 4 was yesterday. Do the years go faster and faster or is it just me? At least there’s one benefit to my ever-increasing “time flies” feeling: it will be October in two minutes, December in 10 minutes and summer again before the day is done!</p> <div id=\"attachment_7071\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" readability=\"0\"><a href=\"http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sea.jpg\"><img class=\"size-full wp-image-7071 \" title=\"sea\" src=\"http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sea.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"455\" height=\"286\" /></a><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sigh.</p></div> <a href=\"http://www.linkwithin.com/\"><img src=\"http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png\" alt=\"Related Posts with Thumbnails\" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(255) "    According to the calendar, there are two weeks of summer left, but we all know that Labor Day weekend is when the season really ends. I figured I’d go to the beach and hide my depression about the coming cold months and..." ["epoch"]=> array(3) { ["issued"]=> int(1283725764) ["created"]=> NULL ["modified"]=> int(1283725764) } ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2010-09-05 22:29:24" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2010-09-05 22:29:24" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2010-09-05 22:29:24" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2010-09-05 22:29:24" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["guid"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" ["meta"]=> array(6) { ["syndication_source"]=> string(21) "Wendy Brandes Jewelry" ["syndication_source_uri"]=> string(28) "http://wendybrandes.com/blog" ["syndication_feed"]=> string(136) "http://powerfulseoservices.com/rere/makefulltextfeed.php?url=http://feeds.feedburner.com/wendybrandes/xcOx&format=rss&submit=Create+Feed" ["syndication_feed_id"]=> string(2) "11" ["syndication_permalink"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" ["syndication_item_hash"]=> string(32) "e1e1d89a394aec093aa0950e6ffa0b7d" } ["tags_input"]=> array(0) { } ["post_author"]=> int(1) ["post_category"]=> array(1) { [0]=> int(4) } ["post_pingback"]=> bool(false) } ["$this"]=> object(SyndicatedPost)#475 (12) { ["item"]=> array(16) { ["pubdate"]=> string(31) "Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:29:24 -0600" ["description"]=> string(2114) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="34">    <p>According to the calendar, there are two weeks of summer left, but we all know that Labor Day weekend is when the season really ends. I figured I’d go to the beach and hide my depression about the coming cold months and shorter days with the help of a smiling <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/07/feathers-water-looking-glass-and-an-imaginary-pig/" target="_blank">Castelbajac</a> skirt I got in July. Unfortunately, the zipper broke before I left the room and I had to cut the skirt off me! Another repair job for <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2009/04/ive-seen-ghost-tailor/" target="_blank">Jean at Ghost Tailor</a>. I took the skirt to the beach anyway to photograph it.</p> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="2"><img class=" " src="http://i51.tinypic.com/25k09dk.jpg" border="0" alt="" width="461" height="346" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Due to zipper failure, this skirt didn't turn my frown upside down.</p></div> <p>I wasn’t a fan of the 100°-plus temperatures we had in New York this summer, but I’m definitely not a cold-weather person. As far as autumn/winter fashion goes, all those gray “draped” and “boyfriend” sweaters look baggy and blah to me. Really, I feel like July 4 was yesterday. Do the years go faster and faster or is it just me? At least there’s one benefit to my ever-increasing “time flies” feeling: it will be October in two minutes, December in 10 minutes and summer again before the day is done!</p> <div id="attachment_7071" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="0"><a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sea.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-7071 " title="sea" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sea.jpg" alt="" width="455" height="286" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Sigh.</p></div> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["guid@ispermalink"]=> string(4) "true" ["guid@"]=> string(11) "ispermalink" ["guid"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" ["link"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" ["title"]=> string(59) "What Wendy Didn’t Wear: A Smile, a Skirt, a Smiling Skirt" ["title#"]=> int(1) ["link#"]=> int(1) ["guid#"]=> int(1) ["description#"]=> int(1) ["pubdate#"]=> int(1) ["dc"]=> array(2) { ["creator"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["creator#"]=> int(1) } ["summary#"]=> int(1) ["summary"]=> string(2114) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="34">    <p>According to the calendar, there are two weeks of summer left, but we all know that Labor Day weekend is when the season really ends. I figured I’d go to the beach and hide my depression about the coming cold months and shorter days with the help of a smiling <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/07/feathers-water-looking-glass-and-an-imaginary-pig/" target="_blank">Castelbajac</a> skirt I got in July. Unfortunately, the zipper broke before I left the room and I had to cut the skirt off me! Another repair job for <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2009/04/ive-seen-ghost-tailor/" target="_blank">Jean at Ghost Tailor</a>. I took the skirt to the beach anyway to photograph it.</p> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="2"><img class=" " src="http://i51.tinypic.com/25k09dk.jpg" border="0" alt="" width="461" height="346" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Due to zipper failure, this skirt didn't turn my frown upside down.</p></div> <p>I wasn’t a fan of the 100°-plus temperatures we had in New York this summer, but I’m definitely not a cold-weather person. As far as autumn/winter fashion goes, all those gray “draped” and “boyfriend” sweaters look baggy and blah to me. Really, I feel like July 4 was yesterday. Do the years go faster and faster or is it just me? At least there’s one benefit to my ever-increasing “time flies” feeling: it will be October in two minutes, December in 10 minutes and summer again before the day is done!</p> <div id="attachment_7071" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="0"><a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sea.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-7071 " title="sea" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sea.jpg" alt="" width="455" height="286" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Sigh.</p></div> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["date_timestamp"]=> int(1283725764) } ["entry"]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#159 (2) { ["feed"]=> object(SimplePie)#466 (45) { ["data"]=> array(7) { ["child"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["rss"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(2) " " ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["version"]=> string(3) "2.0" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["channel"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(10) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(21) "Wendy Brandes Jewelry" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(28) "http://wendybrandes.com/blog" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(57) "[full-text feed from fivefilters.org]: Wear What You Want" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(3) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(3) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(21) "Wendy Brandes Jewelry" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(28) "http://wendybrandes.com/blog" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["url"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(57) "http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.gif" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } } } ["item"]=> array(5) { [0]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(59) "What Wendy Didn’t Wear: A Smile, a Skirt, a Smiling Skirt" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(2114) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="34">    <p>According to the calendar, there are two weeks of summer left, but we all know that Labor Day weekend is when the season really ends. I figured I’d go to the beach and hide my depression about the coming cold months and shorter days with the help of a smiling <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/07/feathers-water-looking-glass-and-an-imaginary-pig/" target="_blank">Castelbajac</a> skirt I got in July. Unfortunately, the zipper broke before I left the room and I had to cut the skirt off me! Another repair job for <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2009/04/ive-seen-ghost-tailor/" target="_blank">Jean at Ghost Tailor</a>. I took the skirt to the beach anyway to photograph it.</p> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="2"><img class=" " src="http://i51.tinypic.com/25k09dk.jpg" border="0" alt="" width="461" height="346" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Due to zipper failure, this skirt didn't turn my frown upside down.</p></div> <p>I wasn’t a fan of the 100°-plus temperatures we had in New York this summer, but I’m definitely not a cold-weather person. As far as autumn/winter fashion goes, all those gray “draped” and “boyfriend” sweaters look baggy and blah to me. Really, I feel like July 4 was yesterday. Do the years go faster and faster or is it just me? At least there’s one benefit to my ever-increasing “time flies” feeling: it will be October in two minutes, December in 10 minutes and summer again before the day is done!</p> <div id="attachment_7071" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="0"><a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sea.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-7071 " title="sea" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sea.jpg" alt="" width="455" height="286" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Sigh.</p></div> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:29:24 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } } [1]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Who Says You Can’t Buy Style?" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/pO5YvDe1PYo/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/pO5YvDe1PYo/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(942) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="27">    <p>Designer Jeremy Scott says you can!</p> <div id="attachment_7049" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="2"><a href="http://www.forwardforward.com/fwd/DisplayProduct.jsp?d=F&s=C&c=Sep+01&n=n&product=JSCT-WD16"><img class="size-full wp-image-7049" title="jeremyscott" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/jeremyscott.jpg" alt="" width="306" height="464" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Jeremy Scott's Style Batwing Dress, $418 at Forward by Revolve.</p></div> <p>The dress says “Fashion” on the back. You can follow Jeremy Scott on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/ITSJEREMYSCOTT" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Thu, 02 Sep 2010 22:28:03 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } } [2]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(39) "What Wendy Will Wear: Dress by Zang Toi" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/6VsJ7EMNWq4/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/6VsJ7EMNWq4/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(3005) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="57">    <p>What timing! Right after <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/08/one-size-does-not-fit-all-deal-with-it/" target="_blank">my post about how sample sizes, by definition, don’t fit the vast majority of people</a> right off the rack, <a href="http://www.thequestforit.com/the_quest_for_it/2010/08/zang-toi-wendy-brandes-sample-sale.html" target="_blank">Tia from The Quest for “it” posted about the sample sale</a> I had with my designing friend Zang Toi last month. Conveniently, she took a picture of Zang personally altering a red-cashmere dress sample on me. I’m so bad! I should be selling at these events, not buying, but Zang is impossible to resist.</p> <div id="attachment_7037" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://www.thequestforit.com/the_quest_for_it/2010/08/zang-toi-wendy-brandes-sample-sale.html"><img class="size-full wp-image-7037 " title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/zangandwendy.jpg" alt="" width="314" height="419" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">That's black lace on the side. Courtesy The Quest for "it"</p></div> <p>That’s SiSi, Zang’s assistant, in the left corner of the photo. She was taking notes about the alterations.</p> <p>This is typical of my experience with Zang’s samples. I can often get myself into them, but I can’t flounce out the door that second. In fact, Zang has offered to loan me samples for events but I can’t take him up on it because the samples don’t fit me as is. We do lots of alterations when I am buying: taking in, letting out, hemming lengths, shortening sleeves, removing sleeves, reshaping necklines and so on. The initial fit of the sample depends on the shape of the model who wore it on the runway. Do all of you know about model fittings? Gorgeous blogger Tricia of <a href="http://www.fashionherald.org/" target="_blank">Fashion Herald</a>, who has walked in fashion shows, brought that up yesterday in the comments, noting, “Not even models will fit all runway and showroom samples, which is why there are fittings before shows.”</p> <p>The tightest Zang sample I ever put on — I couldn’t zip it, walk in it or breathe in it — had been altered for an actress. She was much thinner than any of the models, so if she’s trying to be “model-thin,” she’s doing it wrong. As for my new dress, Zang took it in at the bust, let it out at the waist, and tapered it all the way down. Even if some of you are my height, weight and dress size, the dress might not fit you because it’s tailored specifically for me. So don’t ask to borrow it! I hope to wear it to Zang’s show during Fashion Week if the weather is cool enough for cashmere.</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:01:12 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } } [3]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(47) "One Sample Size Does Not Fit All. Deal With It." ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/NHYEiD4ONxg/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/NHYEiD4ONxg/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(13082) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="117">    <p>Did you know the world revolved around voluptuous <a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/" target="_blank">Mad Men</a> star <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0376716/" target="_blank">Christina Hendricks</a>? Neither did I! Fortunately, I read New York Magazine’s <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2010/08/christina_hendricks_struggles.html" target="_blank">The Cut blog</a>, which alerted me to the fact via a story about Hendricks that ran in the <a href="http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-interviews/2010/08/27/christina-hendricks-designers-won-t-give-me-dresses-for-award-shows-because-i-m-a-size-14-86908-22517639/" target="_blank">The Daily Record</a> of Scotland. The Record quoted her as saying:</p> <blockquote readability="2"><p><em>“People have been saying some nice, wonderful things about me. Yet not one designer in town will loan me a dress. They only lend out a size 0 or 2. So I’m still struggling for someone to give me a darn dress.”</em></p></blockquote> <p><em> </em></p> <div id="attachment_7021" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><em><em><a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/"><img class="size-full wp-image-7021" title="joan" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/joan.jpg" alt="" width="177" height="328" /></a></em></em><p class="wp-caption-text">Christina Hendricks in character. Courtesy AMC.</p></div> <p>Wait a minute. I’ve been out of school a long time but I seem to recall that the earth revolves around the sun and not an actress. So I better explain why a pretty, talented lady like Hendricks (who wore <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/4082759/Christina-Hendricks-perfect-Emmy-dress" target="_blank">Zac Posen</a> to the Emmys on Sunday) can’t always get the loaner dress of her dreams. It’s not size-ism, despite what the Hendricks quote implies. It’s logistics.</p> <p>The designers only have small sizes available because sample sizes are made to fit runway models. And here I will acknowledge that, yes, models are taller, thinner and more beautiful than the typical person. It’s part of the job requirement. Learn to deal with it. The world doesn’t revolve around you and your insecurities whether you’re an actress or an accountant. Not only will there always be people that are taller, thinner and more beautiful than you, there will be people who are younger, more experienced, smarter, more charming, better connected and/or — unless you are billionaire <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbes_list_of_billionaires" target="_blank">Carlos Slim</a> — wealthier. That’s reality.</p> <p>Anyway, the runway samples are made to fit models who show off the clothes to store buyers and fashion editors, enabling the designers to get orders and press. Look up “sample” in any dictionary. It’s defined as “a portion, piece, or segment that is representative of a whole. An entity that is representative of a class; a specimen.” The samples represent the styles that may then be ordered in a variety of sizes.</p> <p>People who happen to be model-sized or close can borrow the samples that represent the style. Lucky for them. Not so lucky for the rest of us including Hendricks, whose measurements, according to The Record, are 39D-30-39. But is the fact that she’s out of luck so awful? (I’m out of luck as well. Samples are too tall for a 5’4″ woman.) For the hell of it, let’s suppose that all designers decided to make all runway samples 39D-30-39 and only hired models of that size. That would <em>still </em>exclude the majority of people. Some of us would be smaller, some of us would be larger. We have to accept the fact that we are not all the same size and never will be. (For more on the challenges of sizing, read this <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/magazine/01plussize-t.html" target="_blank">New York Times Magazine story</a> and the many excellent posts that <a href="http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/welcome-visitors-from-the-new-york-times/" target="_blank">Kathleen Fasanella of Fashion-Incubator</a> has done on the topic.)</p> <p>Then, you might be wondering, why don’t designers make a range of sample sizes? Refer back to the definition of “sample.” It defeats the purpose of making a specimen or representation if you’re making the entire line. Why should designers invest enormous amounts of time and money to make 12 versions (that number assumes they’d do U.S. sizes 0 – 22, and doesn’t take into account differences in height) of each style, including styles that might never be ordered by stores. And this would all be just in case Christina Hendricks wants to borrow one for free?</p> <div id="attachment_7022" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://nymag.com/"><img class="size-full wp-image-7022" title="CHRISTINA-HENDRICKS" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/CHRISTINA-HENDRICKS.jpg" alt="" width="445" height="602" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Hendricks on the cover of New York Magazine this year.</p></div> <p>Let’s look at how this would work with jewelry. A good sample size for a ring is a 6. It’s an average size that’s likely to fit at least one finger on many women, so a customer can get an idea of what the ring would look like once it is made in her size. Most (but not all) of my female customers fall between a 5 and an 8 when it comes to ring sizes. I do rings in quarter sizes, so to cover sizes 5 through 8 — while discriminating against my poor 4 3/4 and 8 1/4 ladies — I would have to do 13 sizes of each style in order to have a ring ready to go for nearly anyone who walks in the door. That could easily cost me $100,000 per style. Ridiculous! That’s why I just do a single ring for people to view and order in their own size.</p> <p>I would love to get a ring on Christina Hendricks. If she tries on my <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/pro-detail.php?colid=28&collect=true&id=226" target="_blank">gold-and-diamond Borgia poison ring</a> in sample size 6 and it fits her, I’d be glad to loan it to her for an evening. I haven’t seen a single episode of Mad Men, but I liked her two-episode arc on <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303461/" target="_blank">Firefly</a>, so why not?</p> <div id="attachment_7023" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://wendybrandes.com/pro-detail.php?colid=28&collect=true&id=226"><img class="size-full wp-image-7023" title="bigBorgia Gold Ring_Zoom" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/bigBorgia-Gold-Ring_Zoom.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Borgia poison ring shown open and closed. Click to shop. </p></div> <p>If the sample doesn’t fit her, I’d be delighted to custom-make a ring in her size. Of course, she’d have to pay for that. If I started making free rings for everyone who wanted them, I’d go broke in less time than it is taking me to write this post. Duh! Everyone wants free stuff! Meanwhile, contrary to popular belief, having a dress/purse/ring seen on a celebrity doesn’t always translate to big sales. Press is good for overall brand recognition, but there are times it doesn’t move a single unit. If you’re not going to be compensated for your work by the customer AND the customer isn’t guaranteed to generate sales, does it seem like a smart idea to start making special things and giving them away to every person who thinks the world revolves around him or her? If common sense isn’t providing the answer to you right now, you might want to reread my posts <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/01/get-smart-about-manufacturing/" target="_blank">Get Smart (About Manufacturing)</a> and <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/03/get-smart-about-custom-work/" target="_blank">Get Smart (About Custom Work)</a> about the costs of production.</p> <p>Remember, I’m just talking about sample sizes and loaners here. If Christina’s complaint was, “I walk into stores and they don’t have my size,” I wouldn’t be writing anything like this because that is a legitimate complaint and entirely different from the sample size issue. I’m not saying that women of a certain size shouldn’t have access to great clothes. They should. Support the designers who do offer a wide range of sizes! My designing friend <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/category/zang-toi/" target="_blank">Zang Toi</a> has customers of all sizes and ages. They choose from his tiny runway samples and he makes their pieces to order. Stacy Lomman of <a href="http://taffetadarlings.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">taffetadarlings</a> took the unusual step of pre-selling her samples in order to raise money for her first show via Kickstarter (you can still contribute <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/401920628/luanch-a-label-at-ny-fashion-week-hot-new-designer" target="_blank">here</a>). She’s currently fitting the dresses to the models. After, she’ll resize the dresses to fit the people who bought them. A few dresses will have to be made from scratch, costing her extra money. But, if her models were 39D-30-39, the same thing would be happening. Repeat after me until you learn it by heart: one size does not fit all, bitches!</p> <p>What could Christina Hendricks do to get around her free dress problem? I’d recommend that she stops worrying about freebies and instead becomes a valued paying customer. Any designer is more inclined to whip up special pieces for reasonable prices for customers with good track records. It’s great to have a working relationship with a designer, as my customers can attest, and I’d say the same of buying clothes from Zang and Stacy. It’s not as if the free-dress phenomenon (which I’m not against because, as I said, it is good for branding) is an ancient tradition that must be respected. My Facebook friend <a href="http://jeffybruce.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Jeffrey</a>, a fashion-industry veteran, notes, “I sold many dresses to many of the Dynasty and Dallas girls way back when —and yeah we gave them a deal but it was by no means free.” Gorgeous blogger Madeleine of <a href="http://innewyorkparistomorrow.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">In New York Paris Tomorrow</a>, <a href="http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20109203,00.html" target="_blank">another retailing vet</a>, says, “Sad days for indie shops: we used to SELL these things, and the shoes and the bag and the jewels. Still trying to understand the Swag Parties for the Emmys etc … and … we didn’t give deals (although friends could borrow our own pieces).”</p> <p>Finally, for those who can afford it, buying is every bit as glamorous than borrowing, if not more so. As Jeffrey points out, “Elizabeth Taylor wore her own jewelry, her own clothes, had no stylist and was still every inch a star.”</p> <div id="attachment_7024" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/widgets/mediaViewer/image?id=4250822"><img class="size-full wp-image-7024" title="liztaylor" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/liztaylor.jpg" alt="" width="413" height="411" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton at the Oscars in 1970. Burton bought her the 69-carat diamond she's wearing.</p></div> <p>Christina is probably closer than any other actress today to having Liz-style va-va-voom, and I enjoy seeing her on the red carpet. I hope she continues to find plenty of gorgeous dresses to wear, even if they’re not always free.</p> <p>Remember, y’all, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sisterhood_of_the_Traveling_Pants_%28film%29" target="_blank">The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants</a>, in which one pair of jeans magically fits four girls although they have completely different measurements, is fiction! In real life, one size does not fit all. It doesn’t matter if a sample is a 0 or a 14 — it still won’t work for everyone. That’s the simple truth, not a personal attack. We’re living in a world without magic: no unicorns, good witches or supernatural denim. But, hey, at least we have <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/07/its-official-my-new-hero-is-antoine-dodson/" target="_blank">Antoine Dodson</a> and <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/05/a-devastating-day-for-eyebrow-lovers/" target="_blank">Sam Waterston’s eyebrows</a>. What!? Those things seem magical to me!</p> <p>UPDATED TO ADD: I like the cartoon <a href="http://www.libertylondongirl.com/2010/08/31/stuff-no-one-told-me/" target="_blank">here</a>. It reminds me of some of the issues I raised above.</p> <p> </p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:37:27 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } } [4]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(15) "Change of Taste" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/OQ2tjfO4QU4/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/OQ2tjfO4QU4/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(1654) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="33">    <p>Baskin-Robbins brought back my favorite ’70s ice-cream flavor, <a href="http://news.baskinrobbins.com/baskin+robbins/baskin+robbins+news/baskin+robbins+flavor+pink+bubble+gum.htm" target="_blank">Pink Bubblegum</a>, for the month of August. My goal this weekend was to get a scoop before it was too late.</p> <p> </p><div id="attachment_7006" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><img class="size-full wp-image-7006 " title="ice cream" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ice-cream.