The Holiday Cruiser [GAP] (Thanks to Jacqueline!)

...She got kind of flustered and said that it was a different situation but couldn't explain why. So I said that if they also sold shorts in the store that I'd better not wear those in either and I took off my shorts. Same goes for the shoes and sunglasses. Now I'm standing there in my spandex and a sports bra and I ask here if I can leave my things behind the customer service counter where they will be safe until I finish making my purchases and she said that I couldn't come into the store without shoes on, to which i responded "but I certainly can't wear shoes into the store because you sell those here and someone might think I've stolen them." She threatened to call security if I didn't leave so I told her that I would never be coming back to that store again and that I was glad I hadn't driven there since the gas to go four miles was probably more expensive than what her underpaid employees make in an hour.

Her expression when the shirt came off was absolutely priceless...I was pretty tempted to take off the spandex too but I wasn't sure what constitutes indecent exposure in Virginia so I figured I'd err on the side of caution. Still I had a decent sized crowd gathered before the end of the discussion.

Wal Mart is Evil so I took off my clothes [Bike Forums]
(Photo: Getty)

We know shipping accidents happen, but what's unacceptable about J.Crew's response is how they keep putting Kimberly off instead of working with her to resolve the problem.

My credit card was charged on the day of purchase for the full amount of my order. When I first called on the 8th the rep had suggested for me to wait the full 7 days, I did not have a problem then with the wait. On the 11th I checked their website and noticed the aforementioned status change that led to another call immediately.

I was refunded $49.99 on the same day on the item that was supposedly returned but I never received, but their rep did not even want to look up my address to see whether or not it was sent to the wrong address. When I insisted that he check, he told me that they had the correct shipping address but I should wait 10 days to call back anyways.

It's not like Kim's a novice shopper who doesn't know how shipping works. Now the question is: is there anyone at J.Crew who knows how shipping works? You two should talk.

Alvin writes:

I wanted to praise an online company that I happened to order custom printed apparel from. Spreadshirt Inc.or spreadshirt.com is one of many online services that customize shirts for a low price. I have used many of these sites because I graphic design on the side and enjoy putting some of my work on the clothes I wear. I want to let you know of the numerous sites I have used Spreadshirt has shown the greatest consideration of their customers. I made a mistake of getting one of my designs in a "silver" flex print which really ended up being a glittery reflective print. It made my fraternity letters look, lets say less manly. It was at my bad judgment but they were more than willing to redo it for me at no charge. I called them and left a message the night before and I am happy they were willing to call me back the next day. Hopefully, someone would recognize this great company too.

Colleen is going to wash her clothes before she wears them from now on. Why? Well, she bought a pair of pants from Old Navy that were, well, soiled. You know. In the crotch region. By a female. The words "snail trail" were used.

Yeah.

Ew.

As if that wasn't bad enough, when Colleen took the pants back and tried to discreetly tell Old Navy what was wrong with them, they were total jerks to her.

Realizing that this was a sensitive issue, I asked for a manager at the checkout counter and attempted to be reasonably discreet when I spoke to her. It wasn't pretty. The manager was SO defensive and although she did say "I'm sorry" once, her attitude was horrible! She made me feel like I was in the wrong for being disgusted about the pants. She wasn't empathetic at all and it went badly, with excuse after excuse about WHY it could have happened, instead of saying, "I'm so sorry, how horrible, let me take care of this for you." She actually said, "Well, it's not as if we did this on PURPOSE!" Sheesh lady, I never said you did, I just want you to know so you can prevent this in the future!

Realizing I was getting nowhere fast, I quietly told her I would call corporate to express my dismay, and her response was "Go ahead!". Nice! So I did, literally dialing their number on the way out of the store. The rep there WAS empathetic and understanding, and promised that she'd have the district manager call me. I told her I had planned to return two items and shop in ON tonight, but after dealing with the manager, I was so turned off I left. I felt mortified when she was talking to me, and I was so embarrassed that she reacted like I was somehow in the wrong for expecting to buy clean clothes! I don't even want to go back to the store.

To make the rest of a long story short, I never heard from a district manager. I did hear back from the Old Navy rep at corporate who apologized again, and sent me a $50 gift card for my troubles, and told me I didn't need to return the pants. (Um, yeah, cause I'm going to wash them and wear them after this?) The pants were close to $20, so the end result here is that Old Navy puts my value as a customer at $30

old navy snail trail pants [Simple Kind of Life] (Thanks to the person who doesn't want to be credited for submitting this!)
(Photo:cmorran123)

Underage workers are forced to work overtime in dangerous conditions for little pay, a widespread reality factory owners easily conceal from incompetent inspectors.

