Indi Denim: Conclusion (Dangerous Curves Ahead)

Warning: certain of the images you are about to see contain disturbing material. In fact, I would even recommend reading this post on an empty stomach, perhaps with a friend or loved one nearby for comfort. Because what you are about to see is not pretty. I am personally still recovering (as is my injured muffin-top). Perhaps I shouldn’t be so disturbed, because it’s my pasty white stomach and borderline cameltoe (there, I said it) that I am about to show you. And I should probably be comfortable with them by now. But you, well, that’s another story. You didn’t ask for this. And for that, friends, I am truly sorry (not that you didn’t ask, but that you have to suffer through this viewing). But once I begin an investigation, I don’t stop until the mission is complete.

As you may know, about a month ago, I decided to try out Indi Denim, an East Bay company promising $135 custom jeans cut to customers’ measurements and designed according to their specifications. For background, you can read my two previous posts on the ordering process:

Indi Denim: Part 1

Indi Denim: Part 2

Last week, I finally received my jeans. They arrived on Wednesday June 25, just shy of a month after I placed the order on May 31. They were neatly packaged and arrived carrying all the details I’d requested (back pocket flaps, distressed edges, etc.):

But the fit. Oh, man. It was terrible. I’d taken each measurement several times using a dressmaker’s tape measure, so I was surprised at how off it was.

Against my better judgment, I now reveal to you the tragi-comedy that ensued as I stepped into these jeans:

I know. You can say it. Oh MY god. As my husband said with his characteristic matter-of-factness, right before shielding his eyes, “The fit is not good.”

Next up, my impression of Bret Michaels, only without the massive unit. Just check out this pick from Rock of Love 2, and I think you’ll get what I’m sayin’.

I would show you more, but they are really embarrassing. So I won’t. Because I am not sure my fragile self-esteem can recover from knowing that tons of strangers have seen my denim-swaddled crotch region in this compromised state (or any state, for that matter).

To be fair to the folks at Indi Denim, they do offer customers the option to reorder for free, but I didn’t feel like expending the energy to re-enter all my measurements, fit choices and specifications. On top of that, I wasn’t that impressed with the fabric. So I’m returning them to the company, which does offer a refund within 30 days, minus the cost of shipping.

And that, folks, is all I have to say about that.

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Memorial Day Confessions

This weekend, I:

- Admit that I cried (a few) real tears of emotion during an especially poignant episode of What Not to Wear.

- Coveted large, expensive sunglasses from Glare, then remembered the fateful day I plunged into Lake Sonoma while wearing the one pair of sunglasses I have ever purchased that cost more than $30. They cost $89. They now live at the bottom of the lake. I did not buy new sunglasses.

- Wondered, why did I not realize how hot Clive Owen is before now?

- Realized I am very afraid of the Sex & the City movie.

- Learned that, in some small rural Wisconsin towns, they only have room for one strip club, which results in male and female strippers catering to their different and varied audiences in a single building, and that it is really funny when your husband ends up there at a bachelor party with his friends, and they end up having to block the vision of semi-dressed men from the corner of their eyes while they are trying to buy lap dances, or whatever it is that men do in those situations.

- Fell in love with the mango slicing tool that they are selling in the produce section of Safeway.

- Refused to make my bed. What’s the point? I am just going to get back in it.

- Discovered that not everyone has heard of the dog whisperer, and when you mention that you tried something you learned from the dog whisperer, that someone might think you actually believe there is a guy who can telepathically communicate with dogs, and that this is how you have been training your dog, and this may be why your dog is afraid of balloons and has other problems.

- Concluded that three days is not enough, but then, what is?

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Workin’ Girl

An onslaught of work is keeping SF Indie Fashion from posting as per usual. Eyes are bleary. Coffee taste in mouth. Dirty apartment. Ugh. We’ll be back as soon as possible. And yes, it is the royal we.

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F.L.O.G.* Interlude

Why is it that female fitness instructors in group exercise classes from sea to shining sea delight in exercise moves that always, for some godforsaken reason, involve vigorous thrusting, rhythmic butt squeezing and/or  spread eagle leg formations? Why is it that no male fitness instructors have ever asked me to do anything even close?

Ponder.

And while you chew on that, take this little nugget of advice for the day: when next you’re caught in this situation, don’t try to weasel-out with your own “lite” version of a particular move where thrusts, butt squeezing or spread eagle leg lifts are heavily involved, lest you end up like I did yesterday, with the instructor taking a sudden interest in your obvious lack of thrusting vigor and highlighting this for the entire class by standing right there, going “harder, faster, harder!”