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="360" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Goal achieved!</p></div> <p>That is one craving I will never have again. Did this stuff always taste so bad? Damn! I still ate the whole scoop even though I cringed at every bite. (My attitude towards food is like <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075686/quotes" target="_blank">the old joke</a>: “Boy, the food at this place is really terrible … and such small portions.”) I felt so queasy after the ice cream that I couldn’t work up the enthusiasm to take an outfit picture, so you’ll have to settle for a <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2009/08/outfit-post-vintage-ungaro-dress-from-frock/" target="_blank">picture of the exact same outfit in 2009:</a> the vintage Ungaro dress, the gold Louis Vuitton shoes and my Gloriana necklace.</p> <p>Blame Baskin-Robbins!</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:38:39 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } ["type"]=> int(128) ["headers"]=> array(6) { ["date"]=> string(29) "Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:16:22 GMT" ["server"]=> string(112) "Apache/2.2.16 (CentOS) mod_ssl/2.2.16 0.9.8l DAV/2 mod_fcgid/2.3.5 mod_auth_passthrough/2.1 FrontPage/5.0.2.2635" ["x-powered-by"]=> string(10) "PHP/5.2.13" ["vary"]=> string(15) "Accept-Encoding" ["connection"]=> string(5) "close" ["content-type"]=> string(23) "text/xml; charset=UTF-8" } ["build"]=> string(14) "20090627192103" ["items"]=> array(5) { [0]=> *RECURSION* [1]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#115 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Who Says You Can’t Buy Style?" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/pO5YvDe1PYo/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/pO5YvDe1PYo/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(942) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="27">    <p>Designer Jeremy Scott says you can!</p> <div id="attachment_7049" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="2"><a href="http://www.forwardforward.com/fwd/DisplayProduct.jsp?d=F&s=C&c=Sep+01&n=n&product=JSCT-WD16"><img class="size-full wp-image-7049" title="jeremyscott" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/jeremyscott.jpg" alt="" width="306" height="464" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Jeremy Scott's Style Batwing Dress, $418 at Forward by Revolve.</p></div> <p>The dress says “Fashion” on the back. You can follow Jeremy Scott on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/ITSJEREMYSCOTT" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Thu, 02 Sep 2010 22:28:03 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Thu, 02 Sep 2010 22:28:03 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283488083) } } } [2]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#158 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(39) "What Wendy Will Wear: Dress by Zang Toi" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/6VsJ7EMNWq4/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/6VsJ7EMNWq4/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(3005) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="57">    <p>What timing! Right after <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/08/one-size-does-not-fit-all-deal-with-it/" target="_blank">my post about how sample sizes, by definition, don’t fit the vast majority of people</a> right off the rack, <a href="http://www.thequestforit.com/the_quest_for_it/2010/08/zang-toi-wendy-brandes-sample-sale.html" target="_blank">Tia from The Quest for “it” posted about the sample sale</a> I had with my designing friend Zang Toi last month. Conveniently, she took a picture of Zang personally altering a red-cashmere dress sample on me. I’m so bad! I should be selling at these events, not buying, but Zang is impossible to resist.</p> <div id="attachment_7037" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://www.thequestforit.com/the_quest_for_it/2010/08/zang-toi-wendy-brandes-sample-sale.html"><img class="size-full wp-image-7037 " title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/zangandwendy.jpg" alt="" width="314" height="419" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">That's black lace on the side. Courtesy The Quest for "it"</p></div> <p>That’s SiSi, Zang’s assistant, in the left corner of the photo. She was taking notes about the alterations.</p> <p>This is typical of my experience with Zang’s samples. I can often get myself into them, but I can’t flounce out the door that second. In fact, Zang has offered to loan me samples for events but I can’t take him up on it because the samples don’t fit me as is. We do lots of alterations when I am buying: taking in, letting out, hemming lengths, shortening sleeves, removing sleeves, reshaping necklines and so on. The initial fit of the sample depends on the shape of the model who wore it on the runway. Do all of you know about model fittings? Gorgeous blogger Tricia of <a href="http://www.fashionherald.org/" target="_blank">Fashion Herald</a>, who has walked in fashion shows, brought that up yesterday in the comments, noting, “Not even models will fit all runway and showroom samples, which is why there are fittings before shows.”</p> <p>The tightest Zang sample I ever put on — I couldn’t zip it, walk in it or breathe in it — had been altered for an actress. She was much thinner than any of the models, so if she’s trying to be “model-thin,” she’s doing it wrong. As for my new dress, Zang took it in at the bust, let it out at the waist, and tapered it all the way down. Even if some of you are my height, weight and dress size, the dress might not fit you because it’s tailored specifically for me. So don’t ask to borrow it! I hope to wear it to Zang’s show during Fashion Week if the weather is cool enough for cashmere.</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:01:12 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:01:12 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283400072) } } } [3]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#477 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(47) "One Sample Size Does Not Fit All. Deal With It." ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/NHYEiD4ONxg/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/NHYEiD4ONxg/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(13082) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="117">    <p>Did you know the world revolved around voluptuous <a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/" target="_blank">Mad Men</a> star <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0376716/" target="_blank">Christina Hendricks</a>? Neither did I! Fortunately, I read New York Magazine’s <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2010/08/christina_hendricks_struggles.html" target="_blank">The Cut blog</a>, which alerted me to the fact via a story about Hendricks that ran in the <a href="http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-interviews/2010/08/27/christina-hendricks-designers-won-t-give-me-dresses-for-award-shows-because-i-m-a-size-14-86908-22517639/" target="_blank">The Daily Record</a> of Scotland. The Record quoted her as saying:</p> <blockquote readability="2"><p><em>“People have been saying some nice, wonderful things about me. Yet not one designer in town will loan me a dress. They only lend out a size 0 or 2. So I’m still struggling for someone to give me a darn dress.”</em></p></blockquote> <p><em> </em></p> <div id="attachment_7021" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><em><em><a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/"><img class="size-full wp-image-7021" title="joan" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/joan.jpg" alt="" width="177" height="328" /></a></em></em><p class="wp-caption-text">Christina Hendricks in character. Courtesy AMC.</p></div> <p>Wait a minute. I’ve been out of school a long time but I seem to recall that the earth revolves around the sun and not an actress. So I better explain why a pretty, talented lady like Hendricks (who wore <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/4082759/Christina-Hendricks-perfect-Emmy-dress" target="_blank">Zac Posen</a> to the Emmys on Sunday) can’t always get the loaner dress of her dreams. It’s not size-ism, despite what the Hendricks quote implies. It’s logistics.</p> <p>The designers only have small sizes available because sample sizes are made to fit runway models. And here I will acknowledge that, yes, models are taller, thinner and more beautiful than the typical person. It’s part of the job requirement. Learn to deal with it. The world doesn’t revolve around you and your insecurities whether you’re an actress or an accountant. Not only will there always be people that are taller, thinner and more beautiful than you, there will be people who are younger, more experienced, smarter, more charming, better connected and/or — unless you are billionaire <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbes_list_of_billionaires" target="_blank">Carlos Slim</a> — wealthier. That’s reality.</p> <p>Anyway, the runway samples are made to fit models who show off the clothes to store buyers and fashion editors, enabling the designers to get orders and press. Look up “sample” in any dictionary. It’s defined as “a portion, piece, or segment that is representative of a whole. An entity that is representative of a class; a specimen.” The samples represent the styles that may then be ordered in a variety of sizes.</p> <p>People who happen to be model-sized or close can borrow the samples that represent the style. Lucky for them. Not so lucky for the rest of us including Hendricks, whose measurements, according to The Record, are 39D-30-39. But is the fact that she’s out of luck so awful? (I’m out of luck as well. Samples are too tall for a 5’4″ woman.) For the hell of it, let’s suppose that all designers decided to make all runway samples 39D-30-39 and only hired models of that size. That would <em>still </em>exclude the majority of people. Some of us would be smaller, some of us would be larger. We have to accept the fact that we are not all the same size and never will be. (For more on the challenges of sizing, read this <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/magazine/01plussize-t.html" target="_blank">New York Times Magazine story</a> and the many excellent posts that <a href="http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/welcome-visitors-from-the-new-york-times/" target="_blank">Kathleen Fasanella of Fashion-Incubator</a> has done on the topic.)</p> <p>Then, you might be wondering, why don’t designers make a range of sample sizes? Refer back to the definition of “sample.” It defeats the purpose of making a specimen or representation if you’re making the entire line. Why should designers invest enormous amounts of time and money to make 12 versions (that number assumes they’d do U.S. sizes 0 – 22, and doesn’t take into account differences in height) of each style, including styles that might never be ordered by stores. And this would all be just in case Christina Hendricks wants to borrow one for free?</p> <div id="attachment_7022" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://nymag.com/"><img class="size-full wp-image-7022" title="CHRISTINA-HENDRICKS" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/CHRISTINA-HENDRICKS.jpg" alt="" width="445" height="602" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Hendricks on the cover of New York Magazine this year.</p></div> <p>Let’s look at how this would work with jewelry. A good sample size for a ring is a 6. It’s an average size that’s likely to fit at least one finger on many women, so a customer can get an idea of what the ring would look like once it is made in her size. Most (but not all) of my female customers fall between a 5 and an 8 when it comes to ring sizes. I do rings in quarter sizes, so to cover sizes 5 through 8 — while discriminating against my poor 4 3/4 and 8 1/4 ladies — I would have to do 13 sizes of each style in order to have a ring ready to go for nearly anyone who walks in the door. That could easily cost me $100,000 per style. Ridiculous! That’s why I just do a single ring for people to view and order in their own size.</p> <p>I would love to get a ring on Christina Hendricks. If she tries on my <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/pro-detail.php?colid=28&collect=true&id=226" target="_blank">gold-and-diamond Borgia poison ring</a> in sample size 6 and it fits her, I’d be glad to loan it to her for an evening. I haven’t seen a single episode of Mad Men, but I liked her two-episode arc on <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303461/" target="_blank">Firefly</a>, so why not?</p> <div id="attachment_7023" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://wendybrandes.com/pro-detail.php?colid=28&collect=true&id=226"><img class="size-full wp-image-7023" title="bigBorgia Gold Ring_Zoom" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/bigBorgia-Gold-Ring_Zoom.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Borgia poison ring shown open and closed. Click to shop. </p></div> <p>If the sample doesn’t fit her, I’d be delighted to custom-make a ring in her size. Of course, she’d have to pay for that. If I started making free rings for everyone who wanted them, I’d go broke in less time than it is taking me to write this post. Duh! Everyone wants free stuff! Meanwhile, contrary to popular belief, having a dress/purse/ring seen on a celebrity doesn’t always translate to big sales. Press is good for overall brand recognition, but there are times it doesn’t move a single unit. If you’re not going to be compensated for your work by the customer AND the customer isn’t guaranteed to generate sales, does it seem like a smart idea to start making special things and giving them away to every person who thinks the world revolves around him or her? If common sense isn’t providing the answer to you right now, you might want to reread my posts <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/01/get-smart-about-manufacturing/" target="_blank">Get Smart (About Manufacturing)</a> and <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/03/get-smart-about-custom-work/" target="_blank">Get Smart (About Custom Work)</a> about the costs of production.</p> <p>Remember, I’m just talking about sample sizes and loaners here. If Christina’s complaint was, “I walk into stores and they don’t have my size,” I wouldn’t be writing anything like this because that is a legitimate complaint and entirely different from the sample size issue. I’m not saying that women of a certain size shouldn’t have access to great clothes. They should. Support the designers who do offer a wide range of sizes! My designing friend <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/category/zang-toi/" target="_blank">Zang Toi</a> has customers of all sizes and ages. They choose from his tiny runway samples and he makes their pieces to order. Stacy Lomman of <a href="http://taffetadarlings.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">taffetadarlings</a> took the unusual step of pre-selling her samples in order to raise money for her first show via Kickstarter (you can still contribute <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/401920628/luanch-a-label-at-ny-fashion-week-hot-new-designer" target="_blank">here</a>). She’s currently fitting the dresses to the models. After, she’ll resize the dresses to fit the people who bought them. A few dresses will have to be made from scratch, costing her extra money. But, if her models were 39D-30-39, the same thing would be happening. Repeat after me until you learn it by heart: one size does not fit all, bitches!</p> <p>What could Christina Hendricks do to get around her free dress problem? I’d recommend that she stops worrying about freebies and instead becomes a valued paying customer. Any designer is more inclined to whip up special pieces for reasonable prices for customers with good track records. It’s great to have a working relationship with a designer, as my customers can attest, and I’d say the same of buying clothes from Zang and Stacy. It’s not as if the free-dress phenomenon (which I’m not against because, as I said, it is good for branding) is an ancient tradition that must be respected. My Facebook friend <a href="http://jeffybruce.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Jeffrey</a>, a fashion-industry veteran, notes, “I sold many dresses to many of the Dynasty and Dallas girls way back when —and yeah we gave them a deal but it was by no means free.” Gorgeous blogger Madeleine of <a href="http://innewyorkparistomorrow.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">In New York Paris Tomorrow</a>, <a href="http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20109203,00.html" target="_blank">another retailing vet</a>, says, “Sad days for indie shops: we used to SELL these things, and the shoes and the bag and the jewels. Still trying to understand the Swag Parties for the Emmys etc … and … we didn’t give deals (although friends could borrow our own pieces).”</p> <p>Finally, for those who can afford it, buying is every bit as glamorous than borrowing, if not more so. As Jeffrey points out, “Elizabeth Taylor wore her own jewelry, her own clothes, had no stylist and was still every inch a star.”</p> <div id="attachment_7024" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/widgets/mediaViewer/image?id=4250822"><img class="size-full wp-image-7024" title="liztaylor" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/liztaylor.jpg" alt="" width="413" height="411" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton at the Oscars in 1970. Burton bought her the 69-carat diamond she's wearing.</p></div> <p>Christina is probably closer than any other actress today to having Liz-style va-va-voom, and I enjoy seeing her on the red carpet. I hope she continues to find plenty of gorgeous dresses to wear, even if they’re not always free.</p> <p>Remember, y’all, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sisterhood_of_the_Traveling_Pants_%28film%29" target="_blank">The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants</a>, in which one pair of jeans magically fits four girls although they have completely different measurements, is fiction! In real life, one size does not fit all. It doesn’t matter if a sample is a 0 or a 14 — it still won’t work for everyone. That’s the simple truth, not a personal attack. We’re living in a world without magic: no unicorns, good witches or supernatural denim. But, hey, at least we have <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/07/its-official-my-new-hero-is-antoine-dodson/" target="_blank">Antoine Dodson</a> and <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/05/a-devastating-day-for-eyebrow-lovers/" target="_blank">Sam Waterston’s eyebrows</a>. What!? Those things seem magical to me!</p> <p>UPDATED TO ADD: I like the cartoon <a href="http://www.libertylondongirl.com/2010/08/31/stuff-no-one-told-me/" target="_blank">here</a>. It reminds me of some of the issues I raised above.</p> <p> </p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:37:27 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:37:27 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283305047) } } } [4]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#476 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(15) "Change of Taste" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/OQ2tjfO4QU4/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/OQ2tjfO4QU4/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(1654) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="33">    <p>Baskin-Robbins brought back my favorite ’70s ice-cream flavor, <a href="http://news.baskinrobbins.com/baskin+robbins/baskin+robbins+news/baskin+robbins+flavor+pink+bubble+gum.htm" target="_blank">Pink Bubblegum</a>, for the month of August. My goal this weekend was to get a scoop before it was too late.</p> <p> </p><div id="attachment_7006" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><img class="size-full wp-image-7006 " title="ice cream" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ice-cream.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="360" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Goal achieved!</p></div> <p>That is one craving I will never have again. Did this stuff always taste so bad? Damn! I still ate the whole scoop even though I cringed at every bite. (My attitude towards food is like <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075686/quotes" target="_blank">the old joke</a>: “Boy, the food at this place is really terrible … and such small portions.”) I felt so queasy after the ice cream that I couldn’t work up the enthusiasm to take an outfit picture, so you’ll have to settle for a <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2009/08/outfit-post-vintage-ungaro-dress-from-frock/" target="_blank">picture of the exact same outfit in 2009:</a> the vintage Ungaro dress, the gold Louis Vuitton shoes and my Gloriana necklace.</p> <p>Blame Baskin-Robbins!</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:38:39 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:38:39 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283139519) } } } } ["ordered_items"]=> array(5) { [0]=> *RECURSION* [1]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#115 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Who Says You Can’t Buy Style?" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/pO5YvDe1PYo/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/pO5YvDe1PYo/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(942) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="27">    <p>Designer Jeremy Scott says you can!</p> <div id="attachment_7049" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="2"><a href="http://www.forwardforward.com/fwd/DisplayProduct.jsp?d=F&s=C&c=Sep+01&n=n&product=JSCT-WD16"><img class="size-full wp-image-7049" title="jeremyscott" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/jeremyscott.jpg" alt="" width="306" height="464" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Jeremy Scott's Style Batwing Dress, $418 at Forward by Revolve.</p></div> <p>The dress says “Fashion” on the back. You can follow Jeremy Scott on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/ITSJEREMYSCOTT" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Thu, 02 Sep 2010 22:28:03 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Thu, 02 Sep 2010 22:28:03 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283488083) } } } [2]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#158 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(39) "What Wendy Will Wear: Dress by Zang Toi" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/6VsJ7EMNWq4/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/6VsJ7EMNWq4/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(3005) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="57">    <p>What timing! Right after <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/08/one-size-does-not-fit-all-deal-with-it/" target="_blank">my post about how sample sizes, by definition, don’t fit the vast majority of people</a> right off the rack, <a href="http://www.thequestforit.com/the_quest_for_it/2010/08/zang-toi-wendy-brandes-sample-sale.html" target="_blank">Tia from The Quest for “it” posted about the sample sale</a> I had with my designing friend Zang Toi last month. Conveniently, she took a picture of Zang personally altering a red-cashmere dress sample on me. I’m so bad! I should be selling at these events, not buying, but Zang is impossible to resist.</p> <div id="attachment_7037" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://www.thequestforit.com/the_quest_for_it/2010/08/zang-toi-wendy-brandes-sample-sale.html"><img class="size-full wp-image-7037 " title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/zangandwendy.jpg" alt="" width="314" height="419" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">That's black lace on the side. Courtesy The Quest for "it"</p></div> <p>That’s SiSi, Zang’s assistant, in the left corner of the photo. She was taking notes about the alterations.</p> <p>This is typical of my experience with Zang’s samples. I can often get myself into them, but I can’t flounce out the door that second. In fact, Zang has offered to loan me samples for events but I can’t take him up on it because the samples don’t fit me as is. We do lots of alterations when I am buying: taking in, letting out, hemming lengths, shortening sleeves, removing sleeves, reshaping necklines and so on. The initial fit of the sample depends on the shape of the model who wore it on the runway. Do all of you know about model fittings? Gorgeous blogger Tricia of <a href="http://www.fashionherald.org/" target="_blank">Fashion Herald</a>, who has walked in fashion shows, brought that up yesterday in the comments, noting, “Not even models will fit all runway and showroom samples, which is why there are fittings before shows.”</p> <p>The tightest Zang sample I ever put on — I couldn’t zip it, walk in it or breathe in it — had been altered for an actress. She was much thinner than any of the models, so if she’s trying to be “model-thin,” she’s doing it wrong. As for my new dress, Zang took it in at the bust, let it out at the waist, and tapered it all the way down. Even if some of you are my height, weight and dress size, the dress might not fit you because it’s tailored specifically for me. So don’t ask to borrow it! I hope to wear it to Zang’s show during Fashion Week if the weather is cool enough for cashmere.</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:01:12 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:01:12 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283400072) } } } [3]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#477 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(47) "One Sample Size Does Not Fit All. Deal With It." ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/NHYEiD4ONxg/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/NHYEiD4ONxg/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(13082) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="117">    <p>Did you know the world revolved around voluptuous <a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/" target="_blank">Mad Men</a> star <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0376716/" target="_blank">Christina Hendricks</a>? Neither did I! Fortunately, I read New York Magazine’s <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2010/08/christina_hendricks_struggles.html" target="_blank">The Cut blog</a>, which alerted me to the fact via a story about Hendricks that ran in the <a href="http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-interviews/2010/08/27/christina-hendricks-designers-won-t-give-me-dresses-for-award-shows-because-i-m-a-size-14-86908-22517639/" target="_blank">The Daily Record</a> of Scotland. The Record quoted her as saying:</p> <blockquote readability="2"><p><em>“People have been saying some nice, wonderful things about me. Yet not one designer in town will loan me a dress. They only lend out a size 0 or 2. So I’m still struggling for someone to give me a darn dress.”</em></p></blockquote> <p><em> </em></p> <div id="attachment_7021" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><em><em><a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/"><img class="size-full wp-image-7021" title="joan" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/joan.jpg" alt="" width="177" height="328" /></a></em></em><p class="wp-caption-text">Christina Hendricks in character. Courtesy AMC.</p></div> <p>Wait a minute. I’ve been out of school a long time but I seem to recall that the earth revolves around the sun and not an actress. So I better explain why a pretty, talented lady like Hendricks (who wore <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/4082759/Christina-Hendricks-perfect-Emmy-dress" target="_blank">Zac Posen</a> to the Emmys on Sunday) can’t always get the loaner dress of her dreams. It’s not size-ism, despite what the Hendricks quote implies. It’s logistics.