Super Soft Tees

This post has been so long in coming. It's also very long. For the past few months, I have been in *love* with super soft tees. In my own personal fashion quest, the discovery of super soft tees can be described as my Holy Grail, my Dead Sea Scrolls, the lost city of Atlantis.

Well, maybe not quite as dramatic.

But anyone who knows me and my fashion fetishes knows how obsessed I am with the brand LnA. What? A plain deep V-neck t-shirt for $60? Who would pay that?

... well, not me, since I buy on sale from Hautelook.com and ideeli.com and other websites with coupon codes (most of the time), but there IS a reason besides celebrity appeal that these t-shirts are so expensive: they are so amazing. Seasonless, versatile, casual-chic, effortless style.

Also, I have a girl-crush on this LnA model:





I'll start this entry off with a small gallery of ways you can rock a super soft tee, and go into a review of the brands later - though not a huge fan of the guy in the red V. (the first image below I got from http://www.whatswhere.com/)

My favorite for fall (and California winters :) is that last outfit worn by Zoe Saldana.

So as you can see, the super soft tee is an incredibly versatile basic that can create a variety of looks from formal with a casual twist, to casual with a polished twist.

But if it's so basic and simple, why are people charging any more than $10 for this little fashion staple? That's the question I asked myself when I innocently came across LnA at a Hautelook sample sale one fateful day.

LnA T-shirts

I had never heard of LnA before then, and I was shocked that these t-shirts, priced at $16-$19 (which I thought should have been the retail), were originally $60+!! I had to find out why, so I bought the V-neck and the deep-V necks in a couple colors, and also a tank and a couple pencil skirts. I wasn't going near the zipper leggings - I thought they looked weird. (I completely retracted that opinion later when I bought a pair and fell in love... along with the rest of their lines.)

Semi-sheer, super soft, lazy, chic, cute, comfortable, and sexy. I wore the hell out of these t-shirts during summer of 2009, especially the racerback tank I got in Kelly. I compared them to the t-shirts I already had, and I still can't explain exactly what makes them so amazing. The length, the drape, and the fit just make them so perfect with so many outfit combinations: tucked into shorts, skirts, pants; half tucked; loose over leggings, skirts, pants...

And the many many options they give you for accessorizing! Because they're so basic, the possibilities are endless with the right accessories - belts, dramatic necklaces, simple necklaces - all give the t-shirts a different vibe. You can go edgy with the right shoes and jacket, bohemian with the right skirt, and just classic chic with a pair of tailored pants (the contrast between the tailored and the casual semi-sheer of the t-shirt make for such a cute combo).

The cotton tees feel very different from the hemp tees, of which I own a few. The hemp tees are looser and drape more than the cotton ones do - both are SUPER soft and incredibly comfortable and cute. You really have to try them on to really appreciate them; I feel like this blog isn't doing them justice.

As you can see, this is true love. I now own probably well over 25 tops from LnA, plus their zippered leggings (charcoal, white, and HOT pink!), which I'll probably show off later, skinny pant, and pencil skirts. I'm coveting a pair of black licorice zipper leggings and pocket zipper leggings!

American Apparel tees

I have "The Summer Tee" and "The Track Tee," both V-necks. They are not as soft as LnA's cotton - I noticed that AA's cotton is a bit thicker and more coarse than LnA's cotton. But they offer an opaque alternative to LnA's sheer. I like them because they're a little less fashion-y and you don't have to worry about bras or sheerness because they aren't deep-Vs. I call them the "low maintenence" tees. :)

I haven't tried their new V and deep-V sheer jersey tees yet, though I smell knock-off :) If they're comparable to LnA, you can't beat the price - $19 vs. $60

(I have to say, and this might be a completely different entry altogether, I do not think AA is the same as LnA but only cheaper. I own both and while both lines have their merits, I have a strong preference for LnA. I prefer LnA not based on price or brand, but based on quality and the way the line fits me vs. AA, and it took me a little while to come to that conclusion because I didn't just want to go for the brand that was more expensive.)

Vince Tees

The Vince brand beats out even the LnA brand pricewise.

This muscle tee by Vince is $95.00 on Shopbop.com!

I only own one tee from Vince, and it's a black loose-fitting crew neck tee with a seam detail around the neck. I adore it, and I can feel how luxurious the cotton is when I wear it. However, is the markup worth it? I say yes, but only if you can't find the same look AND feel somewhere else, is it really worth it.

Rarity creates value, even if the material costs are in the single-digit-dollar range. However, while I won't say I'm an advocate of knock-offs, if you find a piece of clothing that you adore for a cheaper price that really pulls off the look of a higher-priced item, I say that higher-priced item is... overpriced. Ie., you're REALLY just paying for the brand.

I'm not accusing Vince of this. Just sayin'. :)

Splendid Tees, C&C California

I love Splendid's super soft tees, and the ones I've gotten have always added a little style element to the tee to make them just a little bit more formal (slightly bubble sleeves, more tailored shoulders, etc.) But I think I might be shortchanging Splendid in not doing a direct comparison between their supersoft tees and LnA's. Still expensive, but not quite as expensive as LnA, they have a lot of comparable pieces. For example, I would LOVE to try these on to compare:

Light & Fashionable top, $54; Very Light Jersey V Neck Tee, $48; shopbop.com

I love C&C California's Bold Tank $34.00 (but often on sale for $18-$24). It fits a little loose (looser than on this model) and it's a little bit sheer - such a great beach top to wear half-tucked into shorts or long enough to be a cover-up for a bathing suit. (Yes, I'm already thinking of summer!)