I understand that thrusting is important for certain activities, or else most of us wouldn’t be here today. So I’ll just say this: thank the lord for gay male fitness instructors who love cheesy house music, aren’t afraid of throwing in a little girlie step aerobics here and there, but have no qualms getting drill sergeant on your ass when you slack off. And let’s hope that certain ones don’t take another day off anytime soon, because that might result in more sub instructors who might have a thing for thrust moves that I might have to end up doing.

* F.L.O.G. = For the Love of God!!! (Said in a loud, exasperated tone and not, actually, for the love of any god. Not that there’s um anything wrong with god).

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Indie Fashion? Yes, Please!

NPR’s Talk of the Nation had a good show on today:

Made in a Sweatshop: Clues for Consumers

(Beware. Lengthy, somewhat rambling discourse follows)

I spend a lot of time talking about fluffy stuff like sales and cool jewelry and clothing made by local folks on this blog, but I was reminded today while listening to the radio of what originally got me interested in the whole idea of an indie consumer culture, something I was spending a lot of time exploring before I even started blogging about it.

Sure I love all the accessories and adornments I mention and admire the designers who make them, but what really keeps me motivated to continue blogging about San Francisco’s indie fashion scene on a daily basis has its roots in something more important than any tangible item or passing fashion trend.

The point, or my point at least in promoting indie consumption as much as I do, is that buying from local entrepreneurs, stores, designers and creators is something I’ve come to view as a better choice all around. It’s obviously better for the indie community in San Francisco, but it’s also just a personal, almost moral (and trust me, I rarely get moral about anything, probably to my own detriment) bedrock choice that I’ve made to decrease my support for companies without a community-minded local presence and whose business practices are opaque, nebulous or blatantly shade-ball.

I don’t take every dollar I spend and put it towards an indie company (I shop at Safeway and Walgreens, own a Honda and buy cheap sunglasses from Ross and tank tops at Old Navy), but I try to put as many of my dollars into independent, local businesses as I can, and I try to promote them in my writing whenever I can. And I’m not sure how much difference it really makes. I mean, like the people on NPR said today, sweatshops will probably always exist in one form or anther, as will exploitative business practices and shadowy multi-international bigwigs.

But at the end of the day, I feel better knowing that, to the extent that I can swing it, my money doesn’t end up fueling the sweatshop cycle or encourage the exploitation of workers or pay for goods that were made in some far off land (and yes, there is irony in saying this while typing on a computer whose parts were likely made in China). And yes, I realize that being all about indie is, to a certain degree, a privilege. After all, it’s a hell of a lot cheaper to buy clothes and household items at Ross and Loehman’s and Macy’s and Target and everyplace else. And it’s often a hell of a lot cheaper to buy them there than to make them yourself. But since I’m in a position to choose between the two ends of the spectrum, I will. And as often as I can. And whenever programs like the one I heard today hit the mainstream media, I’m reminded that we’re in the midst of a consumer shift of sorts, where lots of people like me are making lots of the same decisions.

And that makes me just as bright-eyed and giddy as I am when see something rad at a cool indie shopping event or when I talk to a designer who’s busted ass to get her creations out to the world. It’s just good stuff. Plain and simple.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

SF Indie Fashion wishes you and yours a wonderful, safe and happy Thanksgiving filled with too much food, family and good wine. We’ll be having hearty servings of all three today. Thanks, everyone, for reading this little site and for being interested in learning more about San Francisco’s ever-growing community of indie-minded creative folks, crafters, shoppers and designers. Now get outta here. It’s turkey time.

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Idiot Alert!

To anyone who has tried to contact me using the contact form, the good news is this: it’s working! The bad news? It wasn’t working until about three minutes ago, when I discovered that I had not done some high-level technical things (like, uh, change the default email address in my administration system) since launching the new SF Indie Fashion about 10 days ago. So, um, if you have tried to email me and haven’t heard a peep from me - that’s why!! I’m an idiot. Many apologies. Please be in touch. I want to hear your news!

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FTLOG - Busy, Busy, Busy

Why does the simple fact that the holidays are upon us always seem to translate into… um, no time? No time at all. Apologies for the sporadic posting, but, as you know, I do this in my “free time,” and recently have been swamped with work, moving apartments, out of town guests and  trying to give all my excess crap away on craigslist (woah nelly, that is a fountain of ridiculousness right there). But I am doing my best to keep the news about this season’s indie-friendly sample sales and San Francisco fashion events comin’. So hang in.

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FTLOG: High-Waist Pants

Oh high-waist pants, where are you?