</p> <p>The designers only have small sizes available because sample sizes are made to fit runway models. And here I will acknowledge that, yes, models are taller, thinner and more beautiful than the typical person. It’s part of the job requirement. Learn to deal with it. The world doesn’t revolve around you and your insecurities whether you’re an actress or an accountant. Not only will there always be people that are taller, thinner and more beautiful than you, there will be people who are younger, more experienced, smarter, more charming, better connected and/or — unless you are billionaire <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbes_list_of_billionaires" target="_blank">Carlos Slim</a> — wealthier. That’s reality.</p> <p>Anyway, the runway samples are made to fit models who show off the clothes to store buyers and fashion editors, enabling the designers to get orders and press. Look up “sample” in any dictionary. It’s defined as “a portion, piece, or segment that is representative of a whole. An entity that is representative of a class; a specimen.” The samples represent the styles that may then be ordered in a variety of sizes.</p> <p>People who happen to be model-sized or close can borrow the samples that represent the style. Lucky for them. Not so lucky for the rest of us including Hendricks, whose measurements, according to The Record, are 39D-30-39. But is the fact that she’s out of luck so awful? (I’m out of luck as well. Samples are too tall for a 5’4″ woman.) For the hell of it, let’s suppose that all designers decided to make all runway samples 39D-30-39 and only hired models of that size. That would <em>still </em>exclude the majority of people. Some of us would be smaller, some of us would be larger. We have to accept the fact that we are not all the same size and never will be. (For more on the challenges of sizing, read this <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/magazine/01plussize-t.html" target="_blank">New York Times Magazine story</a> and the many excellent posts that <a href="http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/welcome-visitors-from-the-new-york-times/" target="_blank">Kathleen Fasanella of Fashion-Incubator</a> has done on the topic.)</p> <p>Then, you might be wondering, why don’t designers make a range of sample sizes? Refer back to the definition of “sample.” It defeats the purpose of making a specimen or representation if you’re making the entire line. Why should designers invest enormous amounts of time and money to make 12 versions (that number assumes they’d do U.S. sizes 0 – 22, and doesn’t take into account differences in height) of each style, including styles that might never be ordered by stores. And this would all be just in case Christina Hendricks wants to borrow one for free?</p> <div id="attachment_7022" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://nymag.com/"><img class="size-full wp-image-7022" title="CHRISTINA-HENDRICKS" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/CHRISTINA-HENDRICKS.jpg" alt="" width="445" height="602" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Hendricks on the cover of New York Magazine this year.</p></div> <p>Let’s look at how this would work with jewelry. A good sample size for a ring is a 6. It’s an average size that’s likely to fit at least one finger on many women, so a customer can get an idea of what the ring would look like once it is made in her size. Most (but not all) of my female customers fall between a 5 and an 8 when it comes to ring sizes. I do rings in quarter sizes, so to cover sizes 5 through 8 — while discriminating against my poor 4 3/4 and 8 1/4 ladies — I would have to do 13 sizes of each style in order to have a ring ready to go for nearly anyone who walks in the door. That could easily cost me $100,000 per style. Ridiculous! That’s why I just do a single ring for people to view and order in their own size.</p> <p>I would love to get a ring on Christina Hendricks. If she tries on my <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/pro-detail.php?colid=28&collect=true&id=226" target="_blank">gold-and-diamond Borgia poison ring</a> in sample size 6 and it fits her, I’d be glad to loan it to her for an evening. I haven’t seen a single episode of Mad Men, but I liked her two-episode arc on <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303461/" target="_blank">Firefly</a>, so why not?</p> <div id="attachment_7023" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://wendybrandes.com/pro-detail.php?colid=28&collect=true&id=226"><img class="size-full wp-image-7023" title="bigBorgia Gold Ring_Zoom" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/bigBorgia-Gold-Ring_Zoom.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Borgia poison ring shown open and closed. Click to shop. </p></div> <p>If the sample doesn’t fit her, I’d be delighted to custom-make a ring in her size. Of course, she’d have to pay for that. If I started making free rings for everyone who wanted them, I’d go broke in less time than it is taking me to write this post. Duh! Everyone wants free stuff! Meanwhile, contrary to popular belief, having a dress/purse/ring seen on a celebrity doesn’t always translate to big sales. Press is good for overall brand recognition, but there are times it doesn’t move a single unit. If you’re not going to be compensated for your work by the customer AND the customer isn’t guaranteed to generate sales, does it seem like a smart idea to start making special things and giving them away to every person who thinks the world revolves around him or her? If common sense isn’t providing the answer to you right now, you might want to reread my posts <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/01/get-smart-about-manufacturing/" target="_blank">Get Smart (About Manufacturing)</a> and <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/03/get-smart-about-custom-work/" target="_blank">Get Smart (About Custom Work)</a> about the costs of production.</p> <p>Remember, I’m just talking about sample sizes and loaners here. If Christina’s complaint was, “I walk into stores and they don’t have my size,” I wouldn’t be writing anything like this because that is a legitimate complaint and entirely different from the sample size issue. I’m not saying that women of a certain size shouldn’t have access to great clothes. They should. Support the designers who do offer a wide range of sizes! My designing friend <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/category/zang-toi/" target="_blank">Zang Toi</a> has customers of all sizes and ages. They choose from his tiny runway samples and he makes their pieces to order. Stacy Lomman of <a href="http://taffetadarlings.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">taffetadarlings</a> took the unusual step of pre-selling her samples in order to raise money for her first show via Kickstarter (you can still contribute <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/401920628/luanch-a-label-at-ny-fashion-week-hot-new-designer" target="_blank">here</a>). She’s currently fitting the dresses to the models. After, she’ll resize the dresses to fit the people who bought them. A few dresses will have to be made from scratch, costing her extra money. But, if her models were 39D-30-39, the same thing would be happening. Repeat after me until you learn it by heart: one size does not fit all, bitches!</p> <p>What could Christina Hendricks do to get around her free dress problem? I’d recommend that she stops worrying about freebies and instead becomes a valued paying customer. Any designer is more inclined to whip up special pieces for reasonable prices for customers with good track records. It’s great to have a working relationship with a designer, as my customers can attest, and I’d say the same of buying clothes from Zang and Stacy. It’s not as if the free-dress phenomenon (which I’m not against because, as I said, it is good for branding) is an ancient tradition that must be respected. My Facebook friend <a href="http://jeffybruce.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Jeffrey</a>, a fashion-industry veteran, notes, “I sold many dresses to many of the Dynasty and Dallas girls way back when —and yeah we gave them a deal but it was by no means free.” Gorgeous blogger Madeleine of <a href="http://innewyorkparistomorrow.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">In New York Paris Tomorrow</a>, <a href="http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20109203,00.html" target="_blank">another retailing vet</a>, says, “Sad days for indie shops: we used to SELL these things, and the shoes and the bag and the jewels. Still trying to understand the Swag Parties for the Emmys etc … and … we didn’t give deals (although friends could borrow our own pieces).”</p> <p>Finally, for those who can afford it, buying is every bit as glamorous than borrowing, if not more so. As Jeffrey points out, “Elizabeth Taylor wore her own jewelry, her own clothes, had no stylist and was still every inch a star.”</p> <div id="attachment_7024" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/widgets/mediaViewer/image?id=4250822"><img class="size-full wp-image-7024" title="liztaylor" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/liztaylor.jpg" alt="" width="413" height="411" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton at the Oscars in 1970. Burton bought her the 69-carat diamond she's wearing.</p></div> <p>Christina is probably closer than any other actress today to having Liz-style va-va-voom, and I enjoy seeing her on the red carpet. I hope she continues to find plenty of gorgeous dresses to wear, even if they’re not always free.</p> <p>Remember, y’all, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sisterhood_of_the_Traveling_Pants_%28film%29" target="_blank">The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants</a>, in which one pair of jeans magically fits four girls although they have completely different measurements, is fiction! In real life, one size does not fit all. It doesn’t matter if a sample is a 0 or a 14 — it still won’t work for everyone. That’s the simple truth, not a personal attack. We’re living in a world without magic: no unicorns, good witches or supernatural denim. But, hey, at least we have <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/07/its-official-my-new-hero-is-antoine-dodson/" target="_blank">Antoine Dodson</a> and <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/05/a-devastating-day-for-eyebrow-lovers/" target="_blank">Sam Waterston’s eyebrows</a>. What!? Those things seem magical to me!</p> <p>UPDATED TO ADD: I like the cartoon <a href="http://www.libertylondongirl.com/2010/08/31/stuff-no-one-told-me/" target="_blank">here</a>. It reminds me of some of the issues I raised above.</p> <p> </p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:37:27 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:37:27 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283305047) } } } [4]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#476 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(15) "Change of Taste" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/OQ2tjfO4QU4/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/OQ2tjfO4QU4/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(1654) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="33">    <p>Baskin-Robbins brought back my favorite ’70s ice-cream flavor, <a href="http://news.baskinrobbins.com/baskin+robbins/baskin+robbins+news/baskin+robbins+flavor+pink+bubble+gum.htm" target="_blank">Pink Bubblegum</a>, for the month of August. My goal this weekend was to get a scoop before it was too late.</p> <p> </p><div id="attachment_7006" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><img class="size-full wp-image-7006 " title="ice cream" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ice-cream.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="360" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Goal achieved!</p></div> <p>That is one craving I will never have again. Did this stuff always taste so bad? Damn! I still ate the whole scoop even though I cringed at every bite. (My attitude towards food is like <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075686/quotes" target="_blank">the old joke</a>: “Boy, the food at this place is really terrible … and such small portions.”) I felt so queasy after the ice cream that I couldn’t work up the enthusiasm to take an outfit picture, so you’ll have to settle for a <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2009/08/outfit-post-vintage-ungaro-dress-from-frock/" target="_blank">picture of the exact same outfit in 2009:</a> the vintage Ungaro dress, the gold Louis Vuitton shoes and my Gloriana necklace.</p> <p>Blame Baskin-Robbins!</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:38:39 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:38:39 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283139519) } } } } ["links"]=> array(2) { ["alternate"]=> &array(1) { [0]=> string(28) "http://wendybrandes.com/blog" } ["http://www.iana.org/assignments/relation/alternate"]=> &array(1) { [0]=> string(28) "http://wendybrandes.com/blog" } } } ["error"]=> NULL ["sanitize"]=> object(SimplePie_Sanitize)#467 (17) { ["base"]=> string(28) "http://wendybrandes.com/blog" ["remove_div"]=> bool(true) ["image_handler"]=> string(0) "" ["strip_htmltags"]=> array(19) { [0]=> string(4) "base" [1]=> string(5) "blink" [2]=> string(4) "body" [3]=> string(7) "doctype" [4]=> string(5) "embed" [5]=> string(4) "font" [6]=> string(4) "form" [7]=> string(5) "frame" [8]=> string(8) "frameset" [9]=> string(4) "html" [10]=> string(6) "iframe" [11]=> string(5) "input" [12]=> string(7) "marquee" [13]=> string(4) "meta" [14]=> string(8) "noscript" [15]=> string(6) "object" [16]=> string(5) "param" [17]=> string(6) "script" [18]=> string(5) "style" } ["encode_instead_of_strip"]=> bool(false) ["strip_attributes"]=> array(14) { [0]=> string(7) "bgsound" [1]=> string(5) "class" [2]=> string(4) "expr" [3]=> string(2) "id" [4]=> string(5) "style" [5]=> string(7) "onclick" [6]=> string(7) "onerror" [7]=> string(8) "onfinish" [8]=> string(11) "onmouseover" [9]=> string(10) "onmouseout" [10]=> string(7) "onfocus" [11]=> string(6) "onblur" [12]=> string(6) "lowsrc" [13]=> string(6) "dynsrc" } ["strip_comments"]=> bool(false) ["output_encoding"]=> string(5) "UTF-8" ["enable_cache"]=> bool(true) ["cache_location"]=> string(7) "./cache" ["cache_name_function"]=> string(3) "md5" ["cache_class"]=> string(13) "WP_Feed_Cache" ["file_class"]=> string(18) "FeedWordPress_File" ["timeout"]=> string(2) "10" ["useragent"]=> string(88) "SimplePie/1.2 (Feed Parser; http://simplepie.org; Allow like Gecko) Build/20090627192103" ["force_fsockopen"]=> bool(false) ["replace_url_attributes"]=> array(9) { ["a"]=> string(4) "href" ["area"]=> string(4) "href" ["blockquote"]=> string(4) "cite" ["del"]=> string(4) "cite" ["form"]=> string(6) "action" ["img"]=> array(2) { [0]=> string(8) "longdesc" [1]=> string(3) "src" } ["input"]=> string(3) "src" ["ins"]=> string(4) "cite" ["q"]=> string(4) "cite" } } ["useragent"]=> string(88) "SimplePie/1.2 (Feed Parser; http://simplepie.org; Allow like Gecko) Build/20090627192103" ["feed_url"]=> string(136) "http://powerfulseoservices.com/rere/makefulltextfeed.php?url=http://feeds.feedburner.com/wendybrandes/xcOx&format=rss&submit=Create+Feed" ["file"]=> NULL ["raw_data"]=> NULL ["timeout"]=> int(10) ["force_fsockopen"]=> bool(false) ["force_feed"]=> bool(true) ["xml_dump"]=> bool(false) ["cache"]=> bool(true) ["cache_duration"]=> int(60) ["autodiscovery_cache_duration"]=> int(604800) ["cache_location"]=> string(7) "./cache" ["cache_name_function"]=> string(3) "md5" ["order_by_date"]=> bool(true) ["input_encoding"]=> bool(false) ["autodiscovery"]=> int(31) ["cache_class"]=> string(13) "WP_Feed_Cache" ["locator_class"]=> string(17) "SimplePie_Locator" ["parser_class"]=> string(16) "SimplePie_Parser" ["file_class"]=> string(18) "FeedWordPress_File" ["item_class"]=> string(14) "SimplePie_Item" ["author_class"]=> string(16) "SimplePie_Author" ["category_class"]=> string(18) "SimplePie_Category" ["enclosure_class"]=> string(19) "SimplePie_Enclosure" ["caption_class"]=> string(17) "SimplePie_Caption" ["copyright_class"]=> string(19) "SimplePie_Copyright" ["credit_class"]=> string(16) "SimplePie_Credit" ["rating_class"]=> string(16) "SimplePie_Rating" ["restriction_class"]=> string(21) "SimplePie_Restriction" ["content_type_sniffer_class"]=> string(34) "FeedWordPress_Content_Type_Sniffer" ["source_class"]=> string(16) "SimplePie_Source" ["javascript"]=> string(2) "js" ["max_checked_feeds"]=> int(10) ["all_discovered_feeds"]=> array(0) { } ["favicon_handler"]=> string(0) "" ["image_handler"]=> string(0) "" ["multifeed_url"]=> array(0) { } ["multifeed_objects"]=> array(0) { } ["config_settings"]=> NULL ["item_limit"]=> int(0) ["strip_attributes"]=> array(14) { [0]=> string(7) "bgsound" [1]=> string(5) "class" [2]=> string(4) "expr" [3]=> string(2) "id" [4]=> string(5) "style" [5]=> string(7) "onclick" [6]=> string(7) "onerror" [7]=> string(8) "onfinish" [8]=> string(11) "onmouseover" [9]=> string(10) "onmouseout" [10]=> string(7) "onfocus" [11]=> string(6) "onblur" [12]=> string(6) "lowsrc" [13]=> string(6) "dynsrc" } ["strip_htmltags"]=> array(19) { [0]=> string(4) "base" [1]=> string(5) "blink" [2]=> string(4) "body" [3]=> string(7) "doctype" [4]=> string(5) "embed" [5]=> string(4) "font" [6]=> string(4) "form" [7]=> string(5) "frame" [8]=> string(8) "frameset" [9]=> string(4) "html" [10]=> string(6) "iframe" [11]=> string(5) "input" [12]=> string(7) "marquee" [13]=> string(4) "meta" [14]=> string(8) "noscript" [15]=> string(6) "object" [16]=> string(5) "param" [17]=> string(6) "script" [18]=> string(5) "style" } } ["data"]=> array(10) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(59) "What Wendy Didn’t Wear: A Smile, a Skirt, a Smiling Skirt" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(2114) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="34">    <p>According to the calendar, there are two weeks of summer left, but we all know that Labor Day weekend is when the season really ends. I figured I’d go to the beach and hide my depression about the coming cold months and shorter days with the help of a smiling <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/07/feathers-water-looking-glass-and-an-imaginary-pig/" target="_blank">Castelbajac</a> skirt I got in July. Unfortunately, the zipper broke before I left the room and I had to cut the skirt off me! Another repair job for <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2009/04/ive-seen-ghost-tailor/" target="_blank">Jean at Ghost Tailor</a>. I took the skirt to the beach anyway to photograph it.</p> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="2"><img class=" " src="http://i51.tinypic.com/25k09dk.jpg" border="0" alt="" width="461" height="346" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Due to zipper failure, this skirt didn't turn my frown upside down.</p></div> <p>I wasn’t a fan of the 100°-plus temperatures we had in New York this summer, but I’m definitely not a cold-weather person. As far as autumn/winter fashion goes, all those gray “draped” and “boyfriend” sweaters look baggy and blah to me. Really, I feel like July 4 was yesterday. Do the years go faster and faster or is it just me? At least there’s one benefit to my ever-increasing “time flies” feeling: it will be October in two minutes, December in 10 minutes and summer again before the day is done!</p> <div id="attachment_7071" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="0"><a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sea.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-7071 " title="sea" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sea.jpg" alt="" width="455" height="286" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Sigh.</p></div> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:29:24 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:29:24 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283725764) } ["title"]=> string(59) "What Wendy Didn’t Wear: A Smile, a Skirt, a Smiling Skirt" ["enclosures"]=> array(0) { } ["links"]=> array(2) { ["alternate"]=> &array(1) { [0]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" } ["http://www.iana.org/assignments/relation/alternate"]=> &array(1) { [0]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" } } } } ["link"]=> object(SyndicatedLink)#459 (5) { ["id"]=> string(2) "11" ["link"]=> object(stdClass)#462 (21) { ["link_id"]=> string(2) "11" ["link_url"]=> string(28) "http://wendybrandes.com/blog" ["link_name"]=> string(21) "Wendy Brandes Jewelry" ["link_image"]=> string(0) "" ["link_target"]=> string(0) "" ["link_description"]=> string(57) "[full-text feed from fivefilters.org]: Wear What You Want" ["link_visible"]=> string(1) "Y" ["link_owner"]=> string(1) "1" ["link_rating"]=> string(1) "0" ["link_updated"]=> string(19) "0000-00-00 00:00:00" ["link_rel"]=> string(0) "" ["link_notes"]=> string(1097) "feed/description: [full-text feed from fivefilters.org]: Wear What You Want feed/link: http://wendybrandes.com/blog feed/title: Wendy Brandes Jewelry feed/title#: 1 feed/link#: 1 feed/description#: 1 feed/tagline#: 1 feed/tagline: [full-text feed from fivefilters.org]: Wear What You Want feed/subtitle#: 1 feed/subtitle: [full-text feed from fivefilters.org]: Wear What You Want feed/logo#: 1 feed/logo: http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.gif feed/id: http://powerfulseoservices.com/rere/makefulltextfeed.php?url=http://feeds.feedburner.com/wendybrandes/xcOx&format=rss&submit=Create+Feed update/last: 1282495924 update/ttl: 71 update/timed: automatically update/hold: scheduled update/unfinished: no map authors: name\nwendyb\n1 update/processed: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/JZ-iLIlbpTA/\nhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/I8Y4FtfFs1c/\nhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/yMqrADlatts/\nhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/x7ML56pL3qQ/\nhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/Nu6OTHhCeRQ/ " ["link_rss"]=> string(136) "http://powerfulseoservices.com/rere/makefulltextfeed.php?url=http://feeds.feedburner.com/wendybrandes/xcOx&format=rss&submit=Create+Feed" ["object_id"]=> string(2) "11" ["term_taxonomy_id"]=> string(1) "3" ["term_order"]=> string(1) "0" ["term_id"]=> string(1) "3" ["taxonomy"]=> string(13) "link_category" ["description"]=> string(0) "" ["parent"]=> string(1) "0" ["count"]=> string(1) "3" } ["settings"]=> array(23) { ["feed/description"]=> string(57) "[full-text feed from fivefilters.org]: Wear What You Want" ["feed/link"]=> string(28) "http://wendybrandes.com/blog" ["feed/title"]=> string(21) "Wendy Brandes Jewelry" ["feed/title#"]=> int(1) ["feed/link#"]=> int(1) ["feed/description#"]=> int(1) ["feed/tagline#"]=> int(1) ["feed/tagline"]=> string(57) "[full-text feed from fivefilters.org]: Wear What You Want" ["feed/subtitle#"]=> int(1) ["feed/subtitle"]=> string(57) "[full-text feed from fivefilters.org]: Wear What You Want" ["feed/logo#"]=> int(1) ["feed/logo"]=> string(57) "http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.gif" ["feed/id"]=> string(136) "http://powerfulseoservices.com/rere/makefulltextfeed.php?url=http://feeds.feedburner.com/wendybrandes/xcOx&format=rss&submit=Create+Feed" ["update/last"]=> int(1283775380) ["update/ttl"]=> int(91) ["update/timed"]=> string(13) "automatically" ["update/hold"]=> string(9) "scheduled" ["update/unfinished"]=> string(3) "yes" ["map authors"]=> array(1) { ["name"]=> array(1) { ["wendyb"]=> int(1) } } ["update/processed"]=> string(324) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/JZ-iLIlbpTA/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/I8Y4FtfFs1c/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/yMqrADlatts/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/x7ML56pL3qQ/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/Nu6OTHhCeRQ/" ["link/uri"]=> string(136) "http://powerfulseoservices.com/rere/makefulltextfeed.php?url=http://feeds.feedburner.com/wendybrandes/xcOx&format=rss&submit=Create+Feed" ["link/name"]=> string(21) "Wendy Brandes Jewelry" ["link/id"]=> string(2) "11" } ["simplepie"]=> object(SimplePie)#466 (45) { ["data"]=> array(7) { ["child"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["rss"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(2) " " ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["version"]=> string(3) "2.0" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["channel"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(10) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(21) "Wendy Brandes Jewelry" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(28) "http://wendybrandes.com/blog" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(57) "[full-text feed from fivefilters.org]: Wear What You Want" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(3) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(3) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(21) "Wendy Brandes Jewelry" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(28) "http://wendybrandes.com/blog" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["url"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(57) "http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.gif" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } } } ["item"]=> array(5) { [0]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(59) "What Wendy Didn’t Wear: A Smile, a Skirt, a Smiling Skirt" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(2114) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="34">    <p>According to the calendar, there are two weeks of summer left, but we all know that Labor Day weekend is when the season really ends. I figured I’d go to the beach and hide my depression about the coming cold months and shorter days with the help of a smiling <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/07/feathers-water-looking-glass-and-an-imaginary-pig/" target="_blank">Castelbajac</a> skirt I got in July. Unfortunately, the zipper broke before I left the room and I had to cut the skirt off me! Another repair job for <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2009/04/ive-seen-ghost-tailor/" target="_blank">Jean at Ghost Tailor</a>. I took the skirt to the beach anyway to photograph it.</p> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="2"><img class=" " src="http://i51.tinypic.com/25k09dk.jpg" border="0" alt="" width="461" height="346" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Due to zipper failure, this skirt didn't turn my frown upside down.</p></div> <p>I wasn’t a fan of the 100°-plus temperatures we had in New York this summer, but I’m definitely not a cold-weather person. As far as autumn/winter fashion goes, all those gray “draped” and “boyfriend” sweaters look baggy and blah to me. Really, I feel like July 4 was yesterday. Do the years go faster and faster or is it just me? At least there’s one benefit to my ever-increasing “time flies” feeling: it will be October in two minutes, December in 10 minutes and summer again before the day is done!</p> <div id="attachment_7071" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="0"><a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sea.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-7071 " title="sea" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sea.jpg" alt="" width="455" height="286" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Sigh.</p></div> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:29:24 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } } [1]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Who Says You Can’t Buy Style?" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/pO5YvDe1PYo/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/pO5YvDe1PYo/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(942) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="27">    <p>Designer Jeremy Scott says you can!</p> <div id="attachment_7049" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="2"><a href="http://www.forwardforward.com/fwd/DisplayProduct.jsp?d=F&s=C&c=Sep+01&n=n&product=JSCT-WD16"><img class="size-full wp-image-7049" title="jeremyscott" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/jeremyscott.jpg" alt="" width="306" height="464" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Jeremy Scott's Style Batwing Dress, $418 at Forward by Revolve.