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Travel Smith


hawkeye65
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I'm petite so sometimes (like most times) have difficulty finding things that aren't overlong. I'm trying to find clothes that will pack wrinkle-resistant. I found a few items on the Travel Smith website that look possible. I found mixed reviews of Travel Smith clothing on an old forum. Can I get some recent opinions please? They're not cheap. Are fabrics as advertised? Does sizing run true or on the small or large size? In particular, I'm looking at a midlength dress. I think I need something that isn't super casual for an evening concert. Mostly I'll be looking at L L Bean, but that dress on TS keeps calling to me. Thanks for any advice.

 

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I personally think Travel Smith is a bit pricey and not worth the money. Have you googled Petite long travel dresses? See if other sites may carry something you would like.

 

I find the best way to see if a fabric will wrinkle when shopping in a store is to grab it and scrunch it and if it wrinkles you know it might not be good for travelling.

 

I also bring wrinkle releaser when I travel. You spray it on and with a blow dryer you can get the wrinkles out. Some people hang it in the shower and let the steam do it (I personally have never tried that).

 

I have bought some of my favorite dresses at places like Ross Stores.

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I bought the navy All Seasons Blazer. The arms were really tight (and I do not have big arms, just big shoulders). The blazer itself was well-made and looked nice. I just couldn't get my arms in! I don't mind paying money for something that is well-made and will last. I've bought things from Target and other similar stores and ended up throwing them on the junk heap after one of two wearings.

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I have purchased a lot of clothing from the Travel Smith website but only when it was on sale.

 

I have worn all of it for years, both at work and while travelling, and their quality/"washability" is wonderful.

 

Regular pricing is too high for me (agree with others above!) but if you can catch one of their many sales, I would highly recommend them.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Last summer, I purchased two (one for daughter & one for me) 4-piece sets (pants, skirt, jacket & tank) on sale. We each got a set in black & a set in beige. Both black sets are wonderful. They have become our go-to travel outfits. We took them on a trip where we wore them constantly-- on the plane, bus, train, boat & dry land! We wore them in sunshine & rain. Casual & dressy. We rolled them up into balls & crammed the pieces in our purses. They returned to their shape instantly. No ironing. No snags. No water spotting. They even came in a packing cube! They rated very high with purchasers, but they sold out & TS didn't reorder them.

 

Both beige sets were terrible. Ill-fitting, wrinkly fabric, ugly color. We returned the beige sets -- & it took over a month to get our refunds!

 

I will think twice & think again before ordering from them. BUT if they offered the same 4-piece set (which we have in black now), in beige or grey or light blue -- I'd order them at full price, without even waiting for a sale as I usually do!

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Look for dresses that will fit all over them hem the length.

Being short means you have to be able to hem your own or hire a tailor.

Been hemming my clothes since junior high. Know to avoid clothes with a specialty hem (remember drindle skirts in the 80s?) or any zippers/snaps at the ankles. Even convertible pants are a PITA to hem.

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
I bought the navy All Seasons Blazer. The arms were really tight (and I do not have big arms, just big shoulders). The blazer itself was well-made and looked nice. I just couldn't get my arms in! I don't mind paying money for something that is well-made and will last. I've bought things from Target and other similar stores and ended up throwing them on the junk heap after one of two wearings.

 

I had the same problem with their blazer.

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I decided to order the dress. They said 10 to 12 business days; it arrived in 2! That's where the good news ends. Based on some of the comment here, I ordered the MP. It was way too big. I grabbed about 6 in out of the bodice to make it fit. Even the shoulders were too big. With that much extra fabric, I have doubts the SP would fit. Oh, well, gotta kiss a bunch of frogs etc. It's going back.

 

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I decided to order the dress. They said 10 to 12 business days; it arrived in 2! That's where the good news ends. Based on some of the comment here, I ordered the MP. It was way too big. I grabbed about 6 in out of the bodice to make it fit. Even the shoulders were too big. With that much extra fabric, I have doubts the SP would fit. Oh, well, gotta kiss a bunch of frogs etc. It's going back.