So to wrap this novella up, here is another image from whatwear.com that talks about where you can get tees for cheaper. I don't have many of these, so I can't tell you if they will give you the same quality as the ones I've mentioned. But if they work, then save your money!

One final note: I (surprise surprise) LOVE LnA's new tees and I can't wait to get my hands on them. I think while tunic-length tops are universally flattering, that tops are eventually going to get shorter again, but stay loose. That's my forecast.



Up and coming:

The BEST strapless bra for A cup or B cup gals (and it's NOT Victoria's Secret!)

I can't really speak for the C-cup-and-above women out there, but I can tell you that I just spent the best $10.99 I've ever spent in my life. The Gilligan & O'Malley Strapless Plunge Padded Bra at Target. I might have caught a sale when I bought it because it shows up online as $14.99.



Here are the specs for those of you who are interested:

• Sizing and Fit: Women Sizing
• Material: 82 % Nylon, 18 % Spandex
• Care and Cleaning: Line Dry, Machine Wash Cold
• Underwire Type: Underwire
• Cup Style: Padded
• Closure Style: Hook Back Closure(s)
• Garment Detail: Removable Straps

Let me preface this by saying that I have been a Victoria's Secret bra addict for years. Personally, and especially after finding this bra, I think a lot of my brand loyalty has to do with the hype. From the Victoria's Secret fashion show to the gorgeous celebrity models to the ubiquitous mailers, they advertise REALLY well. Which is why, for years, I've been buying $40+ bras that I knew, deep inside, were way too expensive for the quality I was getting.

I've bought a total of three mediocre Victoria's Secret strapless bras. The worst bra I have ever bought from VS is the Very Sexy 100-way Bra. Do not buy this bra. It's $50 of uncomfortable, flimsy ugliness that if you don't see it right when you buy it, you'll feel it a year later. The top edge of the cups showed in almost every top I wore. The band stretched out and lost its elasticity way sooner than I anticipated. And worst of all, the cups actually got lumpy. I don't know why since I usually air-dried the bra after the wash. (Though I'll admit, I didn't do this *every* time.)

The only thing I liked about this bra was the clear plastic plunge in the center. I could wear really low cut tops with this thing, even ones that plunged past the center of this bra. Since the center piece is clear, it's almost invisible. That was a really smart idea. Until, of course, the piece of plastic tore - now I have two separate cups.

Hence the need to go shopping for another strapless bra. I decided to try Target, since the online reviews of some of the Target bras were not bad. When I tried the Gilligan & O'Malley Strapless Bra, I fell in love. The cups felt absolutely perfect. The bra itself was incredibly stiffly constructed which felt a little too hard at first, but when I put it on, it was virtually invisible. It conformed to my body so well I hardly felt it. When I put my top over it, I couldn't see the top edge at all. Plus it's plunge AND padded? What more could I want?

Now, there are caveats to this find. First of all, I can already tell that eventually, the wires may poke out of the bra over time. I'll have to wait to see what the long-term wear on this bra is. Secondly, the cups are a little more of the "full coverage" style, rather than the "demi" style, which, I think, we smaller-busted women prefer.

But really, the best part of this find is the fact that I'm getting much more than I paid for. I would wear this bra as a normal everyday bra, let alone for special strapless occasions. $10.99? I almost bought two! But I stopped myself, because that would have just been unreasonable.

I know y'all have a Target near you. Do yourselves a favor and go to one and just TRY one on. Before they stop making them! And those with C+ cups, if you find this works for you too, let me know :)

Country Boots/Cowboy Boots?

This is in response to a comment I got yesterday:

I think I've also got some country boots that needs a touch up. Any advice
if this is even worth modernizing.

By country boots I assume you mean cowboy boots? What color are they and what style? I'm picturing something like this:



Cowboy boots are such a great winter-to-spring transition piece. AND, in my personal opinion, they are worn BEST when they are OFF-trend, not on-trend. ie., when no one else is wearing them :) The best kinds are the classic ones that look authentic with real leather and bonus if they have scuff marks. My favorite colors are a rich dark coffee-brown as shown on the right of the link I have there, or RED. I have a pair of red cowboy boots and they always come off as unique when I pull them on.

Cowboy boots over leggings and a long fitted shirt (make sure the hem hits at least mid-thigh) would be a great casual on-the-go look. Paired with a slouchy hobo and, if you have an hourglass figure, a cinched belt that matches the boot color, this look would be great for spring. If you have great legs like the women in the link, you don't need leggings. And the flowy dress makes the outfit cute, but watch out for getting too little dramatic if you get too flowy.

If you want a more subtle "cowboy boot" look, bootcut jeans are your answer! Jeans with just a little flare in them give your body shape. You don't have to show the whole boot to get that "Western" look. Just let the jeans fall over the boot. Try them with a medium-width brown belt and a plaid or checkered shirt that isn't long, not the tunic styles, but slightly shorter to show off glimpses of the belt.

Another suggestion: Boots, bootcut jeans over it, loose fitting vintage-soft worn-in "I don't care" tshirt, maybe black-ish or yellow for a playful statement, or a basic super-soft tee, and an unbuttoned loose fitting button-up over it. Says completely casual with a twist! Accessorize with a funky necklace and oversized sunglasses and you're good to go.

If you're asking about how to modernize the boot itself, I'd have to see what the boot looks like.