</p></div> <p>The dress says “Fashion” on the back. You can follow Jeremy Scott on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/ITSJEREMYSCOTT" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Thu, 02 Sep 2010 22:28:03 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } } [2]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(39) "What Wendy Will Wear: Dress by Zang Toi" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/6VsJ7EMNWq4/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/6VsJ7EMNWq4/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(3005) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="57">    <p>What timing! Right after <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/08/one-size-does-not-fit-all-deal-with-it/" target="_blank">my post about how sample sizes, by definition, don’t fit the vast majority of people</a> right off the rack, <a href="http://www.thequestforit.com/the_quest_for_it/2010/08/zang-toi-wendy-brandes-sample-sale.html" target="_blank">Tia from The Quest for “it” posted about the sample sale</a> I had with my designing friend Zang Toi last month. Conveniently, she took a picture of Zang personally altering a red-cashmere dress sample on me. I’m so bad! I should be selling at these events, not buying, but Zang is impossible to resist.</p> <div id="attachment_7037" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://www.thequestforit.com/the_quest_for_it/2010/08/zang-toi-wendy-brandes-sample-sale.html"><img class="size-full wp-image-7037 " title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/zangandwendy.jpg" alt="" width="314" height="419" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">That's black lace on the side. Courtesy The Quest for "it"</p></div> <p>That’s SiSi, Zang’s assistant, in the left corner of the photo. She was taking notes about the alterations.</p> <p>This is typical of my experience with Zang’s samples. I can often get myself into them, but I can’t flounce out the door that second. In fact, Zang has offered to loan me samples for events but I can’t take him up on it because the samples don’t fit me as is. We do lots of alterations when I am buying: taking in, letting out, hemming lengths, shortening sleeves, removing sleeves, reshaping necklines and so on. The initial fit of the sample depends on the shape of the model who wore it on the runway. Do all of you know about model fittings? Gorgeous blogger Tricia of <a href="http://www.fashionherald.org/" target="_blank">Fashion Herald</a>, who has walked in fashion shows, brought that up yesterday in the comments, noting, “Not even models will fit all runway and showroom samples, which is why there are fittings before shows.”</p> <p>The tightest Zang sample I ever put on — I couldn’t zip it, walk in it or breathe in it — had been altered for an actress. She was much thinner than any of the models, so if she’s trying to be “model-thin,” she’s doing it wrong. As for my new dress, Zang took it in at the bust, let it out at the waist, and tapered it all the way down. Even if some of you are my height, weight and dress size, the dress might not fit you because it’s tailored specifically for me. So don’t ask to borrow it! I hope to wear it to Zang’s show during Fashion Week if the weather is cool enough for cashmere.</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:01:12 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } } [3]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(47) "One Sample Size Does Not Fit All. Deal With It." ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/NHYEiD4ONxg/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/NHYEiD4ONxg/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(13082) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="117">    <p>Did you know the world revolved around voluptuous <a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/" target="_blank">Mad Men</a> star <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0376716/" target="_blank">Christina Hendricks</a>? Neither did I! Fortunately, I read New York Magazine’s <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2010/08/christina_hendricks_struggles.html" target="_blank">The Cut blog</a>, which alerted me to the fact via a story about Hendricks that ran in the <a href="http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-interviews/2010/08/27/christina-hendricks-designers-won-t-give-me-dresses-for-award-shows-because-i-m-a-size-14-86908-22517639/" target="_blank">The Daily Record</a> of Scotland. The Record quoted her as saying:</p> <blockquote readability="2"><p><em>“People have been saying some nice, wonderful things about me. Yet not one designer in town will loan me a dress. They only lend out a size 0 or 2. So I’m still struggling for someone to give me a darn dress.”</em></p></blockquote> <p><em> </em></p> <div id="attachment_7021" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><em><em><a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/"><img class="size-full wp-image-7021" title="joan" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/joan.jpg" alt="" width="177" height="328" /></a></em></em><p class="wp-caption-text">Christina Hendricks in character. Courtesy AMC.</p></div> <p>Wait a minute. I’ve been out of school a long time but I seem to recall that the earth revolves around the sun and not an actress. So I better explain why a pretty, talented lady like Hendricks (who wore <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/4082759/Christina-Hendricks-perfect-Emmy-dress" target="_blank">Zac Posen</a> to the Emmys on Sunday) can’t always get the loaner dress of her dreams. It’s not size-ism, despite what the Hendricks quote implies. It’s logistics.</p> <p>The designers only have small sizes available because sample sizes are made to fit runway models. And here I will acknowledge that, yes, models are taller, thinner and more beautiful than the typical person. It’s part of the job requirement. Learn to deal with it. The world doesn’t revolve around you and your insecurities whether you’re an actress or an accountant. Not only will there always be people that are taller, thinner and more beautiful than you, there will be people who are younger, more experienced, smarter, more charming, better connected and/or — unless you are billionaire <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbes_list_of_billionaires" target="_blank">Carlos Slim</a> — wealthier. That’s reality.</p> <p>Anyway, the runway samples are made to fit models who show off the clothes to store buyers and fashion editors, enabling the designers to get orders and press. Look up “sample” in any dictionary. It’s defined as “a portion, piece, or segment that is representative of a whole. An entity that is representative of a class; a specimen.” The samples represent the styles that may then be ordered in a variety of sizes.</p> <p>People who happen to be model-sized or close can borrow the samples that represent the style. Lucky for them. Not so lucky for the rest of us including Hendricks, whose measurements, according to The Record, are 39D-30-39. But is the fact that she’s out of luck so awful? (I’m out of luck as well. Samples are too tall for a 5’4″ woman.) For the hell of it, let’s suppose that all designers decided to make all runway samples 39D-30-39 and only hired models of that size. That would <em>still </em>exclude the majority of people. Some of us would be smaller, some of us would be larger. We have to accept the fact that we are not all the same size and never will be. (For more on the challenges of sizing, read this <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/magazine/01plussize-t.html" target="_blank">New York Times Magazine story</a> and the many excellent posts that <a href="http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/welcome-visitors-from-the-new-york-times/" target="_blank">Kathleen Fasanella of Fashion-Incubator</a> has done on the topic.)</p> <p>Then, you might be wondering, why don’t designers make a range of sample sizes? Refer back to the definition of “sample.” It defeats the purpose of making a specimen or representation if you’re making the entire line. Why should designers invest enormous amounts of time and money to make 12 versions (that number assumes they’d do U.S. sizes 0 – 22, and doesn’t take into account differences in height) of each style, including styles that might never be ordered by stores. And this would all be just in case Christina Hendricks wants to borrow one for free?</p> <div id="attachment_7022" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://nymag.com/"><img class="size-full wp-image-7022" title="CHRISTINA-HENDRICKS" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/CHRISTINA-HENDRICKS.jpg" alt="" width="445" height="602" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Hendricks on the cover of New York Magazine this year.</p></div> <p>Let’s look at how this would work with jewelry. A good sample size for a ring is a 6. It’s an average size that’s likely to fit at least one finger on many women, so a customer can get an idea of what the ring would look like once it is made in her size. Most (but not all) of my female customers fall between a 5 and an 8 when it comes to ring sizes. I do rings in quarter sizes, so to cover sizes 5 through 8 — while discriminating against my poor 4 3/4 and 8 1/4 ladies — I would have to do 13 sizes of each style in order to have a ring ready to go for nearly anyone who walks in the door. That could easily cost me $100,000 per style. Ridiculous! That’s why I just do a single ring for people to view and order in their own size.</p> <p>I would love to get a ring on Christina Hendricks. If she tries on my <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/pro-detail.php?colid=28&collect=true&id=226" target="_blank">gold-and-diamond Borgia poison ring</a> in sample size 6 and it fits her, I’d be glad to loan it to her for an evening. I haven’t seen a single episode of Mad Men, but I liked her two-episode arc on <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303461/" target="_blank">Firefly</a>, so why not?</p> <div id="attachment_7023" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://wendybrandes.com/pro-detail.php?colid=28&collect=true&id=226"><img class="size-full wp-image-7023" title="bigBorgia Gold Ring_Zoom" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/bigBorgia-Gold-Ring_Zoom.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Borgia poison ring shown open and closed. Click to shop. </p></div> <p>If the sample doesn’t fit her, I’d be delighted to custom-make a ring in her size. Of course, she’d have to pay for that. If I started making free rings for everyone who wanted them, I’d go broke in less time than it is taking me to write this post. Duh! Everyone wants free stuff! Meanwhile, contrary to popular belief, having a dress/purse/ring seen on a celebrity doesn’t always translate to big sales. Press is good for overall brand recognition, but there are times it doesn’t move a single unit. If you’re not going to be compensated for your work by the customer AND the customer isn’t guaranteed to generate sales, does it seem like a smart idea to start making special things and giving them away to every person who thinks the world revolves around him or her? If common sense isn’t providing the answer to you right now, you might want to reread my posts <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/01/get-smart-about-manufacturing/" target="_blank">Get Smart (About Manufacturing)</a> and <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/03/get-smart-about-custom-work/" target="_blank">Get Smart (About Custom Work)</a> about the costs of production.</p> <p>Remember, I’m just talking about sample sizes and loaners here. If Christina’s complaint was, “I walk into stores and they don’t have my size,” I wouldn’t be writing anything like this because that is a legitimate complaint and entirely different from the sample size issue. I’m not saying that women of a certain size shouldn’t have access to great clothes. They should. Support the designers who do offer a wide range of sizes! My designing friend <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/category/zang-toi/" target="_blank">Zang Toi</a> has customers of all sizes and ages. They choose from his tiny runway samples and he makes their pieces to order. Stacy Lomman of <a href="http://taffetadarlings.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">taffetadarlings</a> took the unusual step of pre-selling her samples in order to raise money for her first show via Kickstarter (you can still contribute <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/401920628/luanch-a-label-at-ny-fashion-week-hot-new-designer" target="_blank">here</a>). She’s currently fitting the dresses to the models. After, she’ll resize the dresses to fit the people who bought them. A few dresses will have to be made from scratch, costing her extra money. But, if her models were 39D-30-39, the same thing would be happening. Repeat after me until you learn it by heart: one size does not fit all, bitches!</p> <p>What could Christina Hendricks do to get around her free dress problem? I’d recommend that she stops worrying about freebies and instead becomes a valued paying customer. Any designer is more inclined to whip up special pieces for reasonable prices for customers with good track records. It’s great to have a working relationship with a designer, as my customers can attest, and I’d say the same of buying clothes from Zang and Stacy. It’s not as if the free-dress phenomenon (which I’m not against because, as I said, it is good for branding) is an ancient tradition that must be respected. My Facebook friend <a href="http://jeffybruce.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Jeffrey</a>, a fashion-industry veteran, notes, “I sold many dresses to many of the Dynasty and Dallas girls way back when —and yeah we gave them a deal but it was by no means free.” Gorgeous blogger Madeleine of <a href="http://innewyorkparistomorrow.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">In New York Paris Tomorrow</a>, <a href="http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20109203,00.html" target="_blank">another retailing vet</a>, says, “Sad days for indie shops: we used to SELL these things, and the shoes and the bag and the jewels. Still trying to understand the Swag Parties for the Emmys etc … and … we didn’t give deals (although friends could borrow our own pieces).”</p> <p>Finally, for those who can afford it, buying is every bit as glamorous than borrowing, if not more so. As Jeffrey points out, “Elizabeth Taylor wore her own jewelry, her own clothes, had no stylist and was still every inch a star.”</p> <div id="attachment_7024" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/widgets/mediaViewer/image?id=4250822"><img class="size-full wp-image-7024" title="liztaylor" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/liztaylor.jpg" alt="" width="413" height="411" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton at the Oscars in 1970. Burton bought her the 69-carat diamond she's wearing.</p></div> <p>Christina is probably closer than any other actress today to having Liz-style va-va-voom, and I enjoy seeing her on the red carpet. I hope she continues to find plenty of gorgeous dresses to wear, even if they’re not always free.</p> <p>Remember, y’all, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sisterhood_of_the_Traveling_Pants_%28film%29" target="_blank">The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants</a>, in which one pair of jeans magically fits four girls although they have completely different measurements, is fiction! In real life, one size does not fit all. It doesn’t matter if a sample is a 0 or a 14 — it still won’t work for everyone. That’s the simple truth, not a personal attack. We’re living in a world without magic: no unicorns, good witches or supernatural denim. But, hey, at least we have <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/07/its-official-my-new-hero-is-antoine-dodson/" target="_blank">Antoine Dodson</a> and <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/05/a-devastating-day-for-eyebrow-lovers/" target="_blank">Sam Waterston’s eyebrows</a>. What!? Those things seem magical to me!</p> <p>UPDATED TO ADD: I like the cartoon <a href="http://www.libertylondongirl.com/2010/08/31/stuff-no-one-told-me/" target="_blank">here</a>. It reminds me of some of the issues I raised above.</p> <p> </p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:37:27 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } } [4]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(15) "Change of Taste" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/OQ2tjfO4QU4/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/OQ2tjfO4QU4/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(1654) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="33">    <p>Baskin-Robbins brought back my favorite ’70s ice-cream flavor, <a href="http://news.baskinrobbins.com/baskin+robbins/baskin+robbins+news/baskin+robbins+flavor+pink+bubble+gum.htm" target="_blank">Pink Bubblegum</a>, for the month of August. My goal this weekend was to get a scoop before it was too late.</p> <p> </p><div id="attachment_7006" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><img class="size-full wp-image-7006 " title="ice cream" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ice-cream.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="360" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Goal achieved!</p></div> <p>That is one craving I will never have again. Did this stuff always taste so bad? Damn! I still ate the whole scoop even though I cringed at every bite. (My attitude towards food is like <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075686/quotes" target="_blank">the old joke</a>: “Boy, the food at this place is really terrible … and such small portions.”) I felt so queasy after the ice cream that I couldn’t work up the enthusiasm to take an outfit picture, so you’ll have to settle for a <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2009/08/outfit-post-vintage-ungaro-dress-from-frock/" target="_blank">picture of the exact same outfit in 2009:</a> the vintage Ungaro dress, the gold Louis Vuitton shoes and my Gloriana necklace.</p> <p>Blame Baskin-Robbins!</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:38:39 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } ["type"]=> int(128) ["headers"]=> array(6) { ["date"]=> string(29) "Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:16:22 GMT" ["server"]=> string(112) "Apache/2.2.16 (CentOS) mod_ssl/2.2.16 0.9.8l DAV/2 mod_fcgid/2.3.5 mod_auth_passthrough/2.1 FrontPage/5.0.2.2635" ["x-powered-by"]=> string(10) "PHP/5.2.13" ["vary"]=> string(15) "Accept-Encoding" ["connection"]=> string(5) "close" ["content-type"]=> string(23) "text/xml; charset=UTF-8" } ["build"]=> string(14) "20090627192103" ["items"]=> array(5) { [0]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#159 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(10) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(59) "What Wendy Didn’t Wear: A Smile, a Skirt, a Smiling Skirt" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(2114) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="34">    <p>According to the calendar, there are two weeks of summer left, but we all know that Labor Day weekend is when the season really ends. I figured I’d go to the beach and hide my depression about the coming cold months and shorter days with the help of a smiling <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/07/feathers-water-looking-glass-and-an-imaginary-pig/" target="_blank">Castelbajac</a> skirt I got in July. Unfortunately, the zipper broke before I left the room and I had to cut the skirt off me! Another repair job for <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2009/04/ive-seen-ghost-tailor/" target="_blank">Jean at Ghost Tailor</a>. I took the skirt to the beach anyway to photograph it.</p> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="2"><img class=" " src="http://i51.tinypic.com/25k09dk.jpg" border="0" alt="" width="461" height="346" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Due to zipper failure, this skirt didn't turn my frown upside down.</p></div> <p>I wasn’t a fan of the 100°-plus temperatures we had in New York this summer, but I’m definitely not a cold-weather person. As far as autumn/winter fashion goes, all those gray “draped” and “boyfriend” sweaters look baggy and blah to me. Really, I feel like July 4 was yesterday. Do the years go faster and faster or is it just me? At least there’s one benefit to my ever-increasing “time flies” feeling: it will be October in two minutes, December in 10 minutes and summer again before the day is done!</p> <div id="attachment_7071" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="0"><a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sea.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-7071 " title="sea" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sea.jpg" alt="" width="455" height="286" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Sigh.</p></div> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:29:24 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:29:24 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283725764) } ["title"]=> string(59) "What Wendy Didn’t Wear: A Smile, a Skirt, a Smiling Skirt" ["enclosures"]=> array(0) { } ["links"]=> array(2) { ["alternate"]=> &array(1) { [0]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" } ["http://www.iana.org/assignments/relation/alternate"]=> &array(1) { [0]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" } } } } [1]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#115 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Who Says You Can’t Buy Style?" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/pO5YvDe1PYo/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/pO5YvDe1PYo/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(942) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="27">    <p>Designer Jeremy Scott says you can!</p> <div id="attachment_7049" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="2"><a href="http://www.forwardforward.com/fwd/DisplayProduct.jsp?d=F&s=C&c=Sep+01&n=n&product=JSCT-WD16"><img class="size-full wp-image-7049" title="jeremyscott" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/jeremyscott.jpg" alt="" width="306" height="464" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Jeremy Scott's Style Batwing Dress, $418 at Forward by Revolve.</p></div> <p>The dress says “Fashion” on the back. You can follow Jeremy Scott on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/ITSJEREMYSCOTT" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Thu, 02 Sep 2010 22:28:03 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Thu, 02 Sep 2010 22:28:03 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283488083) } } } [2]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#158 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(39) "What Wendy Will Wear: Dress by Zang Toi" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/6VsJ7EMNWq4/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/6VsJ7EMNWq4/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(3005) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="57">    <p>What timing! Right after <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/08/one-size-does-not-fit-all-deal-with-it/" target="_blank">my post about how sample sizes, by definition, don’t fit the vast majority of people</a> right off the rack, <a href="http://www.thequestforit.com/the_quest_for_it/2010/08/zang-toi-wendy-brandes-sample-sale.html" target="_blank">Tia from The Quest for “it” posted about the sample sale</a> I had with my designing friend Zang Toi last month. Conveniently, she took a picture of Zang personally altering a red-cashmere dress sample on me. I’m so bad! I should be selling at these events, not buying, but Zang is impossible to resist.</p> <div id="attachment_7037" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://www.thequestforit.com/the_quest_for_it/2010/08/zang-toi-wendy-brandes-sample-sale.html"><img class="size-full wp-image-7037 " title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/zangandwendy.jpg" alt="" width="314" height="419" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">That's black lace on the side. Courtesy The Quest for "it"</p></div> <p>That’s SiSi, Zang’s assistant, in the left corner of the photo. She was taking notes about the alterations.</p> <p>This is typical of my experience with Zang’s samples. I can often get myself into them, but I can’t flounce out the door that second. In fact, Zang has offered to loan me samples for events but I can’t take him up on it because the samples don’t fit me as is. We do lots of alterations when I am buying: taking in, letting out, hemming lengths, shortening sleeves, removing sleeves, reshaping necklines and so on. The initial fit of the sample depends on the shape of the model who wore it on the runway. Do all of you know about model fittings? Gorgeous blogger Tricia of <a href="http://www.fashionherald.org/" target="_blank">Fashion Herald</a>, who has walked in fashion shows, brought that up yesterday in the comments, noting, “Not even models will fit all runway and showroom samples, which is why there are fittings before shows.”</p> <p>The tightest Zang sample I ever put on — I couldn’t zip it, walk in it or breathe in it — had been altered for an actress. She was much thinner than any of the models, so if she’s trying to be “model-thin,” she’s doing it wrong. As for my new dress, Zang took it in at the bust, let it out at the waist, and tapered it all the way down. Even if some of you are my height, weight and dress size, the dress might not fit you because it’s tailored specifically for me. So don’t ask to borrow it! I hope to wear it to Zang’s show during Fashion Week if the weather is cool enough for cashmere.</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:01:12 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:01:12 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283400072) } } } [3]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#477 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(47) "One Sample Size Does Not Fit All. Deal With It." ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/NHYEiD4ONxg/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/NHYEiD4ONxg/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(13082) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="117">    <p>Did you know the world revolved around voluptuous <a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/" target="_blank">Mad Men</a> star <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0376716/" target="_blank">Christina Hendricks</a>? Neither did I! Fortunately, I read New York Magazine’s <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2010/08/christina_hendricks_struggles.html" target="_blank">The Cut blog</a>, which alerted me to the fact via a story about Hendricks that ran in the <a href="http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-interviews/2010/08/27/christina-hendricks-designers-won-t-give-me-dresses-for-award-shows-because-i-m-a-size-14-86908-22517639/" target="_blank">The Daily Record</a> of Scotland. The Record quoted her as saying:</p> <blockquote readability="2"><p><em>“People have been saying some nice, wonderful things about me. Yet not one designer in town will loan me a dress. They only lend out a size 0 or 2. So I’m still struggling for someone to give me a darn dress.”</em></p></blockquote> <p><em> </em></p> <div id="attachment_7021" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><em><em><a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/"><img class="size-full wp-image-7021" title="joan" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/joan.jpg" alt="" width="177" height="328" /></a></em></em><p class="wp-caption-text">Christina Hendricks in character. Courtesy AMC.</p></div> <p>Wait a minute. I’ve been out of school a long time but I seem to recall that the earth revolves around the sun and not an actress. So I better explain why a pretty, talented lady like Hendricks (who wore <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/4082759/Christina-Hendricks-perfect-Emmy-dress" target="_blank">Zac Posen</a> to the Emmys on Sunday) can’t always get the loaner dress of her dreams. It’s not size-ism, despite what the Hendricks quote implies. It’s logistics.</p> <p>The designers only have small sizes available because sample sizes are made to fit runway models. And here I will acknowledge that, yes, models are taller, thinner and more beautiful than the typical person. It’s part of the job requirement. Learn to deal with it. The world doesn’t revolve around you and your insecurities whether you’re an actress or an accountant. Not only will there always be people that are taller, thinner and more beautiful than you, there will be people who are younger, more experienced, smarter, more charming, better connected and/or — unless you are billionaire <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbes_list_of_billionaires" target="_blank">Carlos Slim</a> — wealthier. That’s reality.