Small questions thread

[beardown]

Easy...turn it inside out and it'll go with anything.
Wasn't that one made to be reversible?
Beyond that, pick up a pair of pink capris and pair of New Balance and tell everyone you're headed out to a garden party.

[Faust]

Unfortunately it's one of those pieces that are not very versatile. I have learned to live with the fact that I can't mix and match everything, although ideally I would like to, of course.

[Rex]

My experiences with Ann have been about the same. Sometimes very hard for me to work her non black pieces in with my existing wardrobe given her unique use of colors, as well as her roomier fits. I think I remeber a lot of purple peices in this collection. Try using dark, royal and lighter purples- or if you want to be safe, just buy more Ann

[jgan85]

thank you gentlemen, will give the purples a shot. heh would like to buy more ann too, who wouldn't, but $ restrains me.
________
SHEMALE BLACK

[theetruscan]

Does anyone know if there's a way of getting an explanation or any such thing from UPS if they levy an insane brokerage fee?

[Faust]

No, you are pretty much fucked. Same with FedEx. USPS all the way.
I learned my lessons once and for all after paying $400 for a sweet little package from Japan.

[beardown]

I probably don't have to tell anyone but those brokerage fees are a waste of money. The only time I've dealt with a broker was while shipping a huge delivery of something that was produced from material I'd never dealt with before in filling out customs' forms.

If the custom form is filled out wrong, your package can be held up for weeks and you get HUGE fees attached to it AND it defaults to a broker anyway.
The only way to avoid the brokerage fees is to work with someone who knows how to fill out customs' forms for specific countries and specific materials (generally if you're involved with production or distribution is when that becomes a headache.)

It seems ridiculous to use a broker to deal with customs if it's a small package. What I was sending was an entire order of 12 boxes that I couldn't afford to have held up in customs. I think I paid roughly $210 USD (somewhere around $17.50 per box).
In that case, the fee was worth it but I chose my own broker instead of having the shipper default to a contractor, whose fees are generally higher.

Here's an explanation of fees.
I think during slow economies, all customs buck up their duties and work overtime charging people to generate as much money as they can. And recently, laws have changed about importing certain materials and those materials are taxed heavily to dissuade importing when something can be purchased domestically (from what I've gathered).

If you make it more expensive to buy internationally, the idea is that you sell more domestically and I assume that's what's been going on for the past few years with US customs.

It sucks. Import fees/taxes/duties alone are insane at times but a broker is just a waste of money.
But again, if customs forms are filled out incorrectly by the shipper, then a package defaults into a broker's hands to clear it up and those fees conveniently go to you. Generally anywhere from $80-$200 depending on the amount of items in a box and point of manufacturing and based on the materials (leather, cotton, etc).

It's worked for me. I won't order outside the U.S. anymore except when it can be marked as a gift or customs fees are included.
Just not worth it in the end financially even if you get a decent deal.

I've tried DHL, UPS, FedEX and I don't believe any of them are better than the other in terms of dealing with customs issues.

[Acid, Bitter and Sad]

LUC raw silk cardigan at Atelier NYC

Is there any difference in fabric/material between the tussah raw silk from last season and the 10AW version sold at Atelier now?

[Faust]

I think the fabric has been the same every season.

[Faust]

Welcome to the CDG world. Nice to look at, difficult to wear.

[beardown]

I can appreciate the craftsmanship to those pants but the problem is that you're always going to look like you're getting ready for bed when wearing them.
Either that, or sitting down to play a sitar.

Not trying to be a dick; just stumped on this one.

[laughed]

what's the name of that site where you can search say "black boots" and it will show black boots from pretty much every clothing store on the internet - it scrolls left and right when viewing. (not farfetch)

edit: found it - shopstyle

[messenoire]

quick shoe sizing help.
british sizes?
i am a euro size 42 & us size 9. i was going to order a uk 8 in a chelsea boot with a narrow toe. every sizing guide says that a uk 8 is a us 8.5 and that a uk 9 is a 9.5. being that a us 8.5 is too snug for me do you think a uk 9 would fit with the style of the boot? i generally do not fit in us 9.5 as they are too big. what would you suggest? a lame question yes but i need a big of advice.

[Faust]

i don't know since when the british sizing is half a size larger, it has always been one size larger. 8 = 9 US.

[lowrey]

sorry, but honestly, everything in those pants seems to be somehow off. the material and pattern makes them look like pyjamas, the colour doesn't help either and the fitment also appears a bit poor. add the vertical stripes and you're not exactly looking at a winner.