A former Huanya employee who was reached by telephone gave a similar account of working conditions, saying many workers suffered from skin rashes after working with gold powders and that others were forced to sign papers "volunteering" to work overtime.

"It's quite noisy, and you stand up all day, 12 hours, and there's no air-conditioning," he said. "We get paid by the piece we make but they never told us how much. Sometimes I got $110, sometimes I got $150 a month."

In its 58-page report, the National Labor Committee scolded Wal-Mart for not doing more to protect workers. The group charged that last July, Huanya recruited about 500 16-year-old high school students to work seven days a week, often 15 hours a day, during peak production months for holiday merchandise.

Several students interviewed at the Guangzhou Technical School, less than two miles from Huanya, confirmed that classmates ages 16 to 18 had spent the summer working at the factory.

Some high school students later went on strike to protest the harsh conditions, the report said. The students also told labor officials that at least seven children, as young as 12 years old, were working in the factory.

"At Wal-Mart, Christmas ornaments are cheap, and so are the lives of the young workers in China who make them," the National Labor Committee report said.

Who is to blame? Economics. Factory owners will do anything to provide goods at everyday low prices. The reward for their productivity vastly outweighs the risk of a crackdown from China's notoriously corrupt regulators.

"The factories have improved immeasurably over the past few years," says Alan Hassenfeld, chairman of the toy maker Hasbro and co-chairman of Care, the ethical-manufacturing program of the International Council of Toy Industries. "But let me be honest: there are some bad factories. We have bribery and corruption occurring but we are doing our best."

Some factories are warned about audits beforehand and some factory owners or managers bribe auditors. Inexperienced inspectors may also be a problem.

Some major Western auditing firms working in China even hire college students from the United States to work during the summer as inspectors, an indication that they are not willing to invest in more expensive or sophisticated auditing programs, critics say.

Chinese suppliers regularly outsource to other suppliers, who may in turn outsource to yet another operation, creating a supply chain that is hard to follow — let alone inspect.

There is little that any Western company can do about those issues, no matter how seriously they take corporate social responsibility — other than leaving China.

Some Canadian shoppers wear their new clothes home to avoid paying a duty when they cross back into Canada. The old clothes get left behind in parking lots, dressing rooms and restrooms at malls and shopping plazas in the Buffalo-Niagara Falls region.

Mall Collects Clothes Tossed Away by Canadian Shoppers [WWTI via Fark]
(Photo:Zanastardust)

• Todd Layne promised same-day service until 8 p.m., but closed at 5:30 p.m. without offering an apology;
• Todd Layne costs more than other cleaners on the block because they use environmentally friendly soap that caused Evan's fiance to break out in hives;
• Maloney received a batch of clothes that was still wet.
• Todd Layne's washed and ruined a cellphone Maloney had left in his shorts;
• Todd Layne offered to accept package deliveries for people in Maloney's building. Despite his negative experiences, Maloney accepted this service. Todd Layne accepted two packages, but refused delivery of the third.

Why are dry cleaners such litigation magnets?

Drycleaner Sues Unhappy Customer [Gothamist]

Old Navy is bigger than Gap or Banana Republic, but is struggling just the same. The NYT says:

Mr. Oldham, a former couture designer, has largely left the fashion industry, instead favoring home décor and furniture.

Now, Ms. Roberston said, he wants to return to clothing, but ensure his designs reach a broad audience. Old Navy, with sales of nearly $7 billion, is bigger than its corporate siblings, Gap and Banana Republic.

Ms. Robertson said Mr. Oldham's clothing for Old Navy would be "modern and relevant," adding that "it will be an important part of our turnaround."

Todd Oldham's New Assignment: Old Navy [NYT]
(Photo:cmorran123)

A writeup on Digg says, "The Subway cheese "problem" has been bothering a good friend for quite some time, and after he saw the latest news on the Consumerist a day or so ago, he decided to make a protest t-shirt. I may have to wear one into my local subway as soon as the shirt shows up."

Tongue firmly lodged in cheek, to get every last morsel of improperly laid isosceles cheese from our Subway sandwich that we deserve, we might just buy one.

Scam Tee [Spreadshirt]
PREVIOUSLY: Subway's Incorrect Use Of Isosceles Cheese Actually A Vast Conspiracy

The advice, while unwelcome and slightly depressing, seemed correct. Even though the site is meant for women, we had Ben enter his stats.

The results? "Mine didn't look too good on the girls. They looked uncomfortable, but then again, they're trying to wear my jeans." We'd call that a success.