</p> <p>Anyway, the runway samples are made to fit models who show off the clothes to store buyers and fashion editors, enabling the designers to get orders and press. Look up “sample” in any dictionary. It’s defined as “a portion, piece, or segment that is representative of a whole. An entity that is representative of a class; a specimen.” The samples represent the styles that may then be ordered in a variety of sizes.</p> <p>People who happen to be model-sized or close can borrow the samples that represent the style. Lucky for them. Not so lucky for the rest of us including Hendricks, whose measurements, according to The Record, are 39D-30-39. But is the fact that she’s out of luck so awful? (I’m out of luck as well. Samples are too tall for a 5’4″ woman.) For the hell of it, let’s suppose that all designers decided to make all runway samples 39D-30-39 and only hired models of that size. That would <em>still </em>exclude the majority of people. Some of us would be smaller, some of us would be larger. We have to accept the fact that we are not all the same size and never will be. (For more on the challenges of sizing, read this <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/magazine/01plussize-t.html" target="_blank">New York Times Magazine story</a> and the many excellent posts that <a href="http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/welcome-visitors-from-the-new-york-times/" target="_blank">Kathleen Fasanella of Fashion-Incubator</a> has done on the topic.)</p> <p>Then, you might be wondering, why don’t designers make a range of sample sizes? Refer back to the definition of “sample.” It defeats the purpose of making a specimen or representation if you’re making the entire line. Why should designers invest enormous amounts of time and money to make 12 versions (that number assumes they’d do U.S. sizes 0 – 22, and doesn’t take into account differences in height) of each style, including styles that might never be ordered by stores. And this would all be just in case Christina Hendricks wants to borrow one for free?</p> <div id="attachment_7022" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://nymag.com/"><img class="size-full wp-image-7022" title="CHRISTINA-HENDRICKS" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/CHRISTINA-HENDRICKS.jpg" alt="" width="445" height="602" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Hendricks on the cover of New York Magazine this year.</p></div> <p>Let’s look at how this would work with jewelry. A good sample size for a ring is a 6. It’s an average size that’s likely to fit at least one finger on many women, so a customer can get an idea of what the ring would look like once it is made in her size. Most (but not all) of my female customers fall between a 5 and an 8 when it comes to ring sizes. I do rings in quarter sizes, so to cover sizes 5 through 8 — while discriminating against my poor 4 3/4 and 8 1/4 ladies — I would have to do 13 sizes of each style in order to have a ring ready to go for nearly anyone who walks in the door. That could easily cost me $100,000 per style. Ridiculous! That’s why I just do a single ring for people to view and order in their own size.</p> <p>I would love to get a ring on Christina Hendricks. If she tries on my <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/pro-detail.php?colid=28&collect=true&id=226" target="_blank">gold-and-diamond Borgia poison ring</a> in sample size 6 and it fits her, I’d be glad to loan it to her for an evening. I haven’t seen a single episode of Mad Men, but I liked her two-episode arc on <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303461/" target="_blank">Firefly</a>, so why not?</p> <div id="attachment_7023" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://wendybrandes.com/pro-detail.php?colid=28&collect=true&id=226"><img class="size-full wp-image-7023" title="bigBorgia Gold Ring_Zoom" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/bigBorgia-Gold-Ring_Zoom.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Borgia poison ring shown open and closed. Click to shop. </p></div> <p>If the sample doesn’t fit her, I’d be delighted to custom-make a ring in her size. Of course, she’d have to pay for that. If I started making free rings for everyone who wanted them, I’d go broke in less time than it is taking me to write this post. Duh! Everyone wants free stuff! Meanwhile, contrary to popular belief, having a dress/purse/ring seen on a celebrity doesn’t always translate to big sales. Press is good for overall brand recognition, but there are times it doesn’t move a single unit. If you’re not going to be compensated for your work by the customer AND the customer isn’t guaranteed to generate sales, does it seem like a smart idea to start making special things and giving them away to every person who thinks the world revolves around him or her? If common sense isn’t providing the answer to you right now, you might want to reread my posts <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/01/get-smart-about-manufacturing/" target="_blank">Get Smart (About Manufacturing)</a> and <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/03/get-smart-about-custom-work/" target="_blank">Get Smart (About Custom Work)</a> about the costs of production.</p> <p>Remember, I’m just talking about sample sizes and loaners here. If Christina’s complaint was, “I walk into stores and they don’t have my size,” I wouldn’t be writing anything like this because that is a legitimate complaint and entirely different from the sample size issue. I’m not saying that women of a certain size shouldn’t have access to great clothes. They should. Support the designers who do offer a wide range of sizes! My designing friend <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/category/zang-toi/" target="_blank">Zang Toi</a> has customers of all sizes and ages. They choose from his tiny runway samples and he makes their pieces to order. Stacy Lomman of <a href="http://taffetadarlings.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">taffetadarlings</a> took the unusual step of pre-selling her samples in order to raise money for her first show via Kickstarter (you can still contribute <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/401920628/luanch-a-label-at-ny-fashion-week-hot-new-designer" target="_blank">here</a>). She’s currently fitting the dresses to the models. After, she’ll resize the dresses to fit the people who bought them. A few dresses will have to be made from scratch, costing her extra money. But, if her models were 39D-30-39, the same thing would be happening. Repeat after me until you learn it by heart: one size does not fit all, bitches!</p> <p>What could Christina Hendricks do to get around her free dress problem? I’d recommend that she stops worrying about freebies and instead becomes a valued paying customer. Any designer is more inclined to whip up special pieces for reasonable prices for customers with good track records. It’s great to have a working relationship with a designer, as my customers can attest, and I’d say the same of buying clothes from Zang and Stacy. It’s not as if the free-dress phenomenon (which I’m not against because, as I said, it is good for branding) is an ancient tradition that must be respected. My Facebook friend <a href="http://jeffybruce.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Jeffrey</a>, a fashion-industry veteran, notes, “I sold many dresses to many of the Dynasty and Dallas girls way back when —and yeah we gave them a deal but it was by no means free.” Gorgeous blogger Madeleine of <a href="http://innewyorkparistomorrow.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">In New York Paris Tomorrow</a>, <a href="http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20109203,00.html" target="_blank">another retailing vet</a>, says, “Sad days for indie shops: we used to SELL these things, and the shoes and the bag and the jewels. Still trying to understand the Swag Parties for the Emmys etc … and … we didn’t give deals (although friends could borrow our own pieces).”</p> <p>Finally, for those who can afford it, buying is every bit as glamorous than borrowing, if not more so. As Jeffrey points out, “Elizabeth Taylor wore her own jewelry, her own clothes, had no stylist and was still every inch a star.”</p> <div id="attachment_7024" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/widgets/mediaViewer/image?id=4250822"><img class="size-full wp-image-7024" title="liztaylor" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/liztaylor.jpg" alt="" width="413" height="411" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton at the Oscars in 1970. Burton bought her the 69-carat diamond she's wearing.</p></div> <p>Christina is probably closer than any other actress today to having Liz-style va-va-voom, and I enjoy seeing her on the red carpet. I hope she continues to find plenty of gorgeous dresses to wear, even if they’re not always free.</p> <p>Remember, y’all, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sisterhood_of_the_Traveling_Pants_%28film%29" target="_blank">The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants</a>, in which one pair of jeans magically fits four girls although they have completely different measurements, is fiction! In real life, one size does not fit all. It doesn’t matter if a sample is a 0 or a 14 — it still won’t work for everyone. That’s the simple truth, not a personal attack. We’re living in a world without magic: no unicorns, good witches or supernatural denim. But, hey, at least we have <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/07/its-official-my-new-hero-is-antoine-dodson/" target="_blank">Antoine Dodson</a> and <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/05/a-devastating-day-for-eyebrow-lovers/" target="_blank">Sam Waterston’s eyebrows</a>. What!? Those things seem magical to me!</p> <p>UPDATED TO ADD: I like the cartoon <a href="http://www.libertylondongirl.com/2010/08/31/stuff-no-one-told-me/" target="_blank">here</a>. It reminds me of some of the issues I raised above.</p> <p> </p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:37:27 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:37:27 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283305047) } } } [4]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#476 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(15) "Change of Taste" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/OQ2tjfO4QU4/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/OQ2tjfO4QU4/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(1654) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="33">    <p>Baskin-Robbins brought back my favorite ’70s ice-cream flavor, <a href="http://news.baskinrobbins.com/baskin+robbins/baskin+robbins+news/baskin+robbins+flavor+pink+bubble+gum.htm" target="_blank">Pink Bubblegum</a>, for the month of August. My goal this weekend was to get a scoop before it was too late.</p> <p> </p><div id="attachment_7006" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><img class="size-full wp-image-7006 " title="ice cream" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ice-cream.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="360" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Goal achieved!</p></div> <p>That is one craving I will never have again. Did this stuff always taste so bad? Damn! I still ate the whole scoop even though I cringed at every bite. (My attitude towards food is like <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075686/quotes" target="_blank">the old joke</a>: “Boy, the food at this place is really terrible … and such small portions.”) I felt so queasy after the ice cream that I couldn’t work up the enthusiasm to take an outfit picture, so you’ll have to settle for a <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2009/08/outfit-post-vintage-ungaro-dress-from-frock/" target="_blank">picture of the exact same outfit in 2009:</a> the vintage Ungaro dress, the gold Louis Vuitton shoes and my Gloriana necklace.</p> <p>Blame Baskin-Robbins!</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:38:39 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:38:39 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283139519) } } } } ["ordered_items"]=> array(5) { [0]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#159 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(10) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(59) "What Wendy Didn’t Wear: A Smile, a Skirt, a Smiling Skirt" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(2114) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="34">    <p>According to the calendar, there are two weeks of summer left, but we all know that Labor Day weekend is when the season really ends. I figured I’d go to the beach and hide my depression about the coming cold months and shorter days with the help of a smiling <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/07/feathers-water-looking-glass-and-an-imaginary-pig/" target="_blank">Castelbajac</a> skirt I got in July. Unfortunately, the zipper broke before I left the room and I had to cut the skirt off me! Another repair job for <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2009/04/ive-seen-ghost-tailor/" target="_blank">Jean at Ghost Tailor</a>. I took the skirt to the beach anyway to photograph it.</p> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="2"><img class=" " src="http://i51.tinypic.com/25k09dk.jpg" border="0" alt="" width="461" height="346" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Due to zipper failure, this skirt didn't turn my frown upside down.</p></div> <p>I wasn’t a fan of the 100°-plus temperatures we had in New York this summer, but I’m definitely not a cold-weather person. As far as autumn/winter fashion goes, all those gray “draped” and “boyfriend” sweaters look baggy and blah to me. Really, I feel like July 4 was yesterday. Do the years go faster and faster or is it just me? At least there’s one benefit to my ever-increasing “time flies” feeling: it will be October in two minutes, December in 10 minutes and summer again before the day is done!</p> <div id="attachment_7071" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="0"><a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sea.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-7071 " title="sea" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sea.jpg" alt="" width="455" height="286" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Sigh.</p></div> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:29:24 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:29:24 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283725764) } ["title"]=> string(59) "What Wendy Didn’t Wear: A Smile, a Skirt, a Smiling Skirt" ["enclosures"]=> array(0) { } ["links"]=> array(2) { ["alternate"]=> &array(1) { [0]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" } ["http://www.iana.org/assignments/relation/alternate"]=> &array(1) { [0]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" } } } } [1]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#115 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Who Says You Can’t Buy Style?" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/pO5YvDe1PYo/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/pO5YvDe1PYo/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(942) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="27">    <p>Designer Jeremy Scott says you can!</p> <div id="attachment_7049" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="2"><a href="http://www.forwardforward.com/fwd/DisplayProduct.jsp?d=F&s=C&c=Sep+01&n=n&product=JSCT-WD16"><img class="size-full wp-image-7049" title="jeremyscott" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/jeremyscott.jpg" alt="" width="306" height="464" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Jeremy Scott's Style Batwing Dress, $418 at Forward by Revolve.</p></div> <p>The dress says “Fashion” on the back. You can follow Jeremy Scott on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/ITSJEREMYSCOTT" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Thu, 02 Sep 2010 22:28:03 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Thu, 02 Sep 2010 22:28:03 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283488083) } } } [2]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#158 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(39) "What Wendy Will Wear: Dress by Zang Toi" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/6VsJ7EMNWq4/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/6VsJ7EMNWq4/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(3005) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="57">    <p>What timing! Right after <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/08/one-size-does-not-fit-all-deal-with-it/" target="_blank">my post about how sample sizes, by definition, don’t fit the vast majority of people</a> right off the rack, <a href="http://www.thequestforit.com/the_quest_for_it/2010/08/zang-toi-wendy-brandes-sample-sale.html" target="_blank">Tia from The Quest for “it” posted about the sample sale</a> I had with my designing friend Zang Toi last month. Conveniently, she took a picture of Zang personally altering a red-cashmere dress sample on me. I’m so bad! I should be selling at these events, not buying, but Zang is impossible to resist.</p> <div id="attachment_7037" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://www.thequestforit.com/the_quest_for_it/2010/08/zang-toi-wendy-brandes-sample-sale.html"><img class="size-full wp-image-7037 " title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/zangandwendy.jpg" alt="" width="314" height="419" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">That's black lace on the side. Courtesy The Quest for "it"</p></div> <p>That’s SiSi, Zang’s assistant, in the left corner of the photo. She was taking notes about the alterations.</p> <p>This is typical of my experience with Zang’s samples. I can often get myself into them, but I can’t flounce out the door that second. In fact, Zang has offered to loan me samples for events but I can’t take him up on it because the samples don’t fit me as is. We do lots of alterations when I am buying: taking in, letting out, hemming lengths, shortening sleeves, removing sleeves, reshaping necklines and so on. The initial fit of the sample depends on the shape of the model who wore it on the runway. Do all of you know about model fittings? Gorgeous blogger Tricia of <a href="http://www.fashionherald.org/" target="_blank">Fashion Herald</a>, who has walked in fashion shows, brought that up yesterday in the comments, noting, “Not even models will fit all runway and showroom samples, which is why there are fittings before shows.”</p> <p>The tightest Zang sample I ever put on — I couldn’t zip it, walk in it or breathe in it — had been altered for an actress. She was much thinner than any of the models, so if she’s trying to be “model-thin,” she’s doing it wrong. As for my new dress, Zang took it in at the bust, let it out at the waist, and tapered it all the way down. Even if some of you are my height, weight and dress size, the dress might not fit you because it’s tailored specifically for me. So don’t ask to borrow it! I hope to wear it to Zang’s show during Fashion Week if the weather is cool enough for cashmere.</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:01:12 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:01:12 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283400072) } } } [3]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#477 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(47) "One Sample Size Does Not Fit All. Deal With It." ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/NHYEiD4ONxg/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/NHYEiD4ONxg/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(13082) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="117">    <p>Did you know the world revolved around voluptuous <a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/" target="_blank">Mad Men</a> star <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0376716/" target="_blank">Christina Hendricks</a>? Neither did I! Fortunately, I read New York Magazine’s <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2010/08/christina_hendricks_struggles.html" target="_blank">The Cut blog</a>, which alerted me to the fact via a story about Hendricks that ran in the <a href="http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-interviews/2010/08/27/christina-hendricks-designers-won-t-give-me-dresses-for-award-shows-because-i-m-a-size-14-86908-22517639/" target="_blank">The Daily Record</a> of Scotland. The Record quoted her as saying:</p> <blockquote readability="2"><p><em>“People have been saying some nice, wonderful things about me. Yet not one designer in town will loan me a dress. They only lend out a size 0 or 2. So I’m still struggling for someone to give me a darn dress.”</em></p></blockquote> <p><em> </em></p> <div id="attachment_7021" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><em><em><a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/"><img class="size-full wp-image-7021" title="joan" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/joan.jpg" alt="" width="177" height="328" /></a></em></em><p class="wp-caption-text">Christina Hendricks in character. Courtesy AMC.</p></div> <p>Wait a minute. I’ve been out of school a long time but I seem to recall that the earth revolves around the sun and not an actress. So I better explain why a pretty, talented lady like Hendricks (who wore <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/4082759/Christina-Hendricks-perfect-Emmy-dress" target="_blank">Zac Posen</a> to the Emmys on Sunday) can’t always get the loaner dress of her dreams. It’s not size-ism, despite what the Hendricks quote implies. It’s logistics.</p> <p>The designers only have small sizes available because sample sizes are made to fit runway models. And here I will acknowledge that, yes, models are taller, thinner and more beautiful than the typical person. It’s part of the job requirement. Learn to deal with it. The world doesn’t revolve around you and your insecurities whether you’re an actress or an accountant. Not only will there always be people that are taller, thinner and more beautiful than you, there will be people who are younger, more experienced, smarter, more charming, better connected and/or — unless you are billionaire <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbes_list_of_billionaires" target="_blank">Carlos Slim</a> — wealthier. That’s reality.</p> <p>Anyway, the runway samples are made to fit models who show off the clothes to store buyers and fashion editors, enabling the designers to get orders and press. Look up “sample” in any dictionary. It’s defined as “a portion, piece, or segment that is representative of a whole. An entity that is representative of a class; a specimen.” The samples represent the styles that may then be ordered in a variety of sizes.</p> <p>People who happen to be model-sized or close can borrow the samples that represent the style. Lucky for them. Not so lucky for the rest of us including Hendricks, whose measurements, according to The Record, are 39D-30-39. But is the fact that she’s out of luck so awful? (I’m out of luck as well. Samples are too tall for a 5’4″ woman.) For the hell of it, let’s suppose that all designers decided to make all runway samples 39D-30-39 and only hired models of that size. That would <em>still </em>exclude the majority of people. Some of us would be smaller, some of us would be larger. We have to accept the fact that we are not all the same size and never will be. (For more on the challenges of sizing, read this <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/magazine/01plussize-t.html" target="_blank">New York Times Magazine story</a> and the many excellent posts that <a href="http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/welcome-visitors-from-the-new-york-times/" target="_blank">Kathleen Fasanella of Fashion-Incubator</a> has done on the topic.)</p> <p>Then, you might be wondering, why don’t designers make a range of sample sizes? Refer back to the definition of “sample.” It defeats the purpose of making a specimen or representation if you’re making the entire line. Why should designers invest enormous amounts of time and money to make 12 versions (that number assumes they’d do U.S. sizes 0 – 22, and doesn’t take into account differences in height) of each style, including styles that might never be ordered by stores. And this would all be just in case Christina Hendricks wants to borrow one for free?</p> <div id="attachment_7022" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://nymag.com/"><img class="size-full wp-image-7022" title="CHRISTINA-HENDRICKS" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/CHRISTINA-HENDRICKS.jpg" alt="" width="445" height="602" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Hendricks on the cover of New York Magazine this year.</p></div> <p>Let’s look at how this would work with jewelry. A good sample size for a ring is a 6. It’s an average size that’s likely to fit at least one finger on many women, so a customer can get an idea of what the ring would look like once it is made in her size. Most (but not all) of my female customers fall between a 5 and an 8 when it comes to ring sizes. I do rings in quarter sizes, so to cover sizes 5 through 8 — while discriminating against my poor 4 3/4 and 8 1/4 ladies — I would have to do 13 sizes of each style in order to have a ring ready to go for nearly anyone who walks in the door. That could easily cost me $100,000 per style. Ridiculous! That’s why I just do a single ring for people to view and order in their own size.</p> <p>I would love to get a ring on Christina Hendricks. If she tries on my <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/pro-detail.php?colid=28&collect=true&id=226" target="_blank">gold-and-diamond Borgia poison ring</a> in sample size 6 and it fits her, I’d be glad to loan it to her for an evening. I haven’t seen a single episode of Mad Men, but I liked her two-episode arc on <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303461/" target="_blank">Firefly</a>, so why not?</p> <div id="attachment_7023" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://wendybrandes.com/pro-detail.php?colid=28&collect=true&id=226"><img class="size-full wp-image-7023" title="bigBorgia Gold Ring_Zoom" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/bigBorgia-Gold-Ring_Zoom.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Borgia poison ring shown open and closed. Click to shop. </p></div> <p>If the sample doesn’t fit her, I’d be delighted to custom-make a ring in her size. Of course, she’d have to pay for that. If I started making free rings for everyone who wanted them, I’d go broke in less time than it is taking me to write this post. Duh! Everyone wants free stuff! Meanwhile, contrary to popular belief, having a dress/purse/ring seen on a celebrity doesn’t always translate to big sales. Press is good for overall brand recognition, but there are times it doesn’t move a single unit. If you’re not going to be compensated for your work by the customer AND the customer isn’t guaranteed to generate sales, does it seem like a smart idea to start making special things and giving them away to every person who thinks the world revolves around him or her? If common sense isn’t providing the answer to you right now, you might want to reread my posts <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/01/get-smart-about-manufacturing/" target="_blank">Get Smart (About Manufacturing)</a> and <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/03/get-smart-about-custom-work/" target="_blank">Get Smart (About Custom Work)</a> about the costs of production.</p> <p>Remember, I’m just talking about sample sizes and loaners here. If Christina’s complaint was, “I walk into stores and they don’t have my size,” I wouldn’t be writing anything like this because that is a legitimate complaint and entirely different from the sample size issue. I’m not saying that women of a certain size shouldn’t have access to great clothes. They should. Support the designers who do offer a wide range of sizes! My designing friend <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/category/zang-toi/" target="_blank">Zang Toi</a> has customers of all sizes and ages. They choose from his tiny runway samples and he makes their pieces to order. Stacy Lomman of <a href="http://taffetadarlings.