Given the current economy, people are scrutinizing their purchases like never before, determined to get the most for their money. So when it comes to quality and value in clothing, consider the salient words of model/designer Kate Moss:

“I’m not really a fashion designer. I just love clothes. I’ve never been to design school. I can’t sketch. I can’t cut patterns and things.”

Thanks for the warning, Kate. Although plenty of celebrity labels produce quality work (Jessica Simpson comes to mind), it’s a little worrying to see the growing number of untrained celebrities taking jobs trained designers used to have. So, buyer, if not beware, at least pay attention.

If you’re paying next to nothing for something, you’re probably not looking for quality and have no plans to wear it beyond one season. If, on the other hand, you’ve selected a style you consider pricey, you may wonder if it’s worth the money. You want to wear it over several seasons, but has it been made well enough for that? There are definite basics to look for—like whether the seams are all sewn straight or if there are loose threads—but let’s take a closer look at what constitutes quality across three different price categories.

Higher Priced

Just like an Olympic dive, you get points for difficulty. Here we have a gorgeous, cloud-light Catherine Malandrino silk peasant blouse. (FYI, silk is notoriously challenging to work with, from cutting to sewing.) This top is fully lined (even the sleeves) in a hue-matched silk georgette. This creates a lovely opaqueness, leaving undergarments reasonably invisible. All seams are French, which means inside it looks beautifully finished. (In fact, some people think the real indicator of quality is how good a garment would look if you were to wear it inside out.)

The scalloped petals travel around the entire neckline. They were probably sewn together first, then applied in strips to the garment. Considering all those layers and the delicate silk fabric, it took some skilled sewing to do this.

The smocking style is unusual (not at all like a little girl’s pinafore), and that creates a pleasantly unexpected touch. Also, the neckline stretches so you can wear it on or off the shoulder. So what will you be paying for this kind of well-crafted beauty? $375.

Mid-Priced

For starters, this sleek Calvin Klein dress is lined. Lined garments are wonderful for a number of reasons. They’re much easier to slip on and off (because the lining fabric is generally slippery), they help the garment hold its shape, and the lining takes the brunt of the wear and tear, protecting the fashion fabric. The lining of this dress is tacked to the side seams down near the hem, which means it will stay in place, no riding up or twisting around you.

The tucks—which are the featured style detail—extend all the way around to the back. This may not seem like much, but frequently you see clothing that has details like pleats, prints and embellishment on the front only. A waggish blogger once referred to such styles as “coffin clothing.” So when design details are transferred to the back, that’s a good sign.

The dress also has a back vent. That’s vent, not slit. It’s a much more elegant touch and trickier to sew. The price for this elegant, modern classic piece? $129.

Lower Priced

Finally, we have this sweet and smart L.A. Kitty Jacket. It’s visible proof that a lower price doesn’t necessarily mean lower quality. It’s made from a sturdy cotton-blend jersey that holds its shape (although, admittedly, all that princess seaming helps). It’s a very feminine look, and that theme is carried throughout the garment. It has a fitted waist and back pleated peplum flare, and notice how the gathering on the collar echoes the gathering on the sleeve cap. They didn’t have to do that, but they did and it’s a very nice touch.

The jacket also has a back garment shield that helps keep sweat at bay. Contrast-faced cuffs are a clever, fashionable touch, and the rounded lapels, again, keep the look feminine. How much will this one put you back? A mere $38.

All of the above are exceptional pieces. Tastes and budgets come into play here, but none is a throwaway item. Take care of them, and they’ll take care of you. And it’s important to remember that clothes, like people, send messages with their appearance. Have some fun and wear me only once, or wear me and keep me. If you’re looking for a keeper, it’s all about learning to read the signals.

This week our tech team asked everyone at MyShape—even the guys—for the top three improvements they’d like made to how their Personal Shops work. Improving the Personal Shop experience is something we discuss regularly around here because, believe me, we all know it’s not perfect yet!

I told the team that, first of all, I’d love to see more basics in my Personal Shop in wider ranges of colors. For example, I want to be able to shop for, say, a versatile classic cardigan in at least 10 colors. Although this is more of a merchandise issue, if the basics were available, it would be so helpful to have a separate category for basics in my shop.