 

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Try the Garnet Hill website, they have quite a few Eileen Fisher dresses perfect for travel, as well as a few other brands. One thing I love is their very trustworthy reviews on their items. I've got my eye on this dress for work & travel:

http://www.garnethill.com/open-v-neck-maxi-dress/womens-fashion/dresses/446284?&defattribvalue=main

 

Also, their Eileen Fisher organic ballet neck dress is an item I buy every year, perfect for travel, you can dress it up with a nice scarf & wedges, or go super casual with capri leggings & ballet flats, very versatile dress. :)

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I used to buy things from them but they are quite expensive and I can duplicate many of the easy care easy wear travel clothes by shopping at places like J. Jill, Chicos, HSN, QVC, etc. or other places. Most places now carry synthetic lightweight knits that pack and travel well and you can even hand wash them and hang on a hanger to dry.

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  • 1 month later...
CB at sea, are you a petite? If so, you know that fit issues for petites are far more complicated than a simple hem for most garments.

 

 

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Usually, but not always true.

Depends on what type of petite you are and the manufacturer's pattern maker.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Usually, but not always true.

Depends on what type of petite you are and the manufacturer's pattern maker.

 

 

 

Petite clothing has different proportions (not just length) which occur at the cutting stage of the garment (Thus making it very difficult to alter a "regular" garment to fit the petite body). Though actual measurements may vary by manufacturer (justbasctheycdocfor "regular" sizes), petite garments are proportioned differently. http://www.jeetly.com/what-is-petite

 

 

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Edited by simplelife
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petite garments are proportioned differently

Yep! Which is why, though regular pants are always too long on me, petite pants almost never fit.....For me (in between for most brands...) the easiest is to buy regular pants and hem. Or, sometimes an ankle pant is full length on me. Petite skirts usually work great for me, but petite tops never (but that's because my boobs take up too much space;p)

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm kind of on the edge for Petite, being 5'3". Petite pants usually just don't fit me right; the rise is just too small. But I can buy petite tops--but have to go up at least one size. Dresses, the waist is too high. It's very true that the proportion makes fitting iffy. Just hemming doesn't always work.

 

I have tried Travel Smith and have sent almost everything back because of fit issues.. Also, very pricey unless on sale.

 

I have given up on ordering clothing online; I need to try things on!

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I have given up on ordering clothing online; I need to try things on!

I refuse to drive 60+ miles to shop and still not find what I want in a store, so I pretty much only shop online. Much easier. Whatever works for you.....

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I refuse to drive 60+ miles to shop and still not find what I want in a store, so I pretty much only shop online. Much easier. Whatever works for you.....

 

I do get that--we live 2.5 hours from a big city. So far I have had to send back almost everything I bought on line, though, and even that isn't easy from a rural area.

 

We have a small city fairly close, so I can usually find something though it may take some looking. Maybe I am just some odd off-size or something, but I can't seem to go by the supposed sizing on-line.

 

As you said, everyone needs to find what works for them.

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I refuse to drive 60+ miles to shop and still not find what I want in a store, so I pretty much only shop online. Much easier. Whatever works for you.....

 

have a small city fairly close, so I can usually find something though it may take some looking.

 

Interestingly, I just read an article that -- while not new -- had some interesting insights about where women are buying their clothes these days. Malls and major department stores are obviously struggling, even long-time reliable stores like Ann Taylor and Talbots are losing their niche customers. The only places that seem to be picking up customers are the outlet stores like Marshalls, TJ Maxx, and Ross.

 

The article's take is that retailers only have themselves to blame. Quality and value in clothing is not great in many places and because retailers are trying to appeal to everyone, they make boring clothes that appeal to no one. I kind of have to agree. I remember I used to get excited every year when the fall clothing lines came out. Now, not so much.

 

Plus, as has been said, fit in women's clothing is always a coin toss. Even with brands I've worn for years, the fit is no longer consistent. I assume it is because these places outsource the pieces to many different factories in many different countries that may have slightly different standards or ways of measuring/cutting (even if presumably given the "standard" measurements for the brand).

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I've definitely been trying to switch to better quality & buying less. I've always been a fairly traditional/preppy dresser, so it's easy to wear the same thing year after year:hearteyes:

 

My husband ships stuff from his company regularly, so I send my UPS returns from there or drop off at the post office after work - returns no big deal. Or I buy things I know I can find online and then return to a store that's 60 miles from home - not ideal, but if I think I'm getting a lot of things to try, not a bad option. But contemplating whether or not I love something enough to try it and possibly return it makes me a more conscious shopper, and that makes me happy too!

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