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">taffetadarlings</a> took the unusual step of pre-selling her samples in order to raise money for her first show via Kickstarter (you can still contribute <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/401920628/luanch-a-label-at-ny-fashion-week-hot-new-designer" target="_blank">here</a>). She’s currently fitting the dresses to the models. After, she’ll resize the dresses to fit the people who bought them. A few dresses will have to be made from scratch, costing her extra money. But, if her models were 39D-30-39, the same thing would be happening. Repeat after me until you learn it by heart: one size does not fit all, bitches!</p> <p>What could Christina Hendricks do to get around her free dress problem? I’d recommend that she stops worrying about freebies and instead becomes a valued paying customer. Any designer is more inclined to whip up special pieces for reasonable prices for customers with good track records. It’s great to have a working relationship with a designer, as my customers can attest, and I’d say the same of buying clothes from Zang and Stacy. It’s not as if the free-dress phenomenon (which I’m not against because, as I said, it is good for branding) is an ancient tradition that must be respected. My Facebook friend <a href="http://jeffybruce.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Jeffrey</a>, a fashion-industry veteran, notes, “I sold many dresses to many of the Dynasty and Dallas girls way back when —and yeah we gave them a deal but it was by no means free.” Gorgeous blogger Madeleine of <a href="http://innewyorkparistomorrow.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">In New York Paris Tomorrow</a>, <a href="http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20109203,00.html" target="_blank">another retailing vet</a>, says, “Sad days for indie shops: we used to SELL these things, and the shoes and the bag and the jewels. Still trying to understand the Swag Parties for the Emmys etc … and … we didn’t give deals (although friends could borrow our own pieces).”</p> <p>Finally, for those who can afford it, buying is every bit as glamorous than borrowing, if not more so. As Jeffrey points out, “Elizabeth Taylor wore her own jewelry, her own clothes, had no stylist and was still every inch a star.”</p> <div id="attachment_7024" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/widgets/mediaViewer/image?id=4250822"><img class="size-full wp-image-7024" title="liztaylor" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/liztaylor.jpg" alt="" width="413" height="411" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton at the Oscars in 1970. Burton bought her the 69-carat diamond she's wearing.</p></div> <p>Christina is probably closer than any other actress today to having Liz-style va-va-voom, and I enjoy seeing her on the red carpet. I hope she continues to find plenty of gorgeous dresses to wear, even if they’re not always free.</p> <p>Remember, y’all, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sisterhood_of_the_Traveling_Pants_%28film%29" target="_blank">The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants</a>, in which one pair of jeans magically fits four girls although they have completely different measurements, is fiction! In real life, one size does not fit all. It doesn’t matter if a sample is a 0 or a 14 — it still won’t work for everyone. That’s the simple truth, not a personal attack. We’re living in a world without magic: no unicorns, good witches or supernatural denim. But, hey, at least we have <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/07/its-official-my-new-hero-is-antoine-dodson/" target="_blank">Antoine Dodson</a> and <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/05/a-devastating-day-for-eyebrow-lovers/" target="_blank">Sam Waterston’s eyebrows</a>. What!? Those things seem magical to me!</p> <p>UPDATED TO ADD: I like the cartoon <a href="http://www.libertylondongirl.com/2010/08/31/stuff-no-one-told-me/" target="_blank">here</a>. It reminds me of some of the issues I raised above.</p> <p> </p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:37:27 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:37:27 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283305047) } } } [4]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#476 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(15) "Change of Taste" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/OQ2tjfO4QU4/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/OQ2tjfO4QU4/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(1654) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="33">    <p>Baskin-Robbins brought back my favorite ’70s ice-cream flavor, <a href="http://news.baskinrobbins.com/baskin+robbins/baskin+robbins+news/baskin+robbins+flavor+pink+bubble+gum.htm" target="_blank">Pink Bubblegum</a>, for the month of August. My goal this weekend was to get a scoop before it was too late.</p> <p> </p><div id="attachment_7006" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><img class="size-full wp-image-7006 " title="ice cream" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ice-cream.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="360" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Goal achieved!</p></div> <p>That is one craving I will never have again. Did this stuff always taste so bad? Damn! I still ate the whole scoop even though I cringed at every bite. (My attitude towards food is like <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075686/quotes" target="_blank">the old joke</a>: “Boy, the food at this place is really terrible … and such small portions.”) I felt so queasy after the ice cream that I couldn’t work up the enthusiasm to take an outfit picture, so you’ll have to settle for a <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2009/08/outfit-post-vintage-ungaro-dress-from-frock/" target="_blank">picture of the exact same outfit in 2009:</a> the vintage Ungaro dress, the gold Louis Vuitton shoes and my Gloriana necklace.</p> <p>Blame Baskin-Robbins!</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:38:39 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:38:39 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283139519) } } } } ["links"]=> array(2) { ["alternate"]=> &array(1) { [0]=> string(28) "http://wendybrandes.com/blog" } ["http://www.iana.org/assignments/relation/alternate"]=> &array(1) { [0]=> string(28) "http://wendybrandes.com/blog" } } } ["error"]=> NULL ["sanitize"]=> object(SimplePie_Sanitize)#467 (17) { ["base"]=> string(28) "http://wendybrandes.com/blog" ["remove_div"]=> bool(true) ["image_handler"]=> string(0) "" ["strip_htmltags"]=> array(19) { [0]=> string(4) "base" [1]=> string(5) "blink" [2]=> string(4) "body" [3]=> string(7) "doctype" [4]=> string(5) "embed" [5]=> string(4) "font" [6]=> string(4) "form" [7]=> string(5) "frame" [8]=> string(8) "frameset" [9]=> string(4) "html" [10]=> string(6) "iframe" [11]=> string(5) "input" [12]=> string(7) "marquee" [13]=> string(4) "meta" [14]=> string(8) "noscript" [15]=> string(6) "object" [16]=> string(5) "param" [17]=> string(6) "script" [18]=> string(5) "style" } ["encode_instead_of_strip"]=> bool(false) ["strip_attributes"]=> array(14) { [0]=> string(7) "bgsound" [1]=> string(5) "class" [2]=> string(4) "expr" [3]=> string(2) "id" [4]=> string(5) "style" [5]=> string(7) "onclick" [6]=> string(7) "onerror" [7]=> string(8) "onfinish" [8]=> string(11) "onmouseover" [9]=> string(10) "onmouseout" [10]=> string(7) "onfocus" [11]=> string(6) "onblur" [12]=> string(6) "lowsrc" [13]=> string(6) "dynsrc" } ["strip_comments"]=> bool(false) ["output_encoding"]=> string(5) "UTF-8" ["enable_cache"]=> bool(true) ["cache_location"]=> string(7) "./cache" ["cache_name_function"]=> string(3) "md5" ["cache_class"]=> string(13) "WP_Feed_Cache" ["file_class"]=> string(18) "FeedWordPress_File" ["timeout"]=> string(2) "10" ["useragent"]=> string(88) "SimplePie/1.2 (Feed Parser; http://simplepie.org; Allow like Gecko) Build/20090627192103" ["force_fsockopen"]=> bool(false) ["replace_url_attributes"]=> array(9) { ["a"]=> string(4) "href" ["area"]=> string(4) "href" ["blockquote"]=> string(4) "cite" ["del"]=> string(4) "cite" ["form"]=> string(6) "action" ["img"]=> array(2) { [0]=> string(8) "longdesc" [1]=> string(3) "src" } ["input"]=> string(3) "src" ["ins"]=> string(4) "cite" ["q"]=> string(4) "cite" } } ["useragent"]=> string(88) "SimplePie/1.2 (Feed Parser; http://simplepie.org; Allow like Gecko) Build/20090627192103" ["feed_url"]=> string(136) "http://powerfulseoservices.com/rere/makefulltextfeed.php?url=http://feeds.feedburner.com/wendybrandes/xcOx&format=rss&submit=Create+Feed" ["file"]=> NULL ["raw_data"]=> NULL ["timeout"]=> int(10) ["force_fsockopen"]=> bool(false) ["force_feed"]=> bool(true) ["xml_dump"]=> bool(false) ["cache"]=> bool(true) ["cache_duration"]=> int(60) ["autodiscovery_cache_duration"]=> int(604800) ["cache_location"]=> string(7) "./cache" ["cache_name_function"]=> string(3) "md5" ["order_by_date"]=> bool(true) ["input_encoding"]=> bool(false) ["autodiscovery"]=> int(31) ["cache_class"]=> string(13) "WP_Feed_Cache" ["locator_class"]=> string(17) "SimplePie_Locator" ["parser_class"]=> string(16) "SimplePie_Parser" ["file_class"]=> string(18) "FeedWordPress_File" ["item_class"]=> string(14) "SimplePie_Item" ["author_class"]=> string(16) "SimplePie_Author" ["category_class"]=> string(18) "SimplePie_Category" ["enclosure_class"]=> string(19) "SimplePie_Enclosure" ["caption_class"]=> string(17) "SimplePie_Caption" ["copyright_class"]=> string(19) "SimplePie_Copyright" ["credit_class"]=> string(16) "SimplePie_Credit" ["rating_class"]=> string(16) "SimplePie_Rating" ["restriction_class"]=> string(21) "SimplePie_Restriction" ["content_type_sniffer_class"]=> string(34) "FeedWordPress_Content_Type_Sniffer" ["source_class"]=> string(16) "SimplePie_Source" ["javascript"]=> string(2) "js" ["max_checked_feeds"]=> int(10) ["all_discovered_feeds"]=> array(0) { } ["favicon_handler"]=> string(0) "" ["image_handler"]=> string(0) "" ["multifeed_url"]=> array(0) { } ["multifeed_objects"]=> array(0) { } ["config_settings"]=> NULL ["item_limit"]=> int(0) ["strip_attributes"]=> array(14) { [0]=> string(7) "bgsound" [1]=> string(5) "class" [2]=> string(4) "expr" [3]=> string(2) "id" [4]=> string(5) "style" [5]=> string(7) "onclick" [6]=> string(7) "onerror" [7]=> string(8) "onfinish" [8]=> string(11) "onmouseover" [9]=> string(10) "onmouseout" [10]=> string(7) "onfocus" [11]=> string(6) "onblur" [12]=> string(6) "lowsrc" [13]=> string(6) "dynsrc" } ["strip_htmltags"]=> array(19) { [0]=> string(4) "base" [1]=> string(5) "blink" [2]=> string(4) "body" [3]=> string(7) "doctype" [4]=> string(5) "embed" [5]=> string(4) "font" [6]=> string(4) "form" [7]=> string(5) "frame" [8]=> string(8) "frameset" [9]=> string(4) "html" [10]=> string(6) "iframe" [11]=> string(5) "input" [12]=> string(7) "marquee" [13]=> string(4) "meta" [14]=> string(8) "noscript" [15]=> string(6) "object" [16]=> string(5) "param" [17]=> string(6) "script" [18]=> string(5) "style" } } ["magpie"]=> object(MagpieFromSimplePie)#478 (12) { ["pie"]=> object(SimplePie)#466 (45) { ["data"]=> array(7) { ["child"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["rss"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(2) " " ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["version"]=> string(3) "2.0" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["channel"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(10) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(21) "Wendy Brandes Jewelry" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(28) "http://wendybrandes.com/blog" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(57) "[full-text feed from fivefilters.org]: Wear What You Want" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["image"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(3) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(3) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(21) "Wendy Brandes Jewelry" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(28) "http://wendybrandes.com/blog" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["url"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(57) "http://creativecommons.org/images/public/somerights20.gif" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } } } ["item"]=> array(5) { [0]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(59) "What Wendy Didn’t Wear: A Smile, a Skirt, a Smiling Skirt" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(2114) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="34">    <p>According to the calendar, there are two weeks of summer left, but we all know that Labor Day weekend is when the season really ends. I figured I’d go to the beach and hide my depression about the coming cold months and shorter days with the help of a smiling <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/07/feathers-water-looking-glass-and-an-imaginary-pig/" target="_blank">Castelbajac</a> skirt I got in July. Unfortunately, the zipper broke before I left the room and I had to cut the skirt off me! Another repair job for <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2009/04/ive-seen-ghost-tailor/" target="_blank">Jean at Ghost Tailor</a>. I took the skirt to the beach anyway to photograph it.</p> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="2"><img class=" " src="http://i51.tinypic.com/25k09dk.jpg" border="0" alt="" width="461" height="346" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Due to zipper failure, this skirt didn't turn my frown upside down.</p></div> <p>I wasn’t a fan of the 100°-plus temperatures we had in New York this summer, but I’m definitely not a cold-weather person. As far as autumn/winter fashion goes, all those gray “draped” and “boyfriend” sweaters look baggy and blah to me. Really, I feel like July 4 was yesterday. Do the years go faster and faster or is it just me? At least there’s one benefit to my ever-increasing “time flies” feeling: it will be October in two minutes, December in 10 minutes and summer again before the day is done!</p> <div id="attachment_7071" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="0"><a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sea.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-7071 " title="sea" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sea.jpg" alt="" width="455" height="286" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Sigh.</p></div> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:29:24 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } } [1]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Who Says You Can’t Buy Style?" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/pO5YvDe1PYo/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/pO5YvDe1PYo/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(942) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="27">    <p>Designer Jeremy Scott says you can!</p> <div id="attachment_7049" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="2"><a href="http://www.forwardforward.com/fwd/DisplayProduct.jsp?d=F&s=C&c=Sep+01&n=n&product=JSCT-WD16"><img class="size-full wp-image-7049" title="jeremyscott" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/jeremyscott.jpg" alt="" width="306" height="464" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Jeremy Scott's Style Batwing Dress, $418 at Forward by Revolve.</p></div> <p>The dress says “Fashion” on the back. You can follow Jeremy Scott on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/ITSJEREMYSCOTT" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Thu, 02 Sep 2010 22:28:03 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } } [2]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(39) "What Wendy Will Wear: Dress by Zang Toi" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/6VsJ7EMNWq4/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/6VsJ7EMNWq4/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(3005) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="57">    <p>What timing! Right after <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/08/one-size-does-not-fit-all-deal-with-it/" target="_blank">my post about how sample sizes, by definition, don’t fit the vast majority of people</a> right off the rack, <a href="http://www.thequestforit.com/the_quest_for_it/2010/08/zang-toi-wendy-brandes-sample-sale.html" target="_blank">Tia from The Quest for “it” posted about the sample sale</a> I had with my designing friend Zang Toi last month. Conveniently, she took a picture of Zang personally altering a red-cashmere dress sample on me. I’m so bad! I should be selling at these events, not buying, but Zang is impossible to resist.</p> <div id="attachment_7037" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://www.thequestforit.com/the_quest_for_it/2010/08/zang-toi-wendy-brandes-sample-sale.html"><img class="size-full wp-image-7037 " title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/zangandwendy.jpg" alt="" width="314" height="419" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">That's black lace on the side. Courtesy The Quest for "it"</p></div> <p>That’s SiSi, Zang’s assistant, in the left corner of the photo. She was taking notes about the alterations.</p> <p>This is typical of my experience with Zang’s samples. I can often get myself into them, but I can’t flounce out the door that second. In fact, Zang has offered to loan me samples for events but I can’t take him up on it because the samples don’t fit me as is. We do lots of alterations when I am buying: taking in, letting out, hemming lengths, shortening sleeves, removing sleeves, reshaping necklines and so on. The initial fit of the sample depends on the shape of the model who wore it on the runway. Do all of you know about model fittings? Gorgeous blogger Tricia of <a href="http://www.fashionherald.org/" target="_blank">Fashion Herald</a>, who has walked in fashion shows, brought that up yesterday in the comments, noting, “Not even models will fit all runway and showroom samples, which is why there are fittings before shows.”</p> <p>The tightest Zang sample I ever put on — I couldn’t zip it, walk in it or breathe in it — had been altered for an actress. She was much thinner than any of the models, so if she’s trying to be “model-thin,” she’s doing it wrong. As for my new dress, Zang took it in at the bust, let it out at the waist, and tapered it all the way down. Even if some of you are my height, weight and dress size, the dress might not fit you because it’s tailored specifically for me. So don’t ask to borrow it! I hope to wear it to Zang’s show during Fashion Week if the weather is cool enough for cashmere.</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:01:12 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } } [3]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(47) "One Sample Size Does Not Fit All. Deal With It." ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/NHYEiD4ONxg/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/NHYEiD4ONxg/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(13082) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="117">    <p>Did you know the world revolved around voluptuous <a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/" target="_blank">Mad Men</a> star <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0376716/" target="_blank">Christina Hendricks</a>? Neither did I! Fortunately, I read New York Magazine’s <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2010/08/christina_hendricks_struggles.html" target="_blank">The Cut blog</a>, which alerted me to the fact via a story about Hendricks that ran in the <a href="http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-interviews/2010/08/27/christina-hendricks-designers-won-t-give-me-dresses-for-award-shows-because-i-m-a-size-14-86908-22517639/" target="_blank">The Daily Record</a> of Scotland. The Record quoted her as saying:</p> <blockquote readability="2"><p><em>“People have been saying some nice, wonderful things about me. Yet not one designer in town will loan me a dress. They only lend out a size 0 or 2. So I’m still struggling for someone to give me a darn dress.”</em></p></blockquote> <p><em> </em></p> <div id="attachment_7021" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><em><em><a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/"><img class="size-full wp-image-7021" title="joan" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/joan.jpg" alt="" width="177" height="328" /></a></em></em><p class="wp-caption-text">Christina Hendricks in character. Courtesy AMC.</p></div> <p>Wait a minute. I’ve been out of school a long time but I seem to recall that the earth revolves around the sun and not an actress. So I better explain why a pretty, talented lady like Hendricks (who wore <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/4082759/Christina-Hendricks-perfect-Emmy-dress" target="_blank">Zac Posen</a> to the Emmys on Sunday) can’t always get the loaner dress of her dreams. It’s not size-ism, despite what the Hendricks quote implies. It’s logistics.</p> <p>The designers only have small sizes available because sample sizes are made to fit runway models. And here I will acknowledge that, yes, models are taller, thinner and more beautiful than the typical person. It’s part of the job requirement. Learn to deal with it. The world doesn’t revolve around you and your insecurities whether you’re an actress or an accountant. Not only will there always be people that are taller, thinner and more beautiful than you, there will be people who are younger, more experienced, smarter, more charming, better connected and/or — unless you are billionaire <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbes_list_of_billionaires" target="_blank">Carlos Slim</a> — wealthier. That’s reality.</p> <p>Anyway, the runway samples are made to fit models who show off the clothes to store buyers and fashion editors, enabling the designers to get orders and press. Look up “sample” in any dictionary. It’s defined as “a portion, piece, or segment that is representative of a whole. An entity that is representative of a class; a specimen.” The samples represent the styles that may then be ordered in a variety of sizes.</p> <p>People who happen to be model-sized or close can borrow the samples that represent the style. Lucky for them. Not so lucky for the rest of us including Hendricks, whose measurements, according to The Record, are 39D-30-39. But is the fact that she’s out of luck so awful? (I’m out of luck as well. Samples are too tall for a 5’4″ woman.) For the hell of it, let’s suppose that all designers decided to make all runway samples 39D-30-39 and only hired models of that size. That would <em>still </em>exclude the majority of people. Some of us would be smaller, some of us would be larger. We have to accept the fact that we are not all the same size and never will be. (For more on the challenges of sizing, read this <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/magazine/01plussize-t.html" target="_blank">New York Times Magazine story</a> and the many excellent posts that <a href="http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/welcome-visitors-from-the-new-york-times/" target="_blank">Kathleen Fasanella of Fashion-Incubator</a> has done on the topic.)</p> <p>Then, you might be wondering, why don’t designers make a range of sample sizes? Refer back to the definition of “sample.” It defeats the purpose of making a specimen or representation if you’re making the entire line. Why should designers invest enormous amounts of time and money to make 12 versions (that number assumes they’d do U.S. sizes 0 – 22, and doesn’t take into account differences in height) of each style, including styles that might never be ordered by stores. And this would all be just in case Christina Hendricks wants to borrow one for free?</p> <div id="attachment_7022" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://nymag.com/"><img class="size-full wp-image-7022" title="CHRISTINA-HENDRICKS" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/CHRISTINA-HENDRICKS.jpg" alt="" width="445" height="602" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Hendricks on the cover of New York Magazine this year.</p></div> <p>Let’s look at how this would work with jewelry. A good sample size for a ring is a 6. It’s an average size that’s likely to fit at least one finger on many women, so a customer can get an idea of what the ring would look like once it is made in her size. Most (but not all) of my female customers fall between a 5 and an 8 when it comes to ring sizes. I do rings in quarter sizes, so to cover sizes 5 through 8 — while discriminating against my poor 4 3/4 and 8 1/4 ladies — I would have to do 13 sizes of each style in order to have a ring ready to go for nearly anyone who walks in the door. That could easily cost me $100,000 per style. Ridiculous! That’s why I just do a single ring for people to view and order in their own size.</p> <p>I would love to get a ring on Christina Hendricks. If she tries on my <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/pro-detail.php?colid=28&collect=true&id=226" target="_blank">gold-and-diamond Borgia poison ring</a> in sample size 6 and it fits her, I’d be glad to loan it to her for an evening. I haven’t seen a single episode of Mad Men, but I liked her two-episode arc on <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303461/" target="_blank">Firefly</a>, so why not?</p> <div id="attachment_7023" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://wendybrandes.com/pro-detail.php?colid=28&collect=true&id=226"><img class="size-full wp-image-7023" title="bigBorgia Gold Ring_Zoom" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/bigBorgia-Gold-Ring_Zoom.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Borgia poison ring shown open and closed. Click to shop. </p></div> <p>If the sample doesn’t fit her, I’d be delighted to custom-make a ring in her size. Of course, she’d have to pay for that. If I started making free rings for everyone who wanted them, I’d go broke in less time than it is taking me to write this post. Duh! Everyone wants free stuff! Meanwhile, contrary to popular belief, having a dress/purse/ring seen on a celebrity doesn’t always translate to big sales. Press is good for overall brand recognition, but there are times it doesn’t move a single unit. If you’re not going to be compensated for your work by the customer AND the customer isn’t guaranteed to generate sales, does it seem like a smart idea to start making special things and giving them away to every person who thinks the world revolves around him or her? If common sense isn’t providing the answer to you right now, you might want to reread my posts <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/01/get-smart-about-manufacturing/" target="_blank">Get Smart (About Manufacturing)</a> and <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/03/get-smart-about-custom-work/" target="_blank">Get Smart (About Custom Work)</a> about the costs of production.</p> <p>Remember, I’m just talking about sample sizes and loaners here. If Christina’s complaint was, “I walk into stores and they don’t have my size,” I wouldn’t be writing anything like this because that is a legitimate complaint and entirely different from the sample size issue. I’m not saying that women of a certain size shouldn’t have access to great clothes. They should. Support the designers who do offer a wide range of sizes! My designing friend <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/category/zang-toi/" target="_blank">Zang Toi</a> has customers of all sizes and ages. They choose from his tiny runway samples and he makes their pieces to order. Stacy Lomman of <a href="http://taffetadarlings.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">taffetadarlings</a> took the unusual step of pre-selling her samples in order to raise money for her first show via Kickstarter (you can still contribute <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/401920628/luanch-a-label-at-ny-fashion-week-hot-new-designer" target="_blank">here</a>). She’s currently fitting the dresses to the models. After, she’ll resize the dresses to fit the people who bought them. A few dresses will have to be made from scratch, costing her extra money. But, if her models were 39D-30-39, the same thing would be happening. Repeat after me until you learn it by heart: one size does not fit all, bitches!