I also said I’d like to be able to exclude items with specific qualities or details, such as skinny waist ties, eyelet, sequins, tie-dye and ombre. Though I’m open to a lot of different styles, certain design features just aren’t me, and I’d rather not see them.

Finally, I asked if a little box or some text could appear next to any style that’s getting close to selling out to show how many remain in stock in my size. I’ve seen another retail website that does something like this…they’ll have a little note saying “2 left!” if only two of a certain dress style are left in stock. I’m not sure when it would be best to start announcing the number of items left. Maybe when there are three left? I wonder if that’s too late.

The suggestions are pouring in right now at our office, and we’d love to hear from you too. What could make your Personal Shop work better? If you post your top three ideas as a comment on this blog post or on our Facebook wall, I’ll pass them along to the tech team!

Posted by Heather at MyShape

You’re right. It is too early to be blogging about Valentine’s Day. But in my defense, no sooner were December holiday goods whisked off the shelves than a rosy explosion of hearts took their place. It’s like Christmas now comes with a Valentine’s chaser. We get a good, long five or six weeks to contemplate the state of our love lives (oh joy!) and consume several pounds of chocolate. One way or another it’s a holiday that’s destined to make some of us feel bad about ourselves, single or married. What romantic feeling could possibly live up to the day’s besotted expectations? And, frankly, any holiday that’s had the word “massacre” tagged onto the end of it should probably be avoided altogether. At this point, like turning 50, I just want to get it over with.

A Brief History of (Valen)tine

One theory as to how the whole distressing day started has to do with an ancient Roman fertility festival. Young women placed their names in an urn, then young men would take turns selecting a name to be paired with. Apparently the two of them would be “in lerf” for the rest of the year. Yes, hard to believe, but Valentine’s Day started out as a kind of secret Santa thing. Then there was St. Valentine who, supposedly, while incarcerated and awaiting death wrote a goodbye letter to his jailer’s daughter and signed it, “Your Valentine.” The rest is greeting card history. Makes you wonder what would’ve happened had his name been “Spatula” or “Festering.”

Yes, Some of You Will Be Celebrating

But if you must celebrate Valentine’s Day, if you must go out, I suppose you must also have a killer dress to go out in. And what better look (and at what better price) than a $49 dazzler that’s also an Oprah pick! This Ellavie dress is a blazingly cheerful color and has rather elegantly handled gathering that creates enough drape to hide bulges. I also really like the front and back V-neck so you look sexy coming and going. I hate it when designers do nothing with the back of a garment (unless there’s nothing on the front). And let’s face it: if the date doesn’t work out, you’ve only spent 49 bucks on a dress you can wear outside of V-day. And if it does work out, you’ve established a wise and admirable pattern of thriftiness, which is always a good basis for building a lasting relationship.

Naturally, I’ve ordered from MyShape and, like everyone else, received an organza bag with my purchase tucked inside. The bags started to stack up, but I’ve put them to good use and, getting a little curious in this era of thrift, wondered what officemates were doing with theirs. I decided to stroll around and do some unscientific canvassing. It turns out that while the bags are as crisp and airy as egg whites, they’re also surprisingly utilitarian.

Stow Away

Storage was, far and away, the number-one use. If your home is shrouded in a perpetual cloud of dust like mine, these things are lifesavers—especially for shoes and purses you don’t use that often. You can actually see them, allowing you to forgo the pleasure of opening dusty boxes, while the weave is tight enough to keep the dust out. Someone mentioned snipping a hole at the top and slipping one over a hanging blouse or jacket. They’re also popular for storing linens and blankets.

Here’s one that came up more than once: use them to store wrapping paper. A co-worker hangs one from a hook in her closet and keeps all those maddening rolls and ribbons tamed.

I only have one laundry basket, but there are certain laundry items I like to “file separately” as it were. For instance, I throw all my dirty cleaning rags in a bag and hang it off a doorknob in the laundry room. I once used a plastic bag for the same purpose, but because light couldn’t penetrate, mold grew (yes, I’m pretty lazy about washing the cleaning rags). I ended up tossing it—contents and all—out. I’ve recently begun using a second organza bag for clothing that needs to be hand washed.