I was recently inspired by a viewing of Norma Rae to re-adopt the high-waisted pant. Unfortunately, I can’t find any. Maybe it’s all for the best. Many I have consulted with on the matter of high-waisted pants tell me that they are ugly and unflattering to most female bodies (of course this pronouncement came from two self-appointed male experts whose judgment may be based, in part, on the fact that they have never seen an attractive version of the high-waist pant). Well, so are exposed butt cracks (note photo) and low-rider gut overhang. I’m not talking about sky-high, up to your ears insane lady high-waist pants (like something Laura would make on Project Runway), but rather pants that rise up near the belly button and fall gracefully to the floor without being palazzos.

This is my lament for the day.

Sorry if the butt crack above is yours. It was in my way. So I captured it.

P.S. If any SF designer out there wants to make me a pair of high-waist pants - which I’ll pay you for (obviously) - get in touch. I’m serious. Oh. How would you contact me? Leave me a comment on the site.

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Designers - Web Site Must-Haves (From a Journalist’s P.O.V.)

This morning, I was sitting down to blog and went into my bulging grab bag of business cards and promotional material collected from local designers at various events, stores, etc. I pulled out a few that I’ve been wanting to post about, but I came across an annoying occurance that I find all too often among indie designers: the missing and/or lacking and/or suspended account web site.

Look, as an independent business owner of sorts myself (trust me, trying to make a living writing is about as independent as you can get) and as a writer/journalist, I can tell you that having a functional web site is SO KEY. Just so freakin’ key. If you don’t have one that works - and don’t worry about it being fancy or looking super flashy - you are doing yourself and your product a major disservice.

Why? Because writers and buyers and people like me who are constantly looking for new, interesting and unusual ideas search the web all the time (more than I want to admit), Googling all kinds of combinations of search terms. If your web site comes up in a search - or just happens under that writer’s or buyer’s or journalist’s nose at the right time, that person could choose to contact you or feature you. At the very least, your name will stick in that person’s head.

If the inquiring mind goes to your web site and finds it inadequate, lacking in basic information or totally confusing - then that person will likely just abandon your site. If you don’t even have a web site to begin with, well, I just don’t know what to say about that other than, stop reading this and get one. Stat.

Why can’t they just send me an email, you may be wondering. Well, I often do that when I want more information from a designer. But in the vast majority of cases, I take the time to contact designers when I already know a little something about them. The reason for this is simple. I usually contact people when I already know I want to write about them. I either have an assignment to cover them or know that designer would fit perfectly into something I’m working on. But say I’m just researching, browsing around, etc. A solid web site is just the way to convince a writer like me that I want to know more.

I’m not saying that a web site is the ultimate ticket to a smashing career. Nor is it a way to avoid any other forms of marketing or self-promotion. But it certainly is a key, ultra-basic thing you need to have working for you in today’s world.

Here are the key (extremely essential) things I want to see when I visit a designer site (and remember I am saying this from a writer’s P.O.V.):

• A picture of your product. It doesn’t have to be a studio shot with a model or anything fancy. Just simple shots of your products.
• Your location. This is essential. Many local publications, blogs, etc. that you’ve probably never heard of are constantly looking for local, undiscovered talent to feature or mention in upcoming issues. Even if you only offer an email address or web form as contact information, mention where you’re based.
• Product description. What do you sell or make? If you mostly make jewelry, fine. But don’t forget to mention that you also make pillows or tank tops or whatever. You just never know which item will be the one that sells or attracts attention. For someone like me, it’s really helpful to have this information spelled out. Like, “purveyor of canvas handbags, vintage bracelets and funky tees made in San Francisco.”
• Where to buy. Where is your stuff? If you aren’t in any stores and don’t have an online shopping cart, don’t despair. It’s okay. Just say that. Something like, orders are accepted via email or telephone.
• Biographical information. You don’t have to tell your life story or be super witty, but say something about yourself. Where do you live? Where did you grow up? If you have professional training, mention that. If not, how long have you been designing? What do you like to do? What are your style parameters? What inspires you? What stage is your design venture in at the moment?

If you’ve got these basic elements, no one will abandon your site for lack of information. If you put the site together in a clean, simple way, no one will abandon it for lack of professionalism.

If one particular designer had even two of the above must-haves in place this morning - instead of an annoying “we’ll have our web site updated by June 2006″ message on the home page - that designer’s bags would be up here right now. Not that this blog is like a hotline to fashion success or anything, but hey, it’s coverage of some sort, right? And I also happen to write for many local publications. Who knows when I might decide to use that designer for a bigger feature somewhere else…?

I guess my perspective is this: you don’t have to pay for expensive PR or promote yourself like a dog or kiss major ass or compromise your aesthetic, but just make it easy for people who want to find you and learn more about you to find you and learn more about you. It’s not that hard. And it makes people like me happy. Because then I get to write about you.

That’s my lecture for the day. The only other lecture I will be offering today is for my dog. It will be on the topic of “sitting still by the parking meter while I go in this store.”

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