</p> <p>What could Christina Hendricks do to get around her free dress problem? I’d recommend that she stops worrying about freebies and instead becomes a valued paying customer. Any designer is more inclined to whip up special pieces for reasonable prices for customers with good track records. It’s great to have a working relationship with a designer, as my customers can attest, and I’d say the same of buying clothes from Zang and Stacy. It’s not as if the free-dress phenomenon (which I’m not against because, as I said, it is good for branding) is an ancient tradition that must be respected. My Facebook friend <a href="http://jeffybruce.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Jeffrey</a>, a fashion-industry veteran, notes, “I sold many dresses to many of the Dynasty and Dallas girls way back when —and yeah we gave them a deal but it was by no means free.” Gorgeous blogger Madeleine of <a href="http://innewyorkparistomorrow.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">In New York Paris Tomorrow</a>, <a href="http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20109203,00.html" target="_blank">another retailing vet</a>, says, “Sad days for indie shops: we used to SELL these things, and the shoes and the bag and the jewels. Still trying to understand the Swag Parties for the Emmys etc … and … we didn’t give deals (although friends could borrow our own pieces).”</p> <p>Finally, for those who can afford it, buying is every bit as glamorous than borrowing, if not more so. As Jeffrey points out, “Elizabeth Taylor wore her own jewelry, her own clothes, had no stylist and was still every inch a star.”</p> <div id="attachment_7024" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/widgets/mediaViewer/image?id=4250822"><img class="size-full wp-image-7024" title="liztaylor" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/liztaylor.jpg" alt="" width="413" height="411" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton at the Oscars in 1970. Burton bought her the 69-carat diamond she's wearing.</p></div> <p>Christina is probably closer than any other actress today to having Liz-style va-va-voom, and I enjoy seeing her on the red carpet. I hope she continues to find plenty of gorgeous dresses to wear, even if they’re not always free.</p> <p>Remember, y’all, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sisterhood_of_the_Traveling_Pants_%28film%29" target="_blank">The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants</a>, in which one pair of jeans magically fits four girls although they have completely different measurements, is fiction! In real life, one size does not fit all. It doesn’t matter if a sample is a 0 or a 14 — it still won’t work for everyone. That’s the simple truth, not a personal attack. We’re living in a world without magic: no unicorns, good witches or supernatural denim. But, hey, at least we have <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/07/its-official-my-new-hero-is-antoine-dodson/" target="_blank">Antoine Dodson</a> and <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/05/a-devastating-day-for-eyebrow-lovers/" target="_blank">Sam Waterston’s eyebrows</a>. What!? Those things seem magical to me!</p> <p>UPDATED TO ADD: I like the cartoon <a href="http://www.libertylondongirl.com/2010/08/31/stuff-no-one-told-me/" target="_blank">here</a>. It reminds me of some of the issues I raised above.</p> <p> </p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:37:27 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } } [4]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(15) "Change of Taste" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/OQ2tjfO4QU4/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/OQ2tjfO4QU4/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(1654) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="33">    <p>Baskin-Robbins brought back my favorite ’70s ice-cream flavor, <a href="http://news.baskinrobbins.com/baskin+robbins/baskin+robbins+news/baskin+robbins+flavor+pink+bubble+gum.htm" target="_blank">Pink Bubblegum</a>, for the month of August. My goal this weekend was to get a scoop before it was too late.</p> <p> </p><div id="attachment_7006" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><img class="size-full wp-image-7006 " title="ice cream" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ice-cream.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="360" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Goal achieved!</p></div> <p>That is one craving I will never have again. Did this stuff always taste so bad? Damn! I still ate the whole scoop even though I cringed at every bite. (My attitude towards food is like <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075686/quotes" target="_blank">the old joke</a>: “Boy, the food at this place is really terrible … and such small portions.”) I felt so queasy after the ice cream that I couldn’t work up the enthusiasm to take an outfit picture, so you’ll have to settle for a <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2009/08/outfit-post-vintage-ungaro-dress-from-frock/" target="_blank">picture of the exact same outfit in 2009:</a> the vintage Ungaro dress, the gold Louis Vuitton shoes and my Gloriana necklace.</p> <p>Blame Baskin-Robbins!</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:38:39 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } ["type"]=> int(128) ["headers"]=> array(6) { ["date"]=> string(29) "Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:16:22 GMT" ["server"]=> string(112) "Apache/2.2.16 (CentOS) mod_ssl/2.2.16 0.9.8l DAV/2 mod_fcgid/2.3.5 mod_auth_passthrough/2.1 FrontPage/5.0.2.2635" ["x-powered-by"]=> string(10) "PHP/5.2.13" ["vary"]=> string(15) "Accept-Encoding" ["connection"]=> string(5) "close" ["content-type"]=> string(23) "text/xml; charset=UTF-8" } ["build"]=> string(14) "20090627192103" ["items"]=> array(5) { [0]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#159 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(10) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(59) "What Wendy Didn’t Wear: A Smile, a Skirt, a Smiling Skirt" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(2114) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="34">    <p>According to the calendar, there are two weeks of summer left, but we all know that Labor Day weekend is when the season really ends. I figured I’d go to the beach and hide my depression about the coming cold months and shorter days with the help of a smiling <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/07/feathers-water-looking-glass-and-an-imaginary-pig/" target="_blank">Castelbajac</a> skirt I got in July. Unfortunately, the zipper broke before I left the room and I had to cut the skirt off me! Another repair job for <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2009/04/ive-seen-ghost-tailor/" target="_blank">Jean at Ghost Tailor</a>. I took the skirt to the beach anyway to photograph it.</p> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="2"><img class=" " src="http://i51.tinypic.com/25k09dk.jpg" border="0" alt="" width="461" height="346" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Due to zipper failure, this skirt didn't turn my frown upside down.</p></div> <p>I wasn’t a fan of the 100°-plus temperatures we had in New York this summer, but I’m definitely not a cold-weather person. As far as autumn/winter fashion goes, all those gray “draped” and “boyfriend” sweaters look baggy and blah to me. Really, I feel like July 4 was yesterday. Do the years go faster and faster or is it just me? At least there’s one benefit to my ever-increasing “time flies” feeling: it will be October in two minutes, December in 10 minutes and summer again before the day is done!</p> <div id="attachment_7071" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="0"><a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sea.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-7071 " title="sea" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sea.jpg" alt="" width="455" height="286" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Sigh.</p></div> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:29:24 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:29:24 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283725764) } ["title"]=> string(59) "What Wendy Didn’t Wear: A Smile, a Skirt, a Smiling Skirt" ["enclosures"]=> array(0) { } ["links"]=> array(2) { ["alternate"]=> &array(1) { [0]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" } ["http://www.iana.org/assignments/relation/alternate"]=> &array(1) { [0]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" } } } } [1]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#115 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Who Says You Can’t Buy Style?" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/pO5YvDe1PYo/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/pO5YvDe1PYo/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(942) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="27">    <p>Designer Jeremy Scott says you can!</p> <div id="attachment_7049" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="2"><a href="http://www.forwardforward.com/fwd/DisplayProduct.jsp?d=F&s=C&c=Sep+01&n=n&product=JSCT-WD16"><img class="size-full wp-image-7049" title="jeremyscott" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/jeremyscott.jpg" alt="" width="306" height="464" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Jeremy Scott's Style Batwing Dress, $418 at Forward by Revolve.</p></div> <p>The dress says “Fashion” on the back. You can follow Jeremy Scott on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/ITSJEREMYSCOTT" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Thu, 02 Sep 2010 22:28:03 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Thu, 02 Sep 2010 22:28:03 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283488083) } } } [2]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#158 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(39) "What Wendy Will Wear: Dress by Zang Toi" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/6VsJ7EMNWq4/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/6VsJ7EMNWq4/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(3005) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="57">    <p>What timing! Right after <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/08/one-size-does-not-fit-all-deal-with-it/" target="_blank">my post about how sample sizes, by definition, don’t fit the vast majority of people</a> right off the rack, <a href="http://www.thequestforit.com/the_quest_for_it/2010/08/zang-toi-wendy-brandes-sample-sale.html" target="_blank">Tia from The Quest for “it” posted about the sample sale</a> I had with my designing friend Zang Toi last month. Conveniently, she took a picture of Zang personally altering a red-cashmere dress sample on me. I’m so bad! I should be selling at these events, not buying, but Zang is impossible to resist.</p> <div id="attachment_7037" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://www.thequestforit.com/the_quest_for_it/2010/08/zang-toi-wendy-brandes-sample-sale.html"><img class="size-full wp-image-7037 " title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/zangandwendy.jpg" alt="" width="314" height="419" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">That's black lace on the side. Courtesy The Quest for "it"</p></div> <p>That’s SiSi, Zang’s assistant, in the left corner of the photo. She was taking notes about the alterations.</p> <p>This is typical of my experience with Zang’s samples. I can often get myself into them, but I can’t flounce out the door that second. In fact, Zang has offered to loan me samples for events but I can’t take him up on it because the samples don’t fit me as is. We do lots of alterations when I am buying: taking in, letting out, hemming lengths, shortening sleeves, removing sleeves, reshaping necklines and so on. The initial fit of the sample depends on the shape of the model who wore it on the runway. Do all of you know about model fittings? Gorgeous blogger Tricia of <a href="http://www.fashionherald.org/" target="_blank">Fashion Herald</a>, who has walked in fashion shows, brought that up yesterday in the comments, noting, “Not even models will fit all runway and showroom samples, which is why there are fittings before shows.”</p> <p>The tightest Zang sample I ever put on — I couldn’t zip it, walk in it or breathe in it — had been altered for an actress. She was much thinner than any of the models, so if she’s trying to be “model-thin,” she’s doing it wrong. As for my new dress, Zang took it in at the bust, let it out at the waist, and tapered it all the way down. Even if some of you are my height, weight and dress size, the dress might not fit you because it’s tailored specifically for me. So don’t ask to borrow it! I hope to wear it to Zang’s show during Fashion Week if the weather is cool enough for cashmere.</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:01:12 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:01:12 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283400072) } } } [3]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#477 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(47) "One Sample Size Does Not Fit All. Deal With It." ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/NHYEiD4ONxg/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/NHYEiD4ONxg/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(13082) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="117">    <p>Did you know the world revolved around voluptuous <a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/" target="_blank">Mad Men</a> star <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0376716/" target="_blank">Christina Hendricks</a>? Neither did I! Fortunately, I read New York Magazine’s <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2010/08/christina_hendricks_struggles.html" target="_blank">The Cut blog</a>, which alerted me to the fact via a story about Hendricks that ran in the <a href="http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-interviews/2010/08/27/christina-hendricks-designers-won-t-give-me-dresses-for-award-shows-because-i-m-a-size-14-86908-22517639/" target="_blank">The Daily Record</a> of Scotland. The Record quoted her as saying:</p> <blockquote readability="2"><p><em>“People have been saying some nice, wonderful things about me. Yet not one designer in town will loan me a dress. They only lend out a size 0 or 2. So I’m still struggling for someone to give me a darn dress.”</em></p></blockquote> <p><em> </em></p> <div id="attachment_7021" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><em><em><a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/"><img class="size-full wp-image-7021" title="joan" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/joan.jpg" alt="" width="177" height="328" /></a></em></em><p class="wp-caption-text">Christina Hendricks in character. Courtesy AMC.</p></div> <p>Wait a minute. I’ve been out of school a long time but I seem to recall that the earth revolves around the sun and not an actress. So I better explain why a pretty, talented lady like Hendricks (who wore <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/4082759/Christina-Hendricks-perfect-Emmy-dress" target="_blank">Zac Posen</a> to the Emmys on Sunday) can’t always get the loaner dress of her dreams. It’s not size-ism, despite what the Hendricks quote implies. It’s logistics.</p> <p>The designers only have small sizes available because sample sizes are made to fit runway models. And here I will acknowledge that, yes, models are taller, thinner and more beautiful than the typical person. It’s part of the job requirement. Learn to deal with it. The world doesn’t revolve around you and your insecurities whether you’re an actress or an accountant. Not only will there always be people that are taller, thinner and more beautiful than you, there will be people who are younger, more experienced, smarter, more charming, better connected and/or — unless you are billionaire <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbes_list_of_billionaires" target="_blank">Carlos Slim</a> — wealthier. That’s reality.</p> <p>Anyway, the runway samples are made to fit models who show off the clothes to store buyers and fashion editors, enabling the designers to get orders and press. Look up “sample” in any dictionary. It’s defined as “a portion, piece, or segment that is representative of a whole. An entity that is representative of a class; a specimen.” The samples represent the styles that may then be ordered in a variety of sizes.</p> <p>People who happen to be model-sized or close can borrow the samples that represent the style. Lucky for them. Not so lucky for the rest of us including Hendricks, whose measurements, according to The Record, are 39D-30-39. But is the fact that she’s out of luck so awful? (I’m out of luck as well. Samples are too tall for a 5’4″ woman.) For the hell of it, let’s suppose that all designers decided to make all runway samples 39D-30-39 and only hired models of that size. That would <em>still </em>exclude the majority of people. Some of us would be smaller, some of us would be larger. We have to accept the fact that we are not all the same size and never will be. (For more on the challenges of sizing, read this <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/magazine/01plussize-t.html" target="_blank">New York Times Magazine story</a> and the many excellent posts that <a href="http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/welcome-visitors-from-the-new-york-times/" target="_blank">Kathleen Fasanella of Fashion-Incubator</a> has done on the topic.)</p> <p>Then, you might be wondering, why don’t designers make a range of sample sizes? Refer back to the definition of “sample.” It defeats the purpose of making a specimen or representation if you’re making the entire line. Why should designers invest enormous amounts of time and money to make 12 versions (that number assumes they’d do U.S. sizes 0 – 22, and doesn’t take into account differences in height) of each style, including styles that might never be ordered by stores. And this would all be just in case Christina Hendricks wants to borrow one for free?</p> <div id="attachment_7022" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://nymag.com/"><img class="size-full wp-image-7022" title="CHRISTINA-HENDRICKS" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/CHRISTINA-HENDRICKS.jpg" alt="" width="445" height="602" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Hendricks on the cover of New York Magazine this year.</p></div> <p>Let’s look at how this would work with jewelry. A good sample size for a ring is a 6. It’s an average size that’s likely to fit at least one finger on many women, so a customer can get an idea of what the ring would look like once it is made in her size. Most (but not all) of my female customers fall between a 5 and an 8 when it comes to ring sizes. I do rings in quarter sizes, so to cover sizes 5 through 8 — while discriminating against my poor 4 3/4 and 8 1/4 ladies — I would have to do 13 sizes of each style in order to have a ring ready to go for nearly anyone who walks in the door. That could easily cost me $100,000 per style. Ridiculous! That’s why I just do a single ring for people to view and order in their own size.</p> <p>I would love to get a ring on Christina Hendricks. If she tries on my <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/pro-detail.php?colid=28&collect=true&id=226" target="_blank">gold-and-diamond Borgia poison ring</a> in sample size 6 and it fits her, I’d be glad to loan it to her for an evening. I haven’t seen a single episode of Mad Men, but I liked her two-episode arc on <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303461/" target="_blank">Firefly</a>, so why not?</p> <div id="attachment_7023" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://wendybrandes.com/pro-detail.php?colid=28&collect=true&id=226"><img class="size-full wp-image-7023" title="bigBorgia Gold Ring_Zoom" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/bigBorgia-Gold-Ring_Zoom.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Borgia poison ring shown open and closed. Click to shop. </p></div> <p>If the sample doesn’t fit her, I’d be delighted to custom-make a ring in her size. Of course, she’d have to pay for that. If I started making free rings for everyone who wanted them, I’d go broke in less time than it is taking me to write this post. Duh! Everyone wants free stuff! Meanwhile, contrary to popular belief, having a dress/purse/ring seen on a celebrity doesn’t always translate to big sales. Press is good for overall brand recognition, but there are times it doesn’t move a single unit. If you’re not going to be compensated for your work by the customer AND the customer isn’t guaranteed to generate sales, does it seem like a smart idea to start making special things and giving them away to every person who thinks the world revolves around him or her? If common sense isn’t providing the answer to you right now, you might want to reread my posts <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/01/get-smart-about-manufacturing/" target="_blank">Get Smart (About Manufacturing)</a> and <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/03/get-smart-about-custom-work/" target="_blank">Get Smart (About Custom Work)</a> about the costs of production.</p> <p>Remember, I’m just talking about sample sizes and loaners here. If Christina’s complaint was, “I walk into stores and they don’t have my size,” I wouldn’t be writing anything like this because that is a legitimate complaint and entirely different from the sample size issue. I’m not saying that women of a certain size shouldn’t have access to great clothes. They should. Support the designers who do offer a wide range of sizes! My designing friend <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/category/zang-toi/" target="_blank">Zang Toi</a> has customers of all sizes and ages. They choose from his tiny runway samples and he makes their pieces to order. Stacy Lomman of <a href="http://taffetadarlings.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">taffetadarlings</a> took the unusual step of pre-selling her samples in order to raise money for her first show via Kickstarter (you can still contribute <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/401920628/luanch-a-label-at-ny-fashion-week-hot-new-designer" target="_blank">here</a>). She’s currently fitting the dresses to the models. After, she’ll resize the dresses to fit the people who bought them. A few dresses will have to be made from scratch, costing her extra money. But, if her models were 39D-30-39, the same thing would be happening. Repeat after me until you learn it by heart: one size does not fit all, bitches!</p> <p>What could Christina Hendricks do to get around her free dress problem? I’d recommend that she stops worrying about freebies and instead becomes a valued paying customer. Any designer is more inclined to whip up special pieces for reasonable prices for customers with good track records. It’s great to have a working relationship with a designer, as my customers can attest, and I’d say the same of buying clothes from Zang and Stacy. It’s not as if the free-dress phenomenon (which I’m not against because, as I said, it is good for branding) is an ancient tradition that must be respected. My Facebook friend <a href="http://jeffybruce.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Jeffrey</a>, a fashion-industry veteran, notes, “I sold many dresses to many of the Dynasty and Dallas girls way back when —and yeah we gave them a deal but it was by no means free.” Gorgeous blogger Madeleine of <a href="http://innewyorkparistomorrow.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">In New York Paris Tomorrow</a>, <a href="http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20109203,00.html" target="_blank">another retailing vet</a>, says, “Sad days for indie shops: we used to SELL these things, and the shoes and the bag and the jewels. Still trying to understand the Swag Parties for the Emmys etc … and … we didn’t give deals (although friends could borrow our own pieces).”</p> <p>Finally, for those who can afford it, buying is every bit as glamorous than borrowing, if not more so. As Jeffrey points out, “Elizabeth Taylor wore her own jewelry, her own clothes, had no stylist and was still every inch a star.”</p> <div id="attachment_7024" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/widgets/mediaViewer/image?id=4250822"><img class="size-full wp-image-7024" title="liztaylor" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/liztaylor.jpg" alt="" width="413" height="411" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton at the Oscars in 1970. Burton bought her the 69-carat diamond she's wearing.</p></div> <p>Christina is probably closer than any other actress today to having Liz-style va-va-voom, and I enjoy seeing her on the red carpet. I hope she continues to find plenty of gorgeous dresses to wear, even if they’re not always free.</p> <p>Remember, y’all, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sisterhood_of_the_Traveling_Pants_%28film%29" target="_blank">The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants</a>, in which one pair of jeans magically fits four girls although they have completely different measurements, is fiction! In real life, one size does not fit all. It doesn’t matter if a sample is a 0 or a 14 — it still won’t work for everyone. That’s the simple truth, not a personal attack. We’re living in a world without magic: no unicorns, good witches or supernatural denim. But, hey, at least we have <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/07/its-official-my-new-hero-is-antoine-dodson/" target="_blank">Antoine Dodson</a> and <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/05/a-devastating-day-for-eyebrow-lovers/" target="_blank">Sam Waterston’s eyebrows</a>. What!? Those things seem magical to me!</p> <p>UPDATED TO ADD: I like the cartoon <a href="http://www.libertylondongirl.com/2010/08/31/stuff-no-one-told-me/" target="_blank">here</a>. It reminds me of some of the issues I raised above.</p> <p> </p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:37:27 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:37:27 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283305047) } } } [4]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#476 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(15) "Change of Taste" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/OQ2tjfO4QU4/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/OQ2tjfO4QU4/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(1654) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="33">    <p>Baskin-Robbins brought back my favorite ’70s ice-cream flavor, <a href="http://news.baskinrobbins.com/baskin+robbins/baskin+robbins+news/baskin+robbins+flavor+pink+bubble+gum.htm" target="_blank">Pink Bubblegum</a>, for the month of August. My goal this weekend was to get a scoop before it was too late.</p> <p> </p><div id="attachment_7006" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><img class="size-full wp-image-7006 " title="ice cream" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ice-cream.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="360" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Goal achieved!</p></div> <p>That is one craving I will never have again. Did this stuff always taste so bad? Damn! I still ate the whole scoop even though I cringed at every bite. (My attitude towards food is like <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075686/quotes" target="_blank">the old joke</a>: “Boy, the food at this place is really terrible … and such small portions.”) I felt so queasy after the ice cream that I couldn’t work up the enthusiasm to take an outfit picture, so you’ll have to settle for a <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2009/08/outfit-post-vintage-ungaro-dress-from-frock/" target="_blank">picture of the exact same outfit in 2009:</a> the vintage Ungaro dress, the gold Louis Vuitton shoes and my Gloriana necklace.</p> <p>Blame Baskin-Robbins!</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:38:39 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:38:39 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283139519) } } } } ["ordered_items"]=> array(5) { [0]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#159 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(10) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(59) "What Wendy Didn’t Wear: A Smile, a Skirt, a Smiling Skirt" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(2114) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="34">    <p>According to the calendar, there are two weeks of summer left, but we all know that Labor Day weekend is when the season really ends. I figured I’d go to the beach and hide my depression about the coming cold months and shorter days with the help of a smiling <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/07/feathers-water-looking-glass-and-an-imaginary-pig/" target="_blank">Castelbajac</a> skirt I got in July. Unfortunately, the zipper broke before I left the room and I had to cut the skirt off me! Another repair job for <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2009/04/ive-seen-ghost-tailor/" target="_blank">Jean at Ghost Tailor</a>. I took the skirt to the beach anyway to photograph it.