Use one to store anything that can be easily snagged, like fine lingerie, leggings or pantyhose.

One financial filing whiz uses one bag to hold tax receipts and another for things that need to be shredded.

And then there’s travel. We don’t want certain items to mingle in our suitcases either (see laundry comment above). And the bag goes through airport security easily—it’s see-through!

Re-Gifting

A member of our merchandise team uses hers to wrap gifts, stuffing any spare space with tissue paper. Then she might attach a pretty pin instead of a bow.

I have a baby shower to attend, so I’ve decided instead of wrapping the present, I’ll buy a gift bag, then use the organza bag as tissue paper.

And Now for Something Completely Martha Stewart

For the home sewers and crafters among us, there’s a reason “organza” rhymes with “bonanza.” Ever think of taking a pair of scissors to your bag?

I gave one to my landlady, and she cut it into strips, then used them to tie up her roses.

I’ve been longing to whip up some kitschy ’50s hostess aprons with leftover bags and give them out as gifts. I figure I can easily personalize them with sequins, embroidery and rickrack, and the Internet offers a treasure trove of vintage patterns.

Kitchen and bathroom curtains (where windows tend to be smaller), dust ruffles, doll clothes and Halloween costumes were all mentioned as possible ways to recycle the bags. How about faux-flower pins and corsages, detachable collars and cuffs? Use your imagination! Clever seamstresses can whip up just about anything.

Just a beginner? Try sewing up some sweet-smelling sachets. They make lovely gifts and are very easy to make. Fancy table runners, coasters…well, the list goes on. If you don’t sew or know any sewers, think about donating your collection to a local trade school, high school, sewing club, nursing home, community theater or drag queen (girlfriend, you know she’ll have ideas).

Growing up, I was blessed with a talented mother who made most of my clothes. Wearing gorgeous, trendsetting outfits, I always managed to be one season ahead of current styles. But then I “left the nest,” started earning some money of my own and made a startling discovery: shopping for clothes in stores was great fun!

Until Moscow—where, in the ’80s, I moved with my journalist husband and young daughter. Needless to say, shopping for anything in a communist country is far from joyful, although a lack of choice takes the guesswork out of any decision. There was usually only one brand of anything to buy, and lines stretched around the block for it. Despite that, we decided not to come back to the States that first summer but instead stayed closer to Europe and enjoyed all that it offered. That’s when I discovered that (Western) Northern European clothing and I were a match made in heaven. When we did return to the States for a visit, after living overseas for two years, we landed in New York City—fashion capital of the universe. I couldn’t wait to hit the stores and put together an updated wardrobe, one that worked for my international lifestyle. I made an immediate beeline to a major New York department store.

My plan of attack was to wander leisurely through the entire store, take in all it had to offer, then get down to shopping. I mastered each floor, absorbing fabrics, colors and displays like a style-starved sponge. When I got to the top, I immediately headed back down to start the actual shopping part in the section where I began. But I couldn’t quite remember where that was because a tidal wave of choice had suddenly swamped me. Deprived of style and fashion in communist Moscow, I was suddenly standing in the opposite extreme and feeling completely overwhelmed. I stopped cold and was shocked to find myself in tears! My still-Moscow self was reacting to a retail extravaganza on a par with Las Vegas. If you’d lived your life in gray dresses, then were suddenly presented with a thousand different dresses, which five or six would you choose? Was there any way you’d remember the first ten by the time you got to the last ten?

I was wallowing in a strange, disembodied panic, but then somewhere the planets aligned and I got very lucky. An attentive saleswoman saw my distress and came to my rescue. She directed me to a personal shopper—an understanding soul who’d grown up in Germany. Finally! Someone who could understand what I was looking for, who could really help me! She took down a lot of information—including my measurements—then suggested I go enjoy lunch, asking that I return at around 3 p.m. I left relieved and hopeful.

At the stroke of three, I was back in her cozy office, which was now full of clothes. Trying them on, I suddenly felt stylish and cosmopolitan. It was like she’d read my mind or at least figured it all out from our brief conversation. I went home quite pleased with my purchases. Each piece worked separately and in combination with the others, forming lovely outfits. I had lots of great looks that fit both my new lifestyle and me.