Zafu

Thread Heads: Size Matters [ThreadBanger via Curbly]
PREVIOUSLY: How To: Sew A Button On The Right Way

In 2006, revenue from skirts, suits and shoes reached $18.3 billion, surpassing that from PCs, printers and word-processing programs, which totaled $17.2 billion, according to a report to be released today by a major trade group.

The surging popularity of clothing on the Web defies predictions that fashion — which is hard enough to buy in stores, with the aid of sales clerks and fitting rooms — would be difficult, if not impossible, to translate onto the Internet.

Less Risk Seen in Purchasing Clothes Online [NYT]

If you can't buy or earn authenticity, make it! — BEN POPKEN

DIY Vintage Jeans...Coffee style! [Curbly]

It's simultaneously easier and more difficult that our previous method of stitching madly through the button holes. Men in particular should watch this video and stop asking us females to sew buttons on your shirt. Many of us don't have secret button knowledge. We just fake it so you'll think we're smart. —MEGHANN MARCO

[via Curbly & Threadbanger]

Solution: Spritz garments with a small amount of vodka; hang them to dry in a well-ventilated area (spot-test first). Straight vodka kills bacteria, but it doesn't leave a scent.

8 Surprising Household Deodorizers [Real Simple]
(Photo: Todd Ehlers)

A nice button down shirt (for someone in their twenties) should cost you between $20 and $30 a piece. I usually try to go with wrinkle-free or iron-free shirts because they require little to no ironing.

Personally, we're urban, lazy and enjoy returning clothes by mail., but people living in more normal parts of America where they have things called malls may find this useful.

Also, if you're unable to live without a new piece from Banana Republic or Express, trying hitting the department stores first. Get your basics covered and then, if you have money left over, go to one of the boutiquey joints.

We were just in Brooklyn Industries clothing shop. Though we don't really care for their "near-hip" apparel, our girlfriend bought a skirt.

The cashier asked "debit or credit?" We then got into a little discussion about the difference between debit and credit.

Counter lad said that credit is cheaper than debit for the customer as merchants will sometimes require a transaction fee just like an ATM.

He added that he learned this because he was watching a consumer news bit on TV.

Being the consumer nimnoork we are, we said a further distinction between credit and debit was that debit card purchases were insured up to $50. We also mentioned the power of chargebacks.

He was like, "Oh, I didn't know that. Learn something new every day."

We just thought it was a little silly. The cashier only knew anything because he happened to catch a TV program.

As a consumer, make sure you know the difference. The guy manning the card swiper may not have a clue.

(He did hand us an online coupon. Enter code: Watertower06 to save 10% at Brooklyn Industries store)

Ever wish your baby had more bling? Jared Parsons, "a former skateboarder...was shopping for clothes for his first son, who's now 5 and quite a fashion plate. "I wanted him to dress how me and my friends dress," Parsons said, "but it's hard to find baby clothes like that," reports the Boston Herald.

And thus, he birthed Pimpfants, the banal apparel version of Rosemary's Welfare Check Baby.

Most of the threads are just boring crap... basketball outfits that say "Jr. Pimp Squad" and junior-sized velour track suits with BLING across the chest, but the line is really crossed on the "Lil' Beaters" (as in, wife-beater hirt) that read "My Mommy's a M.I.L.F."

That's perverse. Not to mention, redundant.

Yes, we know this site hit the interweb last month, but we didn't get outraged until today. We're saturnine like that.

comment on this post

(Thanks to Sebastien!)

Good question. In the mid-90's, I — like many teenage boys trying to sucker girls into sleeping with them — spent a great time wandering down the mincing path of the "sensitive male friend". As one might expect, this led to many girl-unfortunate-space-friends informing me that it would be like sleeping with their little brother. As an only child, I never quite understood the concern, but I digress. During these times, I spent a lot of time in malls with friends, assuring them outside of the Gap dressing room that those jeans didn't make them look fat, or that a particular grungy t-shirt emphasized their breasts subtly yet profoundly. The Gap was the place for 90's hipster fashion.

Yet if I get suckered into accompanying a friend now when clothes shopping, we always pass the Gap by without a word. Other retailers have stolen the spotlight. Slate examines The Gap and argues a large part of it is that The Gap has never gotten over the 90's fashion aesthetic that once made their brand so powerful. In addition, they are over-priced for what they sell and even simple purchases like a pair of jeans require an advanced PhD in order to work out the overly-complicated sizing descriptions. Well worth a read as a case-study on how a powerful brand can let itself stagnate by not paying attention to what its customers want.

Never Mind the Gap [Slate]