</p> <div class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="2"><img class=" " src="http://i51.tinypic.com/25k09dk.jpg" border="0" alt="" width="461" height="346" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Due to zipper failure, this skirt didn't turn my frown upside down.</p></div> <p>I wasn’t a fan of the 100°-plus temperatures we had in New York this summer, but I’m definitely not a cold-weather person. As far as autumn/winter fashion goes, all those gray “draped” and “boyfriend” sweaters look baggy and blah to me. Really, I feel like July 4 was yesterday. Do the years go faster and faster or is it just me? At least there’s one benefit to my ever-increasing “time flies” feeling: it will be October in two minutes, December in 10 minutes and summer again before the day is done!</p> <div id="attachment_7071" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="0"><a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sea.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-7071 " title="sea" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/sea.jpg" alt="" width="455" height="286" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Sigh.</p></div> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:29:24 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:29:24 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283725764) } ["title"]=> string(59) "What Wendy Didn’t Wear: A Smile, a Skirt, a Smiling Skirt" ["enclosures"]=> array(0) { } ["links"]=> array(2) { ["alternate"]=> &array(1) { [0]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" } ["http://www.iana.org/assignments/relation/alternate"]=> &array(1) { [0]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/uqz2TNqT2lE/" } } } } [1]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#115 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Who Says You Can’t Buy Style?" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/pO5YvDe1PYo/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/pO5YvDe1PYo/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(942) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="27">    <p>Designer Jeremy Scott says you can!</p> <div id="attachment_7049" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="2"><a href="http://www.forwardforward.com/fwd/DisplayProduct.jsp?d=F&s=C&c=Sep+01&n=n&product=JSCT-WD16"><img class="size-full wp-image-7049" title="jeremyscott" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/jeremyscott.jpg" alt="" width="306" height="464" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Jeremy Scott's Style Batwing Dress, $418 at Forward by Revolve.</p></div> <p>The dress says “Fashion” on the back. You can follow Jeremy Scott on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/ITSJEREMYSCOTT" target="_blank">here</a>.</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Thu, 02 Sep 2010 22:28:03 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Thu, 02 Sep 2010 22:28:03 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283488083) } } } [2]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#158 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(39) "What Wendy Will Wear: Dress by Zang Toi" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/6VsJ7EMNWq4/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/6VsJ7EMNWq4/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(3005) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="57">    <p>What timing! Right after <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/08/one-size-does-not-fit-all-deal-with-it/" target="_blank">my post about how sample sizes, by definition, don’t fit the vast majority of people</a> right off the rack, <a href="http://www.thequestforit.com/the_quest_for_it/2010/08/zang-toi-wendy-brandes-sample-sale.html" target="_blank">Tia from The Quest for “it” posted about the sample sale</a> I had with my designing friend Zang Toi last month. Conveniently, she took a picture of Zang personally altering a red-cashmere dress sample on me. I’m so bad! I should be selling at these events, not buying, but Zang is impossible to resist.</p> <div id="attachment_7037" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://www.thequestforit.com/the_quest_for_it/2010/08/zang-toi-wendy-brandes-sample-sale.html"><img class="size-full wp-image-7037 " title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/zangandwendy.jpg" alt="" width="314" height="419" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">That's black lace on the side. Courtesy The Quest for "it"</p></div> <p>That’s SiSi, Zang’s assistant, in the left corner of the photo. She was taking notes about the alterations.</p> <p>This is typical of my experience with Zang’s samples. I can often get myself into them, but I can’t flounce out the door that second. In fact, Zang has offered to loan me samples for events but I can’t take him up on it because the samples don’t fit me as is. We do lots of alterations when I am buying: taking in, letting out, hemming lengths, shortening sleeves, removing sleeves, reshaping necklines and so on. The initial fit of the sample depends on the shape of the model who wore it on the runway. Do all of you know about model fittings? Gorgeous blogger Tricia of <a href="http://www.fashionherald.org/" target="_blank">Fashion Herald</a>, who has walked in fashion shows, brought that up yesterday in the comments, noting, “Not even models will fit all runway and showroom samples, which is why there are fittings before shows.”</p> <p>The tightest Zang sample I ever put on — I couldn’t zip it, walk in it or breathe in it — had been altered for an actress. She was much thinner than any of the models, so if she’s trying to be “model-thin,” she’s doing it wrong. As for my new dress, Zang took it in at the bust, let it out at the waist, and tapered it all the way down. Even if some of you are my height, weight and dress size, the dress might not fit you because it’s tailored specifically for me. So don’t ask to borrow it! I hope to wear it to Zang’s show during Fashion Week if the weather is cool enough for cashmere.</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:01:12 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:01:12 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283400072) } } } [3]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#477 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(47) "One Sample Size Does Not Fit All. Deal With It." ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/NHYEiD4ONxg/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/NHYEiD4ONxg/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(13082) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="117">    <p>Did you know the world revolved around voluptuous <a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/" target="_blank">Mad Men</a> star <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0376716/" target="_blank">Christina Hendricks</a>? Neither did I! Fortunately, I read New York Magazine’s <a href="http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2010/08/christina_hendricks_struggles.html" target="_blank">The Cut blog</a>, which alerted me to the fact via a story about Hendricks that ran in the <a href="http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-interviews/2010/08/27/christina-hendricks-designers-won-t-give-me-dresses-for-award-shows-because-i-m-a-size-14-86908-22517639/" target="_blank">The Daily Record</a> of Scotland. The Record quoted her as saying:</p> <blockquote readability="2"><p><em>“People have been saying some nice, wonderful things about me. Yet not one designer in town will loan me a dress. They only lend out a size 0 or 2. So I’m still struggling for someone to give me a darn dress.”</em></p></blockquote> <p><em> </em></p> <div id="attachment_7021" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><em><em><a href="http://www.amctv.com/originals/"><img class="size-full wp-image-7021" title="joan" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/joan.jpg" alt="" width="177" height="328" /></a></em></em><p class="wp-caption-text">Christina Hendricks in character. Courtesy AMC.</p></div> <p>Wait a minute. I’ve been out of school a long time but I seem to recall that the earth revolves around the sun and not an actress. So I better explain why a pretty, talented lady like Hendricks (who wore <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/celebrities/4082759/Christina-Hendricks-perfect-Emmy-dress" target="_blank">Zac Posen</a> to the Emmys on Sunday) can’t always get the loaner dress of her dreams. It’s not size-ism, despite what the Hendricks quote implies. It’s logistics.</p> <p>The designers only have small sizes available because sample sizes are made to fit runway models. And here I will acknowledge that, yes, models are taller, thinner and more beautiful than the typical person. It’s part of the job requirement. Learn to deal with it. The world doesn’t revolve around you and your insecurities whether you’re an actress or an accountant. Not only will there always be people that are taller, thinner and more beautiful than you, there will be people who are younger, more experienced, smarter, more charming, better connected and/or — unless you are billionaire <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbes_list_of_billionaires" target="_blank">Carlos Slim</a> — wealthier. That’s reality.</p> <p>Anyway, the runway samples are made to fit models who show off the clothes to store buyers and fashion editors, enabling the designers to get orders and press. Look up “sample” in any dictionary. It’s defined as “a portion, piece, or segment that is representative of a whole. An entity that is representative of a class; a specimen.” The samples represent the styles that may then be ordered in a variety of sizes.</p> <p>People who happen to be model-sized or close can borrow the samples that represent the style. Lucky for them. Not so lucky for the rest of us including Hendricks, whose measurements, according to The Record, are 39D-30-39. But is the fact that she’s out of luck so awful? (I’m out of luck as well. Samples are too tall for a 5’4″ woman.) For the hell of it, let’s suppose that all designers decided to make all runway samples 39D-30-39 and only hired models of that size. That would <em>still </em>exclude the majority of people. Some of us would be smaller, some of us would be larger. We have to accept the fact that we are not all the same size and never will be. (For more on the challenges of sizing, read this <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/magazine/01plussize-t.html" target="_blank">New York Times Magazine story</a> and the many excellent posts that <a href="http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/welcome-visitors-from-the-new-york-times/" target="_blank">Kathleen Fasanella of Fashion-Incubator</a> has done on the topic.)</p> <p>Then, you might be wondering, why don’t designers make a range of sample sizes? Refer back to the definition of “sample.” It defeats the purpose of making a specimen or representation if you’re making the entire line. Why should designers invest enormous amounts of time and money to make 12 versions (that number assumes they’d do U.S. sizes 0 – 22, and doesn’t take into account differences in height) of each style, including styles that might never be ordered by stores. And this would all be just in case Christina Hendricks wants to borrow one for free?</p> <div id="attachment_7022" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://nymag.com/"><img class="size-full wp-image-7022" title="CHRISTINA-HENDRICKS" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/CHRISTINA-HENDRICKS.jpg" alt="" width="445" height="602" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Hendricks on the cover of New York Magazine this year.</p></div> <p>Let’s look at how this would work with jewelry. A good sample size for a ring is a 6. It’s an average size that’s likely to fit at least one finger on many women, so a customer can get an idea of what the ring would look like once it is made in her size. Most (but not all) of my female customers fall between a 5 and an 8 when it comes to ring sizes. I do rings in quarter sizes, so to cover sizes 5 through 8 — while discriminating against my poor 4 3/4 and 8 1/4 ladies — I would have to do 13 sizes of each style in order to have a ring ready to go for nearly anyone who walks in the door. That could easily cost me $100,000 per style. Ridiculous! That’s why I just do a single ring for people to view and order in their own size.</p> <p>I would love to get a ring on Christina Hendricks. If she tries on my <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/pro-detail.php?colid=28&collect=true&id=226" target="_blank">gold-and-diamond Borgia poison ring</a> in sample size 6 and it fits her, I’d be glad to loan it to her for an evening. I haven’t seen a single episode of Mad Men, but I liked her two-episode arc on <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303461/" target="_blank">Firefly</a>, so why not?</p> <div id="attachment_7023" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://wendybrandes.com/pro-detail.php?colid=28&collect=true&id=226"><img class="size-full wp-image-7023" title="bigBorgia Gold Ring_Zoom" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/bigBorgia-Gold-Ring_Zoom.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Borgia poison ring shown open and closed. Click to shop. </p></div> <p>If the sample doesn’t fit her, I’d be delighted to custom-make a ring in her size. Of course, she’d have to pay for that. If I started making free rings for everyone who wanted them, I’d go broke in less time than it is taking me to write this post. Duh! Everyone wants free stuff! Meanwhile, contrary to popular belief, having a dress/purse/ring seen on a celebrity doesn’t always translate to big sales. Press is good for overall brand recognition, but there are times it doesn’t move a single unit. If you’re not going to be compensated for your work by the customer AND the customer isn’t guaranteed to generate sales, does it seem like a smart idea to start making special things and giving them away to every person who thinks the world revolves around him or her? If common sense isn’t providing the answer to you right now, you might want to reread my posts <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/01/get-smart-about-manufacturing/" target="_blank">Get Smart (About Manufacturing)</a> and <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/03/get-smart-about-custom-work/" target="_blank">Get Smart (About Custom Work)</a> about the costs of production.</p> <p>Remember, I’m just talking about sample sizes and loaners here. If Christina’s complaint was, “I walk into stores and they don’t have my size,” I wouldn’t be writing anything like this because that is a legitimate complaint and entirely different from the sample size issue. I’m not saying that women of a certain size shouldn’t have access to great clothes. They should. Support the designers who do offer a wide range of sizes! My designing friend <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/category/zang-toi/" target="_blank">Zang Toi</a> has customers of all sizes and ages. They choose from his tiny runway samples and he makes their pieces to order. Stacy Lomman of <a href="http://taffetadarlings.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">taffetadarlings</a> took the unusual step of pre-selling her samples in order to raise money for her first show via Kickstarter (you can still contribute <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/401920628/luanch-a-label-at-ny-fashion-week-hot-new-designer" target="_blank">here</a>). She’s currently fitting the dresses to the models. After, she’ll resize the dresses to fit the people who bought them. A few dresses will have to be made from scratch, costing her extra money. But, if her models were 39D-30-39, the same thing would be happening. Repeat after me until you learn it by heart: one size does not fit all, bitches!</p> <p>What could Christina Hendricks do to get around her free dress problem? I’d recommend that she stops worrying about freebies and instead becomes a valued paying customer. Any designer is more inclined to whip up special pieces for reasonable prices for customers with good track records. It’s great to have a working relationship with a designer, as my customers can attest, and I’d say the same of buying clothes from Zang and Stacy. It’s not as if the free-dress phenomenon (which I’m not against because, as I said, it is good for branding) is an ancient tradition that must be respected. My Facebook friend <a href="http://jeffybruce.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Jeffrey</a>, a fashion-industry veteran, notes, “I sold many dresses to many of the Dynasty and Dallas girls way back when —and yeah we gave them a deal but it was by no means free.” Gorgeous blogger Madeleine of <a href="http://innewyorkparistomorrow.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">In New York Paris Tomorrow</a>, <a href="http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20109203,00.html" target="_blank">another retailing vet</a>, says, “Sad days for indie shops: we used to SELL these things, and the shoes and the bag and the jewels. Still trying to understand the Swag Parties for the Emmys etc … and … we didn’t give deals (although friends could borrow our own pieces).”</p> <p>Finally, for those who can afford it, buying is every bit as glamorous than borrowing, if not more so. As Jeffrey points out, “Elizabeth Taylor wore her own jewelry, her own clothes, had no stylist and was still every inch a star.”</p> <div id="attachment_7024" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/widgets/mediaViewer/image?id=4250822"><img class="size-full wp-image-7024" title="liztaylor" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/liztaylor.jpg" alt="" width="413" height="411" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton at the Oscars in 1970. Burton bought her the 69-carat diamond she's wearing.</p></div> <p>Christina is probably closer than any other actress today to having Liz-style va-va-voom, and I enjoy seeing her on the red carpet. I hope she continues to find plenty of gorgeous dresses to wear, even if they’re not always free.</p> <p>Remember, y’all, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sisterhood_of_the_Traveling_Pants_%28film%29" target="_blank">The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants</a>, in which one pair of jeans magically fits four girls although they have completely different measurements, is fiction! In real life, one size does not fit all. It doesn’t matter if a sample is a 0 or a 14 — it still won’t work for everyone. That’s the simple truth, not a personal attack. We’re living in a world without magic: no unicorns, good witches or supernatural denim. But, hey, at least we have <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/07/its-official-my-new-hero-is-antoine-dodson/" target="_blank">Antoine Dodson</a> and <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2010/05/a-devastating-day-for-eyebrow-lovers/" target="_blank">Sam Waterston’s eyebrows</a>. What!? Those things seem magical to me!</p> <p>UPDATED TO ADD: I like the cartoon <a href="http://www.libertylondongirl.com/2010/08/31/stuff-no-one-told-me/" target="_blank">here</a>. It reminds me of some of the issues I raised above.</p> <p> </p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:37:27 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:37:27 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283305047) } } } [4]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#476 (2) { ["feed"]=> *RECURSION* ["data"]=> array(7) { ["data"]=> string(7) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(2) { [""]=> array(5) { ["title"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(15) "Change of Taste" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["link"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/OQ2tjfO4QU4/" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["guid"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(64) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wendybrandes/xcOx/~3/OQ2tjfO4QU4/" ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["isPermaLink"]=> string(4) "true" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["description"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(1654) "<div><div class="entrybody" readability="33">    <p>Baskin-Robbins brought back my favorite ’70s ice-cream flavor, <a href="http://news.baskinrobbins.com/baskin+robbins/baskin+robbins+news/baskin+robbins+flavor+pink+bubble+gum.htm" target="_blank">Pink Bubblegum</a>, for the month of August. My goal this weekend was to get a scoop before it was too late.</p> <p> </p><div id="attachment_7006" class="wp-caption aligncenter" readability="1"><img class="size-full wp-image-7006 " title="ice cream" src="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/ice-cream.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="360" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Goal achieved!</p></div> <p>That is one craving I will never have again. Did this stuff always taste so bad? Damn! I still ate the whole scoop even though I cringed at every bite. (My attitude towards food is like <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075686/quotes" target="_blank">the old joke</a>: “Boy, the food at this place is really terrible … and such small portions.”) I felt so queasy after the ice cream that I couldn’t work up the enthusiasm to take an outfit picture, so you’ll have to settle for a <a href="http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2009/08/outfit-post-vintage-ungaro-dress-from-frock/" target="_blank">picture of the exact same outfit in 2009:</a> the vintage Ungaro dress, the gold Louis Vuitton shoes and my Gloriana necklace.</p> <p>Blame Baskin-Robbins!</p> <a href="http://www.linkwithin.com/"><img src="http://www.linkwithin.com/pixel.png" alt="Related Posts with Thumbnails" /></a>   <br /><p>  </p></div></div>" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } ["pubDate"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(31) "Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:38:39 -0600" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } ["http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"]=> array(1) { ["creator"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["data"]=> string(6) "WendyB" ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" } } } } ["date"]=> array(2) { ["raw"]=> string(31) "Sun, 29 Aug 2010 21:38:39 -0600" ["parsed"]=> int(1283139519) } } } } ["links"]=> array(2) { ["alternate"]=> &array(1) { [0]=> string(28) "http://wendybrandes.com/blog" } ["http://www.iana.org/assignments/relation/alternate"]=> &array(1) { [0]=> string(28) "http://wendybrandes.com/blog" } } } ["error"]=> NULL ["sanitize"]=> object(SimplePie_Sanitize)#467 (17) { ["base"]=> string(28) "http://wendybrandes.com/blog" ["remove_div"]=> bool(true) ["image_handler"]=> string(0) "" ["strip_htmltags"]=> array(19) { [0]=> string(4) "base" [1]=> string(5) "blink" [2]=> string(4) "body" [3]=> string(7) "doctype" [4]=> string(5) "embed" [5]=> string(4) "font" [6]=> string(4) "form" [7]=> string(5) "frame" [8]=> string(8) "frameset" [9]=> string(4) "html" [10]=> string(6) "iframe" [11]=> string(5) "input" [12]=> string(7) "marquee" [13]=> string(4) "meta" [14]=> string(8) "noscript" [15]=> string(6) "object" [16]=> string(5) "param" [17]=> string(6) "script" [18]=> string(5) "style" } ["encode_instead_of_strip"]=> bool(false) ["strip_attributes"]=> array(14) { [0]=> string(7) "bgsound" [1]=> string(5) "class" [2]=> string(4) "expr" [3]=> string(2) "id" [4]=> string(5) "style" [5]=> string(7) "onclick" [6]=> string(7) "onerror" [7]=> string(8) "onfinish" [8]=> string(11) "onmouseover" [9]=> string(10) "onmouseout" [10]=> string(7) "onfocus" [11]=> string(6) "onblur" [12]=> string(6) "lowsrc" [13]=> string(6) "dynsrc" } ["strip_comments"]=> bool(false) ["output_encoding"]=> string(5) "UTF-8" ["enable_cache"]=> bool(true) ["cache_location"]=> string(7) "./cache" ["cache_name_function"]=> string(3) "md5" ["cache_class"]=> string(13) "WP_Feed_Cache" ["file_class"]=> string(18) "FeedWordPress_File" ["timeout"]=> string(2) "10" ["useragent"]=> string(88) "SimplePie/1.2 (Feed Parser; http://simplepie.org; Allow like Gecko) Build/20090627192103" ["force_fsockopen"]=> bool(false) ["replace_url_attributes"]=> array(9) { ["a"]=> string(4) "href" ["area"]=> string(4) "href" ["blockquote"]=> string(4) "cite" ["del"]=> string(4) "cite" ["form"]=> string(6) "action" ["img"]=> array(2) { [0]=> string(8) "longdesc" [1]=> string(3) "src" } ["input"]=> string(3) "src" ["ins"]=> string(4) "cite" ["q"]=> string(4) "cite" } } ["useragent"]=> string(88) "SimplePie/1.2 (Feed Parser; http://simplepie.org; Allow like Gecko) Build/20090627192103" ["feed_url"]=> string(136) "http://powerfulseoservices.com/rere/makefulltextfeed.php?url=http://feeds.feedburner.com/wendybrandes/xcOx&format=rss&submit=Create+Feed" ["file"]=> NULL ["raw_data"]=> NULL ["timeout"]=> int(10) ["force_fsockopen"]=> bool(false) ["force_feed"]=> bool(true) ["xml_dump"]=> bool(false) ["cache"]=> bool(true) ["cache_duration"]=> int(60) ["autodiscovery_cache_duration"]=> int(604800) ["cache_location"]=> string(7) "./cache" ["cache_name_function"]=> string(3) "md5" ["order_by_date"]=> bool(true) ["input_encoding"]=> bool(false) ["autodiscovery"]=> int(31) ["cache_class"]=> string(13) "WP_Feed_Cache" ["locator_class"]=> string(17) "SimplePie_Locator" ["parser_class"]=> string(16) "SimplePie_Parser" ["file_class"]=> string(18) "FeedWordPress_File" ["item_class"]=> string(14) "SimplePie_Item" ["author_class"]=> string(16) "SimplePie_Author" ["category_class"]=> string(18) "SimplePie_Category" ["enclosure_class"]=> string(19) "SimplePie_Enclosure" ["caption_class"]=> string(17) "SimplePie_Caption" ["copyright_class"]=> string(19) "SimplePie_Copyright" ["credit_class"]=> string(16) "SimplePie_Credit" ["rating_class"]=> string(16) "SimplePie_Rating" ["restriction_class"]=> string(21) "SimplePie_Restriction" ["content_type_sniffer_class"]=> string(34) "FeedWordPress_Content_Type_Sniffer" ["source_class"]=> string(16) "SimplePie_Source" ["javascript"]=> string(2) "js" ["max_checked_feeds"]=> int(10) ["all_discovered_feeds"]=> array(0) { } ["favicon_handler"]=> string(0) "" ["image_handler"]=> string(0) "" ["multifeed_url"]=> array(0) { } ["multifeed_objects"]=> array(0) { } ["config_settings"]=> NULL ["item_limit"]=> int(0) ["strip_attributes"]=> array(14) { [0]=> string(7) "bgsound" [1]=> string(5) "class" [2]=> string(4) "expr" [3]=> string(2) "id" [4]=> string(5) "style" [5]=> string(7) "onclick" [6]=> string(7) "onerror" [7]=> string(8) "onfinish" [8]=> string(11) "onmouseover" [9]=> string(10) "onmouseout" [10]=> string(7) "onfocus" [11]=> string(6) "onblur" [12]=> string(6) "lowsrc" [13]=> string(6) "dynsrc" } ["strip_htmltags"]=> array(19) { [0]=> string(4) "base" [1]=> string(5) "blink" [2]=> string(4) "body" [3]=> string(7) "doctype" [4]=> string(5) "embed" [5]=> string(4) "font" [6]=> string(4) "form" [7]=> string(5) "frame" [8]=> string(8) "frameset" [9]=> string(4) "html" [10]=> string(6) "iframe" [11]=> string(5) "input" [12]=> string(7) "marquee" [13]=> string(4) "meta" [14]=> string(8) "noscript" [15]=> string(6) "object" [16]=> string(5) "param" [17]=> string(6) "script" [18]=> string(5) "style" } } ["originals"]=> array(5) { [0]=> object(SimplePie_Item)#159 (2) { ["feed"]=> object(SimplePie)#466 (45) { ["data"]=> array(7) { ["child"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["rss"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(2) " " ["attribs"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["version"]=> string(3) "2.0" } } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false) ["xml_lang"]=> string(0) "" ["child"]=> array(1) { [""]=> array(1) { ["channel"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(6) { ["data"]=> string(10) " " ["attribs"]=> array(0) { } ["xml_base"]=> string(0) "" ["xml_base_explicit"]=> bool(false)