A great deal of time has passed since then, but the memory of that amazing and amazingly intuitive saleswoman is still vivid. That is the experience I want everyone to have with their MyShape Personal Shop.

This is Heather at MyShape passing along some friendly words and a fabulous photo from one of our happy customers. Thank you, Desanne!

Hello there,

I just wanted to state how much more in love I am with your clothing. In November, I purchased a Lily Palm Leaf Print Jersey Dress with Criss Cross Back. On Christmas Day, I wore it with a bolero and simple jewelry (as seen in the attached pics). Once more I am a grateful and overjoyed customer. When I wore that dress yesterday, I got compliments from so many people about the colours of the dress as well as design. I just needed to tell you how much I am thankful for you. I look forward to my next purchase from you.

Regards,

Desanne Ferrette

Posted by Heather at MyShape

You can see it, can’t you? The sublime lines. The poised slimness. The understated I-don’t-know-whatness. How it doesn’t scream “look at me” but, instead, radiates a kind of quiet confidence that pulls you in. I’d lick hot sand for this dress.

But it’s not in my shop. Anywhere. There’s just a gaping hole, imagined or otherwise, where the one—the Belted Crepe Shirtdress by Calvin Klein Dresses (style 17738)—should be. Cue lonely she-wolf howl. Then I think, “Okay, calm down. There’s only one thing a mature, clear-headed woman can do in a situation like this. Right. Go into denial.”

I search the style number. Up comes the dress in all its tantalizing, not-quite-navy-blue glory—“Our ShapeMatch® system indicates that this item does not match your measurements and preferences, so it may not fit as intended.”

That “no” sure sounds like a “yes” to me.

I briskly head back to our warehouse. The whooshing sound the plastic garment bags make as I pass sounds like applause. I brim with the same kind of stupid optimism that gave the world Waterloo, the Titanic and back-to-back world wars. I find the dress, ballpark the size and try it on. Okay, I ballpark the size again. And again. It improves on the bottom, but I’m swimming in the top. My hips will forever be chasing my bust and vice versa. Never the two shall meet. And didn’t I accept this fact years ago? It’s like being 60 and still asking why the sky is blue. Once again I’ve let my imagination run amok. My hopes are smashed on my…well, hopes.

A sense of frustration and disappointment fold over me like Mothra. I’ll never be part of the sheath-wearing set. Or should I say I’ll never be part of the Vespa-riding, embassy party-going, über A-list, sheath-wearing set. I’m stuck with flared hems forever. But, really, envy only makes sense if you thought you stood a chance, if you actually had a shot at it. It’s why I’ve never envied anyone who’s won an Olympic medal in the high jump.

I suppose I could look for a rebound dress, but that seems as pointless as the envy. Or I can rise above my disappointment and simply admire the dress for its beauty. I’ll put it on my wish list just to look at it from time to time. Then, one day, it’ll disappear. Sold out.

There’s a silver lining to not getting what you really, really want, but damned if I know what it is. What can I say? It had me at “belted sheath.”

Maybe it’s the time of year, but so many things about shopping in stores annoy me. Here’s a sampling:

1. People

And by that I mean people. You’d never suspect the economy had hit a serious snag given the number of shoppers who nearly ran over me at the neighborhood mall. Granted, it’s one of those outdoor, pedestrian-friendly ones where the über-tall Christmas tree was up and spreading its cheer weeks before deep frying the Thanksgiving turkey was on anyone’s to-do list, so I should’ve expected it. I don’t know how many cell phone photos I’m in, but I’m guessing at least a half a dozen. And my legs are just now recovering from being repeatedly thwacked by toddler-stuffed strollers and Sur la Table bags filled with cast-iron skillets.

2. Parking

’Nough said, except I believe I’m on the lot’s security tape, which you can probably view on YouTube. I’m the charmer counting by ones.

3. Music

Moving from store to store, the songs changed, but the decibel level? Ha! Or should I say HA! Boy, have I gotten old. Suddenly I’ve morphed into my father when it comes to loud music. All that’s missing is a furious mono-brow and my storming down the stairs, scotch and soda in hand, yelling, “Keep that goddamned noise down!”

4. Music (Outdoors, that is.)

A roving band of clad-in-white brass musicians serenaded whoever made the mistake of pausing to adjust a sock.

5. Salespeople

Is it me, or have they gotten really—well, kind of—creepy? It used to be I could ignore their cheery “Hello, can I help you?” Now I’ve got tiny, thin people fixing me with unblinking stares as they swiftly press in on me. “Hiiii. How are you? I loooove that jacket you’re wearing.” Suddenly I’m back in high school, backed up against my locker, clutching Social Studies Now and a three-ring notebook to my chest.

6. Choices

Frankly, there are too many, and I’m just overwhelmed. Now, if I could take the top I saw at store A and the necklace from store B and put them in a shop together…hmmm.

7. Dressing rooms

A door that came up higher than, say, my nipples would be nice. But I guess any door is better than a curtain that blows open whenever someone walks by. I’ve decided flattering lighting is too much to ask for. I should just be glad there’s lighting of any kind. And did I mention the time I had to step over a child’s…um, liquid expression of shopping excitement?

There, seven. Better end on a lucky number, or I’ll be jinxed for life.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT:
Inspiring Minds Communications

Norma Kelly (818) 509-0575
nkelly@inspiringmindscom.com

Carla Sameth (626) 564-0163
carla@inspiringmindscom.com

MYSHAPE.COM TO MAKE SIZE…HISTORY
MyShape Revolutionizes Online Shopping With Sizeless Dressing™

Barry Schuler, Managing Director of DFJ Growth Fund (former Chairman/CEO of AOL) Joins MyShape Board of Directors

PASADENA, Calif. — (September 1, 2009) — MyShape® (www.myshape.com)the only Personal Shop™ for women on the web announced today new breakthrough features in personalized online shopping, becoming the first women’s fashion site to offer “Sizeless Dressing.” MyShape also welcomes Barry Schuler, Managing Director of DFJ Growth Fund as the newest member of the MyShape Board of Directors. MyShape as part of its expansion strategy has secured its third VC round of funding led by DFJ Growth Fund who specializes in expansion stage companies that are deemed to have $1B+ potential. This round also includes follow on investment by Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Tenaya Capital (formerly Lehman Brothers Venture Partners), Pasadena Angels and Tech coast Angels.

According to Barry Schuler, “We believe MyShape is on the leading edge of the next wave of ecommerce. The Personal Shop offers consumers a breakthrough experience that makes online apparel shopping extremely convenient and solves the biggest problem buyers face—’will it fit?’ Schuler is the former Chairman/CEO of America Online Inc. (AOL) and is considered one of the pioneers of the Internet. His experience in ecommerce dates back to the earliest interactive shopping products including “2Market” and the breakthrough AOL Shopping Channel.

MyShape puts an end to the search for the elusive perfect fit by taking the guesswork out of online shopping. MyShape offers each member the option to Go Sizeless, banishing size from her Personal Shop altogether. MyShape assesses the proper fit based on body proportion and shape, not size. At myshape.com she enters a few key measurements and a newly released expert system automatically predicts the rest of her body measurements. After sharing her style and fit preferences, her Personal Shop is instantly filled with a rich assortment of fashions that flatter her shape, match her measurements and reflect her style—from over 200 designers—regardless of size.

MyShape has continued its rapid growth momentum with a 5x growth over the past 14 months. Nearing 700,000 members, MyShape’s average order size is double the industry average with a repeat business up over 50%. The Personal Shop consistently delivers what the shopper really wants achieving a 98% customer satisfaction rating. New popular features include cutting edge social shopping allowing members to invite friends to shop and comment on their selections just like they would offline. The “Outfit Builder” lets shoppers mix and match looks to create an outfit and see what others have created. Style Me™ is a destination for personalized style know-how, featuring a range of insider information, from adapting international runway trends for each shape to helping women develop their own signature style. A shop by designer feature previews an expanded list of new fashion brands.

“We are now set to significantly scale our marketplace and partnerships throughout the industry,” said MyShape CEO, Louise Wannier. “We are thrilled to have Barry Schuler, former Chairman/CEO of AOL on our board with his record as a key visionary for the Internet.”

About myShape®

myShape® is the new Personal Shop for women on the web-an innovative women’s fashion site that is changing the way women shop. myShape provides each member with her own Personal Shop™ filled with clothing choices that match her measurements, body shape and fashion and fit preferences. The Personal Shop and the ShapeMatch® system are protected by issued and pending international patents. The company is changing the metrics for retail online — myShape members buy more, return less and are more satisfied with their clothing purchases. myShape is outreaching to millions of women to provide them with an effortless way to shop for apparel that fits and flatters™. For more information go to www.myShape.com.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT:
Inspiring Minds Communications

Norma Kelly (818) 509-0575
nkelly@inspiringmindscom.com

MYSHAPE® REVEALS ITS FASHION TRENDS AND TIPS FOR SUMMER 2009

All things fashion personalized at MyShape’s new Style Me channel.

PASADENA, Calif. — (August 31, 2009) — myShape® (www.myshape.com), the only Personal Shop™ for women on the web, just got more personal with the launch of Style Me an essential guide to style know-how. Keeping with MyShape’s commitment to give each member quality clothes matched to her measurements and fit and style preferences—no more size charts, no more guesswork—Style Me produces content that is customized to address fashion challenges and to provide style inspiration tailored to each woman’s shape, lifestyle and taste to help its customers know what to wear for every occasion, taking the guesswork out of dressing.

Style Me serves the fashion curious and conscious with a range of valuable advice:Shape Anatomy offers the lowdown on what-to-wear shape tips, Style Stories features everyday women’s fashion frustrations and triumphs, the Look Books keep people in step with each season’s trends and Runway to Your Way shows a woman how to adapt those trends for her own shape.

“Style Me is about a path of discovery,” says MyShape Chief Creative Officer Patty Fox, who has been Fashion Coordinator of the Academy Awards®. “Each area of Style Me helps a woman create her individual sense of style, beyond cookie-cutter fashion, to enhance her unique qualities and let that personality shine through her clothes.”

Shape Anatomy
At the heart of MyShape’s philosophy is that your body is as individual as your personality, so clothing should be selected for every aspect of you, not governed by your size, but your shape. Shape Anatomy, which features a great weekly tip update, important wardrobe tips on what to wear, from necklines and dresses to a.m. and p.m. ensembles, and numerous outfits for every occasion—all especially selected to fit and flatter her shape.

Style Stories
With Style Stories, real women share their signature style as well as their fashion highs
and lows, essentials and inspirations. For some, the process of developing a signature
style—a style that is uniquely you—can be intimidating, so people turn to trends instead of personalizing their look, which is more timeless. The women featured in Style Stories each demonstrate how their signature style transcends trends, but also how
they adapt the hottest new looks to their liking, lifestyle and shape.

Look Books
What sets MyShape’s Look Books apart from others online? Every season MyShape
presents the latest trends with a variety of enviable ensembles for work and play, from
its exciting inventory of more than 200 quality brands—including popular designers
Catherine Malandrino, Yoana Baraschi, Betsey Johnson and Michael Kors—and every
look is completely shoppable. And, because shape is key, each garment description
provides what shapes they flatter and why.

From Runway to Your Way
From Runway to Your Way showcases all the top looks from international runways and then translating them for everyday wear. This is an easy how-to guide to keeping up with the latest trends or how to incorporate the look into your signature style. From Runway to Your Way also offers several cool outfits depicting each trend, and if a woman feels like experimenting with a look, she can try building her own look in the interactive Outfit Builder. As a MyShape member, all the apparel that match her shape and measurements, will appear in her Personal Shop so she sees only styles that fit and flatter her.

About myShape®

myShape® is the new Personal Shop for women on the web-an innovative women’s fashion site that is changing the way women shop. myShape provides each member with her own Personal Shop™ filled with clothing choices that match her measurements, body shape and fashion and fit preferences. The Personal Shop and the ShapeMatch® system are protected by issued and pending international patents. The company is changing the metrics for retail online — myShape members buy more, return less and are more satisfied with their clothing purchases. myShape is outreaching to millions of women to provide them with an effortless way to shop for apparel that fits and flatters™.

For more information go to www.myShape.com.

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